Changed to FFM / AHI is Up--Need Suggestions

Just curious, who suggested the UMFF Shallow? I think that size is for a very particular shape face. It's my observation that the majority of UM users here wear the Standard. This is the mask my husband wears with success after failing with many others.

Thanks so much to all who have responded since my last post. I’ve never figured out how to splice together quotes from more than one poster, so will just respond here to each of you.

Ozij: “Since you feel the difference during the day, I would suggest trying another kind of nasal pillows mask (Opus? Headrest?). Or else, concentrating on getting rid of leaks at 11, so that you know for sure you're sleeping without leak arousals.”
Ozij, I haven’t been able to do well with leak-control with the UMFFM at 11.0 unless I cranked the mask down awfully tight. The numbers seem so much worse at pressure of 10.0 that this appears to me a rule-out for resolving the issue, right? Yes I can switch back to a nasal pillows mask, but by all this, I was hoping to find a FFM as a backup. So I’m wondering what people do with similar results.

Mindy: “Since you're using the "shallow" UFMM mask, is it possible that you're not getting appropriate CO2 clearance?”
Wow. Can’t imagine that a mask would have been manufactured if they hadn’t worked this out. Is this really a possibility??

DYNE540, Thanks for your suggestion of the Fisher Paykel FORMA FF mask, based upon your similar experience with face-fitting. I’ve added it to my list to check out if available at a local DME. Looks like it does not have a nose bridge adjustment. Is that right? Any difficulty with that?

And Dori, no one suggested this mask to me. I tried a bunch of masks at the DME connected to the sleep center I originally went to. (They were unusually generous). The shallow UMFFM fit better than any other of 6-7 FFM’s I tried. It seemed a perfect fit.

Ozij, I haven’t been able to do well with leak-control with the UMFFM at 11.0 unless I cranked the mask down awfully tight.

Have you tried Mack's silicon ear plugs in the trouble spots? Of course cranking it down awfully tight is not a solution, and I should have added "without cranking it down so hard" since I remembered that was the problem.

If it's only for a backup, could you perhaps compromise on that heightened AHI for those backup day?

O.

plr66 wrote:Mindy: “Since you're using the "shallow" UFMM mask, is it possible that you're not getting appropriate CO2 clearance?”
Wow. Can’t imagine that a mask would have been manufactured if they hadn’t worked this out. Is this really a possibility??

I don't know the details -- just something I read on this forum, plus I've had one or two masks which left me feeling I couldn't get enough air and I believe that's one of the things you described. If you search on "CO2 clearance" in the cpaptalk.com search facility, you'll find a number of references. One thing to remember: each mask has an expected leak rate; if, for example, you partially block the vent holes, that reduces the normal "leak" rate and could result in inadequate CO2 clearance. It's also possible (I don't know enough to say for sure) that different people are more or less sensitive to this issue.

Mindy