Size Matters - Part 2

DoriC · Post by **DoriC** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:13 pm

Kenny, I don't exactly "rock" but I can do a mean Fox Trot! I'm mad at myself because we've been at this a year and I should have asked questions about sizing before but I'm glad I finally asked a pro and now others may benefit too. It's sure worth a try.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:27 pm

DoriC wrote:Although I am embarrassed to confess this,I will if it helps someone who is struggling with mask fit. We've been at this for over a year and I feel Mike has been successful in his therapy with low AHIs and feeling much better except that we've never been able to adequately address the mask leaks although we knew the UMFF was the best fit for Mike after trying many others. So we've been resigned to leak rates of 49-55 with lots of fiddling and very snug straps(manual says 40-42) and lots of reassurance here. I happened to reread Carbonman's Odyssey of the Mask the other day where he stated that he decided to try a small size UM mask after using a medium for a long while and that made all the difference for him. It was then that I realized with regret that in all the early turmoil and confusion Mike was never really measured properly by the DME, she just eyeballed him and said, he's a Medium. All the other masks we tried and failed with were also a Medium. So using Den's suggestions regarding mask measurements and cpap.com's sizing guide, I really measured Mike's face carefully several times and lo and behold he falls within the small parameters. We were able to purchase an unused small UM and he has slept the last 4 nights comfortably with no fiddling,no tight straps,no face marks and low leak rate. I thought I was finally graduated from "newbie school" but not so, I still have much to learn. I hope this helps someone else. Make sure your measurements are correct. Dori

Dori,

I'm not sure how we missed this little tidbit of information in all this time. I guess I was just going on the presumption that he HAD been properly fitted by the DME.
Sorry about that!

The measurements are such that there's only about 1/8" difference between the sizes of each mask, and, depending on how a person is measured........size does make a difference.

Den

DoriC · Post by **DoriC** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:56 pm

Den, the only thing you should be sorry about is that you've had to listen to my incessant whining about leaks and never giving you that one little "tidbit" of information that would have gotten me off your back sooner. (maybe)! Until next time.

DoriC · Post by **DoriC** » Sun Nov 08, 2009 7:01 am

DoriC wrote:Although I am embarrassed to confess this,I will if it helps someone who is struggling with mask fit. We've been at this for over a year and I feel Mike has been successful in his therapy with low AHIs and feeling much better except that we've never been able to adequately address the mask leaks although we knew the UMFF was the best fit for Mike after trying many others. So we've been resigned to leak rates of 49-55 with lots of fiddling and very snug straps(manual says 40-42) and lots of reassurance here. I happened to reread Carbonman's Odyssey of the Mask the other day where he stated that he decided to try a small size UM mask after using a medium for a long while and that made all the difference for him. It was then that I realized with regret that in all the early turmoil and confusion Mike was never really measured properly by the DME, she just eyeballed him and said, he's a Medium. All the other masks we tried and failed with were also a Medium. So using Den's suggestions regarding mask measurements and cpap.com's sizing guide, I really measured Mike's face carefully several times and lo and behold he falls within the small parameters. We were able to purchase an unused small UM and he has slept the last 4 nights comfortably with no fiddling,no tight straps,no face marks and low leak rate. I thought I was finally graduated from "newbie school" but not so, I still have much to learn. I hope this helps someone else. Make sure your measurements are correct. Dori

I think it's important to let anyone following this thread know that another one of my bright ideas fell through. Although Mike did have a few better nights with less leak with the Small UMFF, he had absolutely no wiggle room at all and if he was even the least bit restless the mask actually slipped up over his lip and the leaks were so high that the machine stopped recording. That went on for 2 nights and now we're back to our original Medium UMFF and with some minor adjustment to the forehead position I think we're doing OK. I realize now that "if you fall in between sizes it's ususally best to work with the larger size". It shouldn't surprise you that's a quote from Den and RG. Sorry.

Size Matters - Part 2

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