New mask Resmed softgel nasal

That is a question that I have heard from my DME. I was told they have regular meetings with the manufacturers. They schedule them so they don't have appointments and as many employees that can attend to. They said they ask all kinds of questions and are honest with them about the equipment good or bad. They said they seem receptive and continue coming back, but they don't know if what they write down goes out the car window once they are down the street.


Ok now on to the mask. I did use it last night.

It is much more comfortable than the quattro basically because it is a smaller format. Putting the mask on and adjusting it is basically the same as the quattro. I would think it would be easier going from the quattro to this then from this to the quattro unless you are familiar with wearing a full face.

Anyway, I put it on and adjusted it. I layed down made final adjustments and was off to sleep. I don't remember readjusting it once last night and normally I have to adjust the quattro at least once. I wore it for about four and a half hours, until I woke up with my nose all stuffed up. I was going to adjust the mask just to fidget with it and make myself feel better, but I figured that wasn't going to help my nose. So off it came and on went the quattro.

I downloaded my data and the numbers looked about the same as the quattro. The leak rate was about the same even with the mustache. Now the vent rate of these two masks is the same. So either the mask didn't leak much from my mask or the quattro has a small leak I haven't noticed.

I didn't have a problem with mouth breathing until the quattro went on then my mouth got dry so up went the humidifier. Maybe I had the humidity too low, and that's why my simuses got plugged.

I am happy with the mask so far. I will be wearing it more and post more on it.

Gerry

Gerry,

I'd like to know over time if you have a lot of leaks from the nose bridge area with the SoftGel, as that's a complaint I've read more than once with that mask. Of course, everyone's face is different and people sometimes don't get the correct size or adjustment, but it'd be good to know.

If you ever get the opportunity, you may want to try the Activa LT cushion, which uses the same frame as the SoftGel. Mine rarely leaks at all. The headgear can be worn quite loose, since the cushion kind of "floats" on your face. And it's lightweight.

~ DreamOn

The LT has a cushion like the quattro that has to fill with air and kind of floats on your face. I have had success with that type via use of the quattro. I just think this cushion makes it easier to get a seal faster. The learning curve is quicker on this cushion.

Gerry

Ok, night two and I went to bed wearing the new mask and fell to sleep but it took a little longer. I started doing what lots of newbies do, I was paying attention to my breathing and the mask to see if their were any leaks. I had to remind myself to forget it and go to sleep. I woke up about two or three hours later, I haven't checked my data yet today, but my nose was all stuffed up and I had another headache. I think it's just the weather and that I haven't been outside much the past few days that has caused the headache.

Anyway I layed there a few minutes and kept thinking about being congested and again my breathing. I checked my humidifier and it was still set at three and my mask had moisture in it so I couldn't turn it up more. At that point I just switched back to the quattro. I am wondering if I need as much humidity with the nasal mask as I did with the full face, perhaps too much moisture is causing my nose to plug up.

Good thing that I have found the past two night is that I don't mouth breath with the nasal mask on. So my persistance on trying to not mouth breath is paying off.

Otherwise the mask feels great, fits great and sealed fantastic. It is pretty much put it on and forget it.

Gerry

Hey Gerry...question here. I also just ordered the Softgel mask - it arrives on Monday along with my card reader. I have only been on the CPAP for 9 days now, but the last two night were a bit rough. Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep and a little higher leak and AHI. Was seeing between 3.5-5.5 for first 5 nights with .10 leaks, last two night's AHI were 7.6 & 8.5 with leaks up near .32. I bought the softgel as it was the one I wore during my sleep titration and wanted to have a back up. So anyway, on to my question. You mentioned at the beginning of this thread:

"It has the dial adjustment just like the quattro and the manufacturer said it is adjusted exactly like the quattro is."

What does dial adjustment mean? Will I need to make adjusments to the mask? I have a little chin hair, but no mustache or upper goatee. I just keep fidgeting my with Swift LT during the night to adjust the pillows...they seem to wheeze sometimes and other times they are quiet. Would be nice just to put the softgel on and go to sleep.

Brian

Gerry,
Its very reasonable to think you need less humidiy with a nasal mask, and that you're nose get's stuffed with too much of it.

Swim-Bike-Run --
The dial on the masks is there for the initial setup -- I'm not saying you'll have it setup in one evening, but once you have the mask dialed in, you won't have to fuss with it during the night. I'm sure you needed time to setup your bike to be just right for you -- and its the same with a mask. A mask has to be just right for a person's face - and once that is figured out, sleep is better.

I happen to use a nasal pillows mask, and by now it fits perfectly - I don't have to fuss with it during the night at all.

O.

Brian if you have seen the quattro, imagine a quattro just for your nose. The adjustment knob adjusts the top of the mask. There are many posts on the quattro about leaks and adjusting them and what not. The knob adjusts the mask in and out at the top after you have the straps adjusted.
Here are my suggestions for adjustment.

When you put the mask on I usually have the top straps attached and one of the bottom ones off. I put the top portion on then clip the bottom in. Adjust the bottom so they are snug but not tight. Then adjust the top so they are slightly loose. OK now onto that knob. It acutually brings the top of the mask towards or away from your face mostly the bridge of the nose but I just say face. When I put this mask on I had the dial adjusted almost all the way out for me and on the quattro is was about 3/4 of the way in. I attribute that to the cushion being so different and thicker. Good luck, I hope this mask works out for you it seems like a nice mask that is comfortable.


Gerry

DreamOn wrote:Gerry,

I'd like to know over time if you have a lot of leaks from the nose bridge area with the SoftGel, as that's a complaint I've read more than once with that mask. Of course, everyone's face is different and people sometimes don't get the correct size or adjustment, but it'd be good to know.

If you ever get the opportunity, you may want to try the Activa LT cushion, which uses the same frame as the SoftGel. Mine rarely leaks at all. The headgear can be worn quite loose, since the cushion kind of "floats" on your face. And it's lightweight.

~ DreamOn

With me, the SoftGel cushion pushes more on my mustache, and hurts a bit. Also, I find that it presses harder on each side of my nose, causing my nasal passages to swell -- thus making it harder to breathe through my nose. Even a Breath-Right® strip didn't help much in that situation.

So I pretty much stick with the Activa LT, as it seals better on my barb-wire mustache and does not push so hard on the area around my nose.

Last night I was late getting to bed. Was working on computers thanks to my son daughter and mother, I had three computers that wouldn't boot up. I got to bed about 1:45 this am put the mask on and turned the machine on, then turned the humidifier heater off putting it in straight pass over mode. I slept till about 6 and woke up because my mouth opened and I was leaking air. I did have dry mouth so it must have been going on about a minute or two, but other than that I didn't have any congestion and the air was nice and cool coming in from my mask all night. I have always slept better in cool air so that was a nice change.

I will be in bed much earlier tonight and hopefully everything goes well.

Gerry

Gerryk wrote:The LT has a cushion like the quattro that has to fill with air and kind of floats on your face. I have had success with that type via use of the quattro. I just think this cushion makes it easier to get a seal faster. The learning curve is quicker on this cushion.

Gerry

I found it much easier to get a seal with the LT cushion... once you turn on the air, just lift the edges a little from the "lip" on the top of the mask. A lift on each side and the mask is sealed for the night.

I had similar problems with the SoftGel cushion as RedBackFur... I actually had more trouble breathing with it probably due to having to have the headgear tighter holding the mask against my face (to get a good seal). I never have to mess with the headgear using the LT cushion where I did a lot when trying the SoftGel. I'm glad ResMed is making masks that have multiple cushion types so you can have options without buying all new masks. I think the SoftGel type of cushion might work well as a full face mask... in a FF mask, I think the gel cushion might work better with facial hair.

Another night last night with this mask in passover mode. I love that cool air instead of the heated humidified air. Again, a late night getting to bed 1:40 in the am and I work up about 5 am from mouth breathing. It wasn't bad and I must have just started because my mouth was just starting to get dry.

But I have to say the mask is working great so far. I just put it on and snap the headgear in and it is done. It's a lot less intrusive that the full face too. I will download my data tomorrow since I haven't taken the time to do it in the past few day.

No problems with congestion two nights in a row with the heated humidifier turned off.

Gerry

I am curious here, I have been going all night for a long time without taking my mask off. Now that I am trying a new mask, I am taking it off part way through the night. I am still using the old full face when at the firehouse and don't take it off. I have woke up in the middle of the night and taken the nasal mask off and put the full face on. The funny part is that I know I am doing it and wonder why, then just lay back down and go to sleep. Other times I wake up or my wife wakes me up and asks why my mask is off.

I belive it is just because it is new that I am doing this. It is much more comfortable than the full face and allows me more movement and has less leaks.

Has anyone else noticed this or done this when trying a different mask?

Gerry

Happy new year to all. Any new updates to share?

I was in to see my ENT this am and she is happy I am able to use a nasal mask as much as I have been. We talked about fixing the deviated septum and turbinate reduction surgery in April. She told me this will not help my OSA, rather it will make it easier to breath and easier to treat my OSA. She did say that the surgery is no where near as painful as a UPPP and getting the tonsils out. She also admitted to me she was surprised that I had not complained more or requested stronger pain killers when I had the surgery. She said as good as I did with the surgery last spring, I probably won't complain about this one at all.

Gerry