Pad A Cheek...Did not take pressure off my neck area

LOL Quattro FFM straps dont have much elasticity to begin with. I washed them about a week ago. The "elasticity" has nothing to do with it. The problem is I have higher pressures, jaw drop during my sleep and the high pressures forces air to gush out of my mouth. Unless my mask is pretty tight, I get leaks which wake me up and also makes me lose therapy. Its not rocket science.

I just need to find something to get the seal but without the tight straps.

Eric

Denial Dave wrote:suddenly... I don't doubt you know your mask....

just a thought ---when was the last time you replaced your headgear straps?

is it possible that they may have lost some or all of the elasticity from washing??

I too use a Mirage Quattro mask. I think your straps are too tight and loosening slightly will help. I also believe you would benefit from the anti-leak strap sold by PadACheek. I have been very pleased with the excellent leak profile after adding the anti-leak strap! I can tell you that I also knew it would work before I got it. My leaks would stop if I put a slight downward pressure on the center of the mask with my hand. The anti-leak strap puts the same downward pressure on the mask and is easily adjusted with the velcro strap. One last comment, I wear the anti strap differently than Karen shows on her website. That is, I wear the strap below the ear, not over the ear. Good luck!

Since we are all different, I generally consider directions to be advisory at best;
I have customized my clothes since I was in high school.
Now I recognize that any mask or headgear is not likely to be my size.
(A big shout out to Circadiance for the small cushion; but I still need to tweak the headgear)

oh, I fully understand resmed straps and higher pressures. Fortunately, I do not have mouth drop or the FFM stops it for me.

After I washed my straps in hot water in the washing machine,whatever minimal elasticity the straps had were gone

I too have a Quattro FFM and my pressure may even be higher than yours I have 20 IPAP / 14.4 EPAP

Those of us with higher pressures get creative in solving FFM leaks.

I took one of the pad-a-cheek strap liners and trimmed 60% of it off... Now all I have is the section at the very back of my head.

I wish you luck

Dave

I used the anti leak strap from Padacheek with my Mirage Quattro. It made everything more snug but moved the pressure point up to the height of the ears and allowed me to loosen the neck strap a bit. It also helped me get leaks under control.

I only use the Quattro now if I get a cold, but I would have given up on it without the anti leak strap and mask liner from Padacheek.

LOL!!!

I dont wear the straps over my ears. The lower straps ride on the lower part of my neck, but your eustacian tubes extend BEHIND AND BELOW your ears, down towards the back of the jaw area where your jaw intersects with your neck area. That is where my lower straps cross at, around my lower jaw and crossing back to my neck and it happens to put pressure on my eustacian tube doing that. Thats where the pressure is. Not on my ears.

I think we have major miscommunication here. I wear the lower straps on the neck, BELOW my ears. But your ear, nose and throat area is all interconnected and some parts of your ears, such as the eustacian tubes, extend to areas not visible and not exactly close to your ears.

If I loosen my Quattro straps, I get leaks all over the place. Geeeeez I have tried it so many times. Had RTs work with me on the issue in real life. I think I should know whether or not I get leaks and from what tightness of the straps. Ive been doing this since 2007, longer than most of you have been doing it.

Eric

MyIdaho wrote:I too use a Mirage Quattro mask. I think your straps are too tight and loosening slightly will help. I also believe you would benefit from the anti-leak strap sold by PadACheek. I have been very pleased with the excellent leak profile after adding the anti-leak strap! I can tell you that I also knew it would work before I got it. My leaks would stop if I put a slight downward pressure on the center of the mask with my hand. The anti-leak strap puts the same downward pressure on the mask and is easily adjusted with the velcro strap. One last comment, I wear the anti strap differently than Karen shows on her website. That is, I wear the strap below the ear, not over the ear. Good luck!

How about if we just agree to disagree on the Quattro FFM and leaks and strap tightness? And leave it at that and be civil and just admit that yes, some people's anatomy is different than others. I happen to have a thick neck, am a large guy and have bad sinuses and NAR (Nasal Airway Resistance). And I breathe thru my mouth a lot and when I go to sleep I relax and my jaw drops. That causes my jaw to drop thru the bottom of most full face masks, the Quattro has been the only one Ive been able to find that handles that jaw drop.

Hopefully the oral appliance thing will shut all of this down and I can go back to being a Nasal activa mask wearer with a super loose strap and no compression on my neck or behind/below my ears nor on my sinuses on the forehead and cheeks.

BTW, if anybody out there is a really good industrial designer type, you could potentially make a lot of money designing a full face mask that REALLY can be worn loose and still not leak at high pressures! Hint Hint

Eric

Thanks. While CPAP has helped me greatly and basically, saved my life, I am going to need some help to help me out with the problem I have developed.

Eric

Denial Dave wrote: I wish you luck

Dave

Interesting, sounds like you have an even larger head than I do and I needed the largest available football helmet in high school.... One size fits all hats are no where big enough for me! Note, in my earlier post, I was referring to wearing the anti-leak strap differently than Karen shows on her webpage. I offered what has helped me resolve my leak issues, hoping that it may be useful to you. Nothing more, nothing less. No insult intended.


I'm not questioning that you are bothered by an unwanted pressure and need relief. However, double check the location of the eustachian tube which runs between the middle ear and the pharynx. It would be impossible for any CPAP strap to put pressure on the eustachian tube since it is deep inside the skull. The strap is impacting some other part of your anatomy.

Suddenly Worn Out wrote:LOL!!!

I dont wear the straps over my ears. The lower straps ride on the lower part of my neck, but your eustacian tubes extend BEHIND AND BELOW your ears, down towards the back of the jaw area where your jaw intersects with your neck area. That is where my lower straps cross at, around my lower jaw and crossing back to my neck and it happens to put pressure on my eustacian tube doing that. Thats where the pressure is. Not on my ears.

I think we have major miscommunication here. I wear the lower straps on the neck, BELOW my ears. But your ear, nose and throat area is all interconnected and some parts of your ears, such as the eustacian tubes, extend to areas not visible and not exactly close to your ears.

If I loosen my Quattro straps, I get leaks all over the place. Geeeeez I have tried it so many times. Had RTs work with me on the issue in real life. I think I should know whether or not I get leaks and from what tightness of the straps. Ive been doing this since 2007, longer than most of you have been doing it.

Eric

MyIdaho wrote:I too use a Mirage Quattro mask. I think your straps are too tight and loosening slightly will help. I also believe you would benefit from the anti-leak strap sold by PadACheek. I have been very pleased with the excellent leak profile after adding the anti-leak strap! I can tell you that I also knew it would work before I got it. My leaks would stop if I put a slight downward pressure on the center of the mask with my hand. The anti-leak strap puts the same downward pressure on the mask and is easily adjusted with the velcro strap. One last comment, I wear the anti strap differently than Karen shows on her website. That is, I wear the strap below the ear, not over the ear. Good luck!

JeffH wrote:

Suddenly Worn Out wrote:Uh, dude, I have been using CPAP with total compliance since Fall 2007. I know when things work and when they do not work.

Eric

JeffH wrote:

Suddenly Worn Out wrote:I ordered one of those Pad A cheek things to fix to the lower strap on my Quattra FFM. The objective was to take pressure off the back of my neck, particularly there is an area on my left side of my neck that puts some mild pressure on my eustacian tube area. Which, over time has created an ear pain issue for me.

Tried it one night. Total failure. The extra padding just made the problem worse. I also found it harder to adjust my mask straps with the thing on.

So its back to square one for me. I still have an appointment with a dentist to see if he can make me an oral appliance to stop mouth leak. And then switch back to a loose fitting nasal mask, like the Activa. If that works, I should be doing better. If not, I dont know what Im going to do.

Eric

Total failure after only one night? Man have you got alot to learn about how learning to live with XPAP treatment. NOTHING works right first rattle out of the bag. Karen will work with you and you should talk to her, not post crap like this on the board.

JeffH

You don't act like it.

JeffH

Stand down!!
Sheriff

Hey guys; we are not all the same size; but head gear usually is.
Sometimes, scissors, thread, and maybe even more Velcro, or soft elastic is the key.
I marvel at how ignorant/lazy the people are, who design headgear.