does pressure usually need to go up with a full face mask?

It's been a few years since i've tried a full face mask

I tried several models and snored right through them all and they didn't appear to work for me, I didn't feel like I was getting any pressure with them

I use a pressure of 14 with a swift fx

I'm thinking of trying an airfit full face mask and possibly some other models because I'm pretty sure I'm leaking through my nose and none of the chinstrap and tape solutions have been great for me

Is there a standard number you're expected to increase your pressure by if you switch from a nasal pillow mask, or should pressure remain the same, and theres some other factor at play?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I use a Full Face Mask and didn't need to change the pressure.

Your pressure needs shouldn't change; any mask with a good seal should deliver the same therapeutic pressure at the same setting. If you have a ResMed machine, you might want to adjust the mask type setting; this will affect the expected leak rate and the accuracy of the S9's leak reporting. Also, I understand that if you have a PR machine and a PR mask there is a setting that is supposed to optimize therapy for that mask. I don't really know much about that, though.

Some people say a FFM can push your jaw back, making your airway more likely to collapse, making you need more pressure.

It doesn't happen to everyone. DME's and doctors tend to deny this happens, but they're often wrong about the practical aspects of CPAP. In particular, some of the experts over at binarysleep say this happens to many of their patients.

This is one of the reasons to use a good data capable CPAP machine and check your data. It doesn't matter what the theory or experts say, what matters is what actually happens to you.

i DO use a resmed s9, that's a good thought that wouldn't have occurred to me thanks

i find the s9 stats to be useless in my case, i will woke up in the middle of the night snoring and it will have a giant smiley face and say 0 AHI

it basically always tell me 0 AHI

i thought i wasn't getting enough pressure because with the pillows it blows the air right up into my nose / throat whereas the full face mask just blows it into a general area of your mouth nose

it's interesting if that isn't supposed to be a factor because it creates a feeling like the pressure is far stronger with a pillow / prong

Guest wrote:i DO use a resmed s9, that's a good thought that wouldn't have occurred to me thanks

i find the s9 stats to be useless in my case, i will woke up in the middle of the night snoring and it will have a giant smiley face and say 0 AHI

it basically always tell me 0 AHI

"0 AHI" is a good thing, but there can be more to the story. That's why it's good to have the software and learn to look at it.

BTW, several people have reported that their S9 machine may get stuck at reporting AHI = 0. Unplug the power cord for a minute or so just to be sure. Yet another reason to check your data with the software.

Guest wrote:i thought i wasn't getting enough pressure because with the pillows it blows the air right up into my nose / throat whereas the full face mask just blows it into a general area of your mouth nose

it's interesting if that isn't supposed to be a factor because it creates a feeling like the pressure is far stronger with a pillow / prong

In theory, the measurement of "pressure" takes care of the fact that it covers a larger area of your face. Whether it's coming in your nose, or both the nose and mouth, the pressure in your windpipe and lungs is the same, and that's what matters in terms of keeping your airway open.

It may feel different, though. It will also put more total force on the mask, and that will put more pressure on the head straps.

thanks for the insight... another thing i find suspicious is that my s9 never seems to raise the pressure even though sometimes i will wake up snoring, especially during naps, yet it always stays at 14

i'm really starting to wonder if it's actually working right

i bought a Philips Respironics PR System One REMStar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine but i' haven't used it yet because i hate it when i get a terrible nights sleep when something doesnt work out (like today) and the humidifier tank is so small on it, my s9 runs out of water 3/4th of the way every night and i wake up and refill it

How can a FFM push your jaw back (unless it's really badly fitted and cranked way too tight)? Are you sure you're not thinking of something else? Mine certainly hasn't changed in 8 yrs and if it were to do so, I'd have changed my mask to one that fit better.

toe wrote:thanks for the insight... another thing i find suspicious is that my s9 never seems to raise the pressure even though sometimes i will wake up snoring, especially during naps, yet it always stays at 14

i'm really starting to wonder if it's actually working right

i bought a Philips Respironics PR System One REMStar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine but i' haven't used it yet because i hate it when i get a terrible nights sleep when something doesnt work out (like today) and the humidifier tank is so small on it, my s9 runs out of water 3/4th of the way every night and i wake up and refill it

What range is it set for? Can you post the graphs from a typical night?

Julie wrote:How can a FFM push your jaw back (unless it's really badly fitted and cranked way too tight)? Are you sure you're not thinking of something else? Mine certainly hasn't changed in 8 yrs and if it were to do so, I'd have changed my mask to one that fit better.

FFM's push on the front of your face below the mouth. Nasal masks don't. What's hard to comprehend about that?

Just because it doesn't happen to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen to others.

zoocrewphoto wrote:

toe wrote:thanks for the insight... another thing i find suspicious is that my s9 never seems to raise the pressure even though sometimes i will wake up snoring, especially during naps, yet it always stays at 14

i'm really starting to wonder if it's actually working right

i bought a Philips Respironics PR System One REMStar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine but i' haven't used it yet because i hate it when i get a terrible nights sleep when something doesnt work out (like today) and the humidifier tank is so small on it, my s9 runs out of water 3/4th of the way every night and i wake up and refill it

What range is it set for? Can you post the graphs from a typical night?

14 min 20 max, which graphs are you referring to?

toe wrote:
14 min 20 max, which graphs are you referring to?

You can use sleepyhead or ResScan. Both will show the full graphs of the night, so you can see if there any breathing events (not everything is included in the ahi, so there might still be something showing). Also, it will show the pressure, which should be a straight line according to the settings, but we would expect to see more than a straight line normally. Flow limitations, snores, etc.

In theory X amount of pressure should be X amount of pressure no matter which type of mask is used so in theory one wouldn't/shouldn't need more pressure with a full face mask or less with nasal mask but I have often seen where the theory doesn't always hold true. There's always an exception to any rule and this cpap thing is no different.
So a person might or might not actually need more or less pressure depending on mask model. Probably wouldn't be as critical of a factor if using APAP mode but might be a significant factor when using CPAP mode.
I know people using 17 and 18 cm cpap mode pressure with full face mask who are able to still keep the AHI nice and low with a nasal mask at 14 or 15 cm cpap mode. Using a full face mask at 15 allows too many events to slip past the defenses and I have seen the leak graphs to know that leaks were well controlled on the full face mask so that variable was eliminated.

I don't know that I would say it is "usual" to need more pressure but I have seen it happen too many times to say it doesn't ever happen.

is there any reason almost all machines cap out at 20 instead of a higher number?