05Moose

My wife just sewed the strap shorter (folder a section over itself) which makes it nice and snug.

I turned the ramp off last week when I was getting too much exhale buildup in the old mask. At a pressure of 6, I really don't notice it. I agree that the only issue I may have is the strap being a little weak. I want to tighten it more because the nose piece shifts when I roll from side to side at night. I bet I can devise a solution. I'll have to think about it. Otherwise, I would never know I had anything on my face.

Hmm, never got an email that there were replies even though notifications is on. Oh well, checking back in. After speaking with two other friends on CPAP, I called my physician who had me call Apria. They sent me the P10 nasal pillow mask which arrived yesterday. HUGE difference. I slept almost 3 hours straight with only 3.1 AHI (compared to the 16 AHI earlier in the week). I can now truly say the nose masks do not clear the air as well when breathing shallow. And how could it? The purge holes are in the hose coming to the mask. A light exhale into the mask is instantly breathed right back in. I would have to exhale and push it into the tube coming to the mask to get it out.

The purge vents on the P10 Nasal Pillow are right across from the nose and apart (away) from the hose bringing in fresh air. Design is much better for clearing out exhales. In fact, with the pillow on and no hose attached (for testing fit), it still clears it out (unlike a nose mask).

So thanks for all the responses. I know the value of coming back and posting on a forum for future searches. I know this will help someone new to CPAP since I've gone through it.

Just started with a CPAP machine last weekend, and having trouble with only one thing. First, I'm using the ResMed AirSense 10 with AirFit N20 nasal mask (the one that just covers the nose). I'm started CPAP because I got tired of waking up from not breathing. After one evening of waking up 5 times shortly after falling asleep, I'd had enough. I actually wake up and become conscious of not breathing. I then decide to inhale and I start breathing after that. I have the same problem if I am tired during the day at work and put my head down at lunch time for a quick nap. I exhale, dose off, and wake because I never inhale. I feel too weak to inhale.

So the therapy is the CPAP set to 6 (by my doctor and not adjustable by me). I turned off the ramp up because that was useless. I have no issue with the air coming in (in fact, I think it might be set too low).

I just am used to breathing in cool air. I get claustrophobic wearing regular face masks where I exhale and the air is hot. This is what I'm having problems with regarding the CPAP therapy. I exhale which is body temp air, then I'm breathing that air back in with the CPAP air. It's bad enough that in the first 30 minutes of falling asleep, I wake up not breathing about 3 times and have to breath in my mouth to catch up on air. I also measured my blood oxygen level (wife has asthma, so we have the finger sensor), and while it was 94 with the mask off, it drops down to 91 with the mask on (probably from breathing back in my exhaled breath which isn't oxygen rich).

Any advice on whether switching to a nasal pillow removes the exhaled air more? Or could it just be that the pressure set to 6 is too low? Seems pointless if I'm going to stop breathing with it on like I do with it off.

I'm Jim and joined because I'm just getting started with a CPAP machine and had a question where I couldn't find a good answer searching online. I'm also a forum admin on a vehicle forum, so I'm quite familiar with forums. Hoping someone here has some advice.