Biguglygremlin

Hi KennyAZ

I'm sorry to hear things are not so good.

I think most forum members go through a rough patch from time to time.

It's hard to think what can be done about it, especially as you become more tired and distressed.

Usually this situation is the result of a number of compounding factors and the solution is likely to be a number of experimental changes.

Have you tried reverting to your old pillow for a night or two?

Are there issues you could face or resolve that might be making it harder for you to sleep?

Would relaxation exercises help you get better quality sleep?

In the past I have found that, for me, Melatonin helps to some extent.

I'm going through a rough patch myself atm and looking for better options. RBD

My latest goal is to implement changes aimed at being more awake and active during the days, in the hope that it will result in better sleep at night.

I hope you find the solutions you are looking for.

If I was developing a vaccine in today's climate I would be more worried about the potential impact of future litigation than the efficacy and production of the vaccine, especially in the USA.

I imagine that law firms are already speculating on the potential for the biggest class action ever launched.

This is just one more hurdle that will have to be dealt with before we can hope to see what the new 'normal' might look like.

It sounds like a good idea especially if the staff who rent the machines are knowledgeable and helpful.

Sierra could better advise you in this matter but if you rent an automatic machine with a memory card (SD) it could give you some information about the Apnea aspect of your concerns.

Let us know how it works out because your initial queries are challenging but I feel that more information is needed before those queries could be considered or researched effectively.

Hello Midnightgasp,

You sound like you're having a tough time.

I'm sure there are some who could offer you suggestions or advice but perhaps a few initial questions would be in order?

Have you done a sleep study at any time?

Are you using a CPAP machine and if so what settings?

Please excuse the queries but your circumstances are rather complicated.

I can't see the local companies accepting returns under the present circumstances and even if they did the cost is often double what it would be to purchase the same item direct from the USA.

The machine is usually set for around 12 so the pressure is not that difficult to manage and I am pretty good at ignoring minor leaks.

There was some urgency because the Nuance was effectively smothering me in my sleep but I have made a few adaptations that might keep it functional for a bit longer. This was a really good mask which is why I stuck with it for so many years and why it's going to be hard to find an equivalent replacement.

For the moment I have wound some soft garden wire around the base of the pillows to prevent distortion and reduce flexibility. It makes it a bit clumsy but at least I can breathe.

Yes a nasal mask might have been an option but I doubt that it would work for me, not only because of nose size, but because of topography and the state of my skin and also because of persistent itchiness some of which I still blame on static.

I think I would need to try the under the nose slot type masks before I could have any confidence in them.

I had wondered about the Aloha because it looks impressive in the picture but there is no way to know how big it really is.

The one that I am tempted to buy is the P10 because it is essentially what my latest adaptations have turned the Nuance into. Once again it is difficult to determine it's relative size and the strap mounts could be problematic. Another concern is that the straps look rather flimsy and I can't afford to be buying parts on a regular basis.

This thread was diverted from a more general discussion. Preparing for Serious Illness

Masks depend on the topography and structure of our faces to function properly, especially our noses but as we get older things change.

My mask is not working and, unfortunately, this discussion is relevant to the search for a new mask but it's not something I'm comfortable talking about.

Why is it not working now?

The answer was foreshadowed in this thread from a year or so back.

Size Matters

For the past six years I have been using the Nuance Nasal Pillows Mask with the largest cushions they provide. It's been a great mask and has worked well for me ....... until now.

Although I obviously anticipated mask failure 4 months back, when I started the Preparing for Serious Illness thread, it never occurred to me that my nose would eventually outgrow those large cushions, but now they fall in, which wouldn't matter a great deal if they fell in totally but only one side of each cushion falls in, which twists them sideways inside the nasal passage and, you guessed it, blocks both the hoses and the noses!

Feel free to laugh. I've turned the sound off! :P

Google, which usually has an answer for even the most difficult problems, was no comfort at all.

How Age Changes Our Appearance

So now, not only do I have to find a new mask, but it has to be adaptive enough to work for a not so tiny nose.

Am I the only one who has this problem?

Any suggestions or experiences would be appreciated.

Well that is a question that is best dealt with in a new thread. Growing Noses

In the meantime perhaps a better question for this thread is how do we try new masks during a global pandemic?

The most concerning set of numbers I have seen since this virus began, and not a chart in sight.

Coronavirus Antibody Study

It answers some questions and raises even more but perhaps the most urgent concern is what implications this will have for the development and effectiveness of a vaccine?

Just to put all of this back into a CPAP context, I had thought that we might have a reasonable window here in Australia before the virus got into the greater community. A chance to get some medical and technical stuff sorted (like trying out some new masks) with a minimal risk of exposure and, if that failed, then I had hoped that there would be more effective treatments in place later this year and a viable vaccine available early in the new year and that I could make my existing mask last until then.

All else failing I had assumed that, once the virus had gone through enough mutations, it would be less dangerous, but now it seems that most of those hopes and assumptions might be unfounded.

My mask is no longer working (don't ask) so there is some urgency to find a replacement.

How do I do that when it might not be safe to go into a Sleep clinic and look at some or try one or two for fit?

It looks like I will have to buy a new mask, unseen, untried and non-returnable.

Which mask would be a safe bet? Does anybody have suggestions or advice?

Hi wandafeb02

As Sleepea implies most masks leak to some extent much of the time especially if you require high air pressure.

Extremely tight could be as much a cause as a solution. Masks are not generally intended or required to be extremely tight.

If you have the opportunity to safely try out some different masks you might find a better solution but it will often come down to a compromise.

Sometimes the strap adjustments can be about shifting the leak to a point where it is less uncomfortable rather than entirely eliminating it and then there is the issue of the straps shifting around on the head.

I use a chin strap and although I do need it nowadays to help prevent mouth leaks I consider it's primary benefit to be that it prevents the mask straps from sliding around and causing excessive leaks or the loss of the mask altogether during the night.

The Resmed9 may be obsolete but I think there are still many thousands of Apnea patients still dependent on them. Mine shuts down from time to time and, because of the severity of my Apnea, it wakes me up almost immediately.

The manufacturers responsibility does not end when they cease production.

If you had 'brought it to their attention' do you believe they would have responded in any meaningful way? As your hesitance implies they have had many years during which, I presume, they have received valid complaints and reports. If they had a clearly defined responsibility to their customers, or their products, they would have already addressed these issues.

If it was a motor vehicle they would have all been recalled, if it was a tool or even a cheap toy they would have been withdrawn from the market and warnings would have been issued.

How is it possible for the CPAP industry to ignore these basic safety requirements?

There are obvious issues with the more recent machines that are not yet 'obsolete'. How are they being resolved and who is responsible for any potential risk to health and safety?

Is there an effective follow up system that I am unaware of? Does it extend to machines sold outside of America?