I have been on a cpap (several different machines) a long time since 1994 (the very 1st test done at Keesler AFB in MS) and it was set at some low pressure like 8 or 10 using a nasal mask and chin strap. During this time, I was within body standards for the military and maintained the standard through the beginning of 2004 when I retired. I went for another sleep study at the VA and they set me up with a Respironics Remstar Auto System One with a pressure of 15. I have always been a mouth breather so when the pressure increased I moved to a full face along with a chin strap. Slept on this thing until I started always feeling tired again and continued this for about a year. Finally went to a Neurologist and had 2 sleep studies and they found several sever sleep problems including night terrors and such. Plus, like most folks I have gained lots of weight over the last 4-5 years after having neck, back, both shoulder rotator cuffs, knee replacement and 3 stints after a small heart attack. They have put me on a Resmed S-9 BIPAP UPAP COPD with a pressure of 28/24. I am having problems a mask that does not leak. I have tried the following: Fisher & Paykel Forma Full face small, Resmed Airfit F 20 medium Resmed Mirage Quatro small and a med. And all leak bunches and wake up and find the bottom of the mask in my mouth. Cut/bruises my nose ect…Thinking about trying a FULL FACE MASK like firefighters use. I do have a few extra masks here that I tried one or twice with my old machine but did not like. I have a F&P 431 med, Resmed Ultra Mirage med, Respironics Amara View med, and a Respcare Hybrid full face with small, med and large gels. All the masks I have tried so far I have to over tighten which hurts and always leaking and it runs the wife out to a spare bed room. Also use cheek pads and Gecko nasal pad to no avail. Anyone have any ideas or experience with this high of pressure. Any ideas for masks? Any tricks? Oh yeah saw video about using a karate mouth guard so ordered several, heated in water and formed for mouth but still did not keep my mouth shut.
I was not aware a Resmed S9 could go to 28! I have a Resmed Aircurve 10 with 25/21 pressure (as high as it will go) and use an Amara View with MMA boil and bite mouth guard. Mouth stays shut and once I found the right size cushion for the Amara view have not had many leaks. I also had to have my wife fabricate a small pad to put under the back of the headgear where it contacts my neck as it was very uncomfortable otherwise. I can also use a Simplus mask (once I found the right size cushion) if I use my MMA mouthguard and mask pads as those masks leak small and annoying amounts of air into my eyes and make a lot of noise without the pads. The pads come from amazon.com and are pieces of tee shirt like material cut into the shape of the mask pad with a hole in the middle.
I am a dentist working in dental sleep medicine. There is a very special mask variant called a Tap-Tap CS that is specifically designed for those with extremely high treatment pressures and intractable leakage. It can only be used by people with natural upper and lower teeth in reasonably good shape. An oral sleep apnea appliance is used to hold a nasal pillow mask. There is no full face mask and no head straps. Any leakage through the mouth is controlled by a patented intraoral mouth shield(seal). The oral appliance usually enables the use of a somewhat lower treatment pressure and leakage is nil. I have used some on patients and it works pretty well. See Airway Management web site, www.tapintosleep.com for further information. Arthur B. Luisi, jr., D.M.D.
I have been on CPAP for about 10 years and was unable to find a good full face mask until recently. My bad experiences include leaks, and raw nose bridge. I saw an ad for the new Resmed Airfit F20 and knew that I had to try it because the design is a big change from the run of the mill masks. I am saddened to hear that it did not work for you. I also had it slip up to my mouth but since I started washing my face before bedtime and wiping the mask every night that hasn't been a problem. I have never had any luck with chin straps. They all slip off during the night.
I think the Airfit F20 is wonderful. Others that I work with also report good results. After two months my nose has healed and my leakage is very low. I am using an ResMed S10 Autoset which is the latest and greatest from ResMed. This machine sends wireless reports to a site called MyAir that gives me a daily report. My scores have been 100 most of the time which makes me and my sleep doctor very happy. My previous machine was the ResMed S9 Auto set which was very good until it died after five years.
Because of my prior mask problems I did try the fireman type full mask. It leaked because it needs about twice the straps that it has to equal the Scott Airpac type of seal.
