I am having to change masks. I am petite and have a small face. I am trying the Resmed F10. It was sized correctly. I wash my face before I put it on. It starts out great. I get a good seal, and it is so much more comfortable than other full face masks. I can fall asleep easily, but then am awakened because the bottom of the mask has slid to the point where it actually reaches my mouth and breaks the seal regardless of how much I tighten or loose the upper or lower straps.
Has anyone found solutions to this problem? I would really like to stick with this mask if possible.
I also have the Amara View to try, but find that when I turn on the CPAP, my cheeks puff out and remain that way, even though the mask stays sealed. It makes my inner cheeks feel very tired, like they've been blowing up balloons for an hour. I don't have that problem with the F10. My pressure setting is 13-15.
Thank you.
Howdy baseten! I ended up with my mask in my mouth for about a year. I have a Simplus and Amara View. I have currently started using the Amara View again since figuring out how to fix my mask-in-the-mouth issue.
As you sleep, you jaw slackens, your mouth opens and the mask ends up in your mouth making huge leak. I guess you probably can figure out that therapy effectiveness degrades sharply. Three things I know of that folks do to stop this:
I use the mouthpiece which you initially dip in hot water for a few seconds and then stick it in your moth and bite on it gently. this forms the mouth guard to your bite. I make sure my mask seats in the area between chin and lower lip snugly after sticking the mouth guard in place. When your jaw starts to want to go slack at night and droop, the mouth guard prevents this and keeps my mouth shut. This means the mask doesn't end up in my mouth and a night full of leaking (which doesn't wake me up!).
Downsides? Perhaps this method doesn't work for everyone. Also, some folks reported it makes their mouths water excessively (read drool/slobber). The mouth guard doesn't do this to me.
The effect of the mask in the mouth? Dry mouth and your water reservoir running dry quickly. AND MASSIVE LEAKS! Don't worry; you will figure this out and hopefully others will chime in on their secret cure for jaw drop! Good luck!.
Thank you for replying. I have one more question for you. The directions for the Amara View say to open your mouth slightly when fitting it to your face. The minute I turn on the CPAP machine, my cheeks puff out and stay that way. My head nor jaw have dropped. Do you know what would fix that problem? If so, maybe I'll be able to use the Amara View mask, although I do like the F10 better.
I have no experience with the F10 so no way of knowing if it is good or bad but if you like it... well, keep trying to use it. Suggest the mouth guard to keep you mouth shut at night; that is, the jaw doesn't sag backwards and hence no mask in your mouth. As far as fitting the Amara View, I have never actually paid much attention to directions as that positive characteristic seems to go against my nature.
I just pull the mask over the top of my head, then settle the nose part under my nose. My nose doesn't hang quite straight as it has been broken in the past during my misspent youth and career as a tackling dummy. Anyway, once under my nose, I clip the side straps and settle the bottom of the mask in the cleft under my lip and over my chin. Then I pull down the rear of the mask some which more or less tightens up the two side straps. I seldom adjust them and leave them about the same every night. I probably tighten them just a bit more than needed to ensure the mask is locked in place once I have my mouth guard in place.
I don't know why you get air in your cheeks but occasionally I get air in my mouth and just sort of poof it out. Only happens once in awhile and not for long periods. I doubt leaving your mouth open is the key but I am not sure.
wiredgeorge- Your quote-"I don't know why you get air in your cheeks but occasionally I get air in my mouth and just sort of poof it out. Only happens once in awhile and not for long periods. I doubt leaving your mouth open is the key but I am not sure."
POOFING OF THE CHEEKS OR THE MOUTH SEEMS TO WAKE ME UP. DON'T KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENS BUT IT DOES. IT SOMETIMES LIKE TO MY MY LIPS LEAK SO THE REASON i USE PAPER TAPE. THIS PROBLEM HAUNTS ME AS I RELAX SO MUCH USING PILLOWS IN MY NOSE. HENCE THE REASON I FINALLY USED THE HEADBAND AROUND MY CHEEKS AND LIPS. I JUST DON'T LIKE THE FACIAL MARKS THAT LAST MOST OF THE DAY.REGARDLESS MY SCORE SEEMS TO STAY THE SAME. COPIED HERE.
7:15 usage hours
70
Good mask seal
20
1.7 events per hour
5
1 mask on/off
5
Total myAir score
100
Thank you for your help. I tried the tape with the F10 this afternoon and think it might work. This website is so helpful.
baseten Your quote-" I tried the tape with the F10 this afternoon and think it might work. " I GO BACK AND FORTH FROM THE PAPER TAPE TO A HEADBAND ACROSS MY LIPS. I SOMETIMES HAVE THE CHEEKS PUFFING BUT DON'T KNOW WHY. IT LETS MY LIPS LEAK AIR BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO MAKE MY SCORE ANY WORSE. IT'S NOT LIKE I LEAVE MY MOUTH OPEN, I DON'T. IT MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH REM SLEEP, AIR PRESSURE, AND RELAXING MY TONGUE USING MY PILLOWS CPAP WHICH I LOVE MUCH BETTER THAN A FACE MASK THAT ALWAYS LEAK FOR ME BECAUSE I TURN ON MY SIDES AND IT PUSHES FROM MY PILLOW AND LEAKS. MY PILLOWS NEVER LEAK. MY SCORE SEEMS TO REMAIN THE SAME. COPIED HERE.... 7:15 usage hours 70 Good mask seal 20 1.7 events per hour 5 1 mask on/off 5 Total myAir score 100
For the past several weeks, the MYAIR scores have been taking most of the day to post. My cell connection remains pretty much the same (2 bars). Has anyone else experienced this? I can't recall ever getting a 100 score. A couple months back I took a nap for a couple hours (very unusual) and with the 5-6 hours normal sleep that night got full credit for 7 hours sleep. I would have made the 100 but had a mask on/off deduction of a point since I had the machine turned off between nap and the night's sleep. About 5 hours sleep for me is the most... 6 hours once in awhile. AHI is usually between zero and .3 and I feel pretty good. It is only when the San Antonio Spurs play a west coast game that starts at 10PM here that get sleep deprived as I am up at 5AM regardless...
