Hello All

Just wanted to say to everyone and let you know I am a new member. I have been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. Just diagnosed I finished the therapeutic sleep and just got my CPAP ordered. I have been reading some of the topics and some of my worries is how it fits and how some leaks. I hope mine does not leak. I know that they are supposed to fit it to your face to where it is comfortable and still not leak. We shall see, huh? But like I said I am new to all of this, any advice will be helpful.

Welcome to MyApnea.Org! Mask fit is probably the most important thing to consider when starting treatment. If the mask is not comfortable and does not fit correctly, therapy will be more of a challenge to adjust to. Your equipment provider should fit you for a mask and let you try the mask laying down and in whatever position you normally sleep. If you sleep on your side or back, as the technician to let you lay on your side or back during the fitting. Try several masks to see what you like best, and I encourage you to stay in contact with your equipment provider if you have any problems. Of course, we have an active community here on the Forum, so please feel free to post any questions. Best wishes with your treatment!

Leaks are the bane of therapy. My struggle was not so much with a mask but with my jaw slackening during the night and my mouth opening any mask would be in my mouth. It took me almost a YEAR to figure out the issue was not keeping my mouth shut. At the same time, I zeroed in on finding the right mask and can now use a couple different masks with no leak issues. The secret to success is self-educating so read all you can on this forum and hopefully make this knowledge a shortcut to effective therapy. Good luck and keep us posted. Get a copy of your sleep study and the prescription so you will know what to self-educate on and use some software or other means to monitor your therapy as far as leaks and AHI.

Keep in mind that there are many roads to successful therapy and the fixing the leak issue but once a mask is fitted properly, mouth leaks seem to be the key to solving major leak issues. Just keep reading what everyone else has to say and try and find your own key to solving leak issues. I actually purchased a chin strap but never actually used it as the way I figured the thing out kept me from the strap and I am not sure I could handle tape on my face as the beard would be pulled off with the tape the AM.