RESEARCH - if you want to share your troubles.....

[restoredrest]

Hello Sleepers,

I am doing research into what kind of difficulties people run into when using a mask cushion that covers your nose and mouth, typically the ones with silicone. Sorry, I don't want to hear about ALL your troubles.

I am not selling anything. I am doing research for an advanced workshop I am taking at Western Michigan University. If you are interested in a summary of the results I will send you a summary or post the results.

If you are willing to answer the following questions, please copy and paste them into a reply email and send them to me in a private message.

1. How long have you used a CPAP machine?

2. Have you ever tried or do you now use a mask that covers your nose and mouth?

3. What sort of problems have you experienced with this type of mask?

4. Have you found anything to help you solve or deal with these problems?

Thank you for your participation!!

[Julie]

They're called full face masks (not to be confused with ones that cover your whole face, such as the Total Life mask).

Anyhow, I do wish the mfgrs would accommodate cheekbones in such a way as to build in a little flexibility rather than the straight up and down ones that often necessitate making the mask tighter than you'd otherwise like, once the correct size is also otherwise accounted for.

[Wulfman...]

1. How long have you used a CPAP machine?
13 1/2 years

2. Have you ever tried or do you now use a mask that covers your nose and mouth?
That's all I've ever used.

3. What sort of problems have you experienced with this type of mask?
None

4. Have you found anything to help you solve or deal with these problems?
No "problems". But, I've used software to monitor my therapy since the night I started. So I've been able to head off any issues before they became "problems".

Den

.

[Stom]

They're called full face masks (not to be confused with ones that cover your whole face, such as the Total Life mask).

I think the fancier medical term, oro-nasal mask, is more precise and less confusing. However 'd say the OP is smart to simply explicitly say what they mean with a description. It's clear and leaves no room for confusion,

1. How long have you used a CPAP machine?
Just a few months

2. Have you ever tried or do you now use a mask that covers your nose and mouth?
Yes. I use one when my nasal mask leads to drymouth/"mouth breathing"/letting air leak out my mouth. And sometimes when my nose is too irritated for a nasal cushion mask.

3. What sort of problems have you experienced with this type of mask?
The main problem is getting a good seal under the lower lip. The part of headgear that tensions the lower lip seal goes to the lower part of the head at the neck, ans the tension changes depending on the angle of bend of my neck. This makes it difficult to maintain a good seal when switching sleeping positions from on my side to on my back. Also, the pressure of the seal under the lip pushes my lower jaw back, which is bad considering all the orthodontia I had to push it forward. And pushing the jaw back is also bad for sleep apnea and can exacerbate it. (Dental appliances that pull the jaw forward are an approved treatment for many cases of obstructive sleep apnea, so pushing the jaw back is a bad thing for sleep apnea patients.) These problems are true for me both with the ResMed F20 and the Phillips DreamWear full face mask.

4. Have you found anything to help you solve or deal with these problems?
A foam cervical collar helps me from changing the angle of my head somewhat. A headgear design that doesn't vary tension with head position would be a better solution. I have no solution to the problem of having my lower jaw pressed back by the headgear tension needed to make a seal - it's not a lot of tension since the seal doesn't need to be tight, but it is enough to cause potential problems for me.

[Stom]

I should add, you might want to start a different thread with a more accurately descriptive title, like "Researcher looking for feedback from full face mask users" or some such. "{I}f you want to share your troubles....." is vague and does not describe your query well.

[Chris8243]

Could I send to your email account? I just typed out a reply and it did not post, it vanished. Email would be better.

Thanks

[LSAT]

Hello Sleepers,

I am doing research into what kind of difficulties people run into when using a mask cushion that covers your nose and mouth, typically the ones with silicone. Sorry, I don't want to hear about ALL your troubles.

I am not selling anything. I am doing research for an advanced workshop I am taking at Western Michigan University. If you are interested in a summary of the results I will send you a summary or post the results.

If you are willing to answer the following questions, please copy and paste them into a reply email and send them to me in a private message.

1. How long have you used a CPAP machine? 10+ years

2. Have you ever tried or do you now use a mask that covers your nose and mouth? Yes..For 9+ years

3. What sort of problems have you experienced with this type of mask? Absolutely none

4. Have you found anything to help you solve or deal with these problems? More comfortable than nasal types

Thank you for your participation!!

[knothead]

Hello Sleepers,

I am doing research into what kind of difficulties people run into when using a mask cushion that covers your nose and mouth, typically the ones with silicone. Sorry, I don't want to hear about ALL your troubles.

I am not selling anything. I am doing research for an advanced workshop I am taking at Western Michigan University. If you are interested in a summary of the results I will send you a summary or post the results.

If you are willing to answer the following questions, please copy and paste them into a reply email and send them to me in a private message.

1. How long have you used a CPAP machine?
9 years

2. Have you ever tried or do you now use a mask that covers your nose and mouth?
Tried and true, love my FFM

3. What sort of problems have you experienced with this type of mask?
Nothing major, side sleeper, few small leaks but adjusting my head in pillow stops them

4. Have you found anything to help you solve or deal with these problems?
Different pillows, I also started using Pad-A-Cheek liner.


Thank you for your participation!!