Noise mask exhaust Resmed P10

[super7pilot]

My Resmed airsense 11 came with the P10 pillows. The P10 mask works great. However, It seems to whistle or SHHHHH on exhaling. The whole setup is only two weeks old. So seems the mask shouldn't be rubbish already. This exhalation noise makes it much harder to get to sleep as compared to my Resmed F40 airfit. The F40 is super quiet but is hard to keep sealed while side sleeping.

Was wondering if folks here have experience with the P10 exhaust vent noise compared to the N30i exhaust vent noise. Inhalation noise is fine on the P10.

[Pugsy]

The P10 has always been totally silent for me.
I am surprised it isn't for you.

[super7pilot]

The P10 has always been totally silent for me.
I am surprised it isn't for you.

I have it soaking in vinegar right now hoping that maybe the vent had soap remnants in it from cleaning. I asked the VA if they can get me the N30i. It looks to be better at holding fast when moving during the night.

My AHI results are under 1 for both masks with 5+ hours. But still not getting good rest. But I'm new to the therapy. So I'm not broke in yet.

[ChicagoGranny]

So I'm not broke in yet.

Yeah, it's like some people train wild horses. CPAP has to break us in before we quit buckin' it.

[ozij]

The P10 has always been totally silent for me.
I am surprised it isn't for you.

Same for me.

[Dwep60]

I have been on CPAP, for almost two years now, and on more than one occasion experience the issue with the exhalation ports whistling. I am not sure as to what causes it. But it does disturb my sleep. I have developed the practice of rubbing the ports to find the area on the exhalation port that is whistling and try to clear it by wiping whatever maybe causing the noise away. But I must admit, it has had limited success. I use a P&P Vitera full face mask. This usually works well for me; I came back to this forum hoping to find a solution, or an alternative that might work better.

[Conrad]

The P10 has always been totally silent for me.
I am surprised it isn't for you.

Same

[super7pilot]

I have been on CPAP, for almost two years now, and on more than one occasion experience the issue with the exhalation ports whistling. I am not sure as to what causes it. But it does disturb my sleep. I have developed the practice of rubbing the ports to find the area on the exhalation port that is whistling and try to clear it by wiping whatever maybe causing the noise away. But I must admit, it has had limited success. I use a P&P Vitera full face mask. This usually works well for me; I came back to this forum hoping to find a solution, or an alternative that might work better.

After cleaning mine in vinegar it was quiet 'at first' then got noisy again later last night. Moisture build up is the only thing I could think that would change a mask fully cleaned just hours prior.
And of course to add to the mask frustration. It seems to be the case that after one has a sleep study and gets a machine. They just throw it in your lap and 'might' ask what mask you want and say hasta la vista, don't bother us again. No sit down to measure your face and make mask recommendations.

One would think that if they walked into a good shoe shop. They would say, Lets measure your feet and ask about your activities and with their product knowledge they could recommend a shoe. Not so with sleep labs/Dr's and CPAP masks.

Outside the sometimes noisy P10 mask. I bought a resmed F40i with my own funds. Super quiet and very comfy 'at first'. But it seems to ride up my chin during the night and the nose cradle puts a LOT pressure under my nose and as the mask rides up it also pushes my cheeks up towards my eyes. It rides up too the point of hurting my nose and waking me up. Then the mask hits the night stand, machine is turned off, then I fall asleep and have dreams because I'm not F'ing around with or being attacked by a recalcitrant mask.

[robysue1]

And of course to add to the mask frustration. It seems to be the case that after one has a sleep study and gets a machine. They just throw it in your lap and 'might' ask what mask you want and say hasta la vista, don't bother us again. No sit down to measure your face and make mask recommendations.

One would think that if they walked into a good shoe shop. They would say, Lets measure your feet and ask about your activities and with their product knowledge they could recommend a shoe. Not so with sleep labs/Dr's and CPAP masks.

Well there's one obvious difference between the typical DME and sleep doc's office versus a good shoe shop: Every salesperson in the shoe shop has lots of experience wearing shoes. And so the salespeople have good understanding of what a well fit shoe feels like.

The average person you're dealing with at the DME or sleep doc's office? They've never put a CPAP mask on their face and they've never tried to sleep with the dang thing all night long.

The best sleep doc I ever had was the only one I ever saw who actually suffered from OSA and used a CPAP every night. Sadly he retired a few years ago during the pandemic. Fortunately for me, I no longer need a really good sleep doc to troubleshot my numerous sleep related issues. But I still miss Dr, Murray.

[super7pilot]

And of course to add to the mask frustration. It seems to be the case that after one has a sleep study and gets a machine. They just throw it in your lap and 'might' ask what mask you want and say hasta la vista, don't bother us again. No sit down to measure your face and make mask recommendations.

One would think that if they walked into a good shoe shop. They would say, Lets measure your feet and ask about your activities and with their product knowledge they could recommend a shoe. Not so with sleep labs/Dr's and CPAP masks.

Well there's one obvious difference between the typical DME and sleep doc's office versus a good shoe shop: Every salesperson in the shoe shop has lots of experience wearing shoes. And so the salespeople have good understanding of what a well fit shoe feels like.

The average person you're dealing with at the DME or sleep doc's office? They've never put a CPAP mask on their face and they've never tried to sleep with the dang thing all night long.

The best sleep doc I ever had was the only one I ever saw who actually suffered from OSA and used a CPAP every night. Sadly he retired a few years ago during the pandemic. Fortunately for me, I no longer need a really good sleep doc to troubleshot my numerous sleep related issues. But I still miss Dr, Murray.

I will partially agree with you, But only too a point. I have metatarsalalgia and our local shoe store (who once had a cobbler) and has young folk working there (no metatarsalalgia) steered me over to highly padded brands like HOKA and Altra. And my feet are much better for their recommendations.

It's not hard to train a non-cpap user who works at a lab in how to measure a person, ask what position they sleep in and at least make a reasonable recommendation based on their knowledge helping others and knowing the brands much more than I do.

[ChicagoGranny]

It's not hard to train a non-cpap user who works at a lab in how to measure a person, ask what position they sleep in and at least make a reasonable recommendation based on their knowledge helping others and knowing the brands much more than I do.

It has never worked that way. It doesn't work that way. It will never work that way.*

Finding the right mask is DIY. There are too many variables involved with individuals.

Study the masks at cpap.com. Watch YouTube videos about fitting and adjusting individual mask models. Ask questions in this forum about mask models.

*Unless there is a breakthrough in mask design.

[robysue1]

It's not hard to train a non-cpap user who works at a lab in how to measure a person, ask what position they sleep in and at least make a reasonable recommendation based on their knowledge helping others and knowing the brands much more than I do.

Folks who have never put on a cpap mask, let alone who have never slept with a cpap mask really have no idea what works and what does not work in an actual bedroom with an actual person sleeping in an actual bed with actual pillows.

As ChicagoGranny says, finding the right mask involves a lot of DIY.

As for sizing a mask, the best thing a DME can do is not take away the "unused" sizes of nasal pillows or mask cushions when selling the mask in the first place. Many masks come from the manufacturer with a choice of a couple of different sizes of mask cushions, but DMEs will routinely open the package and set a person up with only one of the cushions and then sell the others to other customers. This prevents a person from actually trying out different sizes in the only place where trying them on makes sense: In your own bed with your own pillows lying down in your own preferred sleeping position.

Also most brick and mortar DMEs also carry only a small selection of masks. They often carry one or two brands of masks, and frequently won't carry Resmed masks simply because Resmed charges more for their masks than other companies do. And the DME's business model is to charge a person's insurance company the maximum amount the insurance company will pay for regardless of the actual cost of the mask. So there's very little incentive for the people working at the DME to learn anything at all about how to make a patient more comfortable by taking the time to help the patient sort out what might be the best mask for them to use.

In short, DMEs regard the insurance companies as their customers, not the patients using the CPAP equipment and masks they sell.

[super7pilot]

It's not hard to train a non-cpap user who works at a lab in how to measure a person, ask what position they sleep in and at least make a reasonable recommendation based on their knowledge helping others and knowing the brands much more than I do.

It has never worked that way. It doesn't work that way. It will never work that way.*

Finding the right mask is DIY. There are too many variables involved with individuals.

Study the masks at cpap.com. Watch YouTube videos about fitting and adjusting individual mask models. Ask questions in this forum about mask models.

*Unless there is a breakthrough in mask design.

Well, As with many things. Just because it is so, doesn't make it right. History is replete with the excuse, It's just the way it is or I was just following orders.

With the high cost of these devices for our insurance companies and the spares involved. Poor mask fitment leads to much frustration. Which leads to a lot of unused apnea machines gathering dust in the back of closets and their owners conditions going untreated.

[robysue1]

Well, As with many things. Just because it is so, doesn't make it right. History is replete with the excuse, It's just the way it is or I was just following orders.

You have to remember: The DMEs are not particularly interested in satisfying us, the mere patients who have to use this equipment, regardless of what they say.

Their real customers are the insurance companies. They do everything in their power to keep the insurance companies happy because it is the insurance companies that provide the vast majority of their revenue.

With the high cost of these devices for our insurance companies and the spares involved. Poor mask fitment leads to much frustration.

Yes, you would think that the insurance companies and the DMEs would care enough about the patients and their frustrations. But you would be wrong.

From the insurance company's point of view: If a person gives up on CPAP, then the insurance company doesn't have to pay for any additional masks or any additional supplies. And it certainly won't be paying for a new machine. Yeah, there's always the chance that the insured person will develop some kind of health condition that could have been prevented or minimized had the person properly treated their OSA. But that's a risk insurance companies seem to be willing to take.

Which leads to a lot of unused apnea machines gathering dust in the back of closets and their owners conditions going untreated.

Insurance companies demand that DMEs provide actual data that the machine is being used in order for the DME to continue collecting payments for the machine. If people give up on CPAP before the machine is fully paid for, the insurance company and the DME will demand the patient return the unused (or under-used) machine. And many people do give up before the machine is paid for and do wind up returning the machine.

For what it's worth: Almost every chronic health problem has an issue with "patient compliance" with the prescribed treatment. It's not just OSA and CPAP. Folks with glaucoma often skip their eyedrops even though they know that increases the chances of their going blind. People with diabetes often can't stick to the prescribed diet even when they know that their blood sugar is not well controlled with the drugs they are also supposed to be taking. People with high blood pressure often skip taking their meds because "they feel fine" and they don't like the side effects. And so on and so forth. People who have significant hearing loss are often reluctant to pay the money needed for a decent pair of hearing aids (which insurance does not cover), and even if they buy hearing aids, they may resist using them for a whole bunch of reasons.

In every single case, there is a significant issue with patients buying into the need to comply with the prescribed treatment, even when the patient doesn't detect any obvious benefits from it.

[ChicagoGranny]

An old saw - "You get out of it what you are willing to put into it."

Expecting to be spoon-fed leads to patient and supplier frustration.