Want to try a different mask...suggestions?

Hi,

I'm now 4 months into the CPAP world ...still hate it but am trying to be "compliant." I do rebel and take one weekend night "off" without the effin' thing on my face.

That said...I would like to try a different mask. I have the ResMed AirTouch F20 Medium (foam-type seal rather than more plastic-y). I have used that since the beginning because in
my sleep study I did not like the Simplus mask with the strap across the forehead...but as I went thru 4 masks that night I may not have given it a fair trial.

What I am not liking at this point about the AirTouch is the pressure on my ears from the side strap. No matter how I tighten/loosen various straps overnight it is pressure on the top of my ear.

So...I am thinking to reconsider the Simplus or another like it -- I do have a question about the "For Her" varieties. Are they smaller in scale or is it just that you can get a strap in pink??? (And who cares about that....)

I have not been personally fitted (other than the sleep study where I spent the bulk of the night in the AirTouch, and we tried Small vs. Medium and the latter suits me better) so I do wonder if switching a manufacturer
would make a significant difference in what size I would get? My sleep doctor suggested I switch from my DME (Pacific Pulmonary, all done over phone) and to the local (Houston area) Monitor Medical where a tech
would actually fit me, but the company has withering reviews online, and it apparently is a big deal to get your DME switched when you are on Medicare. So right now I am thinking to ask PP for my next mask replacement to try a different model.

I hope that's enough information for an educated guess on what I might want to try? I did tell the sleep doc at my 2nd followup that I was "still waiting for the payoff" of using this contraption...I still feel tired getting up in the morning (I still work full time so have to...if not I would stay in bed) and sometimes in afternoon I would love to take a nap but of course can't. I acknowledged that it is hard to ask her to "prove a negative" in the sense that just because I haven't had a
stroke yet that the cpap is "working." She made an analogy that if she knows a patient has high blood pressure it is sensible to put them on BP meds, though she can't "prove" that in 10 years they wouldn't have keeled over without them.

And THAT said... has anyone here seriously looked into the INSPIRE implant?? I did go to the website -- yikes it is at least $30K though medicare may pay "if medically necessary." It's relatively new so just wondering about any experiences here.

Thanks!

With some mask headgear there is more to it than just a different color for a different size or the for her model.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... -parts-tab

I don't know what size headgear you are using but maybe you just need a different size headgear to keep the straps off the ears.

You are presenting a very narrow view of mask choices. There are hundreds of masks to choose from including a couple with no head gear at all. Spend a few hours on CPAP.com looking at different masks and the reviews. then maybe you can make an educated choice of what to try next. I have used over a dozen different masks and still keep my eyes open for the one that may be perfect for me.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 15, 2018 11:11 am

With some mask headgear there is more to it than just a different color for a different size or the for her model.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... -parts-tab

I don't know what size headgear you are using but maybe you just need a different size headgear to keep the straps off the ears.

Thanks Pugsy. It did not occur to me that the headgear was a separate subject... (by the way, what/where is the "elbow" of the mask??)

Do I also need to be concerned about compatability of any non-ResMed mask with my Airsense 10 and hose? I assumed all that was standard??

Headgear size alone can be a make it or break it thing in terms of mask fit. I have a small head and for sure would need the smaller headgear if I was trying to use any full face mask. Sometimes it's available but sometimes it's not.

The elbow thing with any mask is usually where there is a bend or 90 degree change in the angle of whatever plastic might be used.
Some masks have elbows that can be replaced separately and some you can't replace them if it breaks.

And yes...in general cpap hoses no matter whether heated or not will easily fit all masks.
In your situation you can use your ResMed hose with any mask of your choice. Doesn't have to be a ResMed mask. The coupling sizes are pretty much standard.
Now sometimes people inadvertently have a piece or part of one mask get stuck in the long hose so that a new different mask won't connect but it's always because of the extra little piece that is stuck in the mask that they don't realize shouldn't be there.
There are a couple of exceptions but that is usually pertaining to a specialty machine and hose.
For your machine and hose...any mask will work no matter what the brand.

Have you looked at the Dreamwear full face mask? I used the regular F20 full face mask before switching to the Dreamwear. I like the Dreamwear much more.

I had never found a negative review on INSPIRE. I would have had this 6 years ago, BUT the doctors where I lived wanted to wait and see.

The 16th of May this year - I had it done. I was given the typical surgical pre-op warnings: scars, might bleed, swelling, could die on the table. Nothing other!

I had to be kept in overnight, as the O2 saturation in my blood dropped to 70. No, not good. I was released the following day, when my O2 level went up to 97%. I was not concerned about that.

The next four weeks were hell. Seriously! I have had many surgical procedures, and only one other where there were serious surgical complications, did I have such a ghastly time of recovery. It is the 27th of June 2024. One month and 11 days later. I think I am as recovered as I will ever be. I am nothing like pre-surgery. In fact, my lifestyle and diet has had to be adversely changed, nothing I expected or wanted.

The first evening home from hospital, I threw up bile for more than 3 hours. After that, I had severe nausea, and could not move without wanting to throw up. I spent the first three weeks, curled in a fetus position in bed. I'd get up several times for an hour or so a day, just to try to feel normal.

Before I tell you of all the adverse effects I have gone through and that I still have, let me say - today they were to initiate it. It did not work! The first 1/3 of the initiation produced severe and shooting severe pain into my brain on the right back of my head, the 2nd 3rd of the initiation, caused excruciating pain in the right ear. The test has stirred the nerves to my teeth, and if you have ever accidentally bit into a piece of foil, this is felt along all of my lower teeth, and the top front ones. The testing was stopped at this point.

They spoke directly to the INSPIRE rep and are going to let it heal another three weeks, before doing this again. If it doesn't work at that time; 1) the glossal nerve, may have been slightly misplaced due to swelling, or something else is interfering with its connection - so, they might need to go back into the neck, and fiddle about. Or, in my estimation just remove the damned thing!

The first four weeks from surgery: the end 1 1/2 inches of tongue - no feeling, numb and well bitten. Nausea if you moved. Something I never ever had acid reflux / indigestion / heart burn and GERD. I couldn't swallow the smallest of pill, as it felt as though anything consumed was stuck at the atom apple. If it did drop below the Adam's apple - it stopped thereafter and was like a blocked drain - and wow, it twisted and turned my stomach. The first four weeks I only had water in small sips, and cream of wheat. Even so, there were two further side effects I never expected: 1) I have lost my sense of taste, and 2) it has affected my voice box - I have a lisp, and I can only speak a short time before my throat feels as though there is a weight across it, and it becomes tight and hurts. The other problems, which have diminished, until today was it felt as though someone had tightened a garrot across my eyebrows and just kept tightening it, and it also felt as though I had a severe infection and terrible pressure in my right ear. Today's testing has brought that back. Not one of these side effects were ever mentioned before surgery!!!

All I could think of during this recovery - is if it actually does work, and I get more oxygen in my blood from not stopping breathing - then this suffering has been ok. My permanent life change: no sense of taste, and bland, tasteless food even if I were able to taste it - so that I do not cause the problems with acid reflux, heart burn, or nausea.

I am actually seeking legal council. It may not be malpractice, but these side effects are an omission! If I had been told of these possible side effects, I would have given it more thought prior to actually having the surgery.

Lady.J wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 27, 2024 2:48 pm

INSPIRE - BewareQuote Lady.J

WTH? Why did you bury this in an old thread which was titled "different mask"?

It deserves its own thread with an appropriate subject line. Copy your post and paste it in a new post.

Thank you for sharing your Inspire experience and I'm so sorry you are going through this. I'm having a lot of CPAP problems that are exacerbated by chronic sinusitis and asymptomatic gastric reflux. My ENT who is also a sleep specialist recommended I stop CPAP until other problems are resolved and then start over again. NEVER in a million years will I consider Inspire. I know someone who had it and thinks it's wonderful. I've learned that she is a minority with successful experience. Wishing you luck in resolving your Inspire problems. No one deserves to go through this.

I can not add a lot as I am new to all this. However, I noticed one mask using the same settings works great, but another mask does not making me very uncomfortable. Seems to be due to the vent holes in the mask. Although, it seemed like a fitment issue initially.

On the mask I like EVO full face the vent holes are very close to where the air comes in from the tube each vent just to the side of this inflow tube. More air vents naturally out of those holes vs the Siesta where the vent holes are above the nose area. Less air naturally flows out of those vent holes. I can feel the difference putting my fingers by the vent holes during use on each mask. So seemingly two masks two different pressures same settings.

The Siesta which vents less fits well but is very uncomfortable. I am guessing the increased pressure is what I may have thought was a fitment issue. I will get around to testing this by using the Siesta mask and turn down the pressure. But at this point I do not want to try and fix something not broken using the EVO mask.

Anyway, it is the little things that matter sometimes.

McSleepyhead wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 28, 2024 1:13 pm

Seems to be due to the vent holes in the mask.

Unlikely. All the manufacturers use vent/pressure profiles that are closely similar.

Unlikely. All the manufacturers use vent/pressure profiles that are closely similar.

The evo mask vents a significant amount more air through the vent holes than the Siesta. You can also feel more air pressure using the Siesta compared to the evo when the masks are on and system running - no doubt about it. This being a true statement it can affect the way a mask works/feels. It is worth considering if someone is looking for "Mask Suggestions".

Speaking of assumptions sounds like assuming all masks vent equally is a pretty big one. I am sure they are within some sort of range or specification but that does not make them the same. There is always manufacturing errors which can play into it. If things were prefect there would never be a recall on any product.

McSleepyhead wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 28, 2024 1:13 pm

EVO full face

There is no such mask.

There is no such mask.

Just looking at the vent hole locations and imagining a face inside the masks screams the opportunity for air to vent at a higher CAPACITY from the EVO. I'll get around to trying the Siesta mask at lower pressure and see if it is more comfortable. I am almost positive it will based on the above mentioned reasoning.


Evora Full Face





Siesta Full Face

Every mask has an exhaust flow table at the end of its instruction manual.

This is the Evora's:



This one is the Siesta's



They are very different - the Siesta needs far more flow to achieve the same pressure.

For a therapy pressure of 12
Evora's flow is: 35
Siesta's is 41.