CPAP causing disruption to husband as well as myself

[eheavie43]

Hello everyone, I have been started on CPAP therapy this week. My machine is a RESMED S8 Escape 11. I am having great difficulty adjusting to the mask in particular as I have a full face mask. I am constantly having to readjust it during the night because of leaking air. Also the force of air coming out of the vent is causing problems because it is blasting out either into my husband's face or down the back of his neck !! I have awakened a few times to find him lying with the duvet over his head. I just wondered if other users have this problem ? I expect these problems can be ironed out but not due to visit out-patients until 2nd August.

[Richard]

Hello,

CPAP takes a bit of getting used to, but once you have come to terms with it, you won't be able to sleep without it. Think of your CPAP as your new bed partner, who will carefully soothe you through each night!

Go to the thread 'Quattro FX mask leakage' posted yesterday with exactly the same problems as you're having and read the responses.

Richard

[Dirty Trucker 68]

Hi,I also struggled getting used to the mask,ive had my machine since the start of this year and was finding it difficult to even manage a hour but after a while like Richard says it becomes part of your nights sleep now manageing a average of 7hrs.My biggest problem was i felt like i was suffocating,and when the presure increased on the ramp it used to wake me up,so i switched the ramp off and the nurse turned the presure up which stopped the suffocating feeling and its all good now And im sure you'll get used to it very soon.

Good luck DT68

[Tigers Fan]

For the jet of air - fix a strip of ScothBrite loosely over the vent. A dab of superglue does it nicely. In no way are you looking to block the vent - do not block the vent - just to put a diffuser loosely over it.

TF

[eheavie43]

Thanks for your comments. I just wondered if anyone else feels that the air being breathed in is very cold ? It seems to be aggravating my asthma in that in the morning I am quite wheezy when I take off the mask. Also my husband has just informed me this morning that his eyes are very dry because of the air being blown into his face. I suppose we will get used to it in due course. I had a better sleep last night with no leakage of air from the mask!!

[Tigers Fan]

Sounds like you need a humidifier and/or a heated hose.

TF

[symmit]

Certainly as you're using a full face mask you will find a humidifier will help with the dryness and irritation for yourself, once you've found a seal that works it may even help relieve your asthma as it keeps your lungs and alveoli open!

You may need to try one or two masks before you find one that's a great fit - work with your clinic or if you have the funds available have a look at eu-pap etc and make a speculative purchase or two.

As for your partner, you may be able to deflect the vent away from him or at least diffuse it with some scotchbrite or similar low density plastic scouring pad, or you can sleep under the quilt yourself - it's great having your own piped air, partner can't suffocate you with pillow in sleep...

Good luck!

[Mentalfog]

I find if I place the mask high up on the bridge of my nose, I get a better fit (The higher up the better!). I'm back to my quattro instead of the FX.

[Tom @ Intus]

In addition to the excellent advice already provided, you may find using a mask liner, such as RemZzzs, help the situation. They are small pieces of fabric that sit between the mask and the face which help improve comfort and reduce leaks. Many CPAP patients use RemZzzs, including some members of this forum, with great success so this may be an option for you also.

It sounds like you have a bit of a snowball issue here - a leak develops, the pressure increases to compensate, the leak increase, etc. So taking the initial leak should then help prevent the other problems from occurring also.

[eheavie43]

Thanks Tom, I have ordered the mask liners so will see how I get on !!

[puggster]

hey there

i currently have the same setup as you, the escape 2 with full face mask,

talk with the sleep department as they can issue you with the humidifyer attachment and also a more suitable mask, i have the smaller quatro fx mask which is considrbaly quieter than the the bigger one with the dial thingy at the forehead, this one however isnt as secure and is more prone to leaks,

i find if you put the mask loose then start up the machine then poin your chin down wards then adjust the straps untill no more leaks, you will find that the straps become more tighter as you rais your head but i dont get many leaks per night as i used to using this method,

the vents can be a pain at times expecialy if there is fluff or sommit caught in the little holes, also make sure the piping is coming down towards chest as if it goes upwards towards your forehead then the noise increases by the air hitting of the pipe work, sounding like a leak noise, unfortuantly there isnt much you can do about blasting your partner with the air, unless you turn round like i have to lol,

i also have a large drawer under my bed which ive converted into a cpap machine bay, i wont go into to much detail but my wife cant hear the machine no more only the venting noise from the mask

also like to point out the humidifyer works a treat aslong as you dont turn it up too high or it does get uncomfortable as your mask gets too stuffy, i have mine set at 2 and a few drops of olbas oil in to help with my congestion at night, works a treat.

anyways at this stage if something dosent work contact the sleep department they normay are a fab bunch which should help you find something that works, unfortuantly its all trial and error,

also a quick note, have you enabled the easy breath feature on your machine?

this helps greatly as it lets you breath past the force of the air.

the manual explains everything or your sleep clinic can advise you how to set this as most people have this feature disabled as default

kind regards

puggz

[Mac1953]

suggestions

Hello.
leaks from the mask will occur if the mask or your skin is at all greasy, this can happen if you get too warm and will also occur if the mask is not optimally adjusted, the optimum adjustment is a matter of practice and experience and you will have to experiment, the mask should be neither too tight or too loose.
My partner also complained of the draft a simple solution that works for us is to put a pillow between us.