New user of Airsense machine on NHS

[Kelly @ Intus]

Hi,

Thank you for your post and the update. Lets see what the follow up with the doctor show.

The photo you sent me of the new mask is the Quattro™ Air - Full Face Mask and should look like this - https://shop.resmed.com/GB/en/cpap-m...8a&fo_s=gplauk

Is this your current mask or the new one they gave you? If a new one then the mask should have a front part attached with the elbow that connects to your CPAP tube. Did you get this part?

If the one with your headgear is your existing mask and they have you a cushion only, is this for the same mask but different size?

Kelly

[Zorro]

Hi,

Thank you for your post and the update. Lets see what the follow up with the doctor show.

The photo you sent me of the new mask is the Quattro™ Air - Full Face Mask and should look like this - https://shop.resmed.com/GB/en/cpap-m...8a&fo_s=gplauk

Is this your current mask or the new one they gave you? If a new one then the mask should have a front part attached with the elbow that connects to your CPAP tube. Did you get this part?

If the one with your headgear is your existing mask and they have you a cushion only, is this for the same mask but different size?

Kelly

Yes that's the one I have and I soon realised that the cushion just clips int the frame so that's now in place. I just need to try it in practice - I did notice the mask fit test blows it off the face and gives a red emoji when the pressure builds to max.

[Kelly @ Intus]

Good Morning,

Thank you for letting me know. Please give the mask a good try. Perseverance is key when you have the right mask type and it does take a little while to adjust to wearing a mask.

If you still get the red emoji then have a look on youtube for a fitting video for your mask to ensure you are putting it on and adjusting it correctly.

Kelly

[Zorro]

Good Morning,

Thank you for letting me know. Please give the mask a good try. Perseverance is key when you have the right mask type and it does take a little while to adjust to wearing a mask.

If you still get the red emoji then have a look on youtube for a fitting video for your mask to ensure you are putting it on and adjusting it correctly.

Kelly

I watched the video and tried a few times to get the mask fitting but it feels very tight.

In the run mask fit mode does it just keep inflating the mask until the red emoji is displayed as that's what it seems?

At the moment it seems to start off reasonably quiet then gets noisy & wakes me up leaving me unable to get back to sleep thereby defeating the object.

[Kelly @ Intus]

Good Morning,

In run mask fit mode are you breathing normally to take in the air pressure or do you feel you hold your breathe?

If the pressure increases rapidly in the middle of the night and wakes you up this can be down to the fact that you have rolled over in your sleep and knock your mask on your pillow. This causes an air leak as the mask seal is broken and then the machine increases the pressure to compensate. If this happens then you can either press the ramp button which will take the pressure back down to low or turn your machine off. Adjust your mask to get a good seal and then turn the mask on and settle back down to sleep. This will get better in time. It just takes a little while to adjust to using and sleeping with the CPAP machine and mask on.

Kelly

[Zorro]

Good Morning,

In run mask fit mode are you breathing normally to take in the air pressure or do you feel you hold your breathe?

If the pressure increases rapidly in the middle of the night and wakes you up this can be down to the fact that you have rolled over in your sleep and knock your mask on your pillow. This causes an air leak as the mask seal is broken and then the machine increases the pressure to compensate. If this happens then you can either press the ramp button which will take the pressure back down to low or turn your machine off. Adjust your mask to get a good seal and then turn the mask on and settle back down to sleep. This will get better in time. It just takes a little while to adjust to using and sleeping with the CPAP machine and mask on.

Kelly

I think you have described it exactly right there Kelly - it seems that all is well until late in the sleep when the machine seems to be working a lot harder & I can feel the leakage. Do you think I would benefit from changing mask as I have tried a L and M size? My score on the AHI & seal parts of the ratings are consistently poor.

Is 'mask fit mode' the test mode?

[Kelly @ Intus]

Good Morning,

Thank you for your reply.

If you look at the CPAP therapy data does it show you mask fit or leakage?

What mask are you currently using?
Check you have the right type of mask for how you breathe ie nasal mask if you breathe through your nose only, and a full face mask if you breathe through your nose & mask or snore.
Check you have the right size mask for your face
Watch a fitting video for your mask on youtube to ensure you are putting it on and adjusting it correctly
If you have given the mask you have a good chance, and you still have leakage, then it might be worth looking for an alternative mask.
If the mask only leaks in the middle of the night when you move, then please give it a bit more time as it can take a little while for you to get use to sleeping in a mask.

Kelly

[Zorro]

Good Morning,

Thank you for your reply.

If you look at the CPAP therapy data does it show you mask fit or leakage?

What mask are you currently using?
Check you have the right type of mask for how you breathe ie nasal mask if you breathe through your nose only, and a full face mask if you breathe through your nose & mask or snore.
Check you have the right size mask for your face
Watch a fitting video for your mask on youtube to ensure you are putting it on and adjusting it correctly
If you have given the mask you have a good chance, and you still have leakage, then it might be worth looking for an alternative mask.
If the mask only leaks in the middle of the night when you move, then please give it a bit more time as it can take a little while for you to get use to sleeping in a mask.

Kelly

Hi Kelly

If you look at the CPAP therapy data does it show you mask fit or leakage? YES VARIES FROM 5 - 115 L/MIN

What mask are you currently using? - QUATTRO AIR (Full Face Mask) Size M

Check you have the right type of mask for how you breathe ie nasal mask if you breathe through your nose only, and a full face mask if you breathe through your nose & mask or snore. - FULL FACE AS I SNORE

Check you have the right size mask for your face - THE CONSULTANT RECOMMENDED M (But I do also have a L)

Watch a fitting video for your mask on youtube to ensure you are putting it on and adjusting it correctly - YES DONE THAT

If you have given the mask you have a good chance, and you still have leakage, then it might be worth looking for an alternative mask.- THAT's MY THOUGHTS

If the mask only leaks in the middle of the night when you move, then please give it a bit more time as it can take a little while for you to get use to sleeping in a mask. - IT DOES, IT's OK TO START BUT LEAKS LATER & THE MACHINE GETS LOUDER

[Kelly @ Intus]

Good Morning,

Thank you for your reply.

If your mask leakage varies from 5 - 115 L/MIN and you have tried to persevere with the mask for over a month, then I would see if you can go back to the NHS consultant and see if they have an alternative mask that you can try.

The leakage and high pressure in the mask in the middle of the night is something that will decrease over time as you get used to wearing the mask.

If the NHS do not have an alternative mask that you can try then please let me know and I can help you find an alternative mask - https://www.cpap.co.uk/cpap-products/cpap-masks/

Kelly

[Zorro]

Good Morning,

Thank you for your reply.

If your mask leakage varies from 5 - 115 L/MIN and you have tried to persevere with the mask for over a month, then I would see if you can go back to the NHS consultant and see if they have an alternative mask that you can try.

The leakage and high pressure in the mask in the middle of the night is something that will decrease over time as you get used to wearing the mask.

If the NHS do not have an alternative mask that you can try then please let me know and I can help you find an alternative mask - https://www.cpap.co.uk/cpap-products/cpap-masks/

Kelly

Thanks Kelly - I had a look around other forums and found a suggestion to fit the mask lying on my side where I sleep & for three nights there has been an improvement. Leakage (12 - 14 - 10 L/Min) & AHI (23 - 34 - 11 Events/Hr)

[Kelly @ Intus]

Good Morning,

That's great news to hear.

The target AHi score with a CPAP machine should be an AHI of 5 or less events per hour. Let's see if this reduces in the next few weeks.

Please let me know how you get on.

Kelly

[Zorro]

Good Morning,

That's great news to hear.

The target AHi score with a CPAP machine should be an AHI of 5 or less events per hour. Let's see if this reduces in the next few weeks.

Please let me know how you get on.

Kelly

It's only been that low twice since I started in April so unlikely. I'll let you know next week.

[Kelly @ Intus]

Good Morning,

Thank you for your reply.

Let's see how you get on, and if your AHI score is still higher than expected, then let's re-look at the mask you have or a CPAP pillow with cuts outs so you can sleep on your side without knocking the mask. Alternatively, let's look for a different mask.

Kelly