First night raspberries !

[chelseauk]

Last night was my first night on cpap - and i could do with some tips - from anyone over the mask.

It's a full face mask (Comfort Full CPAP Mask) - and when the machine is turned on working at pressure 4.0 it's fine. When i start to sleep and it hits 16.7 then the mask seal starts to fail and I get nice loud raspberries and air in my face.

So I'm hoping someone can offer some advice.

[Joe McManus]

- Make sure your airways are as clear as they can be. Think outdoors exercise (a walk in the park), cutting down dairy which causes sinus blockage, nasal sprays if necessary. If clogged up, air builds up and may find it easier to escape via the mask cushion instead of your lungs.
- A clean face is known to make a better seal. Wipe face and mask before usage. Oily skin comes from hormone imbalance. EFA supplementation can help restoring the balance which will result in less oily skin.
- Straps. These are trial and error and may take a few days to get right. When you get them right, try and mark the settings with permanent markers etc. Too tight is uncomfortable and can actually increase leakage. Too loose and air escapes. It's a delicate balance only you can get right by trying.
- Some of the Respironics Comfort series have mouldable cushions. Check your manual to see whether it applies to yours.
- Those who supplied the mask may have some killer tips too. Or ring Respironics on 0800 1300 840 - they know their products inside out.

You definitely know you breathe through your mouth, right? Because of you don't a nasal mask has less surface touching face hence less chance of air escaping.

[chelseauk]

I've been looking on their website - and it says to set up the mask at the prescribed setting but as my machine is automatic it doesn't have a set rate and it comes on at 4.0 any idea how i could get it up to 16.7.

Don't really want to have to wake up every night to have a go.

((Remstar Auto M Series with C-Flex ).

[Joe McManus]

Most of the time, even in an Auto, they set a target pressure around which the machine will adapt automatically. A sleep lab titration will have found this target pressure. If you had an oximetry only test, no titration would have been done as no CPAP was involved in the test.

If no pressure was set, it may well start at 4 and find its way from there.

It going from 4 upwards could be your ramp setting. This is a comfort feature many people benefit from as it eases you into the higher pressure. It will have been programmed in along with a time frame. Extending this period might prove beneficial.

It would be handy to find out whether a target pressure was found for you. 16.7 sounds a little bit high, higher than the average user's setting.

Another thing you could check is whether it leaks on inhalation or exhalation. If the latter, perhaps C-Flex isn't enabled.

If you could run through the menu and type out each setting we'll know exactly what your machine is set to do.

[chelseauk]

Right - got the menu unlocked (good old internet) - i've ramped up the start up - so it's near where it was blowing raspberries !

It's set to auto btw ! - I think the view is buy a good auto machine and you don't need to worry about prescribed rates - i supose it probably saves money. The cpap machine is more - but less tests.

[Joe McManus]

I agree (have an M Series Auto too) about the benefits of Auto, but at least with a target pressure, the machine starts in the right area, avoiding having to search around to find it himself. This can save a few minutes of varying pressure, which may be uncomfortable.

So are you saying you prefer the ramp to start higher? Nearer to the 16? How do you think that will make a difference on leakage?

[chelseauk]

You misunderstood me a little.

Basically - last night the mask leaked several times - and once i managed to be alert enough to check the pressure - it was 16.7 - now that may well be that it was that high 'cause the mask was leaking.

The issue was that the mask was set up at the hospital for a setting of just 4.0 - which was the machines starting setting - it didn't leak easily at that setting.

I need to sort the mask out and the mask instructions say put it on at the prescribed settings and check for leaks - Now as i don't have one ! I thought i'd set the minimum setting to 16 ish - and see if i can set the mask up against that - i won't leave it at 16. Then i'll reset the machine to 4.0 and lock it back down- then even if it does hit 16.7 it should be okay.

The flaw in the plan is that the mask might be highly uncomfortable at 16 (tight perhaps). In which case i'll set to 12 and work against that. Before setting the starting point to 4.0

Consider it - tinkering time !!

[Joe McManus]

Ah right, so you were intended to have a low pressure, around just four. Where 16 is quite high, 4 is quite low But more comfortable than 16, for sure!

The machine has a minimum and maximum you can let it vary in between. That way you can avoid it going higher than say 8. If you feel better at those settings and the mask can hold the air down, you should be alright staying at those cm2 settings.

Just make sure you know what you're doing tinkering with the settings (take note of the original settings). The hospital might not be impressed if you take it back at some exotic settings

[katiemcewan]

Is cflex on? My husband initially had issues with breathing out and mask leakage until he got a machine with cflex.

[puffin]

I recently experienced mask farting. I went away in my camper van, I had my machine set up on a cupboard which sits above the bed. Set up as normal and went to sleep, about 4.30 am, I rolled over pulling my machine off the shelf onto the bed. I woke up and put the machine back onto the cupboard.

I then lay awake for over an hour with problems form the mask farting with pressure fluctuations! Finally got to sleep. Next morning while sorting out my machine for travel. I discovered that the hose had come adrift from the machine port, though still attached it was sitting at an angle with a gap that allowed air to escape. The machine had been working overtime trying to keep the pressure up and every time I moved the little gap opened or closed increasing or decreasing air pressure beyond my normal sleep breathing patterns.

So if you get the now called "Mask Farting" problem check for leaks other than the mask as this may be the answer.