2 nights in with Mirage Liberty

[BelgoBlacks]

Hi Folks,
Got diagnosed a couple of weeks ago, severe OSA AHI = 65.9.

Got my gear from the clinic on tuesday. Resmed S9 APAP with a mirage liberty mask. There was a full face mask aswell but it seemed like I was steered in this direction.

I'm having abit of trouble fitting the mask. The only way I can seem to avoid leaks thru the nasal pillows and the upper cheeks of the mouthpiece is to strap the damn thing on so tight that it feels like its been hammered and nailed up my nose and clamping my upper lip to my teeth like a vice. OTH the bottom of the mask between my bottom lip & chin seems loose. Jutting my chin out unnaturally seems to relieve some pressure from my nostrils & upper lip.

Is there a trick to fitting it without tightening too much? Can anybody help? I've only been instructed in the mechanics of putting it on, nothing else.
There also times when the machine is telling me its blasting away at 17-19 (cm water I presume) and there seems no resistance to breathing out. Totally unlike the feeling I get when I use the "Mask fit" function, which the nurse said was fixed at 10cm (middle of the road)
I can however hear the air escaping out of the vents like a mad hurricane! Is there something wrong with the mask?


I've got to take the APAP back to the Clinic tomorrow & get issued my CPAP. So far, night 1 (which was a nightmare) I achieved AHI 27 and change, my second night (slightly better but akward & very tight!) AHI = 7.
Actually felt slightly more alert this morning but still passed out a number of timesthroughout the day.
Hopefully some improvement tonight without clamping too many bits of my face, but i'm worried i'm doing something wrong and getting abit rail roaded by the (well meaning) nurse at the clinic.

Cheers
BelgoBlacks

[Poor Old Ann]

Hi BelgoBlacks
I have a Mirage Liberty - I found a video of fitting it on YouTube and this helped no end.
Hope that helps - good luck with it
Ann

[Grumpy]

Mirage Liberty

The Mirage Liberty is my prefered mask (I also have a Quattro FX) and it works best when its quite loose. Try loosening all of the straps and then holding the mask in place. Now tighten the bottom straps first until it just holds the mask in place. Now make sure the nose prongs are properly in place and adjust the top straps so that the headgear holds everything in place. Don't worry that its loose because when you turn the machine on the skirt will inflate and form a seal.

Once you get it right you should be able to leave it set up for a few nights; just remember to go through the whole rigmarole again if you do need to adjust it.

I think this mask has the best vent design of any mask I have yet seen; two sets of holes, one on either side of the mask. This makes the mask quieter and makes the exhaust more diffuse so your partner doesn't get blasted.
On the other hand you could use the Quattro FX as a leaf blower!

[BelgoBlacks]

Folks,
thanks for your feedback!forgive me for lack of timely reply/update.
here's how I got on:

I'm having abit of trouble fitting the mask.

With the advice given above and google/youtube (I use them for everything else, why didn't I think of that ? ) things are looser/better. The odd leak here & there with the odd night ending up overtightening...
What I found seem to help a lot was washing mask every day (mild soapy water) and face before bed. a clean shave helps tremendously too.

There also times when the machine is telling me its blasting away at 17-19 (cm water I presume) and there seems no resistance to breathing out. Totally unlike the feeling I get when I use the "Mask fit" function, which the nurse said was fixed at 10cm (middle of the road).

Now realise that the machine was fine, it was just me getting used to breathing against pressure. I've now been issued with an S9 CPAP at 17.8 cm (very precise setting I thought from the nurse! didn't bother to tell her that its probably no that accurate, so why not round up to 18 while she was at it?). Disapointingly this one only shows treatment hours on screen. I want to be a lot more informed than that (was happy seeing the AHI and fit smiley face, made me feel better ..)

I can however hear the air escaping out of the vents like a mad hurricane! Is there something wrong with the mask?

LOL. everything sounds like a hurricane when you don't know what to suspect. but those pesky leaks due to my laugh lines on my face and nose pillows that maliciously pop out during the night certainly do make a racket! Things are improving and I have noticed that I actually feel a little more alive, I'm actually a bit chipper & that in the office. No more passing out at the office!!!

Thanks everyone for the help. Hopefully somebody else can benefit. Now onto my next issue (but thats for another post).

Cheers
BelgoBlacks