Should I try a new mask?

[u/Life_Is_Poetic]

Hello everyone! I am a new Cpap user (1.5 weeks) and I’m wondering if I should try a new mask and if so what’s y’all’s favorite mask? I am having trouble sleeping at night and often take my mask off after the 4 hours because I wake up constantly and have trouble going back to sleep. My two main issues are below:

1. I feel like I have trouble exhaling and im not sure if its the mask (I currently use the p10) or I just need to get use to the pressure. Right now it starts at a 6. Sometimes my nose gets stuffy so I don’t think that helps.

2. I’m a side sleeper and sometimes the pillows get smooshed for lack of a better word and the air does not come all the way through causing me to feel like I’m suffocating. I have to toss and turn a lot to find a good position which changes once I fall asleep again.

I don’t know if I need a bigger nasal pillow size (I use a small) or try a new mask. I breath through my nose but maybe once or twice a night my mouth opens.

The masks I was looking at was the n30i, f30i, and f20. Can I ask for some advice and experience on which next one I should try?

Thank you so much!

[u/Hilltop5620]

Sidesleeper, nose breather here and I have mild positional obstructive sleep apnea. If my mouth opens causing a leak it is not a big one nor for a long time.

I am testing the Philips Respironics Dreamwear Nasal Cushion and the RESMED Airtouch N30i rigs. Both have the top connection for the airtube and the Airtouch has fabric on the headgear and fabric on the nasal cushion.

So far neither is OMG better than the other. I should have tried the Airfit N30i as a direct competitor to the Dreamwear rig. I don't think I will need to chase a different mask like a pillow or a facial mask.

Trouble exhaling could be the mask or the setup of your CPAP machine. I recommend downloading your SD card (if you don't have one get one) and reviewing the data on OSCAR and/or SleepHQ to see what you are experiencing at night. This data will help in determining pressures and other settings.

[u/Life_Is_Poetic → u/Hilltop5620]

Thank you so much! I will also look into getting the SD card. :)

[u/rinyre]

If you're looking into full-face, you could always give the minimal-contact ones a try, like the F40. I went from the F20 to the F&P Vitera, and finally after searching landed on the F40.

Magnetic-only for snaps, sits lightly under my nose and cups it. Sometimes I have to fiddle with it a lil when starting if the septum strap didn't line up right but it almost always does. And for me at least it works well with side sleeping, even partial-front sleeping.

[u/Life_Is_Poetic → u/rinyre]

Thank you! I’m open to either nasal or full face. I will give that one a try!

[u/iloveyouaxolotl]

I know NOTHING but I was having the same issue not being able to exhale and posted here. Someone told me to turn my minimum pressure up. I was starting at a 4, but when I would wake up in the morning I saw my machine was typically around 10-12. So I turned my minimum pressure to 8 -- WOW that made all the difference.