Mask for CPAP

”Pillow" type mask

"Nasal" type mask

When I did a trial for CPAP, the device the hospital gave me is from "Res Med".  The product name is "AirSense 10" as I mentioned in the previous post.   For masks which is attached to the device and wear when I sleep, I could try two different types during the trial.  Actually, there are three types of mask I can pick.  (Two of three selections).    "Pillow", "Nasal" and "Full face".

See all type of masks in the vendor's web, Res Med

In my case I picked "Pillow" and "Nasal" since the area the mask covers are small.  I do not like big mask during sleeping.

For myself, the both types worked very well.  I guess "Nasal" type is probably much easy to fit without leaking air.  However, area it covers a little bigger than "Pillow" type and I had a bad experience when I had a congestion in my nose.  One of nights during the trial, I had a hard time to get into sleep with this mask and switched to "Pillow".

I guess it is a good and a bad.  It is sometimes getting loose or out of position during the sleeping.  Those cases were not working properly.  However, it is probably better to continue sleeping even if I have a bad congestion.  Also, it is probably much easy to get into sleep due to less covered area on the face.   So I picked "Pillow" type for long term use.

Overall, it works all right most of time including my actual treatment with CPAP after the trail.

In general, it is really a preference for each person.  One gentle man who got the same session for the trail prefer either "Nasal" or "Full face".  He did not like "Pillow" at all.  I think the key is reasonably comfortable with a mask.  Since people need to ware a mask for long term with a CPAP device.  Getting a better sleep is goal.

The trial system is working very well for me since I could try different type of masks during the trial and I could pick the best one for myself.  I think we could try all of them.  What I was told was just two types at the same time.  As long as I request to swap one of them to the other type, I could try all.  In my case, I was not comfortable with a full face mask and I did not pick it.

CPAP Trial

ResMed AirSense(TM) 10 CPAP

CPAP Trial

In the United States, it is probably popular that people usually purchase CPAP device for the treatment with some insurance coverage.  As a part of process to purchase it with some insurance coverage, the doctor needs to write a prescription to proceed.  Due to this, it is usually required a trial to make sure it works and collect some data for prescription.

For trial, people need to make an appointment to rent a device for trial and instruction of CPAP device.   I made an appointment right after I picked CPAP option for my treatment.  However, I cannot get it right away and I had to wait more than 1 months for the trial.

Finally, I started the trial on June 20, 2018.

Wow!

Here is SPO2 trend with CPAP.

Without CPAP, SPO2 value dropped to near 90% a several times a night.  In this data, you may see a drip in the beginning, however, I had not slept at that time and it might be a false data.  After that, overall, it is much better than without CPAP.

So I do see CPAP helps to improve the symptom a lot.

The other note, I took CPAP mask off after 4am, since I started waking up in a short period after 3am.  The instruction was minimum 4 hours a night.  Therefore, I was not very comfortable and I decided to take it off for the next day.  Even though, I do not see SPO2 drop after that.....

(To be continue ....)