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Full face mask causing eye bags and huge lines that don’t go away
I wear an Airfit20 full face mask with bipap. After several months of wearing a mask—3 months of cpap before—now I have huge eye bags and lines and it looks like my face has collapsed. It lasts all day now. I’m scared the change is permanent. I’m a mouth breather and don’t think a nose pillow will work for me. I tried a hybrid mask but got huge leaks. I tried loosening the straps but don’t see much improvement after one night. My face has totally changed. It’s horrible. What can I do?
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I hope you get some help here. I have no such experience, also being a mouth breather. I use the N20 nasal cushion but I must also tape across my lips or the pressurized air just emits from my slack lips as I sleep and won't provide the splinting I need in the rest of the airway to my lungs.
Have you also experienced swelling around your ankles or lower legs? Arms swollen at times? It might be time to visit a cardiologist if that is the case.
What do your morning machine reports that show on the display or in the phone app for your machine say is a typical AHI (apnea/hypopnea index)? I ask this because if you don't really know or keep track, and if nobody else is monitoring your treatment remotely, you may need adjustment to pressures, maybe even an entirely different delivery. It's worth investigating.
I don't know much much power you will get here in any responses, but if you find that you are getting few replies or with little meaningful help, would you consider migrating to apneaboard.com forums where you can register and post your question. Apneaboard is a site dedicated to all things apnea and to its treatment, and there are some highly knowledgeable members there among the moderators who help members a great deal with all sorts of information.
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1 ReactionI’m no expert; I struggle like everyone else here, BUT…
If you're using a full face mask, and you've tried loosening it, but the marks remain all day, is it possible you're “adding 2 plus 2 to get FIVE”? In other words, maybe the timing is coincidental, and the eye bags and lines have nothing to do with your mask?
And to the excellent recommendation of checking out apneaboard, I’d add
daphnea @daphnea
Hello, I have the ResMed BiPAP w/ AirFit 20 Full Face mask. ResMed has some information regarding what you mentioned - Redness and skin discomfort
https://myair.resmed.com/library/content-display
Also, reach out to your sleep doctor. They can make remote adjustments to the machines settings.
Best Wishes,
🍀
@amishboy51 Sorry, but I somehow dropped “cpaptalk.com”
@amishboy51 The changes are not “marks” they are the result of the mask blocking the normal flow of lymphatic fluid likely from the mask being too tight, but without a tight seal, I get air leaks like mad. It’s my face becoming distorted. Scary to look at. Thank you for the additional community tip!
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1 Reaction@fourleaf Thanks for this, I’m seeing the technicians to verify I’m using the proper size and type of mask with tips on tightening/loosening, etc.
@gloaming I accidentally deleted my response, but I wanted to thank you for the apneaboard recommendation!
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1 ReactionHi @daphnea - I'm so sorry to hear your face looks to you like it's collapsed.
I will say that my husband woke up one day and looked like he had a huge shiner under his eye. We spent all day in the ER, and we unfortunately didn't get any answers other than that a lot of scary things were ruled out.
We later realized that the most likely culprit for this was bacteria in his CPAP equipment. Ew. However, that started a whole new cleaning and sterilization routine for him, and he's not had it since.
I'm not at all qualified to diagnose you and don't have a medical background. I'm just sharing this story as something mysterious that happened that we later realized had to have come from the CPAP.
What has your sleep specialist had to say about what has transpired with your face?
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1 Reaction@daphnea Thank you for correcting my misstatement & for the additional info. I see from your subsequent comment that you’re meeting with technicians to check your mask fit; hopefully that resolves the issue.
If it’s any comfort, from what I found online, there might be a link between sleep apnea and lymphedema, but there doesn’t seem to be one between CPAP mask fit and lymphatic fluid blockage.
https://neurolaunch.com/can-sleep-apnea-cause-swollen-lymph-nodes/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lymphedema/symptoms-causes/syc-20374682
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obstructive-sleep-apnea/in-depth/cpap/art-20044164
Have you gone to your DME and try on different masks? For me I wear the ResMed Airfit N30i. It took me awhile to get the right mask. I’m a mouth breather also and tape my mouth. I developed bags under my eyes about a year ago. No fun! I think I got mine from lack of sleep. I’m sleeping better lately since I had my new CPAP settings mirrored to my old machine. It’s really helped with my dry mouth.