UPDATE: Respironics FullLife Mask - Release on July 20

[socalmonkey]

Okay, I am now getting the FullLife mask this week... and insurance is going to pay for it.

I give up on Apria! Enough already. There last efforts to shut me up, were telling me Respironics had a back order status on the FitPack "with no release date". I know that is a lie, from monitoring the inventory levels at cpap.com.

So I spent more time on the phone with my insurance company this morning. Calling more DME's that they told me to call. None of them even deal in cpap equipment. Back to the insurance company... and they finally offered put in an out-of-network exception (for getting it at cpap.com). I can now go ahead and order it, and get reimbursed 100% of it from my insurance.

So the Quattro went back, and the FitPack will be here at the end of the week. Cpap.com rules!

No more messing around with Apria. Hopefully, I paved the way for them to carry this item (eventually) and make it less of a hassle for others to get this mask from them (when forced to go through "in-network only" insurance). So good luck to others waiting for Apria to carry it.

The lure of the mask.... lives on!

[hikewv]

Well, I called my local Apria and the voicemail i got back today was that they have it on order and will call me when it comes in so i can pick it up. /keeping my fingers crossed.

[PST]

I visited my DME on Tuesday and tried on the Full Life mask. It was very comfortable and I thought I had found a winner. I asked to be hooked up to a blower so I could assess its leakage. Everything was fine until 11 or 12, and then it just sort of exploded on me. Air coming out every which way. The tech adjusted everything she could, but in the end she thought that the way it was built, with no forehead support, meant that she could never stop leaks under the eyes at a high pressure. With the straps adjusted to a cushion smooshing degree, air still squirted out the top at >15. I don't hate my Quattro, but I would have been happy to find something better.

[carbonman]

The lure of the mask.... lives on!

de lure of de Mask

(pronounced w/a Latvian accent)

[socalmonkey]

The lure of the mask.... lives on!

de lure of de Mask

(pronounced w/a Latvian accent)

I was never good with those fancy pronunciations!

But I can report it's in the mail! My FullLife was shipped today... it will be here Friday!

de lure lives on!

[socalmonkey]

Today is the one month anniversary of the FulLife Mask release!!!

And what do you think I got today?

A phone call from Apria saying the FullLife was in! Oh yeah! Oh no! Now I'm going to have two of them! So they are all nicey nice on the phone to me. Saying it's a wonderful new mask... and they would love to hear my feedback on it (fat chance they'll hear from me). I'm going to give them the same treatment they gave me.

But she said they would be stocking it now (that I forced them to get it). So this is good news for others who have to deal with Apria.

I had them ship it me to me, because I couldn't bear going there again. Tomorrow is going to be FullLife day for me... I will be getting two of them. I better love this thing. What are the chances, after a month long battle to get this mask... what are the chances I get it from them (and cpap.com) on the same day.

So happy anniversary FullLife... your 1 month old today!

[jqp]

I called Apria today and they confirmed that the Fullife mask is available. in fact, it was added on 8/12. So much for them following up with me when it was available in their system.

It's now on order. Stay tuned.

JQP

[tattooyu]

I'm waiting for my DME to let me know when they have them in so I can exchange my Quattro medium AND large (the small was too little), both of which would NOT seal--I tried for 2-3 weeks to make adjustments--for the Respironics.

[socalmonkey]

I called Apria today and they confirmed that the Fullife mask is available. in fact, it was added on 8/12. So much for them following up with me when it was available in their system.

It's now on order. Stay tuned.

JQP

Good deal! I am glad they can finally help you.

Let us know who it works out for you!

- - - - -

Mine are coming today, and I've actually ranged to return one of them (so I don't end up with two).

[socalmonkey]

Hello all - I am sad to report on the FullLife. To me, I don't think it's going to work! I haven't even slept with it yet, and I'm not sure I can.

It's not the head gear... and like others have said, it is comfortable. But under pressure (12 cm) it is very very hard to control the leaks. Very disappointing.

In all fairness, my biggest issue is that the Medium is too small... and the Large is too big! I have spent hours playing with it (and I may give it another shot over the weekend). But after some work and adjustment, I can get the Medium to seal, but only under extremely cranked down conditions. Then turning my head or opening my mouth causes problems. The material the mask is made of, is very lightweight and thin. So it doesn't like high pressure and the seal breaks way too easy.

It might just be the size of my face... but neither the medium or the large is the right size for me. I am thinking females might have a better time with the FullLife.

Also I found the the mask air holes to be kind of loud. Not the loudest mask I've used, but it certainly makes more noise than my current Mirage Activa LT. With all the experimentation, I am beginning to appreciate what great mask the Mirage Activa LT is.

I might just not be a full face kinda guy. Maybe my next step is going to have to be tape!

But the FullLife is full a disappointment to me. After all I went through to get it. There is no way can I return it.

So time to move on... what should I try next?

[jqp]

Well, I hope it works for me. My insurance covered most of it, so it will be an easier pill to swallow if it doesn't work.

If I have no luck, I'm guessing someone will get a good deal on it on the auction site.

JQP

[carbonman]

But the FullLife is full a disappointment to me.

de lure of de mask is a cruel task master.

[BleepingBeauty]

Hello all - I am sad to report on the FullLife. To me, I don't think it's going to work! I haven't even slept with it yet, and I'm not sure I can.

It's not the head gear... and like others have said, it is comfortable. But under pressure (12 cm) it is very very hard to control the leaks. Very disappointing.

In all fairness, my biggest issue is that the Medium is too small... and the Large is too big!

...

But the FullLife is full a disappointment to me. After all I went through to get it. There is no way can I return it.

So time to move on... what should I try next?

I really think you're giving up WAY too soon on this mask, socal. My pressure is also 12cm, and I've gotten the mask to seal well. I've been using the FullLife for two weeks now, and it did take some time (and many adjustments) to get the fit I need. I'm getting a good seal with it and have rarely seen my leak line (or my data) looking so good.

Like you, I think my ideal size would be somewhere between two cushion sizes (Small and Medium). I thought the Small was too small, so I tried the Medium for a couple of nights, but I found it to be too big to seal well.

This mask is giving me the best therapy I've had since I began CPAP 21 months ago. My advice is to give it a good chance, keep adjusting as needed, and see if it will work for you. Best of luck.

[mindy]

Good morning, BB,

I agree completely! I've had very few (if any) masks that have worked for me right out of the box. It generally takes patience and fiddling to get them to work. If I can't get it to work after several weeks and haven't found any tips on this forum for making a particular mask work, then I may give up. But even then I tend to try again several months later.

I've worn the FullFace for 3 nights and am having a small amount of leaking and some redness on my nose, but it's less redness than with the Quattro and I've had other masks with more leaking. I am not ready to comment on the FullFace but it's not a "nogo" from the start for me.

Mindy

[BleepingBeauty]

Good morning, BB,

I agree completely! I've had very few (if any) masks that have worked for me right out of the box. It generally takes patience and fiddling to get them to work. If I can't get it to work after several weeks and haven't found any tips on this forum for making a particular mask work, then I may give up. But even then I tend to try again several months later.

I've worn the FullFace for 3 nights and am having a small amount of leaking and some redness on my nose, but it's less redness than with the Quattro and I've had other masks with more leaking. I am not ready to comment on the FullFace but it's not a "nogo" from the start for me.

Mindy

Hi, Mindy. I'm glad you're giving it a reasonable chance to work for you. It's proving to be the best mask for me, and I hope you'll be able to say the same.

I had an UMFF when I first started therapy, but I couldn't stop the leaks with it. When I started using the FullLife two weeks ago, I expected difficulties in switching from nasal pillows to a FFM (and I wasn't disappointed! ). But I've adjusted to the FullLife pretty well now. (I still have a piece of moleskin on the nose-bridge part of the mask, and that helps a lot.) I wish you continued success with it.