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Thinking of getting Dreamwear mask

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 8:52 am
by gregnga
I am eligible for a new mask in about 30 days, according to my insurance company. I have been using the Resmed Swift FX. Prior to that, I used a Swift Mirage II, which has been my favorite mask over the years but is in need of replacement. I have entertained thoughts of getting a Dreamwear mask as I have heard good things about it.

For those of you that are nasal pillows mask users that have switched to Dreamwear , how do you like it

Re: Thinking of getting Dreamwear mask

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:02 am
by Pugsy
I have been using the DreamWear Gel Nasal pillows since it was released 2 or 3 months ago. Prior to that the P10 nasal pillows.
I rather like it or I wouldn't still be using it. It has some pros and cons just like any mask.
No really bad cons though at least for me.

It's a bit noisier in terms of venting than the P10 (which is essentially silent) but probably very similar to the Swift FX you have been using.
It's very comfortable and while I thought I would notice the frame on my head I found out that it pretty much disappears.
I do have to use the side cheek cover things or else I get big dents in my face/cheeks from the frame.
My main issue, and it's not a huge issue, is that I wish they had the nasal pillows in the XSmall size. I think that the Small is just a tad too big and the mask sometimes slides around a bit. I also had to get the small frame...as the medium that comes in the packaging was just a bit too big. Initially the mask slid around a lot but now with the Small frame it only slides around occasionally.

All in all a nice little mask and I do like having the hose attaching on the top of the head. Less chance for the weight of the hose to pull the nasal pillows out of my nostrils.
I haven't decided yet to make it official and change my equipment from the P10 though.

Re: Thinking of getting Dreamwear mask

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:17 am
by lliann
I am using the Dreamwear non pillow and I really like it. Nothing sticks into my nostrils yet I get a good supply of nose air. I tried the gel pillows but I think the other mask is comfortable for me. It also stays in place very well.(one my nose. It slides around on my hair so I put a pony tail in between the 2 straps (a man bun would work too I guess.<g>)

Re: Thinking of getting Dreamwear mask

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:23 am
by Pugsy
lliann wrote:I am using the Dreamwear non pillow and I really like it. Nothing sticks into my nostrils yet I get a good supply of nose air. I tried the gel pillows but I think the other mask is comfortable for me. It also stays in place very well.
This is where that YMMV sticker comes into play. I also tried the cushion way back when it was first released but found it annoying and it would slide around and leak and wake me up often.
One man's trash is another man's treasure when it comes to cpap masks. We just have to eventually try something ourselves to see which category the mask ends up in per our own personal preferences and needs.
We can get other people's opinions and experiences and use them to evaluate things but the end result is that people have different preferences and needs and what one person just loves the next person might hate with a passion.

Re: Thinking of getting Dreamwear mask

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:40 am
by gregnga
Pugsy wrote:I have been using the DreamWear Gel Nasal pillows since it was released 2 or 3 months ago. Prior to that the P10 nasal pillows.
I rather like it or I wouldn't still be using it. It has some pros and cons just like any mask.
No really bad cons though at least for me.

It's a bit noisier in terms of venting than the P10 (which is essentially silent) but probably very similar to the Swift FX you have been using.
It's very comfortable and while I thought I would notice the frame on my head I found out that it pretty much disappears.
I do have to use the side cheek cover things or else I get big dents in my face/cheeks from the frame.
My main issue, and it's not a huge issue, is that I wish they had the nasal pillows in the XSmall size. I think that the Small is just a tad too big and the mask sometimes slides around a bit. I also had to get the small frame...as the medium that comes in the packaging was just a bit too big. Initially the mask slid around a lot but now with the Small frame it only slides around occasionally.

All in all a nice little mask and I do like having the hose attaching on the top of the head. Less chance for the weight of the hose to pull the nasal pillows out of my nostrils.
I haven't decided yet to make it official and change my equipment from the P10 though.
Rather than taking a chance of getting something that won't work for me, I will probably opt for that old stand by, the Swift Mirage II. That's been my favorite mask over the years. Every time I try a new mask, I end up going back to the Mirage II but the one I have is in need of replacement, that's probably why I am using the FX now.

When I had my last sleep study in March 2017, they gave me several masks to try out that night. One of them was the P10. I like the comfort and the fit of the P10 but it felt like the exhaust port was clogged and there was not enough exhaled air coming out, so I ended using my own mask that night (the Swift FX). They let me take the P10 home since I had tried it on, it still feels clogged when I try it on. Did I just get a bad one or is the exhaust more limited on the P10. I may try another P10 at a later date

Re: Thinking of getting Dreamwear mask

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:44 am
by KenM
Cant sleep without my Dreamwear with gel pillows.

Re: Thinking of getting Dreamwear mask

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:47 am
by Pugsy
gregnga wrote:They let me take the P10 home since I had tried it on, it still feels clogged when I try it on. Did I just get a bad one or is the exhaust more limited on the P10.
The P10 vent holes are tiny but there's a whole bunch of them. That's how come the venting is so diffused and silent. They wouldn't be clogged up with the first use. Now after months of use and not cleaning...yeah they can get a bit clogged.

What is your starting pressure? If it is very low or you weren't using any pressure when you first tried it then it could very well feel like those vent holes were clogged up. Just not enough air movement.

Re: Thinking of getting Dreamwear mask

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:52 am
by gregnga
Pugsy wrote:
gregnga wrote:They let me take the P10 home since I had tried it on, it still feels clogged when I try it on. Did I just get a bad one or is the exhaust more limited on the P10.
The P10 vent holes are tiny but there's a whole bunch of them. That's how come the venting is so diffused and silent. They wouldn't be clogged up with the first use. Now after months of use and not cleaning...yeah they can get a bit clogged.

What is your starting pressure? If it is very low or you weren't using any pressure when you first tried it then it could very well feel like those vent holes were clogged up. Just not enough air movement.
Pressure is 10.

Re: Thinking of getting Dreamwear mask

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 10:29 am
by lliann
Pugsy wrote:
lliann wrote:I am using the Dreamwear non pillow and I really like it. Nothing sticks into my nostrils yet I get a good supply of nose air. I tried the gel pillows but I think the other mask is comfortable for me. It also stays in place very well.
This is where that YMMV sticker comes into play. I also tried the cushion way back when it was first released but found it annoying and it would slide around and leak and wake me up often.
One man's trash is another man's treasure when it comes to cpap masks. We just have to eventually try something ourselves to see which category the mask ends up in per our own personal preferences and needs.
We can get other people's opinions and experiences and use them to evaluate things but the end result is that people have different preferences and needs and what one person just loves the next person might hate with a passion.
absolutely

Re: Thinking of getting Dreamwear mask

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 3:48 pm
by RicaLynn
Pugsy wrote:
gregnga wrote:They let me take the P10 home since I had tried it on, it still feels clogged when I try it on. Did I just get a bad one or is the exhaust more limited on the P10.
The P10 vent holes are tiny but there's a whole bunch of them. That's how come the venting is so diffused and silent. They wouldn't be clogged up with the first use. Now after months of use and not cleaning...yeah they can get a bit clogged.

What is your starting pressure? If it is very low or you weren't using any pressure when you first tried it then it could very well feel like those vent holes were clogged up. Just not enough air movement.
I love my P10, but my experience was that the "proper" size cushion didn't allow enough airflow. Meaning that my nares measured as a M, but I breathe so much better using a L that it's what I use. IIRC, many others had similar experience? Food for thought...

Re: Thinking of getting Dreamwear mask

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 3:59 pm
by Pugsy
RicaLynn wrote:I love my P10, but my experience was that the "proper" size cushion didn't allow enough airflow. Meaning that my nares measured as a M, but I breathe so much better using a L that it's what I use. IIRC, many others had similar experience? Food for thought..
Good food for thought actually. While the difference in the actual size of each nasal pillow is probably not huge in terms of volume sometimes just the least little bit of change can make a huge difference. Simply more air to move and that helps that air starved feeling.
I can use the XSmall, Small and Medium in the P10...tried all of them and in terms of air movement I couldn't tell any difference. They were all comfortable for me. Now the XSmall is a tad too small and tries to climb up inside my nostrils during the night and when that happens I can't breathe because they sort of collapse and make an already small volume even smaller. Took me a few nights to figure out what was happening.
Part of the night I would be fine but sometimes I would wake up suffocating and have to pull the pillows out and I would get immediate relief. Then I noticed that I was having to actually pull them out of my nose instead of away from my nose...hence the climbing up inside my nostril thing.
Once I went to the small size it never happened again. So while I could use the XSmall, it potentially could give me sporadic trouble so I don't use it any more. Funny thing is I can use XSmall in every other nasal pillow mask out there.

So yeah...if someone feels like not enough air is moving ....try the next bigger size. It might just be all that is needed.

Re: Thinking of getting Dreamwear mask

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 4:04 pm
by RicaLynn
Same here Pugsy, every other mask I've tried the medium and been fine.

Re: Thinking of getting Dreamwear mask

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:39 pm
by jagzoo
Same for me. I need a M in the P10 or I get air hungry, but a S in the Dreamwear gel pillows - which I love - is perfect (I also need the S frame Pugsy)!

Re: Thinking of getting Dreamwear mask

Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2017 1:52 am
by Doublev
Dreamwear was my go-to mask until the p10.

Dreamwear is all "pros" with two "cons'': if you sleep on your side the mask is not so comfortable because the side is not a thin strap.. it is the tube carrying the air. And the hose at the top was neat at first but i found it caused more problems with managing the hose while i sleep. I prefer a hose in front of me that i can move as needed to get comfortable.

But give it a try! The experience is very personal when it comes to masks.

Re: Thinking of getting Dreamwear mask

Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2017 4:24 am
by Holden4th
Doublev wrote:Dreamwear was my go-to mask until the p10.

Dreamwear is all "pros" with two "cons'': if you sleep on your side the mask is not so comfortable because the side is not a thin strap.. it is the tube carrying the air. And the hose at the top was neat at first but i found it caused more problems with managing the hose while i sleep. I prefer a hose in front of me that i can move as needed to get comfortable.

But give it a try! The experience is very personal when it comes to masks.
Whereas my experience is totally different. Having the hose out of the way above my head is great for someone like me who moves around a lot at night. Different strokes for different folks.