what do you recommend?

odawa · Post by **odawa** » Tue May 15, 2007 9:47 am

Hello I'm currently using the mirage swift. Its been over a week, and I'm noticing that I'm adjusting alot. Evidently I'm a rollerarounder. lol I like to sleep on stomach or left side and with the nasal pillows I'm constantly getting a cold lip from the air. Yep leaks. I was thinking of trying the Mirage Activa mask w/ headgear. Im hoping that will stop the leaks and still allow for some movements in the nite. My appt w/ the DME is next week. Is the Mirage Active mask a good mask, or how could I get the Mirage swift to work better for me. I really liked the idea of nasal pillows, altough sometimes my nose hurts in the morning, I think its from readjusting the seal all nite long, but who knows for sure, as I'm sleeping...

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Tue May 15, 2007 9:52 am

Breeze. I started with OptiLife - didn't seal at all. Went to CL2, kept fiddling with it. Breeze stays in place VERY WELL for me. I roll around alot. I'm not a FULL stomach sleeper, I sort of twist into this pretzel where part of me in on my stomach, and part is not. Stays in place.

I do have a sore upper lip. I'm religiously applying Neosporin. You might try the Breeze with Dreamseal if the nasal pillows are too painful. I'm using Nasal Pillows.

Okay, so, 3 nights of Breeze don't make me an expert. This is just my experience so far. You can click on my mask icon to learn more about the Breeze.

Good luck!
Barbara

DreamSeeker · Post by **DreamSeeker** » Tue May 15, 2007 10:38 am

Babette.

I find that if you apply a thin strip of molefoam at the point that touches your upper lip on the Breeze, the sore will disappear. The constant rubbing whenever you turn over causes this IMO, since the seam under the pillows seems to hit my upper lip just there. Good luck with the Breeze!

WillCunningham · Post by **WillCunningham** » Tue May 15, 2007 10:46 am

I have been using the Activa for a while now and am still having good luck with it. I really like how good it is at maintaining it's seal, I wiggle it around allot while asleep and it holds up to that well. If you get to try it on at the DME I think you will be surprised by how much you can move it before the seal breaks.

Good Luck!

jabberwock · Post by **jabberwock** » Tue May 15, 2007 10:47 am

Hi Odawa,

I, too, am mainly a stomach sleeper. I started with the Swift, but every time I rolled onto my stomach in my sleep, the seal broke and woke me up. I finally decided that the pillows interface was just too wide for me. I also tried the Activa, and found that, after having adjusted the straps a few times, I could keep a seal most of the night. However, it also woke me every time I changed positions because of the bulkiness of the mask and having to rearrange the hose.

Last night I tried the Opus, and for the first time in almost three weeks didn't have a stiff neck and shoulders when I woke up. I could actually sleep in the position(s) I was used to. I did have some trouble maintaining a seal, but I'm willing to work with that to improve it since the mask itself was so comfortable for me.

My DME has been really good to loan me different masks to try over the past few weeks, so if you can do the same, I recommend that you try a lot of different ones to find out what is comfortable and works for you.

Good luck!

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Tue May 15, 2007 10:50 am

Thanks for the tip Dreamseeker!

Or I could just grow out my mustache...

LOL,
B.

TWolf · Post by **TWolf** » Tue May 15, 2007 11:07 am

I've only been at this for three weeks and have only used one interface so please take my input for what it's worth. I started out with and am still using the Breeze. I start out on my back which makes it a bit uncomfortable because of the cradle on the back of your head but I typically end up on my sides once I'm asleep. I haven't had a single problem with the pillows coming out of my nose or with significant leakage (once it was adjusted correctly). I did have a problem with a sore nose at first but I followed advice from the nice folks here and switched from medium to large pillows. Between the Ayr gel and the large pillows, no more sore nose. It stays put and I haven't had any problem falling asleep.

While I do like the Breeze the problem for me personally is that I've discovered I breath through my mouth more than I thought. Enough that it may be negating the therapy because most days I feel worse rather than better. I'm exploring the various means of keeping my mouth shut (something my wife hasn't been successful at getting me to do for 22 years) and my try another interface rather than tape, etc.

Babette I do have a moustache. Growing one may help that problem but it does come with some problems of its own

Twolf

cpapernewbie · Post by **cpapernewbie** » Tue May 15, 2007 11:13 am

I am using Activa and sometimes Swift

By looking at the Leak chart, the Swift definitely is much more leaky than Activa.

The negative point is that Activa is heavy on your face

odawa · Post by **odawa** » Tue May 15, 2007 11:15 am

The DME wont let me try them out overnite. My ins. will allow for 4 a yr, so I'll be down to 2 for the rest of the year. I gotta find what I like quickly.
What is the ayr? Where do you purchase it? Maybe I'll try that on the Mirage Swift. I have a few days until my appt.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Tue May 15, 2007 11:48 am

For sleeping in any position, I like the Twilight NP by Invacare. That mask used to be called the Aura or the Headrest by Aeiomed. Here's a link to lots of discussions about the Twilight NP:

LINKS to Invacare Twilight NP (Aeiomed Headrest- Aura) nasal pillows mask topics
viewtopic.php?t=3098

SleepyThea · Post by **SleepyThea** » Tue May 15, 2007 11:50 am

Hi, I am new to the forum but have been lurking for a couple of weeks. I have been using a Repironics CPAP with heated water for almost 2.5 years. Last summer I had another sleep study and they increased my pressure to 15 with a ramp that starts at 4.

I use an Activa shallow mask, which was recommended by an acquaintance who is a respiratory therapist and does sleep studies. I like the mask, it is comfortable and the exhaust is quieter than the cheapy they starteme off on, although the head gear doesn't really fit me. I am emboldened by your posts to attempt to fix the problem. I tried the nasal pillows in the last study, but didn't like them. I tried a full face mask, which was comfortable, but the exhaust was too loud.

My DME sucks at customer service and accounting and I fired them last month. My insurance company only uses the two DMEs for CPAP patients and the new one took my order and I still haven't seen anything. It did seem too easy and I hung up the phone thinking that there was something wrong. I think I should call them back.

I would like to find out more about the CPAPs many of you use with the software so you can monitor your sleep. What a cool idea to proactively manage your sleep therapy. I found you because for the last month, I have been back to feeling sleepy during the day, along with the dull feeling and the faint headache, which I haven't since a few weeks after starting CPAP therapy. My boyfriend reports no mouth breathing to speak of, nothing that would account for my daytime sleepiness. I have been losing some weight, not gaining it (just five or six, nothing huge), and I figure i will have to do another sleep study, which is a $1000 to me, to find out what is up.

I am a mouth breather and use a chin strap, but the design is poor (no chin strap I have seen is really elegant and utilitarian) and, as I am getting older, the marks stay in my face until about 1030a, which means I get funny looks from co-workers.. I would like to learn more about taping my mouth. I saw that post somewhere...

So, glad to have found you. Hope to learn much more about my condition and how to proactively manage it, because my doctor sure doesn't check in often.

Thea

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Tue May 15, 2007 11:57 am

SleepyThea wrote:I would like to learn more about taping my mouth. I saw that post somewhere...

So, glad to have found you. Hope to learn much more about my condition and how to proactively manage it, because my doctor sure doesn't check in often.

Thea

Hi Thea, and welcome to the board. We're glad you found us! Yes, many here have found out they get better, more comfortable treatment when they take a very active role in managing it themselves.

About taping:
Links to: Mouth leaks - Air Leaks - Tape - DIY Guard
viewtopic.php?t=8011

Good luck and keep posting!

cpapernewbie · Post by **cpapernewbie** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:24 pm

SleepyThea wrote:
I would like to find out more about the CPAPs many of you use with the software so you can monitor your sleep. What a cool idea to proactively manage your sleep therapy. [/url]

Many veterans here are tracking their progress through software. For those using using Respironics CPAP, the name of the software is Encore pro.

Now both Resmed and Respironics are taking their software out of the shelves of the online CPAP shops - so the future of CPAPers is not that good. The serious CPAPErs will be out

Just checking e-bay - there is only one Encore Pro being sold but then it will be closed in 50 minutes, the item number is 160115008334

TWolf · Post by **TWolf** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:45 pm

Hi Odawa,

I'm sorry I should've explained. Ayr gel is a saline gel recommended by some here on this forum. I found it in the pharmacy section of Walmart. You put some in and around each nostril. It makes the pillows more comfortable and they seem to fit better.

TW

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue May 15, 2007 1:57 pm

I am not sure I understand about the software. How does the software connect to the CPAP? Do you have to have a specific model?

Thanks,

Thea

Mask

Additional Comments: Pressure: 8