Ultra Mirage - Leaks and squeaks

cvansant · Post by **cvansant** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 2:49 pm

I use the full face mask and have experienced the whistles, squeaks and leaks around the elbow complained about in other posts. By paying attention to the details listed below when reassembling the elbow I have eliminated the noise. In fact the entire air movement seemed quieter for some reason.

1. Seat the membrane in the valve frame FIRST. I had been putting it in the valve elbow and then joining the two pieces and the seat just never felt solid. Maybe the silicone was resisting.

2. Make sure the locking tabs on the elbow snap easily and solidly into the clips on the valve frame. If the tabs don't seat completely the next step will be difficult or impossible.

3. When mating the assembly to the mask frame make sure the ends of both tabs are riding on the outside of the first shoulder of the mask and on the raceway for the swivel action.

BTW: I envy you folks with adjustable setting for your machines. When I bought mine (insurance refused to pay for "equipment")NO ONE at the dealer even tried to explain what was available, much less what the advantages would be. So, here I am a life time career geek (from vacuum tubes and discrete component electronics up through today's computer systems) and I'm stuck with a Remstar Lite that I can't do anything with when it sounds like those who can monitor their setting get much better results. Sigh!

Aloha from the land of the Little League World Champions.

Severeena · Post by **Severeena** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:02 pm

What size is your Ultra Mirage Full Face Mask? If it is a size small, then it is still to big for you.

My husband Tom uses a nasal mask size medium. The other night he could not breath through his nose so he tried my Ultra Mirage FF size small and he got along great no obscene noises.

A lot of us have complained about obscenen noises and they were coming from the seal itself.

I went to a Hans Rudolph because they have 7 different sizes plus a sena seal to make the mask more custom fit.

I hope this helps.

Barb (Seattle) · Post by **Barb (Seattle)** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:17 pm

My obsene noise comes from the air escaping the lower edge of my mask cushion. I think the pressure is too high, it never did it before when i was at lower pressures.

tater pie · Post by **tater pie** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 8:26 am

My ultra mirge makes the same noises at the lower right hand corner of the mask too and it's definitely air escaping. My pressure is 12 straight c-pap and a pressure that high just doesn't work very well with a full face mask. I use the Breeze Nasal Pillows and tape my mouth shut and get a much better result. I keep trying with the ultra mirage but I just don't think it will ever work for me and that's too bad because my insurance company paid a lot of money for that mask. I now wish I had just gotten another Breeze Nasal Pillows but I thought since I was such a terrible mouth-breather that a full face mask would work better and help me not to get dry mouth so badly but it doesn't. It leaks like a seive and I still get dry mouth worse than with the Breeze. If you have a high pressure, you might want to think twice before getting a full face mask.

Severeena · Post by **Severeena** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 11:04 am

I use a Hans Rudolph Full FAce Mask and I am getting along great with mine.

tater pie · Post by **tater pie** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 2:47 pm

Does the Hans Rudolph work well for side sleepers? Also, how high is your pressure? The ultra mirage will do fine up until the pressure gets past about 10 and then it really starts to leak. I'm seriously considering the Hans Rudolph. I just don't want another mask that doesn't work for me but I guess there really is no way to really know until I bite the bullet and try it.

cvansant · Post by **cvansant** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 5:00 pm

My apologies if the original post wasn't clear. The noises/leaks that I was experiencing were not from the cushion to face interface. They were definitely at the swivel elbow. I just couldn't pinpoint the source.

If/when I get leaks around the cushion I simply have to lift the mask up and reseat it or reposition it on my face. BTW: I found (As others here have reported) that it is easy to tighten the straps on the headgear too tight. For me they work best loose, almost as though they could fall off. And, yes, I am primarily a side sleeper (often turning back and forth) and mouth breather. My pressure is set at 9.

Q: Any suggestion on avoiding/curing dry mouth/sore throat? I live in a pretty humid area and have installed a humidifier. No help so far.

Severeena · Post by **Severeena** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 5:27 pm

I had leaks from the Ultra Mirage from everyplace you can think of.

My pressure is set just above 12

I am a side sleeper and the Hans Rudolph stays put and no leaks.

I am finally sleeping.

_________________

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Barb (Seattle) · Post by **Barb (Seattle)** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 5:35 pm

The looser I get my ComfortFull FF mask, the more "obscene" noises it makes I really don't see how you loosen the FF mask, and have no leaks 'specially since you side sleep I had no noises with the Mirage connections, just the cushion leaked like a sieve no matter how loose or tight I had it. I must just have a different shape face. Speaking of which, why can't they just custom fit these things, then they wouldn't be shelling out all the money experimenting on all these masks LOL

Grabraham · Post by **Grabraham** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 6:46 pm

I am running the Mirage at 14 without too much leakage problem. I do get a few maskfarts but usually just pulling it loose and reseating on my face fixes it. To me the most annoying leak on this or any mask is the laser-like stream of air that hits my eyeball gawd I hate that

Barb (Seattle) · Post by **Barb (Seattle)** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 8:02 pm

Yep, I adjust it...all night LONNNNNG, I adjust it *faint*

bigheadr · Post by **bigheadr** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 10:54 pm

I tried my new Ultra Mirage FF mask last night and the noise kept me up but when I went to see my new sleep doctor, I spoke to a RT for my DME who was working at the sleep clinic for the day. She listened to my mask and heard the noise so she replaced the air exhaust hole piece and it is now quieter than before. I hope that I sleep better tonight since this is the first mask that my wife didn't complain about my snoring or puffing. I notice that it had higher AHI than my Swift.

tater pie · Post by **tater pie** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 1:40 pm

The leaks are the same experiences I had with both the ultra mirage and the comfort full. Since it seems like mouth breathing is probably one of the most common problems among cpapers, I wonder why companies don't come out with a better line of full face masks. If they made a really good one that sealed really well and was comfortable, they could charge a fortune and make a killing. Come to think of it, they make mediocre ones and charge a fortune and make a killing so I guess it's just not worth their time! I never could solve the leak problems so I just went back to mouth tape and my Breeze Nasal Pillows.

loonlvr · Post by **loonlvr** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 3:00 pm

I use the Ultra Mirage with a pressure between 11-17. I have had some leaks, but thats expected if you toss and turn at all.The whistling noise at the exhaust port usually is the rubber insert not sealed properly. And I agree , who figures out where to put the exhaust ports? Right near the eyes is crazy. One thing thats helps with leakage is washing your face before bed. Really helps with the seal.

snoozeandlose · Post by **snoozeandlose** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 7:52 pm

I ditto everything about the fullface Mirage. Where do you get the Hans Rudolph mask? I too tape my mouth shut with my Ultra Mirage and the new sleep doctor was astounded. Where do these physicians hang out anyway-not in the real world. I too am a side sleeper with pressure over 10.

Mask	Humidifier

Mask	Humidifier

Mask	Humidifier

Ultra Mirage - Leaks and squeaks

Ultra Mirage - Leaks and squeaks

leaks like a seive mask