New TAP PAP mask review

[ughwhatname]

Got my new bite plate today - early. Couldn't wait to adjust it. Real comfortable. Looking forward to sleeping with it tonight!

Mine came today and for some reason, the post office left a tag rather than the package, which they've always left before... bummer.

[Stormynights]

I got mine today too. I like it so much better. I mutilated my old one and it is much better now too. Especially nice after I figured out how to adjust it.

Now I am really jealous but I guess I shouldn't complain..I have actually had mine for several weeks now.
STLMark once sent me a machine on a Sat and at the same time he sent one to California. The person in California got theirs Monday...I got mine on a Tuesday...go figure. 240 miles to me from St Louis and it took an extra day and the person on the west coast got theirs sooner. It must the those USPS gremlins. Not to mention that when we were watching the tracking number it showed as being in Kansas on Tuesday when it was sitting on my porch...gotta love the USPS.

You know all those leaks you had showing up with the Tap Pap and you swore up and down to me it wasn't the pillows....well maybe it was. I had no idea you didn't know about the height adjustment or that you were having problems with them reaching your nostrils. I can just about cram those suckers up into my eyes with the height adjustment thing.

I am actually anxious to get the other item I ordered with the mouth guard...adapter for the 60 series machine so that I can see if I can get more hours of use from the 60 series machine than I can get with the 50 series machine using a cpap.com portable battery or if I need a different "better" battery. The adapter cord thingy that I have won't fit the 660.

I still haven't had a chance to butcher the original mouth guard..maybe I will go do that now.....but I am sooooo tired. Mowed my mom's yard today and came home and started on mine...quit when I couldn't see where I had been. My butt will be inside shortly to join me...it sure is dragging right now.
So much to do...my daughter and grandson will be here the 21st...so I have lots of little projects started that need to be finished.

I have my senior blonde moment in case you never noticed before. I should have the meter to check the pressure on our machines tomorrow. I am so anxious to find out if one of them is out of whack. Now the ignorant ashes are wanting to talk to me about getting a new machine. I still can't get a mask from them. They weren't happy about my Craigs List purchase.

[greyhound]

Mine just arrived. Unfortunately, when I put the mouthpiece in my mouth, I get a gag response. Any suggestions?

[ughwhatname]

Mine just arrived. Unfortunately, when I put the mouthpiece in my mouth, I get a gag response. Any suggestions?

I have a very healthy gag response as well. I have found if I really concentrate on breathing through my nose, it helps. The molding process was a bit challenging, but I have had no trouble since I got it molded.

[Mask guy]

Mine just arrived. Unfortunately, when I put the mouthpiece in my mouth, I get a gag response. Any suggestions?

Hi,

If yo are having trouble with a gag reflex I imagine that you may be trying to put the un-moulded mouth piece in your mouth?

If that is the case just heat it up as detailed in the instruction for fitting, it will be softer and will be a lot better.

It is not designed to go in the mouth with out initially heating and fitting it.

I hope that helps,

Mask guy

[lilly747]

Any mouth leakers who puff air out of their mouth with a regular chinstrap try the TAP PAP yet?

I have this problem. I tape and use a regular chinstrap, simple wide band eleastic type. I have to put pads between the chinstrap and my cheek to stop the cheeks from puffing and causing leaks But I am going to try this mask and continue using my regular set up with the tape, chinstrap and cheek pads.

[howkim]

Got mine today. So far, the biggest challenge is getting the head gear attached with the correct side out. 8<)) However, tonight will be the toughest challenge.

[SleepyCPAP]

Thank you Pugsy and others for your reviews of this TAP PAP mask. I took advantage of the price dip and the free trial insurance and have used it the past couple of nights myself. First night my fitting wasn't quite right, but I put it back in boiled water before a nap on the second day and got it just right. I think this is quieter than the Swift FX, and no more marks on my cheeks.

I agree that the plastic is too slick where we tighten the adjustment. I used a small square of sand paper (and a putty knife with it in the tight spaces) to abraid the surfaces slightly, including the nut. It holds position very well now with much less tightening. I didn't have to readjust it between nap and sleep time yesterday, because it still was in place.

I need advice on nasal pillow interchangability. I saw that one person said the Breeze pillows will fit. I might want to try them. I'm finding my nares are not the same height, and if Breeze pillows are shorter or higher I'd try it on one side or the other. Anyone have verification on that before I order?

I've already decided I'm not sending it back. Even if I go back to the Swift FX, this one is a keeper.

--SleepyCPAP

[Pugsy]

I need advice on nasal pillow interchangability. I saw that one person said the Breeze pillows will fit. I might want to try them. I'm finding my nares are not the same height, and if Breeze pillows are shorter or higher I'd try it on one side or the other. Anyone have verification on that before I order?

Don't order the Breeze nasal pillows.
While the Tap Pap pillows are similar in overall shape the Breeze pillows that I attempted to put in the little holes for the Tap Pal pillow holding were much too large to fit in the hole and there was a crimp which meant there would be a leak....wouldn't seal.
Stormy sent me some Breeze nasal pillows a while back...I am going to try them again to see if they would work but I don't think they will.
I tried it at the DME office. He only had one size though of the Breeze. I don't think that the bottom part changes in size with the breeze but on the off chance that a different size will fit...Stormy and I are going to check it out.

[SleepyCPAP]

Thanks for checking into the Breeze pillows again Pugsy. I'm curious, if you stand the Breeze pillows and the TAP PAP pillows side by side, are they differing heights? I'd go to the trouble of drilling a bigger hole in the TAP PAP if there would be a significant difference. Right now I have a medium pillow mashed up against one side and a large pillow just barely sealed on the other nare. Drilling plastic would be cheaper than plastic surgery on my nose. You can tell I'm more concerned about CPAP than correcting my looks.

--SleepyCPAP

[Pugsy]

Thanks for checking into the Breeze pillows again Pugsy. I'm curious, if you stand the Breeze pillows and the TAP PAP pillows side by side, are they differing heights?

Side by side yes...the Breeze is taller but that doesn't equal taller once it is in place. The bottom "rim" that fits into the hole is "longer" than the part of the Tap Pap that fits into the hold. Once in the Tap Pap hole it is at most maybe a couple of mm taller and the bottom of the Breeze that fits into the Tap Pap hole is too large. I couldn't get the crimp out no matter how much fiddling with it that I did. It isn't so much larger in diameter as it is just thicker silicone or whatever they are made of. There is simply not enough room for the bulk.

I compared the Large yellow dilator Breeze pillow to my Medium Tap Pap Pillow. That is the only size that I have been able to find so far.
When I was at my DME we compared the Small in the Blue Breeze...same problem with it. It gave the exact same "crimp" and wouldn't seal. I imagine all the bases of all the Breeze pillows are the same at least the part that fits into the hole for attachment.

Even if they would fit...the extra height is used below the fitting area into the hole and doesn't really translate into height for the nasal pillow itself once attached. Side by side attached with the crimp the Breeze is almost the exact same height at the Tap Pap pillow.

[digitalepiphany]

I always have one nostril that's stopped up. I can't stand my nose mask because I sleep on my stomach. I cannot get to sleep on my back. I lie there for hours at a time before finally turning over. This, of course, leads to major leaks which wake me up and I still get horrible sleep. I'm considering the Tap Pap, but am concerned about always having one nostril clogged. Is this something that I really need to worry about, or should I just go ahead and order the Tap Pap?

[newsnore]

I always have one nostril that's stopped up. I can't stand my nose mask because I sleep on my stomach. I cannot get to sleep on my back. I lie there for hours at a time before finally turning over. This, of course, leads to major leaks which wake me up and I still get horrible sleep. I'm considering the Tap Pap, but am concerned about always having one nostril clogged. Is this something that I really need to worry about, or should I just go ahead and order the Tap Pap?

I have used the TapPap for 3 months now and I kept using it recently when I had a severe cold and was quite blocked up - either one or both nostrils - but there was only part of one night when I felt I really couldn't use the mask. I do have the humidity level set at 3 and I think this helped to relieve and make it easier breathing by opening up the nasal passages. I know it helped because my nose was blocked prior to putting on the Tap Pap. So it is possible it might actually help clear your blocked nostril.

[ughwhatname]

I always have one nostril that's stopped up. I can't stand my nose mask because I sleep on my stomach. I cannot get to sleep on my back. I lie there for hours at a time before finally turning over. This, of course, leads to major leaks which wake me up and I still get horrible sleep. I'm considering the Tap Pap, but am concerned about always having one nostril clogged. Is this something that I really need to worry about, or should I just go ahead and order the Tap Pap?

I have used the TapPap for 3 months now and Ikept using it recently when I had a severe cold and was quite blocked up - either one or both nostrils - but there was only part of one night when I felt I really couldn't use the mask. I do have the humidity level set at 3 and I think this helped to relieve and make it easier breathing by opening up the nasal passages. I know it helped because my nose was blocked prior to putting on the Tap Pap. So it is possible it might actually help clear your blocked nostril.

I use the Tap Pap and occasionally sleep on my stomach with no issues. I've used it when I have been stuffed up with a cold and have no troubles. Same as another poster said, I just turn up the humidity.

[Guest]

Thanks for the help. I want to try the tap pap, but money is a little tight right now. I get treated through the VA, so I'll probably get a nasal pillow through them first (free). If I have a choice of nasal pillow, assuming the tap pap is not an option, what would you suggest as an alternative? Also, I'm on a Resmed S9 Autoset, so they'll probably want to give me a Resmed pillow. Do they make more than one version? Thanks.