Respironics Nuance Pro/Nuance Mask Review

[lastlib]

Thank everyone for their comments. I will have to consider a nuance when medicare lets me on November 30. My current nose pillars make noise when they leak and waken me.

One further note: Please do not kick your dog out of your room. Being with you can be comforting to a dog. I had wire hair fox terriers (very close to your breed) and they were very unhappy when they had to leave the room. I was single and traveled with my dog who joined United's million mile club back in the days before we traded our rights to privacy for security. After all I am old. Where is D.B. Cooper?

[sleeplessinaz]

Well after several nights with this I have decided that I like the mask but there are several cons:
>Back strap is too loose and there is no way to tighten it. If you have a head
Ike the hulk the you won't have a problem!
>the side straps are VERY CLOSE to the eyes! and I don't like that - they need to look at the Aloha.
PROS:
> love the feel of the soft supple nasal pillows. The gel rings inside keep them in place. Love it!
>the pillows are so easy to remove for cleaning and to put back on in no time at all
> head gear is very simple and lightweight - wish it came in colors, like purple! I am sick of Gray!
>the price was terrific and I paid out of pocket. Thought I got a great deal for the whole set with three sizes of pillows to try out.
> the small tubing is made very well and is super lightweight so it won't pull down on the mask while sleeping.

All in all it is a great mask, it's easy to take part and put back together. Just wish the back head strap was adjustable, it's too loose for me.

Carrie

[Pugsy]

Just wish the back head strap was adjustable, it's too loose for me.

Talk to Chunkyfrog. I think she is trying to come up with some ideas to fix that problem. See my prior comments a few posts up.

To be fair....the back strap part of the headgear will fit someone with a small head. It works for me...very close to being a bit too large but it doesn't need any modifications for me to be able to wear it and it stay in place. If my head was an inch smaller in circumference there would be a bit of a problem.
So it just isn't for people with the Hulk sized heads. My hat size is less than 7...I will try to find something to measure circumference with tomorrow.

Last night was another good night with the Pro Nuance. Slept well. No problems with it that I remember. Leak line looks just like all my other mask's leak lines...near perfect with a short term increase when I always see a similar leak and very likely when I am on my back and my mouth drops open a little. I rarely wake up when that happens..it rarely gets to large leak territory so I just shrug my shoulders when I see it and call it my "witching" hour. That's me and not the mask. I have seen it with every mask I have ever used at some time or another.

I plain to give this mask a 10 day to 2 week trial. I will be keeping the mask. I can see a place for it in my arsenal of masks. It isn't going to replace the Tap Pap because of my still big preference for no head gear at all but it's a good mask. That's no real surprise there and I wasn't looking to replace it. I thought it reminded me a lot of the Swift FX but with some improvements..like the gel in the nasal pillows.



I don't care for the straps being so close to my eyes but they aren't a deal breaker. Since the mask's headgear seems to stay in place and the nasal pillows for sure stay in place then it becomes a non issue. It isn't keeping me from sleeping well with it. Now if they slid into my eyes then we would have a problem but they stay in place. I do spend a lot of time on my stomach and my side and I do have some very minor dents from laying my face on the firm pillow I use. I haven't got around to digging out the Padacheek side strap covers but I will try to do that tomorrow.

This mask is going to be like any other mask out there. There are always some pros and cons with any mask out there.
For some people there are going to be more pros than cons and for others there are going to be more cons than pros.
For me...I think more pros than cons and the cons are relatively minor and not deal breakers for me.

[sleeplessinaz]

Well I don't think I have a small head but I must as this headgear is too lose. To be fair not everyone has the same head size - I just think they could have made a FOR HER version. My head is definitely smaller than a mans head.
Carrie

[Pugsy]

I just think they could have made a FOR HER version.

I agree and maybe Respironics will listen. We can't be the only people that have a problem with that back strap.
I think they probably thought we could make up the difference with the top strap adjustment, and we can up to a point, but past that point the fit of the side straps gets messed up and throws the mask out of kilter.

If my head was just a little smaller around I would be in trouble with that back strap too. But it does work for me and I just measured the circumference at the widest..all the way around to the forehead...22 inches.
My hair is super short...so that isn't taking up any room.

[sleeplessinaz]

Pugsy - just measured my head and mine is 22 also! I can't imagine all those engineers at Respironics did not consider women have smaller heads than men. We need a FOR HER version and in pink or purple! Lol!

[Stormynights]

Mine is 22 1/2 I never thought my head was small but I always wondered how other women that did have small heads managed the headgear. It always seemed a bit oversized for me even.

[jaybeem]

I have had three and a half weeks with the Nuance Pro. I agree that we need headgear for women. Also, I think my back strap has stretched out just a little in a month. However, even a little stretched and a little large, it stays in place for me.

My sleep quality has been deteriorating. I think that is because I have used the same pillows for almost a month, and the fit is getting iffy. I am hard on pillows...something in my skin oils? Since I did not have replacement pillows, I have cleaned the pillows daily with wipes and only washed them once. My replacement pillows should be here soon from CPAP.com.

I have thought about adding Velcro to the back strap and using another strap with Velcro over that to tighten things up. Or stitching both edges of the back strap with elastic thread. It wouldn't need much.

[Lazer1234]

My head is 24 inch. Just below the horns.

[jencat824]

Well I have same problem with the Nuance as I do with the Swift FX, not enough support. I think having a "for her" might make it workable for me. I guess I'll stick with my Swift LT for now. I really wanted the Nuance to work, the gel pillows were comfortable, but I can't hold it on all night.

Jen

[sleeplessinaz]

I did a mask trial for Respironics a few months ago. They seemed really concerned about how the headgear would fit and even took a 3 D mapping of everyone's faces. I can't believe they did not think that women do usually have a smaller head size. They either need to make a for her smaller version or make that blackstrap adjustable. I am not handy at sewing so if any one has any ideas please let me know. I really do love the feel of the nasal pillows and how comfy it is. I am getting 0 leak rates with like .06 AHI and no centrals. I feel pretty good lol!

Carrie

[Hawthorne]

I measured my head at the widest part and it is 22". I knew I had a small head. I find the Nuance fits me fine. The back strap is not loose at all. My hair is very thin and fine and I wear it short. It is close to my head all over. I must have a different shaped head or something!. It may stretch with use. I don't know about that yet. I really like how the mask fits right now.

The Nuance (which I have) has kind of silver gray side and top straps and the back strap is "baby" blue. I quite like the colours but, since I only wear it to sleep, the colour is quite immaterial to me. Each to his/her own!

[jaybeem]

Please do not kick your dog out of your room. Being with you can be comforting to a dog.

I kicked the dog out of my room (guilt, guilt). I have been getting up twice in the night. She gets up twice in the night, but not at the same time. My sleep quality has deteriorated again, and I just can't deal with two extra wake-ups. She isn't sleeping as much during the day, so it may be that two extra wake-ups have been hard on her, also.

[Foggy1]

One of the first things my doctor asked me was whether I had a pet sleeping in the bedroom with me. She advised against it, saying I should limit any potential disturbances due to my sleep problems. I had already figured that out though. As much as I love snuggling with my dog, he was waking me up frequently. I moved him to a very comfy bed in the kitchen and also got him a buddy. So both of them curl up in the bed in a corner of the kitchen. After all, I have to work every day--someone has to buy the dog food.

[sleeplessinaz]

We have 4 cats but none of them sleep with us,
Carrie