Soooooooooo FRUSTRATED!!!

I have tried a Mirage Vista, Simplicity mask, Ultra Mirage and today I brought home a Comfort Lite. Tried to take a nap and the damn thing hurts my nose and keeps riding up on my head even though I have it strapped so tight I think my brain might pop out!
I'm the one who's DME is getting a little frustrated, even though she says she isn't. Actions speak louder than words.

I liked the Ultra Mirage the best except I turn from side to side on my stomach, kind of a restless sleeper. It leaks when I move around. Really liked the Mirage Vista except the seal was not tight enough around the bridge of my nose and it leaked air into my eyes all night long.

I'm at my wits end and this is only the beginning. Any suggestions??????

Signed,

hhunt

I feel your pain. I do. I'm going through a lot of the same stuff, and I'm really hating most of the things I try.

I've ordered a Swift from cpap.com (although stupidly I didn't up the shipping, so it'll be a week before I get it), and I have high hopes for it.

But my experience with the (un)Comfort(able) Lite was the same as yours. Ultra Mirage is so far my favorite, but that's like saying a stubbed toe is my favorite injury, when compared with stab wounds and tooth extractions...

I wish you luck!

Liam, wondering who was that masked man.

I'm ready to tell my DMES to give me one of each and call me in three weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hhunt wrote:I'm ready to tell my DMES to give me one of each and call me in three weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck with that. If it works, tell me what member of their family you had to kidnap to accomplish it, so I can try the same tactic.

Liam, who's PRETTY SURE he's only kidding.

I wasn't even able to take a nap this afternoon with this Comfort Lite, wonder if I should just call DMES and get my old Mirage Ultra back till I can figure out what else to do...........

She thinks she's getting sick of me, so am I!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Try a new pillow. The tempurpedic. It will give enough to allow your mask to settle into it without bring pushed off of your face.

hhunt:

Activa nasal mask
Breeze with nasal pillows

A hanger on the headboard to keep main hose up out of the way - prevents hose from tugging on any mask when you toss/turn.

Comfort Lite. Tried to take a nap and the damn thing hurts my nose and keeps riding up on my head even though I have it strapped so tight I think my brain might pop out!

If the headgear is riding up such that it finds its way off the top of your head, it needs some adjustment. The hard plastic band that goes around your forehead should be just above your eyebrows while the hard plastic strap acrosss the top is actually touching the top of your head.

With the headgear NOT on your head, remove the nasal pillow piece, by twisting it gently (look for the notch on it and, observe how it attaches to the tube) in the correct direction. Leave this off while you adjust the headgear.

Try adjusting the top (hard plastic) strap so that the headgear rides a little lower on your head. The top plastic piece will unsnap from the two points where it attaches to the hard plastic section that goes around your forehead. The point where it unsnaps is near your ears. You want to adjust the top hard plastic strap such that it is resting on the top of your head (no space between your head and the strap) when the front band is resting just above your eyebrows.

Check the size of the small plastic pegs that are on either side of the top strap (two on each side) that fit into the small holes on the sides of the forehead strap, making sure that you are attaching each side of the part that goes over your head to the correct side of the part that goes around your forehead. The pegs, and corresponding holes, are larger on one side than they are on the other. This is to make sure that you get the strap that goes over the top of your head attached properly.

You should not have to pull the strap that goes behind your head really tight, just snug. AFTER you get the headgear adjusted so that it sits comfortably and does not want to ride up off your head, take it off by slipping your fingers under the elastic strap that goes around the back of your head and gently pull it off your head in a forward direction.

Now, put the nasal pillow section back on the tube and spin the black plastic ring so that the tube extends as much as possible.

Hold the headgear by the hard plastic strap that goes around your forehead -grasp the headgear, on both sides, at the point where the hard plastic connects to the elastic strap. Lift the headgear up and, with the nasal pillow in front of, and slightly below your nose, slip the headgear over your head, using your hands to spread the headgear so that the elastic stretches slightly. Get the headgear settled on your head and lay down on your bed.

Spin the black plastic ring until the nasal pillows just touch your nares and then, using the adjuster that is on the hard plastic band around your forehead (pretty much right in front of your eyes at this point) adjust the angle of the tube connected to the nasal pillows.

Again, you want the pillows just touching the entrance to your nostrils and on the same plane as the openings of your nostrils. Adjust the black ring to raise/lower the pillows as needed.

Now, start your flow generator and attach the hose. Check for leaks around your nostrils. Don't confuse the exhalation holes for leaks.

The nasal pillows should not be jammed up your nose; they are to seal just at the entrance of your nares.

Hope this helps.