Report on the Total Face Mask

Awhile back I bought a Total Face Mask made by Respironics.

The first two nights were very rough but finally on the 3 rd night I figured out I had the straps on backwards and also how to properly fit it to me.

I held it against my face with one hand and turned on the machine with the other and the air blows up the membrane and then I pushed it back close to my face with the hand I was holding it with and used the other hand to fix the straps.

I got it to where it fit surprisingly well. No big leaks reported and it looked like the reported leak rate was in line with what the literature said it should be.

I had no trouble wearing the thing and could sleep on my sides with no trouble.

The big problem was that my pressure went to my max setting and stayed there about 90% of the night or more.

I tried it for several nights but didn't like being at max pressure all night long.

I wrote Respironics and they just said the M-series reacts to air flow and vibrations etc. etc. and suggested another mask I might like. They had nothing to offer in the way of reasons why the mask kept me at maximum pressure all the time.

Other than the max pressure problem ... I would have kept using it. I found it reasonably comfortable and it fit better than I thought it would from the reviews I had seen. But I do have a roundish fattish face so I thought it might seal pretty well and it did.

As soon as I went back to my Quattro the reported pressures dropped right back where they should be. Sometimes I hit the max pressure ( 15 ) for a few minutes but most nights I don't even go past 12. I didn't like the way my lungs felt when I was at 15 most of the night.

So I'm back to the magnificent Quattro for good I believe.

LOOOOOVE my Quattro!

I do not like a FFM, but had the Quattro as a backup for colds and such. Hubby wanted to try the nasal mask, but it wasn't working for him, so he was using the Ultra Mirage, which kept leaking too badly, so he tried my (now his) Quattro. He likes it. So, his LT is now my LT, my Quattro is now his Quattro....it's getting a bit confusing around here. I think I'll just hang the masks on the wall, and we can select our choice for the evening as we enter the bedroom..

Debjax wrote:I do not like a FFM, but had the Quattro as a backup for colds and such. Hubby wanted to try the nasal mask, but it wasn't working for him, so he was using the Ultra Mirage, which kept leaking too badly, so he tried my (now his) Quattro. He likes it. So, his LT is now my LT, my Quattro is now his Quattro....it's getting a bit confusing around here. I think I'll just hang the masks on the wall, and we can select our choice for the evening as we enter the bedroom..

Just don't grab the african tribal mask by mistake. Unless you want to be possessed. [/Jim Carrey Reference]