Breeze Sleepgear Adjustments

I am new to this, I have had my machine now for about 10 weeks. I am now on my third mask. The first, the ComfortSelect I could not get a good seal at all. I am a side sleeper and turn often and it just would not stay put. The second, the ComfortLite kept loosening up so it would not stay adjusted well. The nose piece had a lot of play that looks like it should be there. Also the "swivel" on top is a 90° hard plastic thing the binds all the time. I would wake up with the hose wrapped around me. Not a brilliant design IMHO.

I just received my Breeze yesterday and seemed to do ok with it last night. I am looking for any adjustment hints to make it a little more comfortable. The nose piece presses on my upper lip, the pillows don't seem to be at an ideal angle. There are so many adjustments on this thing, I really don't know were to start. I see that there are many here who use this mask which is part of the reason I went with it. I just need some tips because the instructions are too general. Thanks!

Welcome to the Breeze world.
If you do a search for Breeze, you will find many postings on it.
If you go t my postings- tomjax- you will find some very detailed hints on adjusting it.
if you would like to contact me for more info, feel free to IM me.
Adjusting it can be a bit challenging and some just cannot get the hang of it.
A positive and open attitude is the most important in adjusting to the world of PAP and masks.
Many have. YOU CAN TOO.

kbmitch

Good to have you join the forum, and pleased to hear that there maybe some hope you find a good mask in the breeze.

Couple of initial pointers.

The nasal inserts rotate in the barrel, angle to taste! I have them almost parallel with no slant on them at all, that way my nares stay pain free!

I wash the nasal inserts every day, I find that there is less leakage if you do this. Also, always wash your face before you put the mask on, especially the nares. This is because micro body oils are the most likely cause of leakage.

There are many adjustment points on the breeze, play with them all and when you find a setting that works for you (lying down not sitting up) tape them in place! The breeze is so adjustable that it can be difficult to find the setting you had before that worked!

Keep the pillows a loose as you can get away with without leakage - you have to play around with it to find this out. If you have it too tight and it pulls your nose up, over time (a long time) it can apparently change the shape of your nose - But don't worry this only happens when people have it really tight!!! (So don't panic!)

I too find the barrel touches my lip but I have a big head and the mask is adjusted to about its max front to back - I always assumed it was that. But, there is a small nut at the top of the barrel for you to move the angle to taste. Again you need to play with that and move it as far out at you can without leaks.

Hope this helps to start you off, but if you need more advice, there are many other users with more experience than me.

sir_cumference

Hi Mitch,

Four tips that might help using the Breeze:

1. Use nasal pillows that most people who do the fitting would think are "too big" for you.

2. Rig a way to hang the 6 foot main air hose on headboard or wall behind and above your head - keeps the air hose from tugging on the Breeze headgear and shifting it when you turn.

3. If the front adjustment piece slides too easily, put tape or a trash can twist tie around it after you get it adjusted the way you want it.

4. Use the "optional" side stabilizing straps that come with the Breeze down very low. They don't have to be tight.

Here is a link you can click to a page of many discussions about the Breeze. Lots of tips and hints in those topics.

Aug 02, 2005 subject: LINKS to Breeze nasal pillows topics

Mitch:
I'd suggest starting at the back of the Breeze. First, remove the pillows from the plastic plenum -they pull out easily if you squeeze them gently and pull. Loosen the set-screw and angle the plastic plenum away from your face. GENTLY re-tighten the set-screw. Remove the straps or, leave them connected but very loose.

Position the outrigger pad against the part of the back of your head where it feels most comfortable. If you have a bump on the back of your head, see if the pad is more comfortable on the bump or below the bump. Lay down on your back with the outrigger pad is this position and check to see if it is still comfortable, then start making adjustments to the slider between the outrigger and the pad that sits on the top of your head (don't worry about the rest of the Breeze yet). Bear in mind that it will take some time to get used to the feel of this pad on the back of your head. It will be annoying at first but you are likely to get used to it over time.

This top-of-the-head pad is the one that has a 'wing' off each side that have a slot for the straps to go through. This pad should sit in a position on your head where it causes no discomfort and is far enough forward to create some tension between it and the outrigger pad. The tension between these two pads should be enough to hold the Breeze in place (ie., Breeze does not go flying off into orbit when you let go of it) while you are laying on your back. Carefully remove the Breeze, making sure that the outrigger does not move out of position on the slider and put a bit of tape on the slider where it meets the outrigger so that the outrigger will stay in position. You don't want the outrigger to change position along the slider as you take the Breeze on and off.

If you removed them, reattach the straps from the outrigger pad to the top-of-the head pad. Put the Breeze back on and adjust the straps so that they are just snug enough to give stability but not so snug that your head feels like it is in a vice. Check to make sure that the straps are of equal tightness so that the Breeze is not being bent to the left or right.

Take the Breeze off again and insert the pillows into the plastic plenum making sure that only one cuff on each pillow is inserted. A properly inserted pillow shows two round, donut-like cuffs with a volcano-like opening outside the plenum and one round donut-like cuff in the plenum. The two cuffs outside the hard plastic plenum give the bellows action to the pillow. Rotate the pillows so that the slightly oval shape of the openings lines up with the oval shape / orientation of your nares.

Now start adjusting the front slider (slider between the nose plenum and the top-of-the-head pad.) As you are adjusting this up and down, loosen the set-screw that lets you adjust the angle of the plenum. You want the angle to be such that the base of the volcano-like opening forms a seal all the way around the opening of each nare. Continuing adjusting the angle and up/down along the slider so that the pillows are essentially flat against the opening of the nares and the height is not so high (tight against nares) that you feel as though your nose is being yanked upwards. AGAIN, DO THIS WHILE LYING DOWN ON YOUR BACK.

Once it seems comfortable, tighten the set-screw then carefully sit up and remove the Breeze. Put tape on the slider between the plenum and top-of-the-head pad so that this slider no longer moves.

That should be it. Try it out by attaching your PAP machine, turning on the juice and rolling around some in bed. If the Breeze is not stable, you may have to disconnect the straps from the top-of-the-head pad and reattach them to the small plastic slider that moves along the plastic hose guide between the plenum and top-of-the-head pad. This little slider has a slot on each side for the straps to be inserted. Don't remove the tape that is holding the front slider where it enters the top-of-the-head pad; just play with the position of the little plastic slider that has the openings for the straps.

Lay down again, turn on the juice and roll around some more. Make minor adjustments as needed.

Hope this helps!

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): breeze, hose, seal

Whew...
Yes. Definitely written by the same person who annotates his daily software printout.

Thanks! I'm going to print out these instructions.
O.

And I think by now we all know how I feel about the Breeze (and it's not like I didn't almost die trying to adjust to it...).

Hey, this is what makes the world go round and CPAP so much fun !!!

Thank you! I used some of the suggestions last night, 8/11, and it was a lot more comfortable. It will take a while to perfect it. I just need to have some time to try everything. I used rested gal's suggestion to use larger pillows so I switched from the medium to large and the difference was dramatic. Much more comfortable and a better seal. I also played with the orientation of the pillows using the suggestions that sir_cumference had posted and loosened the nose piece so I won't eventually have the nose of a pig. I also used the suggestion made by several of you on using some tape. Putting on and taking off the mask sometimes made the slider for the nose piece move in and out a notch or two. Now it stays put until I want to change it!

I have made a Word document with all your instructions and tips and I WILL be using them! Perhaps this weekend, if I get a break when I can lie down for a while, I can go through the step by steps that WillSucceed posted from top to bottom and see if I can improve the fit even better. Then I will incorporate the other tips that I have not tried yet.

I just hope I can eventually get used to this so I can finally have a good, complete night's sleep

Thanks again for all your help!!

Mitch, hang in there pardner. I'm about 10 days out in front of you and I'm slowly adjusting to the Breeze. Some nights when I put it on it fits just so - and other nights it seems that I wrestle with the thing all night long.

These folks who posted above know a lot and will give great advice so just kinda roll with the punches. It's a process and not an event.

I've tried a half dozen masks and the Breeze still gives me the best night's rest though it's a persnickety head set. I'm going to take "Jedi CPAP Will Succeed's" exhaustive notes to heart this weekend and get my Breeze in order. Good stuff, always.

Glad to see you here, Mitch - you're in the right place for advice .