Fisher Paykel FF mask

I saw my "sleep Dr."yesterday and reviewed everything I have been using without too much success. He advised me to get a Fisher Paykel full face mask-flex fit, and also the heated tubing by same co.
Do any of you have input about the face mask, I still remain a side sleeper and turn often, but he feels this will give me a lot of benefits.
Also have any of you tired their heating tubing? I know about the ones from Australia, but not Fisher Paykel.
Thanks for your thoughts
Judy

Hey Judy, I didn't know that any other company made heated hoses other than the Australian one. Welcome aboard by the way. I almost got a Fischer and Paykel 431 because I get chin leaks and need a FF mask. I have decided to go with the HANS Rudolph FF mask first. Many people prefer the Ultra Mirage FF mask over the other ones. I guess it really is what works for you. You could read good and bad comments about any mask, but really until you try and find what works best for you...sometimes opinions can only help guide you towards the best choice. I really hope you find what works for you. I am having a long road getting used to all this.

Good luck
Chelle

I use the Flexifit 431 ff mask. I'm a newbie to this CPAP stuff so keep that in mind.

This is the only mask I've used so far. At first I had issues with it fitting, and lots of leak problems.

Once I started wearing it as it is intended to be worn, the fit and leak issues went away, almost entirely.
The mask fits Under the chin, not just under the lower lip. That's what was causing me problems lol. I thought it just went over the mouth and nose.

I've found that the mask has a "pivot point" roughly along an axis with the high points on my cheek bones. If I have it too tight on the top staps, it will pivot up and loose from under my chin. If I have it too tight on the bottom straps it really bears down on my cheekbones and leaks loudly and annoyingly into my eyes from the nose bridge area.

I am also a side sleeper that tosses and turns alot... a side to side sleeper?

I have found that if I do the "hair scrunchie" and wall hook thing on my headboard about a foot and a half over the approx center of where I tend to lay I dont have hose tangle probs. I've also taken to loosely tie the hose to my nose bridge of the mask to keep it in a vertical possition with about 15 to 20 degrees of swing either way. The swing is to ensure it's loose enough to not interfere with the mask exhaust and to make sure I dont snap the hose/mask connector.
Since I've started doing that I've not once had hose tanglement issues.

The only thing I know of that I dont like about the mask is the silicone gasket has too much "flap" inside the mask area. This inside gasket flap is very thin and tends to flap against my face during inhales and exhales and can really get my goat some times. I've tried taping the flaps down but the adheasive seems to weaken the silicone and make it flimsier. I tried trimming the gasket on my medium size one but that just seemed to destroy any 'surface tension" and the gasket now tears real easy.

So, right now I'm using the large gasket (which ended up being the proper size for me anyway lol) and cussing alot.

I'll be buying a breeze nasal pillow system as soon as I find out what size snooters I have from the size tester widget I ordered today at CPAP.com. Hopefully by then I'll have my sinus's under better control and I can say bye bye to the ff mask

I've been using a FP 431, FF for the past 3 months and found it the best for me. The only real problem I've had so far is the face seal tends to get torn around the nose. But even so... it doesn't effect the performance. I started out with a Resperonics Full Comfort that was only a mouth/nose mask. It was anything but comfortable. I recently purchased a HR and found it to be a total waste of money. The HR leaks badly around the nose, is a poorly designed product and has worthless headgear that is a nightmare to use. I don't recommend it to anyone. This isn't just my opinion... check out the many postings on this site about the HR mask and problems.

One thing about the 431 that is seems like good design to me is the under the chin fit.

When my nose is clear I can push my chin a bit deeper into the mask and that pretty much hold my yap shut for the night and I get pretty good "nasal" therapy.

When my nose is stuffed, I can pull my chin out a bit and the mask helps prop my mouth open some so that I get decent air flow orally and dont have to struggle to breath.

The only problem I have with the mask is the interior gasket flaps...and not being able to reach my nose which always itches and needs scratchin

I like the 431 FF and have added a home made velco under-the-chin strap because my chin tends to drop and causes minor leaks. The head support appliance isn't adjustable so I've also heated it and bent it to better seal my nose bridge area. The face seal is too thin and tends to rip after prolonged useage, but all in all, the product has positive qualities.

I tried mine 4 nights and had nothing but problems. I found it quite comfortable, but for some reason or other I snored like a trooper in it (according to my wife) and woke up in the morning exhausted. I called FP and discussed the issue with them. At their suggestion I tried it in cpap mode instead of apap, with the same results. It just doesn't work for me. I'm very curious about their heated hose. This is the first I've heard of it.

Finding a mask that works can sure be expensive. Don't you love how you fork out anywhere from $75 to $150 for a mask, only to find that it doesn't work for you? I have started a very nice (and expensive) collection of masks that, for one reason or another, were only used a few times and now gather dust and fill up closet space. Wouldn't it be nice if a person could try these things without having to buy them?

I would also like to add my hearty "Amen" to the comment about air leaks around the eyes and bridge of the nose. The sound of a fluttering "seal" and the rush of air into the eye several times during the night certainly doesn't make for a restful night's sleep.

I was fortunate enough to recently receive a brand new FP 431 from a friend of mine who couldn't use it. After the first three nights I fell in love with it. It is the most comfortable, most quiet and easiest to clean mask I have ever used. I put three years on another brand FF mask and thought that things couldn't get any better. I now awake more rested and refreshed than ever. My other half also rests better due to the lack of noise and states that unless she rolls over and looks at me she can't tell if I have the mask on or not. Her only complaint is that the air blast from the mask is straight out the front and she occasionally gets blasted during the night. Something she is more than willing to live with considering the problems we have had with other FF masks. Did I mention that I love this mask, so does she.

One quick tip, I can use either the large or the medium seal, but after trying both it became obvious that the medium worked better. Don't be afraid to experiment or you might end up throwing your perfect mask in the drawer forever. In my opinion, unless things are a total disaster, one or two nights is not long enough to properly evaluate any new piece of xPAP equipment.

To each his own,
Bob

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