your thoughts on a hybrid mask?

[zonker]

hi all!

i'm new to all of this having only been on my machine for just over a week. and i'm having trouble with the nasal pillow mask. i was thinking of abandoning it and going with a hybrid mask.

here is what i'm looking at-
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/RespCa ... eviews-tab

does anyone here have any experience with this particular mask? and can you give me your opinion?

also, if anyone has any opinion on ANY hybrid mask, i'd like to hear it.

cheers!

[Pugsy]

Please see my post about an hour ago in this thread
viewtopic/t106347/mask-leakage.html
will save me from having to type the same thing here.

I personally like the Innomed/Respcare hybrid a little better than the Liberty because the Innomed comes with 3 sizes of cushions and it isn't quite so pricey.

Should you end up with some sort of hybrid Rooster had some good tips to help with fitting.
wiki/index.php/Hybrid_Mask_Modifications

[M'ohms]

Hi zonker!

I have worn both the Hybrid mask and the Liberty mask; started with the Liberty. Of the two, I found the Hybrid mask to be more adjustable in terms of part sizes. Each mask comes with 3 sizes of mouth cushions and 3 sizes of nasal pillows. All are interchangeable so that you can customize your best fit.

I like the chin cup on this mask. The Liberty doesn't have it. In my case, my mouth would relax and my jaw drop backwards while I was asleep. The chin cup helped train me to not do that any more. I also had to modify my mask to keep it from leaking once my face relaxed. Google "CPAP Hybrid mods" for ideas if you want to explore the subject.

Ultimately, I moved away from this mask because I don't like anything pressing against my teeth. The mouth cushion part of the mask is right over both the upper and lower teeth. YMMV.

One important distinction between the Hybrid and the Liberty: the mouth arch on the Liberty is flatter than the Hybrid. I had to crank the headgear straps down so tight on the Liberty in order to get it to seal at my cheeks that I developed TMJ! I gave that mask to a friend, and he immediately loved it and uses it exclusively!

It boils down to your anatomy. If you have a wide, flatter face, then the Liberty would be good to try. Your sizing options are limited, though. If not, then try the Hybrid. With more sizing combinations, a chin cup and more adjustable headgear, you might have better success. You'll never know if it will work for you unless you try it and you might learn some new tricks along the way!

[Morbius]

.. a hybrid mask.

At least give the new Amara View a...

view.

[WearyOne]

I prefer the Innomed Hybrid as well. I do not like the Liberty at all. I am very interested in this new hybrid-type mask, but might wait for the price to come down a little. So far, the Innomed hybrid is.the only mask I can use.

[zonker]

Please see my post about an hour ago in this thread
viewtopic/t106347/mask-leakage.html
will save me from having to type the same thing here.

I personally like the Innomed/Respcare hybrid a little better than the Liberty because the Innomed comes with 3 sizes of cushions and it isn't quite so pricey.

Should you end up with some sort of hybrid Rooster had some good tips to help with fitting.
wiki/index.php/Hybrid_Mask_Modifications

thanks for your reply, pugsy!

that's fairly clever linking your own post. thanks for that. and i'll bookmark the wiki link as well.

[BlackSpinner]

I love my respcare Innomed Hybrid - I have been using it for 5 years.

However - getting it to fit the first time ..... It nearly went flying to meet the wall.

[zonker]

Hi zonker!

I have worn both the Hybrid mask and the Liberty mask; started with the Liberty. Of the two, I found the Hybrid mask to be more adjustable in terms of part sizes. Each mask comes with 3 sizes of mouth cushions and 3 sizes of nasal pillows. All are interchangeable so that you can customize your best fit.

I like the chin cup on this mask. The Liberty doesn't have it. In my case, my mouth would relax and my jaw drop backwards while I was asleep. The chin cup helped train me to not do that any more. I also had to modify my mask to keep it from leaking once my face relaxed. Google "CPAP Hybrid mods" for ideas if you want to explore the subject.

Ultimately, I moved away from this mask because I don't like anything pressing against my teeth. The mouth cushion part of the mask is right over both the upper and lower teeth. YMMV.

One important distinction between the Hybrid and the Liberty: the mouth arch on the Liberty is flatter than the Hybrid. I had to crank the headgear straps down so tight on the Liberty in order to get it to seal at my cheeks that I developed TMJ! I gave that mask to a friend, and he immediately loved it and uses it exclusively!

It boils down to your anatomy. If you have a wide, flatter face, then the Liberty would be good to try. Your sizing options are limited, though. If not, then try the Hybrid. With more sizing combinations, a chin cup and more adjustable headgear, you might have better success. You'll never know if it will work for you unless you try it and you might learn some new tricks along the way!

thanks for your reply, m'ohms!

the odd thing about that chinstrap is, i had read of someone who modded it and cut out the chinstrap completely! i wouldn't want to do that as i may want to return it. actually, i better check to see if i CAN return before i order.

my face is long and narrow with a long jaw line. i've been using a ruby chinstrap and after fooling around with it, got it to fit really well.

i, too, like the fact that the Hybrid has many part options.

if i can't get my nasal pillows to work(going to try fiddling with the humidity tonight) then i just may pull the trigger on this.

thanks for your input!

btw, i'm hoosier born and bred, from indianapolis. where is georgetown?

[zonker]

.. a hybrid mask.

At least give the new Amara View a...

view.

har-har, i see what you did there. but i'm no early adopter. i'm too afraid of that. i'll let others be the guinea pig and i'll wait for the reviews!

[Pugsy]

However - getting it to fit the first time ..... It nearly went flying to meet the wall.

My first time it did hit the wall after me messing with it for over an hour and I was in tears by then. I think I probably invented some new bad words in the process.
That was when I first started therapy a long time ago and I was clueless about a lot of mask fitting stuff.
Finally got it to work and used it one night. If I had to use a full face mask for some reason I could use it but would only do it if my nose was useless and I have never had my nose be totally useless.
Fast forward to about a month ago and I got a chance to revisit the Hybrid. The headgear still gave me fits but I got it all sorted out in about 15 minutes this time.
It's still a bitch though.

Once all the kinks are worked out it can be put on and removed without messing with the important adjustments though.

[zonker]

I love my respcare Innomed Hybrid - I have been using it for 5 years.

However - getting it to fit the first time ..... It nearly went flying to meet the wall.

hmmm....so what did you do to finally get it to work? is it just "fiddley" to get it adjusted or what? obviously, you did something right, or you wouldn't have worn it for five years!

[zonker]

However - getting it to fit the first time ..... It nearly went flying to meet the wall.

My first time it did hit the wall after me messing with it for over an hour and I was in tears by then. I think I probably invented some new bad words in the process.
That was when I first started therapy a long time ago and I was clueless about a lot of mask fitting stuff.
Finally got it to work and used it one night. If I had to use a full face mask for some reason I could use it but would only do it if my nose was useless and I have never had my nose be totally useless.
Fast forward to about a month ago and I got a chance to revisit the Hybrid. The headgear still gave me fits but I got it all sorted out in about 15 minutes this time.
It's still a bitch though.

Once all the kinks are worked out it can be put on and removed without messing with the important adjustments though.

interesting. it's good to know that once it's in place, it doesn't need to be messed with.

<sigh> i can see this is going to take lot's of patience.....

[Pugsy]

<sigh> i can see this is going to take lot's of patience.....

I never said it would be smooth sailing or no bumps in the road.
But there's a reason (actually several) that I worked so hard to find a way to keep using my nasal pillow masks and make it work.

There's nothing out there in the way of masks that doesn't have both pros and cons...some just have more pros and some have more cons and it all depends on who is trying to do the using as to which it has the most of.
My pros might be someone else's cons and vice versa.

My job isn't to make a mask decision for a person...my job is to educate and help a person make whatever mask they want to use...work. That includes not sugar coating potential issues.

[WearyOne]

At first, every mask I tried ended up with me heaving each one across the room at 2 a.m. and, at times, crying with frustration. It does take patience and time.

I'm one of those who cuts the chin thingy off the Hybrid. (From a suggestion I saw here.) It works great for me that way, but leaks like crazy if I leave it on there.

[M'ohms]

btw, i'm hoosier born and bred, from indianapolis. where is georgetown?

Georgetown is 7 miles west of Louisville just north of I-64 Exit 118. I was born in Indy 60 years ago next Wednesday!