Dreamwear headgear sizing

[moki]

I just wanted to let you all know that if you are having trouble with the Dreamwear mask sliding up in the back, it is very likely you need the Large frame instead of the Medium one they suggest "for most people". I have been using the Medium Frame Dreamwear mask for a couple of months and really love the design, but had terrible problems with it sliding up the back of my head. I have long hair, so tried putting it in a ponytail, but that didn't feel good either for various reasons. I just got the Large frame in the mail today and cannot believe how well it fits and how easy it is to get it snug enough. (I have found that for this particular design, having a snug fit works better than the usual slightly loose fit manufacturers suggest). Now I can just wear my hair in my usual topknot bun and no more sleeping on top of a big ponytail (my hair is super thick).

Also, I wanted to mention that my prescription is for nasal pillows and this feels just the same with no sore spots.



(OSA, Resmed S9, Dreamwear Large with medium nasal pad.)

[Grace~~~]

I just wanted to let you all know that if you are having trouble with the Dreamwear mask sliding up in the back, it is very likely you need the Large frame instead of the Medium one they suggest "for most people". I have been using the Medium Frame Dreamwear mask for a couple of months and really love the design, but had terrible problems with it sliding up the back of my head. I have long hair, so tried putting it in a ponytail, but that didn't feel good either for various reasons. I just got the Large frame in the mail today and cannot believe how well it fits and how easy it is to get it snug enough. (I have found that for this particular design, having a snug fit works better than the usual slightly loose fit manufacturers suggest). Now I can just wear my hair in my usual topknot bun and no more sleeping on top of a big ponytail (my hair is super thick).

Also, I wanted to mention that my prescription is for nasal pillows and this feels just the same with no sore spots.



(OSA, Resmed S9, Dreamwear Large with medium nasal pad.)

I always read a dreamwear thread and this post made me ponder back in July.

I had a horrible experience my first few nights of CPAP with the ESON nasal mask and was miserable until I found cpaptalk. Finding this place gave me the courage to ask for a different mask and then I got the dreamwear and felt real hope!

Unfortunately, my leak rate (and 90% leak rate) has been embarrassingly high - signalling that even if I like the dreamwear mask maybe I was going to have to try again with something else?

I just passed the three month mark and had an opportunity to get another "free" (LOL right - free ) mask.
I desperately wanted the dreamwear to work for me as I like the "top of the head" design.

The medium they originally sent me seemed to fit well. But I knew this was a chance to try something new. And my stats were suggesting that I really had to try something new.

I am kinda small. 5'5, smallish size 6 feet, small wrists, slim hips, kinda normal head?
... so I figured I should try the small dreamwear.
(I am using the small dreamwear nose piece.)


But this one post from MOKI in early July kept haunting me.

I am posting tonight because I wanted to share that I went against "common sense" and decided to try the large dreamwear with the small nose piece.

It's only been five days but my results are amazing.

The large does sit way back on my face and almost rests right at the front of my ears. This is not how they say it should fit but after a night of getting used to the new feel, I really appreciate having absolutely no obstruction on my cheek or anywhere near my eyes.

I wear it completely differently on my head. I still use the small nose piece.

It is amazingly comfortable.
...but best of all?

My 90% leak rate which is still 41.9% average for year (though dropping fast)
was replaced by 0.59% !!!!!! and has stayed in the zeros ...

Whaaaaaaaaaaaatttt????

... day after day I am reading this and simply cannot believe it's true!
WOOO HOOOO

I made a good decision and improved things!
YAY. (whew)

I am also feeling really good, despite two more surgeries and going under the accompanying anesthesia .
I am sleeping 8 hours a night. (sometimes a bit more!)

cpap is helping me in many ways.
I am just feeling BETTER. Physically, mentally and that is a gift to the spiritual.

I upped my minimum pressure last night to 9 from 8.2 but did not see much difference in results yet.
My AHI is averaging 1.5 so buoyed by my mask success I thought I would tweak a little.

I have nights under 1 but I have lots at 1.7 too.
I'd like to be always under AHI of 1.

...and now with the leaks under control I will pay even closer attention to the data!
(since I worried my data was horribly flawed from my leak issue)

I just thought I would share my experience of wearing the large mask way back on the face.
Since maybe it's something someone would never think to try?
I am sure everyone who saw me would have suggested trying a small. So this is totally
counter intuitive.

I also noticed I am moving around and rubbing my face on my pillows like a happy puppy
and it is not slipping a bit. Happy to have my face so free and exposed.

Maybe this will help someone else who really WANTS to make the dreamwear work?
I am also using mouthwetting minty tablets which help me continue to train my tongue
in place and I totally do not have a dry mouth and have minty breath should Prince Charming
show up some night.

I am also still loving the few drops of aromatherapy. Again defaulting to mint most nights?
...and my new "old school" full wave waterbed and fans blowing on me to make me think I am out at sea on
an exotic boat adventure.

CPAP has brought all kinds of new excitement in to my world!


I couldn't have done any of this without CPAPTALK and the great people who share here,
Thank you {{{{ALL}}}} so much!!

I simply can't believe how well this works!
Who knew?

[lathnos46]

Good for you! All good things! Maybe I will try the size L Dreamwear head gear. I am wearing the medium but it does usually ride up in back. I'm having good results but maybe I could get even better. Great to read positive posts.

[Holden4th]

Your results with a bigger mask make a lot of sense now I think about it. When you sleep on your side it's your cheek bones the stick out the most and this is where the Dreamwear mask tends to sit (on my face at least). If it sits back towards your ears there is a natural depression that the sides of the mask can fit into thereby reducing movement you get when that piece is affected by touching the pillow.

I'm due a new mask from my loaner company so I'm going to get a large and try it out.

[DaisySmith]

It seems to defy logic to get a bigger mask if your current one is sliding up but I guess if it works it works, makes me wonder if I should try a large since I'm not small framed and 5'8". I am a side sleeper and sometimes I catch the band slipping up my head.

[Grace~~~]

Hi lathnos46, holden4th and DaisySmith ~~~

Thank you for the encouragement! I downloaded my sd-card immediately upon waking again this morning to see my great new results and was hit with my "old message" that tells me I have "way too many leaks and to seek help". My heart SUNK ... but only for a moment! I remembered that I actually somehow pulled my tube from my machine in the middle of last night. I must have been deep in a dream state because it took me a while to figure out what was happening and correct it. You know how you work real life stuff in to the dream sometimes? That's so crazy when that happens!

~~~anywho~~~Even WITH this episode my leak was STILL less than it has been since May with my first "properly fitted?" dreamwear mask. I am also very interested to see the pattern emerging with the possibly more real (or more accurate?) results now that the leak is fixed. They do seem different? Maybe?

I am thinking I am going to drop back in to the 8's somewhere on my minimum pressure. Unfortunately, SLEEPYHEAD only gives me 0's /zeros on the 90% leak and the 90% pressure and I have no idea how to get those very useful numbers back again? I kinda assume SLEEPYHEAD is a little broken for everyone? Or I think I read that I could create a new sleepyhead ID and that my SD card might still have those numbers on it and give them to a new ID?

I sure do hope that if you try a larger size mask that you'll post your results here on MOKI's thread.
Looking forward to other results from 'snork people' (not that there is anything wrong with elephants!


***Wish I knew how to add a snork picture. LOL ... but I still don't even know how to add my sleepyhead charts!
PRIORITIZE, Grace!

>insert Dylan Snork here<

[Grace~~~]

[palerider]

... but I still don't even know how to add my sleepyhead charts!

now that you're doing much better, and much more focused

https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead/shorganize <- organize sleepyhead
https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepy ... screenshot <- best way to take a screenshot
https://sleep.tnet.com/reference/tips/imgur <- upload to imgur, get the link and post here.

[Grace~~~]

... but I still don't even know how to add my sleepyhead charts!

now that you're doing much better, and much more focused

https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead/shorganize <- organize sleepyhead
https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepy ... screenshot <- best way to take a screenshot
https://sleep.tnet.com/reference/tips/imgur <- upload to imgur, get the link and post here.

Thank you so much, Palerider.

I will be so proud of myself when I get past my tech fears!
...new data from SLEEPYHEAD IS seeming to emerge with my leaks being so much better so now getting expert advice from you and Pugsy and others will be really interesting and useful for my future.

Thank you for not giving up on me as a waste of time.
CPAPTALK has been a real blessing.

I am SURE I would have quit cpap within a few days without this site.
I have not had one WORD of advice from any medical professional about my CPAP therapy.

I could complain and get "squeaky wheel attention" but I quickly realized the quality of information
here at cpaptalk was better than what I have access to locally from "medical professionals".

(and when I am able to apply myself more -I still have plenty of room for self improvement in optimizing cpap)

...like the dreamwear mask sizing ...
I crack up that I waited 3 months to try a new mask.
(so unlike me. They've got me all "compliant! LOL)



I think the reason *for me* that the dreamwear is better sitting way back on my face is because I am a sidesleeper and I have prominent / high cheekbones. So now the tube doesn't get crushed like it did when it rested across my cheek.