Dreamwear cushion/pillow noise and sizing

[musicfreak]

Hi guys,

For those of you that have tried both the Dreamwear cushion and nasal pillow can you tell me if the nasal pillows are less noisy than the cushion? When I use the cushion I find it too noisy when I exhale. I guess Darth Vader noises? I have my machine on a shelf so it isn't near me and the hose can sometimes be on the pillow and definitely on the bed but even if I hold it up I still hear the exhale noise. I am wondering if it's the mask. Those who are use to CPAP may not be bothered by it but it bugs me and I think wakes me up as I'm use to sleeping in silence. (I've been wearing ear plugs for years, though I've been taking them out because of this). I've also been trying white noise and that doesn't seem to help much.

Also right now I'm using the cushion in a size Small. If I were to get the nasal pillow does it fit about the same? Would I need a Small also?

Thanks.

[Pugsy]

If you put your fingers in your ears what happens to the noise on exhale?
Reduced, the same, increase???

Most likely if you need the small in the cushion a small in the pillows will also work.

Did you get the side fleece wraps? If so, are you using them?

[musicfreak]

If you put your fingers in your ears what happens to the noise on exhale?
Reduced, the same, increase???

Most likely if you need the small in the cushion a small in the pillows will also work.

Did you get the side fleece wraps? If so, are you using them?

Hi Pugsy,

Last night I put in my ear plugs to test the noise and it seemed about the same or worse. Would using your fingers be any different? I can try tonight.

I'm using the side fleece wraps.

Thanks.

[Pugsy]

Fingers in the ears and ear plugs are going to yield about the same results.
It's a test for conductive noise vs external noise. If any unwanted noise decreases with the fingers in the ears...the noise is external.
If it increases or stays the same it's conductive.
The Darth Vadar noise...highly annoying. Some masks seem to cause an increase in that sort of conductive noise.
I know I tried the P30i a while back and the Darth Vadar noise was so bad I didn't even want to try sleeping with that mask. I have been so spoiled with the silence of the Bleep or the P10.

Conductive noise is sometimes just a function of the mask and the machine and hose all causing the breathing sounds to be amplified.

Side fleece wraps might help sometimes to reduce the conductivity going through the DreamWear frame...it's not enough to help you.
Getting the hose up off the bed with some sort of hose management system might help.
Using some sort of hose cozy might help.

I have my doubts as to whether changing to the DreamWear pillows is going to offer you enough relief. It's simply a noisy mask for some people. We all have different tolerance levels for the Darth Vadar breathing noises. I noticed it with the DreamWear but could tune it out fairly easily. I couldn't tune it out with the P30i though and I did try.

Conductive noise is what I call noise that is in our head and it might be that you need to try a different mask in an effort to find one that doesn't cause your own breathing to be amplified and annoying.
The air in the frame itself can make the noise in the head worse for some people.

[musicfreak]

Hi Pugsy,

I may try the P10. I guess I wanted to try the Dreamwear pillows because it's interchangeable with the cushion and would make it cheaper. I cannot return any masks I try as I live in Canada.

I'm leery to try the P10 though as when I tried on the Dreamwear mask with the cushion I was also offered some pillows. I assume they were the Dreamwear pillows but I'm not sure. I took them out right away as I couldn't stand it. But maybe I have to give it another try. In looking at the Dreamwear pillows recently I see they're made out of gel and the pillows are shorter which to me would make it feel less bulky. That's what I liked about it. But if the frame of the Dreamwear could be causing issues than the P10 may be the way to go.

I was also thinking of the N30 that's suppose to be even quieter than the P10 but it is a cushion like mask and with my experience with the Dreamwear it can leak when on your side. I also find it hard at times to feel the air coming in on the outside/beginning of nostril area. I'm wondering if I will feel it less with the pillows as the air will start further up the nostrils.

In the meantime I may try my own home version of a hose manager (if it will work) to see if it helps with the noise but I doubt it.

Thanks for your help.

[dreamingofdreaming]

I use the nasal cushion and find it very quiet. If I hear noise, its air escaping from a leak. I started using liners that are made for the dreamwear full face mask, that has helped the mask from sliding around from oil on my skin at night. That won't help the darth vader noise. I also use liners on the frame part of my mask from Pad A Cheek (these fit more of the frame than the ones that come with the mask. I also use a hose cover. Hope that helps.

[musicfreak]

I use the nasal cushion and find it very quiet. If I hear noise, its air escaping from a leak. I started using liners that are made for the dreamwear full face mask, that has helped the mask from sliding around from oil on my skin at night. That won't help the darth vader noise. I also use liners on the frame part of my mask from Pad A Cheek (these fit more of the frame than the ones that come with the mask. I also use a hose cover. Hope that helps.

Thanks! I will look into the extra covers for the frame and hose.

[JXG]

DreamWear (and other similar masks with the hose connection on top of the head) is normally louder during inhalation, as the increased air flow rushes through the frame tubes and into your nose. It's normally relatively quiet on exhalation. Makes me think maybe the cushion is not properly sized? Have you tried the Medium cushion?

[ger365]

Here is my 1/5 of a dime on this.
I sometimes get more noise with the cushions...needed to tighten back strap or readjust it when it slides up.
But, noticed I here a lot of noise when I lay on my side and the side of the mask isn't completely blocked off by my hed weight....Ya I know I left myself open for jokes...lol
The pillows seem quiter for me but, hard on the nose.
Hope this helps Ya'll...