optilife headgear

Hoover · Post by **Hoover** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 12:53 am

Hello I'm using the OptiLife mask (small) with headgear. I'm just wondering what others' experience is with this - did anyone measure your head and then give you a particular size head gear or is it all standard with the adjustments being the velcro. The plastic part that the velcro straps slide into seems like it could use modfying to make the perfect fit...

Thanks and I'm just really grateful that I've been able to be compliant.

Night 13 coming up...

girlsaylor · Post by **girlsaylor** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 2:52 am

Hi,
The optilife has become my mask of choice. However, the headgear is too large for small heads, leaving the top strap sliding down over my bangs. So, to give mine a bit of stability, I used a 4 inch piece of the loopy side of velcro, and just put one end of it underneath the top strap, loopy side up, and then down the back of my head. Slip the other end of the extra velcro 'strap' underneath the bottom (back strap that fits around the back of the head), just to keep the top strap from sliding forward on the top of my head. Think of the placement of the velcro piece in back as forming the letter 'H', laying on its side. I know I'm not explaining this well, but it's fixed it for me.

girlsaylor

Hoover · Post by **Hoover** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:34 am

Thanks - I do have a rather small head and I may need to do your H modification but the area where I'm experiencing the problem is by the chin - the strap hits at the forwardmost part of my chin rather than under it and if the plastic strips coming out of the mask were just a bit longer or at a different angle I think it would be better.

girlsaylor · Post by **girlsaylor** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:48 am

I know exactly what you mean. I had the same problem. I got a set of Pad-a-Cheeks for my optilife, which took up enough slack in the chinstrap, that it doesn't slide forward off my chin anymore. Also, the instructions for the optilife tell you to put the headgear in through the lower, more forward, slot in the plastic wings. If you put the headgear in through the upper slot, a bit more back on the tab (I know this sounds counter-intuitive!), combined with stabilizing the headgear and adding the Pad-a-Cheeks, you will possibly find that the mask fits very nicely, securely, and doesn't move around in the night. Those three things fixed it for me, completely. Please let us know how this works for you. We'll figger this out together.

girlsaylor

Hoover · Post by **Hoover** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 1:53 pm

Thanks - will try the other position. Also noticed that I had the chin strap rather tight - will loosen that up a little too.

SisterShotgun · Post by **SisterShotgun** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 2:58 pm

Oh this is good to know, I bought one of these masks today and will try all of the suggestions.

girlsaylor · Post by **girlsaylor** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:25 pm

Good for you, too, Sistershotgun. And ladies, please, if you find other fixes that work for you, post them. What works for one person isn't necessarily helpful for a different shape head and facial features. I do love the opti, though. It's so nice that it doesn't put pressure on either the upper or the lower front teeth, like alot of the masks do.

Oh, one more thing - if you do the velcro strap in back, don't make it too tight, that it pulls the top headstrap. You just want to stabilize it. If it's too tight, it will pull the whole interface up into your nose and become painful. Easy does it with that one.

Let the group know how this goes for you guys!

girlsaylor

birdshell · Post by **birdshell** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:35 pm

Thank you, thank you, thank you, girlsaylor!

I have had my Optilife for 2 nights now. The silicone does not irritate my skin (or at least, not yet!) but I've had the same problem with the chin strap staying forward.

It did help last night when I discovered that I'd had the headgear straps on upside down. Then, I had inadvertently put one strap in the farthest slit and another in the nearest one. Of course, maybe that would work for someone.

I am wondering about the interaction of the 3 adjustable portions; top of the head, side wing straps, and the chin strap. The tech who put it on me at first seemed to have that figured out. She gave me a new one, so it hadn't been adjusted at all. I will keep tweaking!

Tonight, I plan to use my velcro trick. Think of velcro rollers--they stay in the hair. So, with my ComfortLite 2, I used some sticky velcro with only the hook portion. I put the sticky sides together, and stuck one side to the offending, moving strap. The other side grabbed my hair just a bit and kept the slippery strap under control.

That H-wrap sounds interesting--did you use the cord wrap attached to the nametag clip which comes with the Optilife? For me that would be the best use of the thing, as I cannot find any way to use the thing that is at all helpful.

Hey, folks, fell free to chime in with any other ideas!

If we can once get the Optilife to stay put, I think it will be a very effective and comfortable interface/mask. And as far as I understand, there is only one adjustable headgear size.

girlsaylor · Post by **girlsaylor** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 5:19 pm

Wow Birdshell, good post!

For my piece of velcro, I used a piece of velcro that came with my bipap, for cord management. I find I like to use the little velcro/clip jobbie that came with the optilife to secure the small hose to my PJ top, to help keep things in place. Lordy, I must be a sight!

Girlsaylor

SisterShotgun · Post by **SisterShotgun** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 3:51 pm

I have a question...Okay on this mask the tube thingy hangs down in the front, and there is a clip thingy to clip to something..The downward pull on the hose thingy is bothering me a bit..Is there anything I can do to make it so it does not bother me without having to change the position of the straps?

My mask came with 2 petite, 2 small, 2 medium and two large pillows..I found I need the petite..

It is very comfortable and I can keep my glasses on and read or watch television at night before I fall asleep..Speaking of sleep, I have a serious need for a nap (I have a fever and need more sleep). I will check back later to see if anyone has posted on here

girlsaylor · Post by **girlsaylor** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:17 pm

I also found the mask very susceptible to downward pull. Maybe because it is such a minimalist design? But that's where that clip (like a name badge) comes in. i clip mine to my PJs to give it enough stability that the downward pull doesn't break the mask seal.

girlsaylor

SisterShotgun · Post by **SisterShotgun** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:56 am

Okay, last night was interesting. The chin strap on the mask kept moving forward, so I will go to a fabric store and get some velcro and fabric and make some pad a cheek things. The petite may be too small and I also tried the small and the pillows kept falling out of my nose when I turned from side to side, so tonight I will try medium..

For me the mask is like Pavlov's bell, I put the mask on and wham I am asleep in no time at all, so much for reading in bed last night

jeanc · Post by **jeanc** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:06 pm

For the Optilife you should really look at the Respironics site and read all their information about fitting and common fitting mistakes. I had problems with my straps slipping until I went to the site and found out that I needed to put my hair in a ponytail to get it all in between the two straps. Then, they don't slip at all and my hair holds them in place - I let the ponytail out once I get the mask all set. I also made some padacheeks for my mask that cover the straps and the bottom of the tubes is big enough to slip over the plastic part. I hope some of this helps somebody.

birdshell · Post by **birdshell** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 8:01 pm

UPDATE:

Gee, who would think that little name tag clip on the Velcro cord wrap would work so well? I have started clipping it to my pj's and it is a winner. I also use my standard "stuff the hose between the headboard and mattress" trick to keep it from pulling the Optilife off my nares.

I did put a two-sided Velcro hook strip onto the inside of the back of the nape strap. It is only about 2 inches long and 3/8 inch high, with the sticky sides stuck to each other and one hook side stuck to the strap. It is all I have needed to keep that strap in place.

I have also found that the hair should be pulled between the two straps. It helps to comb it back before donning the headgear. Unfortunately, when I thought that my CL 2 was the mask for me, I cut off my ponytail.

TOO LATE for that idea now, but thanks, jeanc. Someone else may find that to be the ultimate trick.

I have removed that "stabilizing chin strap" and used a tights/pantyhose strap through those slots. When tied in a starter knot around the back of my head, I find it helps to stabilize the whole assembly after being adjusted to the right tension. The pantyhose strap stays just below the mouth and above the chin. This is kind of similar to the place where the provided "stabilizing" chin strap ends up on my head, anyway, but the pantyhose strap going around my head is much more stabilizing IMHO!

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