Question for Full Face Mask users

[JeffH]

After all these years of nasal pillows I'm afraid I'm going to have to go to a full face mask. If my pressure really needs to be 15 I'm noticing that even tape won't keep everything where it's supposed to be. So my question is, for people that have made this change, what mask worked for you and why/

Thanks

JeffH

[fidelfs]

Well, I have some experience on that. I have also 15 but I have reduced to 13.

I tried several full face mask and they have problems with high presure, it is difficult to maintain the seal. The best are the ones that have some silicone added to the mask such as the comfortgel full face mask (please don't believe it is comfortable). It maintains the seal better than Ultra Mirage that I tried.

Good luck with your search.

[LSAT]

Jeff....If you are using a DME, they should let you try any mask for up to 30 days. If you are not satisfied they should exchange it for another. All the major mask mfg. offer this. They replace the used mask with a new one to the DME.

[qjosea]

Hi, I use the Mirage quattro. This a pretty good mask, but like the other posters have said, if you use a DME just try several full face mask before making a decision. I will share this with you, they all leak. The more adjustments made will make the top bridge of the nose raw. I have found that if you wash your face with nozema before going to bed and after waking the soreness will go away pretty quick and the pain. You may not have the same happen, but if it does you will have the cure. I tried band aids, tapes, and lotions nothing seemed to work except noxema. Let me know if this was helpful.

[SleepingUgly]

I can't wholeheartedly recommend the Hybrid yet because I'm still in the transition period. However I can say that it's a real pleasure to (1) not having anything beating up the bridge of my nose and (2) no significant leaks. My primary issue with it is some dislodging of the pillows when I sleep, so I'm trying different "fixes" to try to keep it more secure without it causing internal nose sores. I'll be bummed if it doesn't work out.

The Quattro beat me up. The next one I'm going to try if the Hybrid doesn't work (or maybe even if it does) is the F&P 431.

[Muse-Inc]

RespCare Hybrid: great mask, no covering the nose or touching the forehead, comfort of pillows, and the oral cushion provides the security of not losing therapy air!!! Comes with 3 sizes of oral cushions, 3 sizes of pillows that can be set to 2 heights, and multiple straps to adjust the tension for your particular face to provide an ideal fit and comfort.

[dkdc]

I use the Fitlife total face mask. Also have the comfort gel full face mask which works ok, and the mirage liberty which leaks too much on me.

But your face may vary !

[terrydk]

Jeff,

I tried the Quattro as well and it left the bridge of my nose red, sleep doctor said get a different mask even though I did like the seal. I am now trying a F&P Forma which they told me is new. So far it isn't bothering the bridge of my nose but I don't think it seals as well as the Quattro without considerably more tension on the head gear, in other words I have to cinch it down tighter to get it to seal. I also have a Mirage Liberty that I haven't tried yet but my first impression is that it's going to restrict my nasal breathing more than I can tolerate. I started out at a pressue of 15 max but my sleep doctor bumped it up to 17 as I was bumping up against the 15 max more than he liked. Most of the time I am now running in the mid 16's according the 95 percentile readout.

My experience is minimal compared to many here so my input may not be worth a lot.

After all these years of nasal pillows I'm afraid I'm going to have to go to a full face mask. If my pressure really needs to be 15 I'm noticing that even tape won't keep everything where it's supposed to be. So my question is, for people that have made this change, what mask worked for you and why/

Thanks

JeffH

[cpap-wolf]

I have a pressure of 13 myself and find the Mirage Quattro full face a good mask. However, must make sure get the right size mask or can be a pain! I use a small size and find have to ensure clean shaven but a very good mask especially when new to full face

[Judy R]

I too use the Quattro, and I love it! It has a great seal and very comfortable, but, like some of the others have said, try out several different ones and see which one best suits you. Good Luck, and keep us updated.

[Ms.Snuffleupagus]

I also use the Quattro and I get minimal leaks. It is huge but surprisingly comfortable if properly adjusted. I agree that you have to get the right size. If it is too small, you may get pressure the bridge of your nose. The same if it is too tight. As well, if the dial is turned too far out, so that the mask is not parallel to the surface of your face, then you can get pressure from the inner edge of the cushion where it contacts the nose. Resmed has a sizing guide that you can print up to see which size you need.

[BleepingBeauty]

Hi, Jeff.

I used nasal pillows for a long time after starting therapy, until yet another sleep study revealed I was mouth-breathing. Tried a chinstrap and tried taping, but neither was the answer for me. So I switched to a FFM last summer.

I'd tried the Liberty early on in my treatment (late '07), but I couldn't get it to seal well. Likewise for the UMFF. (Granted, I was a very green newbie then, relying on my crappy DME, so I had no idea how masks were supposed to be fitted. I subsequently gave each of those masks to other forum members.) So my first true FFM was the FullLife, last summer. Very light on the face, no forehead piece, and I got really good data when I used it. But it did a number on my nose, even with moleskin. Very disappointing. (BTW, it was featured in a Product Challenge here, up against the Quattro. You can read the detailed reviews of each mask there.)

Next up was the RespCare Hybrid (which another forum member very kindly and generously gave to me when he couldn't make it work). Although I have to employ a "fix" with the Hybrid to keep the pillows secure, I love this mask. There's nothing over my nose, and I can mouth-breathe and not lose therapy. The chinflap seems to stabilize the mask on my face, encourages me to keep my trap shut and breathe through my nose, and I get a good leak rate most every night. Re: your concerns about needing higher pressure: FWIW, my new machine raises my inhale pressure very quickly (from 12 to about 18 most of the time, but it can go as high as 22, if needed), all through the night. I'm not aware of the intense pressure changes when I'm asleep, but if I'm just nodding off when it happens, the Hybrid kinda feels like an accordion on my face, like it's breathing. (It's not unpleasant; it's just weird. What's important is the seal is maintained.) Aside from my Swift LT, the Hybrid is the most comfortable mask I've used.

I'm due for a new mask in a couple of weeks, so I ventured to my DME recently to try some different FFMs on. (I'd really like to find a "true" FFM - i.e., one that just needs to be put on, once it's been adjusted properly, with no "fix" necessary - for backup. I tried on:

• FitLife (Respironics' whole-face mask). It wouldn't seal for anything, which was unfortunate. Talk about comfort!
• UMFF. Not bad, but nothing special; felt a lot heavier than the FitLife. Able to get a seal on it (sitting up, anyway).
• F&P 431. One aspect of this mask was very appealing to me: It's designed to go under the chin. (I like the chinflap on the Hybrid, so this is a bonus in my book.) The thing I didn't like about the 431 was the width of the mask between the eyes. It felt like much more mask on my face because of that.
• Quattro. Fit was similar to that of the UMFF, but I liked the forehead dial, and it felt lighter.

I'm going to order the Quattro in a couple of weeks, and we'll see how it goes once I'm sleeping with it. Good luck in your decision-making.

[JohnBFisher]

... Next up was the RespCare Hybrid (which another forum member very kindly and generously gave to me when he couldn't make it work). Although I have to employ a "fix" with the Hybrid to keep the pillows secure, I love this mask. There's nothing over my nose, and I can mouth-breathe and not lose therapy. The chinflap seems to stabilize the mask on my face, encourages me to keep my trap shut and breathe through my nose, and I get a good leak rate most every night. Re: your concerns about needing higher pressure: FWIW, my new machine raises my inhale pressure very quickly (from 12 to about 18 most of the time, but it can go as high as 22, if needed), all through the night. I'm not aware of the intense pressure changes when I'm asleep, but if I'm just nodding off when it happens, the Hybrid kinda feels like an accordion on my face, like it's breathing. (It's not unpleasant; it's just weird. What's important is the seal is maintained.) ...

That a hoot! That's quite an image. And it's possible we will swap mask types here in a bit...

I am seriously thinking about trying a Hybrid. I love nasal pillows, but as with you, mouth breathing was my downfall with them. I now have a Quattro. I also like it. But I need to really cinch it down to keep leaks from being an issue. So, I was wondering if the hybrid would do better.

Time will tell.

[BleepingBeauty]

... I'm not aware of the intense pressure changes when I'm asleep, but if I'm just nodding off when it happens, the Hybrid kinda feels like an accordion on my face, like it's breathing. (It's not unpleasant; it's just weird. What's important is the seal is maintained.) ...

That a hoot! That's quite an image. And it's possible we will swap mask types here in a bit...

I am seriously thinking about trying a Hybrid. I love nasal pillows, but as with you, mouth breathing was my downfall with them. I now have a Quattro. I also like it. But I need to really cinch it down to keep leaks from being an issue. So, I was wondering if the hybrid would do better.

Time will tell.

Hi, John.

Cool. Let's see how we each do with our respective new masks (if you do get a Hybrid to try). If both of us decide we prefer "old faithful" to the new guy, a trade would be a win-win.

[SaltLakeJan]

Hi Jeff H.

Like you, I had to stop wearing pillows masks. I liked them because of the lightness of the mask, but after trying 4 different styles, I developed raw spots in the inside of my nares. They were stubborn to heal and I had to stop using them.

I did buy the Full Life, it was comfortable, but almost tore a hole in the bridge of my nose. I am now using the Quattro. I like it more than any of the other masks I have tried. It did leave a red mark on my nose the first time I used it. It wasn't bad, & I put a single layer of paper tape on the bridge for a week or so. It is fine now. Like others have said, you do have do be careful about the size. I wore a medium in some of my other masks, but the R.T. who fit me with the Quattro said I should use a small. It fits and I am very comfortable with it.

Good luck in getting a good fit in what ever you choose. Jan