Seeking Ultra Mirage Advice

[dkeat]

I have been trying on and off over the past 3 months to make it work with an Ultra Mirage. I have the largest size and no matter how high I adjust the forehead piece it still presses hard on the bridge of my nose and causes discomfort that wakes me. It also leaves red marks on my nose that last for most of the day. Looking like Rudolf the Reindeer isn't so bad, but the forehead support piece leaves DENTS in my forehead that last all day too, and they really look awful. I have tried various things like tape over my nose (causes leakage) and wadding toilet paper under the forehead support (helps but lessens the snug fit). Is it my head, or how can anyone use something like this. I know that Severeena will tell me to give up and get a HR mask, but I am wondering if there is any way I can tweak this to get a result.

[TXKajun]

Hi, David. Welcome to the weird world of UltraMirage FF masks *cue Twilight Zone Theme*

What finally worked for me was going back to Step 1 in the mask adjustment process. Wash face with good soap and warm water. Rinse well and dry thoroughly. Head to bed (this is a VERY important step! LOL) Loosen everything up on the UltraMirage mask including the bottom and top straps till they are just barely holding the mask on your face. I leave the bottom left strap unhooked from the mask....I hook that up last, after putting the mask on. Turn on the APAP/CPAP, put the mask on and then hook that last strap. Then, with the APAP/CPAP blowing, pull the mask away from your face completely, letting the soft plastic thingies blow out and then ease the mask back onto your face (Note 1: do NOT let go of the mask at this point, it will smack you SO hard!! LOL) Then, laying down on your pillow, adjust the bottom straps (tightening them) gradually on each side until you barely have a seal. Then, reach between the eyes and press the release for the forehead portion and get it as far in as it will go without forcing it. Slowly tighten the forehead straps till barely tight. At that point, again pull the mask away from your face, let the plastic thingie (please, "plastic thingie" is a highly technical term us UltraMirage FF maskers use! *G*) inflate again and ease the mask back onto your face, remembering Note 1. Finish up by tightening the bottom straps the absolute minimum to achieve a good seal. Let the inflatable plastic thingie do what it's supposed to...that's what makes the seal. Final step is sleep like a baby till morning. I don't promise you won't have to make a slight adjustment during the night if you get leaks, but this is the process that works for me.

I still get minor red marks around my mouth and nose, but they are gone by the time I finish coffee and shower, shave and get dressed. Forehead marks are minimul and taken care of by adjusting the center-of-the-eyes-release until I can barely feel the forehead supports.

Good luck.

This therapy WORKS!!!

[ITeach]

The biggest thing I have found is that I can't make it tight. I also wear Band-Aids clear spots on my nose when the redness gets bad. I like them because they don't allow air under like a regular band-aid, but they don't rip off half my nose like moleskin.

Just don't make everything too tight.

Keep at it. I love my Ultra Mirage! I can even sleep on my side or stomache now that I have everything adjusted correctly.

Good luck!
Sue

[tater pie]

I have tried sleeping with my Ultra Mirage and I'm like Severeena, give it up. I decided to go for it again last night and after an hour a a half of constant readjusting, I gave it up and put my Breeze Nasal Pillows back on and taped the old mouth shut and was out like a light until 5:30 this morning. The Ultra Mirage is a last resort for me. I've tried for months to make it work and it won't. I hope you have better luck.

[allen]

TXKajun and Iteach--
I'm so glad to hear positive things about the Ultra Mirage FF and, particularly, y'all's tweaks.

I retired mine last week because of the hideous noise from the inevitable leaks. I KNOW I was wearing it way too tight. So tight, in fact, that there was barely anymore room left to tighten any of the straps.

It's possible that, instead of the medium, I should have ordered a large because I think my mouth might be slipping out from under the mask whilst I'm asleep. I'm not sure.

I do know that I've not had any problems, even as tight as I've been wearing it, with pressure indentations or sores. The worst experience I had with face sores was when I first began CPAPing with the Profile Lite Gel. The bridge of my nose was a hideous, unsightly mess that, luckily, my eyeglasses helped hide from public view!

Allen

[Severeena]

I tried everything to get my Ultra Mirage Full Face mask to work before I dropped kicked it.

I made something that looked like a cover for a toilet seat to go under my mask to keep it from making noise and to cushion the piece for the forehead.

I never did get that mask to work.

Drop kick it. That is all it is good for.

[CollegeGirl]

Okay, I'm scared now. The Ultra Mirage FFM was on the top of my list for my next interface. I'd never heard anything bad about it. I wonder if more people have positive or negative experiences with it.

[rested gal]

Everyone's face is different. I've had good luck with my Ultra Mirage FF. Used it every night for many months until I got up the nerve to tape my lips securely shut (to control mouth air leaks) so I could use more comfortable interfaces that don't have to cover the mouth and nose.

[jdacal]

I used it for about two years. If you loosen it too much it leaks when you move around in bed. If you tighten it too much it destroys the bridge of your nose. I never got it right, but its probably one of the best full face masks out there, and my life would have been much worse without it. How's that for a contradiction.

I finally got over my mouth breathing and use the swift now, which is like not having anything on for me. After a few months the scar on the bridge of my nose is now hardly visible.

If you have a high pressure cpap setting, the mask seal will flap all night, no matter how much you tighten it. After getting the AutoPap I found I could lower my setting by 5cm and the mask worked much better, it was originally set to 16cm.

[Ric]

r g is on to something:

Everyone's face is different. .

This very morning I was at the DME getting "fitted" with a Resmed Ultra Mirage mask. Me, having read hundreds of "mask" advisories here and elsewhere, and thinking this was the one for ME! And the DME was very sure this was IT! Well, it didn't feel right, and I ended up with the Swift, which seemed comfortable, airtight, and slightly less geeky. This evening I dropped in to the web page that actually inputs facial metrics, I punched in all the appropriate numbers. OOOOPS! the Ultra was NOT moi.

Then it unashamedly recommended 3 others, one of which just HAPPENED to be the swift. Well cool. I actually plan to keep several different kinds in the drawer to fit my various moods and temperaments, well not QUITE that many. It seems silly to have just one.

OK, enuf about MY face. Back to YOUR face, have you considered losing the 'stache? (is that really you in the avatar?) I had one for almost 30 yrs, and couldn't IMAGINE myself without it. Then I went scuba diving a couple summers ago and the 'stache just HAD to go. The UP side is that the (diving) mask fit perfectly airtight. And the vacation was salvaged. And also folks quit mistaking me for one of the Mario brothers. And I think probably a CPAP mask is going to be easier to live with. You will learn soon enough there is a DOWN side: you will look 20 yrs younger than your actual age, and you will be mistaken for chick bait. Very common problem. I had to learn it the hard way. bummer.

here is the page to "fit" the measurements to a recommended mask, specifically the Activa (thanks J.G.):

https://www.cpap.com/cpap-mask-sizing.php?PNum=1795

[Severeena]

My hubby has a stache and would never shave it off. He also had a full beard and shaved it off after we got married. He is also a mouth breather and never knew it until I told him.

He does not use a full face mask and is going to ask the VA for one.

He needs to be measured.

I am finding out that most masks are what we call generic, one size fits all and that is not the case.

[dkeat]

Well thank you for all the good advice. If you can't say anything else about the Ultra Mirage it seems that using it for a time has made finally switching to some other kind of mask that much more of an enjoyable experience.

TXKajun, thank you for your detailed instruction manual. I think I am going to have to print it out and go through it step by step before I turn off the light. I'm so glad that this is an easy mask to use.

As for the moustache - it stays. My face looks like a pig's ass without it. Besides, it doesn't have any impact on the fit of a FF mask that I can tell. It all fits inside the mask.

The funny thing about sleeping with the Ultra Mirage is that my numbers look great, but I feel lousy. The last time I used it - day before yesterday - I had zero OAs but a bunch of hypopneas. The AHI was lowest ever. But I woke up with a headache. Go figure. It must be leaking like a sieve.

[Guest]

Every mask does not work for every person. I happen to love my Ultra Mirage FF. It's not my every night mask - the Activa is - but when I can't breathe through my nose, it's my choice! I get much better numbers with the FF mask - I guess no mouth leaks (eve when using a chin strap with the Activa).

[Ric]

As for the moustache - it stays. My face looks like a pig's ass without it.

LOL !!!
in fact, ROFLMAO !!!!!!
and, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!!!!

(Thanks for a good laugh. And today I really needed one.)

As for the moustache... c:{ I have no problem with it, you are right to keep it, looks fine. As for "chick bait", i am no expert, haven't a clue why some things work, some don't, and what sells. It's usually an accident of nature. The thing I missed most when I sported facial hair was eating ice cream from a cone, it never was quite the same thrill. THAT really bites.

[dkeat]

I try and tell the truth, even when it hurts