FINALLY Found A Chinstrap That WORKS!

[lucynethel1998]

To begin, 2 1/2 months into APAP, I quit after fighting MAJOR sinus infections. My ENT Doctor who performed sinus surgery on me a year ago ordered me to stop until cleared up. I think the BIG reason I quit was that my battle with full face masks (5 of them already!) had simply eft me frustrated to the point I knew I was done with PAP treatment period. I tried every way I could find to adapt. ENDLESS leaks with FFM of every brand, even Karen's Padacheek items ultimately failed me. Her products made the misery far more bearable, but using these masks flat tormented me. Bought 3 of the top rated chin straps at cpap.com. Only one of them helped "a little" for a day or 2 then back to the same old nightmare of cheeks puffing up & air blowing out, damned near choking me as I woke up gasping. I bought all these chin straps since I had now also bought 3 new and 2 used new type nasal pillow style masks to try. I have a SEVERE case of claustrophobia due to USMC Combat related "issues" and "experiences"… There was NO way any full face mask was going to work long term!
OK, so I get the new light & free type of masks (nasal pillows only) and settle into the Swift FX as my favorite. I feel FREE…Only problem is every chin strap I bought failed me one way or the other. My wife even bought me ace bandages to experiment with. Then bought elastic & made me a really NICE one just like the one they sell at cpap.com. By THIS time we are flat broke with my tiny pension and all this that my insurance won't cover in this short 3 month period. I never intended to get retired at 57 years of age due to injuries & disabilities! So now at 62 years of age it has been a true financial struggle to deal with new found small wages as well as recovery from too many major surgeries to count the past 5 years…Most who have read my experiences here know I also had a heart attack 2 weeks before my 61st birthday. You also may remember it was ME who refused 2 completely different heart surgeries from QUACK Doctors who completely misdiagnosed me. I researched MYSELF to discover I possibly had sleep apnea, got my doctor to order a home sleep study, and confirmed it. THIS is what damaged my heart. THIS is why I have sinus tach ONLY when sleeping. The fact my pulse raced to over 189 beats per minute ONLY while asleep left my doctors wondering WHY???? So they decide on heart Pacemaker surgery? Trust me, it took a lot of courage for me to tell them ALL to drop dead. I fired ALL my Doctors and my entire health "plan". I begin with an all new team next week on June 2nd for my first visit.

That is the background to how I got here (in brief believe it or not). Now, on this forum I see Russ and his ultimate chin strap a month or so ago, as I am giving up my APAP. Now Russ, please forgive me but I need to make a couple points. And do so honestly…I looked at this thing and thought, my GOD! This guy is INSANE!!!! Told my wife to look at "this thing"! I actually used it to show her how desperate folks must get out of sheer frustration just to survive this barbaric "treatment"? I had eve tried taping my mouth, tried those tape your chin "strips" too. Now THIS???? No way I want to now look like a mummy and feel all that around my face!

One thing led to another. I had quit for 15 days and was back to sleeping "peacefully" and more importantly, not fearing bedtime again to face all this CRAP! But something else was happening too. I began waking to suffocating, to chest pain, to rapid & racing pulse…I was "dying"…With my wifes tears, with here worry about losing me, I was a wreck. I was so ready to just "go"…I am exhausted with this seemingly endless struggle! But I look at her and her tears and decide to try one LAST thing. We both agree. Enter Russ and his terrible looking (to ME anyway) chin strap.

My worries were:
1-It looks like it would literally be painful
2-If I am claustophobic, you have GOT to be kidding that I could wear this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3-I would bake in this thing here in San Diego area next to Camp Pendleton (USMC Base)
4-It looks too thick? I will suffocate as well as bake?
5-Cost! My GOD is he insane??????????????????

Get this chin strap. What do I find:
1-It is actually not only comfortable, but "COMFORTING"! It is SO soft & quilted like, it seems to "embrace" your face. It's like the softest caress you can imagine. I am not exaggerating here.
2-To my AMAZEMENT, it is not at ALL claustrophobic. Maybe because it is so soft? It is almost like it "welcomes" you. You have to feel it to understand.
3-So far, the VERY BREATHABLE & soft fabric is FAR cooler than any full face mask I ever wore! This week the temps are mid 80's and nights around 65-70 degrees. When the night hit 75-80 I am sure I will feel some heat, but this will "absorb" it UNLIKE the neoprene material in my other chin straps…Plus this material does NOT irritate my skin!
4-The thickness is perfect. Somehow it just "works". It actually feels so good, I love putting it on. Weird I know but the honest truth. It's kind of like I feel if I race a car on the track with no seat belt or helmet? Hard to put into words, but after 3 nights of PERFECT 8-9 1/2 hours of sleep each night, I can't imagine sleep without it.
5-Cost…As soon as I opened the package, I understood. After using it this week I NOW ask how he can sell it so cheap? This is simply the nicest product I own in regard to CPAP, PERIOD.

To address a couple other points. I sweat everywhere any of my full face masks touched in a very cold Winter. I have not seat at all in this chin strap by Russ. I also has major skin irritation with all the whacky materials in all my other chin straps AND even head gear for ALL my masks. NO more with this chin strap. I simply do the following in this order and NOTHING any longer touches my skin to effect it. Also, without feeling at ALL confining, it flat makes my cheeks puffing out with air impossible. It also flat stops ANY air from escaping my mouth and more importantly, does this without ANY discomfort whatsoever. I know it may seem impossible but I was probably the biggest doubter you could find when I saw this.

1-I put on my SweatVac® Ventilator Cap - Red with Black Mesh Top
2- I put on Russ's Ultimate chin strap
3-Put on my mask
4-Sleep like a baby…

Russ, THANK you for helping me back to CPAP. Thank you for making this product and I publicly apologize for ANYTHING I may have ever said regarding it out of my ignorance…(but really, it looked hideous to me:-)). This simple yet amazing product may literally saved my life. I hate sounding so melodramatic, but this is my truth. I am back into the best sleep of my life. I don't have to wake up to my wifes tears anymore and be torn between the guilt of just wanting to die instead of living like this, or wanting to see my wife smile every morning when she and our cats wake up and see that I am alive…This chin strap, as unlikely as it is, is the one SINGLE thing about CPAP that actually is enjoyable. Who woulda thunk…
My wife and my cats, AND myself, thank you,
Mike

PS,
Just had my 4th night of PERFECT sleep. 8 1/2 hours and got the best numbers EVER. See below:
[img][/img]

[John M. Browning]

Could you provide a link to the McMillan strap please?

Thanks

USN (paroled 1991)





Nevermind, found it.
http://www.sleepguide.com/forum/topics/ ... e=activity

[lucynethel1998]

Could you provide a link to the McMillan strap please?

Thanks

USN (paroled 1991)

Sorry I should have thought of that! The website kind of made me think it was a bit of....how do I say this? Dumb? But not having a slick & polished website almost made me never try the one thing I love in PAP treatment. I mean, it is truly a miserable "therapy". And when I saw this, I thought OH GREAT, NOW A CROWN OF THORNS? Anyway, here is the link:
http://www.ultimatechinstrap.com/

At age 62 you would think I would know enough to not equate any really professional website to quality product. Especially since one really polished CPAP online retailer already reeled me in and soaked me for a product and then turned out to be a REALLY flaming snake....Russ is a genuine nice guy with a genuine product that works. I'm afraid I need to buy a dress since I am becoming his first cheerleader.......

[dae3dae3]

After looking at the video on the website all I can think is that if that chinstrap doesn't work I don't know what would. I would rather use something like that than tape. Taping freaked me out the one time I tried it.

I have had good success with the papcap.

[jonnybee]

I apologize if I'm wrong to think so, but the OP's remarks seem to exceed what a simple endorsement of a product might include. I'm always leery of such a lavish recommendation.

[OutaSync]

I believe that Rested Gal was going to try on of these chinstraps. I wonder how it worked for her.

As I looked at the photos and watched the video, I wondered if it would work with a nasal mask. It looks as though it rides too high over the top lip and would dislodge a nasal mask.

[Gerald]

Well, I agree that Mike's post might look like a "commercial" to some, but I don't think so. I'm one skeptical bugger.....but I think Mike is giving us the real story as far as he is concerned. I liked what he said....and the way he said it.

Based on Mike's "review", I just ordered a couple of the chinstraps so that I can test. I tape every night...I keep my AHI below 1.0.....and if I can find a simpler, more comfortable way, I'll chunk the tape.

If I find that the chinstrap doesn't work, I'll let everyone know my experiences......including whether or not the guarantee is honored.

If it does work, I'll let everyone know that too.

G

[chunkyfrog]

Remember the home-made underwear elastic chin strap?
I always meant to make one--out of NEW undie elastic.

[idamtnboy]

I believe that Rested Gal was going to try on of these chinstraps. I wonder how it worked for her.

As I looked at the photos and watched the video, I wondered if it would work with a nasal mask. It looks as though it rides too high over the top lip and would dislodge a nasal mask.

That was just the question I had when I started watching the first video, and then I saw him put on the Swift LT mask. Looks like it works for him with no problem. But, I just thought of something. I wonder if he has different widths available because one that is too wide could ride too high and interfere with the nasal pillows. I guess the best bet would be to order one and try it. He does offer a 100% money back guarantee. If it is too wide the feed back from having to return it would be good for him. Or, go on his website and ask him about it.

I think I may order one. I tried an ACE bandage but it rolled up into a rope almost immediately. I don't think my mouth drops open but I lose air at the corners of my mouth, so I'm taping. Paper tape works but it hurts for about 20 seconds after I remove it, and I have to clean off residue when I get in the shower.

[Bodhi]

If I find that the mask doesn't work, I'll let everyone know my experiences......including whether or not the guarantee is honored.

If it does work, I'll let everyone know that too.

G

That sounds fair enough. I know that using the PapCap dropped my AHI from 1.6 to 0.3 the first time I used it (and it's stayed between 0.8 and 0.0 ever since). So having a correctly functioning chin strap made a huge difference for me. So I don't doubt that it's possible to achieve good results with a good chin strap.

[jimnsc]

But...... $60 plus postage for a strap?

[Pugsy]

But...... $60 plus postage for a strap?

Yeah, but for a person that is desperate to use nasal interface only mask. They could easily spend that much on trying out all the others that promise to work at $20 plus S & H a pop and no money back guarantee. Some are better than others and some work better for others and some people can't stand to tape and on and on. If it became a choice between effective therapy and not, I would try to get past the mummy appearance and give it a try. I know I bought 2 kinds of chin straps totaling $40 and probably spent another $10 on various home made contraptions that didn't work all that well. So I finally did the tape thing and it wasn't so bad. I would personally probably have a problem getting past the mummy look but then again I also thought that taping sounding horrific and I could never, ever do that too.

[Gerald]

Jim.....

I agree that the price of $60 for a strap is high.....I bought two of 'em.

But, anyone who has ever been in business realizes that the cost of materials is usually minor. It's the "set-up time" that's a killer.

Innovation doesn't just "happen"......it takes hours of thought....multiple prototypes.....a "thousand decisions" to "birth" a new product....get it accepted by a skeptical public....educate that same public on how to use the product.....and then, HOPE that someone doesn't simply copy it (steal the intellectual property)....and then sell it for $9.95.

I understand......and that's why I chose to buy the $9.95 scraps of fabric with Velcro....and pay the man a $50.00 commission for solving a problem that forced me to use tape every night.

If the product works, I'll consider it cheap....and be glad that he spent the time and effort to build it for me.

If it's junk, I'll scream for my money back.....and tell everyone to avoid the product.

I want him to have my money...because I value the solution to the problem more than I value my bucks. He wants my bucks more than he wants the scraps of creatively designed fabric.

Win - Win......the way the world really works.

G

[idamtnboy]

That' kind of like the man whose big furnace quit. He called out a repairman and all he did was hit the furnace with hammer, and handed the owner a bill for $200. The owner was upset, "All you did was spend 5 minutes and hit the furnace with a hammer. That's an outrageous charge."
"OK, I'll change it."
He handed the bill back to the owner. "Charge for trip and striking furnace with hammer - $50. Knowing where to hit furnace - $150."

[jeja]

I am using a full face mask. Has anyone tried the CPAP strap with a ffm? If so, what are your impressions?

desperately looking for a solution

Thx