Help Needed with Fitlife headgear

porete · Post by **porete** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 2:57 pm

Hi everyone,
I have been a very satisfied fitlife ffm user for nearly a year. I just got my new mask and headgear and am having a VERY difficult time with the blue headgear (my previous fitlife came with the black headgear). No matter how I adjust the straps, the mask will inevitably slip down to nearly my eyes and wake me up leaking around the top. I believe it is because phillips has added some type of elastic to the headgear material. I even tried sewing velcro to the straps, but that has not helped much. I have a very small head and face, and am using the small headgear and mask, therefore I cannot order a smaller size. I am going to go back to using my old black headgear, but I know it will wear out soon, as it is nearly a year old. Any help or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.
Thank you,
Porete

squid13 · Post by **squid13** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 3:19 pm

Maybe you need the smaller head gear.

Sheriff Buford · Post by **Sheriff Buford** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 6:03 pm

I've been using the Fitlife Total mask for a few years. My head gear has always been blue...and it's a large. I don't know what color the small is, so it MAY be black. You may have gotten a small strap for a large mask?? You might call cpap.com and ask them... they are a big help. You do know that the top strap (I am not talking about the ones on the side - not the one located at the temples and inline with the chin), is suppose to keep the mask from sliding up and down. The other two straps (that I'm not talking about) keep the mask on the face. I suspect this thread is very confusing!! I very seldom adjust the top strap because my mask does not slide up and down.... but its to prevent it from doing it. Clear as mud?

Sheriff

Thinking of either deleting this response or re-wording it... oh well...

porete · Post by **porete** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 8:29 pm

Sheriff, Thanks for the info. They may have given me the large headgear for my small mask. I'll call cpap.com and ask. I also have adjusted the strap that goes across the top of the head as tight as possible, but it has not really helped.

Pap365 · Post by **Pap365** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 9:42 pm

For what its worth, I wear the small fitlife and the headgear is blue. I find that I have to pull the back part of the headgear up to get the mask to seat properly and avoid leaks at the top. Others have suggested using a sweatband to help secure the mask at the top. I've used one for a few days and it seems to help.

Sheriff Buford · Post by **Sheriff Buford** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 7:07 am

Pap365 wrote:For what its worth, I wear the small fitlife and the headgear is blue. I find that I have to pull the back part of the headgear up to get the mask to seat properly and avoid leaks at the top. Others have suggested using a sweatband to help secure the mask at the top. I've used one for a few days and it seems to help.

Good idea Pap! Porete: you might try the sweatband, and ace bandage or cut-up panty hose. Be sure to splain' to the wife about the pantyhose before hand to save you some heartache. If this doesn't work or you can't tame this mask, you may consider a different mask. As in all masks, I recogmend you try everything you can before eliminating a mask of choice. Keep me updated.

Sheriff

johnthomasmacdonald · Post by **johnthomasmacdonald** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 11:09 am

Sheriff Buford - i have to say sheriff that your cat photo really weirds me out.

porete · Post by **porete** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 11:46 am

Thanks so much for all the suggestions. How do you attach the ace bandage, sweatband, or hose to the headgear? Do you just wrap it around the whole mask?

chunkyfrog · Post by **chunkyfrog** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 12:16 pm

This might work; (or use the image as a guide) Just be sure not to cover the vent holes.
http://www.padacheek.com/PAC_AntiLeak_Strap.html

Sheriff Buford · Post by **Sheriff Buford** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 12:47 pm

johnthomasmacdonald wrote:Sheriff Buford - i have to say sheriff that your cat photo really weirds me out.

That's my wife....

porete · Post by **porete** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:07 pm

chunkyfrog wrote:This might work; (or use the image as a guide) Just be sure not to cover the vent holes.
http://www.padacheek.com/PAC_AntiLeak_Strap.html

The link helped a lot!! I'll try some hose tonight and see how it works out. If all goes well, I think I'll order one of Karen's anti leak straps.

Pap365 · Post by **Pap365** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 7:35 pm

I just put the headband over the top part of the mask like you would wear a crown. I’m not sure wrapping anything near the exhaust vents of the Fitlife is a good idea. The mask shown in the pad-a-cheek picture is a Mirage Quattro and vents differently than the Fitlife. While the Quattro needs support by the hose, the Fitlife doesn’t.

porete · Post by **porete** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 5:06 pm

I tried the pantyhose suggestion last night and it worked great! I had no problems with the mask slipping. I am going to get my friend to make me one that does not come close to the vent, so I don't asphyxiate myself. Thanks again for all the great suggestions.

nebraskan · Post by **nebraskan** » Thu Oct 17, 2013 1:43 pm

The idea of the sweatband solved my leak problems on my Fitlife mask. No leaks at a pressure of 13 even sleeping on my side.http://www.flickr.com/photos/105746770@N03/

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