FP HC432 Full Face Mask Mini Review

[Lee Lee]

I just used my new FP HC 432 Full Face Mask last night, and wanted to give a mini- review in case someone else is considering it.
I was skeptical at first about trying it last night; because the first FP432 I was given hurt the bridge of my nose after only 10 minutes of use. It took weeks to stop hurting. I couldn’t figure out why the seal had hurt me, since it’s this big cushy foam piece enveloped in a clear seal that’s soft. However, the DME called to say he had ordered another size for me, and I picked it up. The first one I had was a medium, which I assumed would be the right size. My face is on the small side for mask purposes (I’ve been told.). This new one was a large, and I didn’t even want to take it, as when I tried it on at the DME, there was a gaping hole under the chin. But the Lincare guy said “try it, maybe it’ll seal up for you when you lay down. You know this mask stuff is weird, and doesn’t make sense all the time.” I heartily agreed with him and took the mask.
At bedtime, I adjusted the Velcro straps several times to get a fit that was not too tight and not too loose. This took a while, but the straps felt substantial without being confining.
I lay down, again, without much hope, and lo and behold, it sealed! I was able to take some nice breaths at 9cm which is my bottom pressure on my Resmed Auto Vantage. I was a full face mask virgin, so I didn’t know what to expect. After 10 minutes the bridge of my nose hurt a little, but nothing like the medium had hurt me. I applied a strip of moleskin in the sensitive area, put the mask back on and went to sleep.
At 4:30AM, I woke with a leak at the top of my left cheek, which seemed to be caused by moisture, either in the mask or because my face was sweating a little. I was able to easily adjust the top left strap and the leak went away. I slept until 6:00AM. I liked the way you could easily get out of the mask by pulling the handy string on the right side, which unlatched the clip.
All in all, I was pleased. It was comfortable and easy to use. I am a side sleeper, who moves a lot from side to side. I only had the one leak. The big surprise here is that if you’re considering this mask, you may have to “size up” to keep it from hurting your nose.
It was also nice to wake up and not spend 15 minutes removing the tape from my mouth

[capt]

Thank you for the tips!

[DreamStalker]

Congrats on getting your 432 to work!

I will be fiddling with my 432 again this weekend. I agree that one needs to consider Biggie Sizing this mask. I also think that F&P may need to crank out an XL foam/cushion to accommodate the longer face folks. In addition, they may need to add a smaller size headgear.

I was having my leaks around the lower half of the mask last weekend. The lower strap of the headgear fits too low on the back of my neck and I think this may have caused the mask to leak in the middle of the night … as my head tilts forward while asleep, the lower straps lose tension and leaks begin to spring. I will find out if my hypothesis is correct this weekend.

Anyway, best wishes and continued success with your PAP treatment.

[MandoJohnny]

I tried the 432 large. It is very comfortable and it seals perfectly if I just lay on my back and don't move. But any movement at all and I get leaks around the chin, unless the lower strap is tightent beyond the point of being comfortable. The silicone seal tends to "flutter" when it leaks, producing an unflattering "whoopee cushion" noise! The DME is going to have me try a medium. We will see how that goes. If that doesn't work, I'm going to cycle through every FF mask the DME can get until I find one I like. I fugure that's why they get to charge the big bucks!