Mirage Quattro, Mirage Liberty

[kdoron]

I am a beginner and tested the Resmed Swift LT, but could not breath (nobody told me that if I breath from my mouth I can not use a nasal mask), so I stopped.
I have to switch to a full face mask, and have looked at the two choices - Mirage Quattro, Mirage Liberty.
I tried yesterday night the Ultra Mirage, but could not sleep (I got a used one to try which had leaks) as it hurt my face.
So if anyone has experience with the Mirage Quattro and Mirage Liberty, I would appreciate some advise.

[LinkC]

Hi! Welcome...

First, there are MANY other Full Face (FF) masks available if the quattro or Liberty don't work for you. Maybe those two are the only ones your DME offered you...but at least a dozen others are out there.

Any mask will leak until it is adjusted properly. This almost always takes more than one night. You will probably not sleep well the first night or two with any other mask you try. Especially if you are new to CPAP. The mask, the additional machine noise, and the increased air pressure ALL take some getting used to.

However, it's worth it! So keep at it...you'll see.

I have used the Liberty and would recommend it over any conventional FF mask. I could not get a good seal with it and eventually switched to the Inomed "Hybrid". It's essentially the same design...the difference is basically a matter of fit.

The problem I (and many others) have with a FF mask is it can cause soreness on your nosebridge. The hybrid-style masks (Liberty and Hybrid) eliminate that while still enclosing the mouth and nostrils.

The other option for mouth-breathers is taping the mouth shut and using a nasal interface device (they aren't all "masks"...). But that's a last resort if nothing else works for you.

Hope this helps a bit...

[GaryG]

The hard thing is everyone is different. I'm a mouth breather but I find that if I consciously sleep on my side vs the back, I breathe much less thru the mouth and can use a nasal mask (Activa LT). This was important as I wasn't able to tolerate 2 FF masks (Quattro or Comfort Gel) or nasal pillows (swift LT).

So don't give up if you're a mouth breather. Also there are hybrids masks available that work for some that have difficulty with FF masks.

In any case, as a recent newbie (still in my first month), nothing is easy. Have to be persistent.