New Member, Question about Hybrid Mask

[Stanley56]

Hey all. Been reading this board for about a week and have a question about the Hybrid mask. I am a mouth breather who gets nose bridge inflammation from full face masks that I have tried. Yesterday I received a Hybrid mask from my DME for a tryout. After some experimentation I found what I thought was the right combination of mouth piece and pillow sizes. I tried it out and got good seals all around with no noticeable leaks. The problem was the noise the mask was making. It sounded like it was leaking, but I couldn't find a leak anywhere. I finally decided that the leak like noise was just the normal noise the mask made. It was too loud to even try and sleep with so I went back to my Mirage Quattro for the night.

My question is, is this mask just loud in general or did I likely have a leak causing the noise that I couldn't locate? Has anyone else had this experience with the Hybrid?

Thanks in advance for any answers and thanks in general for all the good info provided by this board.

[chunkyfrog]

It depends on where the airflow is coming from.
It's a good idea to look at a mask before you put it on, and determine where the CO2 exhaust vents are.
This is the only place you should feel much airflow. I found the Liberty hybrid I tried had a poorly attached seal,
which was very noisy, leaking air where the seal attaches to the frame (because it wasn't)
The multi-size original Hybrid mask has a row of holes across the front top of the main frame, where exhaled air is
supposed to escape. That can be a bit loud too. Those who love the mask get used to the sound.

[Sheriff Buford]

Froggie... it seems that I am right behind you today.... The leak is probably the venting that your mask and everyone's mask does. It just may seem more noticable to you. Be sure you get your leak data, so there are not any un noticeable leaks.

Sheriff

[Denial Dave]

plus, the sound from the mask vent will tend to be even louder if you have pressures over 15.

if your mask is pressed against a pillow, it will get even louder.

[Stanley56]

Thanks for the replies guys. My pressure is currently set to a range of 9-17 and my 90% average is 9.8. Also my ramp starts at 4 and the noise is present even at that low level so I don't think it's the pressure level.

I see the six small air holes across the top of the main frame and this is where I decided the noise must be coming from. I suppose I could briefly cover those holes and see if the noise goes away. There is also a larger hole in the portion of the mask that attaches to the hose with a small plastic flap that appears to be designed to move back and forth to sometimes leave the hole open and sometimes cover it. I'm not sure what the purpose of that is, but I suppose it could be another source of the noise.

I guess I am still wondering if the Hybrid is considered by most to be an exceptionally loud mask or should I continue to work with it and look for leaks. The noise compared to the Mirage Quattro I've been using is very loud. It's not something I think I could get used to and not something I want to subject my wife to. It sounded like a 747 taking off.

Any other Hybrid users out there that want to chime in?

Thanks again.

[BlackSpinner]

I see the six small air holes across the top of the main frame and this is where I decided the noise must be coming from. I suppose I could briefly cover those holes and see if the noise goes away.

No don't, they move the CO2 out.

There is also a larger hole in the portion of the mask that attaches to the hose with a small plastic flap that appears to be designed to move back and forth to sometimes leave the hole open and sometimes cover it. I'm not sure what the purpose of that is, but I suppose it could be another source of the noise.

your anti asphyxiation valve. I found with my new Hybrid I need to cover it for a second to get it to slam shut other wise it is noisy.

I guess I am still wondering if the Hybrid is considered by most to be an exceptionally loud mask or should I continue to work with it and look for leaks. The noise compared to the Mirage Quattro I've been using is very loud. It's not something I think I could get used to and not something I want to subject my wife to. It sounded like a 747 taking off.

Any other Hybrid users out there that want to chime in?

Thanks again.

You must have something not seated right because mine is quieter then the old Quatro I have.

[Sheriff Buford]

I second the "not covering" of your vent. You may not wake up the next day. Stay with the mask if you are leak free. You'll get used to the noise, but finding a mask that is comfortable and doesn't leak is the key to successful cpap therapy. The flap in your hose or mask is to prevent backflow (up the hose) when you breath out.

Sheriff

[SleepWellCPAP]

Hello Sheriff,

Regarding the hybrid style of mask, I have found most of the leakage to come from the nasal pillow area. In fact, when I fit someone with that mask, I advise them to look in the mirror prior to turning in at night, to make sure the pillows are centered over the nasal passage. I don't want to discourage you from trying this mask, but it is one that is very difficult to work with. My guess is that the spacing from the top of the cushion and pillows changes whenever pressure is applied to the mask or headgear.

The posts already made about the air entrainment port are absolutely correct. That is the only area where you should feel air coming out. If, as you say, it sounds like a jet airplane taking off, there is definitely something amiss. You might look at how the pillows are installed, and make sure the cushion is seated correctly in the frame. It might just be the wrong mask for you, if you can't get it to be quiet. When I fit masks, I use my ears as much as my eyes.

Good luck, make sure to post any progress.

Jim

[Stanley56]

Thanks for the warnings, but I did say cover the holes briefly. By briefly I meant five or ten seconds just to see if the noise went away. I wasn't planning on sleeping that way, but I sincerely do appreciate the concern. Better to be safe than sorry as they say.

I experimented some this evening and I think the noise was coming from the nasal pillows leaking when I exhaled. I tried the medium pillows and tightened the top strap to pull the pillows tighter to the nostrils and that seemed to help. I'm going to try it again tonight.

[Pugsy]

Nasal pillows a little unsteady sometimes.
Check out Roosters tights trick. Helps stabilize the pillows without having to use too much tension on that strap.
wiki/index.php/Hybrid_Mask_Modifications

[Eureka]

I would like to second Pugsy's link -- It is Rooster's suggestions and I found it quite helpful.
It seems to me that if the swivel on the front is pointed upward it makes more noise. I try to keep it pointed down. A couple of times the oxygen inputs on the front ( one on each side) came unplugged and from my side of the mask I couldn't tell what was going on. Big leak.
Hope you can conquer this mask. It is a good one.

[BlackSpinner]

Yes - an extra strap is what I use too. I use lingerie elastic across the pillows. My upper lip is long and my nose tilts up. If I don't use the strap I have to tighten the side ones too much for comfort.

[Stanley56]

There is also a larger hole in the portion of the mask that attaches to the hose with a small plastic flap that appears to be designed to move back and forth to sometimes leave the hole open and sometimes cover it. I'm not sure what the purpose of that is, but I suppose it could be another source of the noise.

your anti asphyxiation valve. I found with my new Hybrid I need to cover it for a second to get it to slam shut other wise it is noisy.


Thanks for this tip. That was definitely one of the sources of my noise. I held my finger over it and you could hear the valve snap shut. After that it was much quieter. It opened several times during the night and I would have to hold my finger over it again. Sometimes it took two or three tries to get it shut.

[LinkC]

If the nasal pillows are leaking, it could be they need to be rotated to match the angle of your nares (nostrils). Tip your head back while looking in a mirror and note the angle of your nares. Then try to duplicate that with the pillows. (Many find they need to be much more "pigeon-toed" than they expected.)

I fought with strap adjustment for several weeks until I discovered that just a small twist of one pillow made all the difference. I could loosen my straps significantly without any leakage. BTW, your nares MAY not be symmetrical. (Mine aren't.) One needs to point in more than the other.

If you are having trouble twisting the pillow "stalks" where they fit into the mouth cushion, you might want to put them together when wet. They rotate much easier with water lubricating the silicone. Turn them back and forth until they mate well with your nose (little or no air leakage). Gently take the mask off without disturbing the angle. Make note of the position so you can verify it after washing the mask (Early on I marked them with a Sharpie to ensure I got them back into place every time. By now I know what they should look like and make very slight adjustments to eliminate leaks.) I usually do the "wet fit" every time I wash my mask.

[Stanley56]

Nasal pillows a little unsteady sometimes.
Check out Roosters tights trick. Helps stabilize the pillows without having to use too much tension on that strap.
wiki/index.php/Hybrid_Mask_Modifications

Thanks for this link and thanks to Rooster for taking the time to write it all out. I have printed it out and will use it as a guide.