Hybrid Headgear

cflame1 · Post by **cflame1** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 6:48 pm

Well, I'm now down to using a safety pin to hold this stupid headgear together. Have sent emails to resp care's customer service and cpap.com. Hopefully somebody will be able to tell me when the new stuff will be available (or get me some). Would hate to shell out the $ for more of the old crappy headgear.

The velcro detached from the rest of the mask on one side last night.

inacpapfog · Post by **inacpapfog** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 7:26 pm

I agree cflame, the headgear material really does not hold up at all!!
I had to sew new velcro onto mine because it kept coming undone!
It will be interesting to see what the new headgear is like!

cflame1 · Post by **cflame1** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 5:17 am

Well... cpap.com responded. They still don't have any replacement parts... they expect them in the next 3 months.

oldgearhead · Post by **oldgearhead** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 6:57 am

Without a doubt, the 'beta trial' headgear, is far better than the original.
I feel very luck to have the much better headgear. In the meantime there
are a few things, your might try:

1) Get some of the new Pad-A-Cheeks. they "stiffen" up' the straps.

2) After determining the proper settings on all 5 strap positions, sew it up.

3) Get the headgear for an HC431. Warning, you may need to modify the
angle of the top straps. This is a great headgear, but the attachment angles
are very different than the Hybrid's.

4) 1 & 2 above.

5) You might try using one of those chin-straps with the chin hole cut out,
for the main sealing pressure. Just put the elbow through the chin hole,
and tye the chin-strap behind your head. Then you can wear the headgear
very loose.

6) 1,2, & 5 above.

I have tested all of these "fixes". However, the "beta" headgear is still the best solution. In fact, on cool nights, the "beta" headgear plus the PAC's is
perfect.

greyhound · Post by **greyhound** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 7:40 am

oldergearhead - I had thought about using the chinstraps with the hole in them, just as you suggested, to control leaking at the corner of my mouth. Is that why you used the chinstrap? How do you think it would work for this purpose?

oldgearhead · Post by **oldgearhead** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:41 am

oldergearhead - I had thought about using the chinstraps with the hole in them, just as you suggested, to control leaking at the corner of my mouth. Is that why you used the chinstrap? How do you think it would work for this purpose

I don't use it very often, in that manner, but I do keep the chin-strap ready.
The way I've used the chin-strap recently, is to wear it under my chin and over the top of my head. This make "chipmunk cheeks" that help to seal
the corners of the mask.

I'm doing pretty well at the present time. However, I am waking up twice
each night with a sliding mask, caused by moisture at the mouth-piece seal. I've tried several humidifier and heated hose settings, but I'm still getting a moist seal. Currently, heated hose on and humidifier heat off seems to work the best.

Maryb · Post by **Maryb** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 11:50 am

yes the old headgear is really yucky.
It stretches out over time too.
I use PadACheeks + extra velcro sewn at the top + extra panty hose straps.
Pantyhose straps: I use two. Each has a small thick rubber band tied on one end. I hook this rubber band over the end of the upper mask clip on each side and then tie the pantyhose straps at the back of my head at an angle so that the knot is behind the top strap.
I also use rubber bands to hold the pillows in place.
By the time I get all this jury rigged gear on at night, I look like something else (from another planet, that is). But I'm just trying to get the crummy headgear to work until the new model is released.

Maryb

Guest in CA · Post by **Guest in CA** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 3:22 pm

I use the flexifit headgear with my hybrid, and have that mask for when I have serious congestion. The padding on the straps has (I hope-worked great last night) solved the problem of "nose leaks." Funny how, with me at least, I don't have those leaks until after I've been asleep for about 5 hours. Mask is fine, no leaks, until much later in the night. Any ideas why?

Maryb · Post by **Maryb** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 5:32 pm

Just some thoughts....
Maybe later in the night your face muscles are more relaxed(?). Or you sweat inside the cushion which makes it slip and slide (?). Or maybe you are tossing and turning and knock the mask off kilter a little (?).
Also, later in the night people tend to enter more REM sleep and have more apnea events which would cause pressure increases if you have an APAP and the increased pressure may increase minor leaks that weren't noticeable before.

Maryb

cflame1 · Post by **cflame1** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 5:38 pm

Actually thanks to a friendly neighborhood RT (and my insurance)... I think that I'll end up with the HC431 headgear. Talked to him today about some numbers from last week and he said that they looked great.

So... he was on a hunt through their stock to get me some new headgear.

Maryb · Post by **Maryb** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 5:43 pm

cflame1-
let us know how you like the HC431 headgear--how it works with the hybrid.
I know that others said it worked pretty well.

Maryb

cflame1 · Post by **cflame1** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:31 am

Finally got it last night. It worked pretty well... however I'd forgotten to put the card back in the machine after I read it last night for the night before's data... so I'll have to wait another night for some good numbers.

Thanks Tooly!!

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:44 am

Glad it works for you Cflame! I was getting big marks from the upper clips. I removed the upper clips and tied the headgear to the upper posts. Much more comfortable this way! At some point I will try to bend the clips so they don't dig into my face.

Brenda