Bleep/DreamPort nasal mask review thread

[raisedfist]

It looks like on cpapshop a box of 32 ports, which is good for 16 nights or half a month, is $40. So that's a little under $80 a month if you're going out of pocket not factoring in the cost of the mask itself. I will have to speak to the DME and see if they will stock the mask and ports for me. But I'm going to try the mask out either way to see if it works as amazing as it seems.

EDIT: It looks like if you buy a pack for 64 nights worth, it costs $120 so that brings it down to $60 per month.

[Pugsy]

It looks like on cpapshop a box of 32 ports, which is good for 16 nights or half a month, is $40. So that's a little under $80 a month if you're going out of pocket not factoring in the cost of the mask itself. I will have to speak to the DME and see if they will stock the mask and ports for me. But I'm going to try the mask out either way to see if it works as amazing as it seems.

That does seem to be the going rate for the replacement ports.
The mask/hose part itself is fairly indestructible if someone uses common sense care. I am still using the one I got back in mid December and I just washed it yesterday for the first time. It's super easy to take apart and put back together.
And I just did a quick soak in hot soapy water and rinse...and that was all I did. Nothing special.

If a DME will just stock the ports...they can file insurance for the box of ports just like they would for a replacement cushion.
It's getting DMEs to stock them on the selves...or at least special order them...that is going to be a hurdle with this mask.

Going self pay for the ports....that's going to suck for people without insurance coverage or high deductibles for sure. I know it will be a deal breaker for some people and unfortunately I can't do much about that. I do expect that someone somewhere will probably attempt a DIY project to make their own replacement ports it is the nature of people to mess with stuff. Maybe someone will have some luck in that area so that people who are self pay or have high deductibles and still use this mask if they like it and want to use it.
Necessity is the mother of invention after all.

[katestyles]

Normally the price of something will come down if there is a great deal of demand for it.

I have already begun to muse on whether it will be possible to block one port and one nare and only use one disposable port per night.

I am sure I will also see if I can figure a way to reuse ports.

[Pugsy]

Normally the price of something will come down if there is a great deal of demand for it.

I have already begun to muse on whether it will be possible to block one port and one nare and only use one disposable port per night.

I am sure I will also see if I can figure a way to reuse ports.

See....I knew it would happen...it's just the nature of people.

The biggest hurdle will be finding a suitable tape/adhesive that will stick well enough to the skin (and not take off layers of skin when removed) that can stay stuck all night...and figuring out some way to attach the plastic port thing to the tape/adhesive so it stays put too.

Gotta get 2 really sticky things done at the same time....it will be a challenge but I don't doubt that someone somewhere sometime will attempt it. I really haven't had the time or energy to do much in that area myself. Just too much life stressors messing with me right now.

The only hint I will give people is when removing the old adhesive from the plastic part...wait a day or so before pulling it off...comes off a lot cleaner if you wait a day or so. Don't take the mask off in the morning and immediately try pulling that adhesive off....it won't come off so great or cleanly.

[raisedfist]

It looks like on cpapshop a box of 32 ports, which is good for 16 nights or half a month, is $40. So that's a little under $80 a month if you're going out of pocket not factoring in the cost of the mask itself. I will have to speak to the DME and see if they will stock the mask and ports for me. But I'm going to try the mask out either way to see if it works as amazing as it seems.

That does seem to be the going rate for the replacement ports.
The mask/hose part itself is fairly indestructible if someone uses common sense care. I am still using the one I got back in mid December and I just washed it yesterday for the first time. It's super easy to take apart and put back together.
And I just did a quick soak in hot soapy water and rinse...and that was all I did. Nothing special.

If a DME will just stock the ports...they can file insurance for the box of ports just like they would for a replacement cushion.
It's getting DMEs to stock them on the selves...or at least special order them...that is going to be a hurdle with this mask.

Going self pay for the ports....that's going to suck for people without insurance coverage or high deductibles for sure. I know it will be a deal breaker for some people and unfortunately I can't do much about that. I do expect that someone somewhere will probably attempt a DIY project to make their own replacement ports it is the nature of people to mess with stuff. Maybe someone will have some luck in that area so that people who are self pay or have high deductibles and still use this mask if they like it and want to use it.
Necessity is the mother of invention after all.

$60 a month is a lot but if it truly is basically the 'perfect mask' it may just be worth it considering I will be wearing a mask of sorts for the rest of my life. I'll be ordering the mask today and will give my review when ready.

[Pugsy]

$60 a month is a lot but if it truly is basically the 'perfect mask' it may just be worth it considering I will be wearing a mask of sorts for the rest of my life. I'll be ordering the mask today and will give my review when ready.

Do keep me posted and please feel free to contact me if you have questions or special issues....I am really interested in your results because of your extra pressure needs above what most folks are using. I don't know that it has been tested much on a machine like yours with pressures like yours. Will be a good experiment to try and be able to report back on how it holds up to some rather significant pressure needs.

[raisedfist]

$60 a month is a lot but if it truly is basically the 'perfect mask' it may just be worth it considering I will be wearing a mask of sorts for the rest of my life. I'll be ordering the mask today and will give my review when ready.

Do keep me posted and please feel free to contact me if you have questions or special issues....I am really interested in your results because of your extra pressure needs above what most folks are using. I don't know that it has been tested much on a machine like yours with pressures like yours. Will be a good experiment to try and be able to report back on how it holds up to some rather significant pressure needs.

Will do...right now in S/T mode with AVAPS enabled. IPAP min 18, IPAP max 25, EPAP 6. Hopefully the PS doesn't blow it across the room . Using a FFM right now but if I can use a nasal mask that works maybe I will be able to bring down the average pressure required.

[Pugsy]

Hopefully the PS doesn't blow it across the room

Bummer if it flies across the room and sticks to the wall.

If I don't forget....yeah right...tonight I will fire up my PR S1 760 and try 25 IPAP and 18 or 19 EPAP and see what happens.
I know it probably won't be a pleasant experience since I am used to 7/4...but I can probably at least give it 5 minutes or so and see if it ends up across the room or not.
The main problem more likely is getting me to remember to do it. I get good ideas and 15 minutes later they are totally gone until weeks later when I promised to do something and I realize I didn't do it. It's hell getting old but beats the alternative.

[raisedfist]

Hopefully the PS doesn't blow it across the room

Bummer if it flies across the room and sticks to the wall.

If I don't forget....yeah right...tonight I will fire up my PR S1 760 and try 25 IPAP and 18 or 19 EPAP and see what happens.
I know it probably won't be a pleasant experience since I am used to 7/4...but I can probably at least give it 5 minutes or so and see if it ends up across the room or not.
The main problem more likely is getting me to remember to do it. I get good ideas and 15 minutes later they are totally gone until weeks later when I promised to do something and I realize I didn't do it. It's hell getting old but beats the alternative.

Well, when I see the really old people struggling to do the most basic things...the alternative starts looking pretty good .

Me, I don't often forgot I was going to do something...I just procrastinate and don't follow through.

[Pugsy]

I remembered to do the BiPap at high pressure experiment. Just got done.

I got my PR S1 760 out and set it to EPAP 18 and IPAP 25 with PS of 7. I managed not quite 50 minutes...whew was that ever a work out.

The Bleep performed flawlessly and never leaked and didn't try to come loose and I hadn't even washed my face yet.

Respironics machines give you 2 leak lines on the leak graph...the top line is the total leak line (vent rate plus any excess leak) and a bottom leak line for excess only approximation. You can't see a bottom leak line because there weren't any excess leaks at all. Flex was off...the vent rate top line varies a bit because the pressure varied with that much PS.
It never even tried to come loose.
The top leak line is vent rate only...it never leaked at all. I did have the diffuser on but didn't think to remove it to see if it made much of a difference but with past similar experiments with the diffuser on and off....didn't make much difference. I have already put the machine away or I would do another test. I have the filter taped over the vent holes with a tiny bit of double sided tape with special care for the tape to be no where near the vent holes.

It never even thought about flying across the room...

Note I did have one central flagged and one OA flagged. I was totally awake...sitting upright on the couch playing a stupid game on the iPad and watching TV. Never even got sleepy. Totally SWJ and not real events.

Bleepbigpressures.JPG

[palerider]

It never even thought about flying across the room...

Ya know, all this hyperbole that some people spout, "gale force winds" "flying across the room", etc. The exaggerations don't help anybody do better with their masks... (I'm not grumbling at you...)

Fact is, at my pressures, which most people would consider 'high", when I take the Bleep, or the P10 off, and drop it on the pillow, with the machine blowing at full force....

It just LAYS THERE.

[djams]

Note I did have one central flagged and one OA flagged. I was totally awake...sitting upright on the couch playing a stupid game on the iPad and watching TV. Never even got sleepy. Totally SWJ and not real events.

Bleepbigpressures.JPG

Must have been getting into the game! Maybe holding your breath while helping Mario get around the hairpin curve?

[prodigyplace]

Note I did have one central flagged and one OA flagged. I was totally awake...sitting upright on the couch playing a stupid game on the iPad and watching TV. Never even got sleepy. Totally SWJ and not real events.

Bleepbigpressures.JPG

Must have been getting into the game! Maybe holding your breath while helping Mario get around the hairpin curve?

That's her truck driver husband's name?
It must be quite exciting driving a big rig around a hairpin curve at speed!

[raisedfist]

Dang that is really impressive to have such a low total leak rate for such high pressures. I will have to order the mask tomorrow. I have tried using the P10 before but even with low leaks on SleepyHead I still wake up feeling really bad. I think I exhale though my mouth which I'm not sure if that is problematic. I did mouth tape for a while but that caused me to have stomach issues/gas which was annoying.

[katestyles]

I am sure I will also see if I can figure a way to reuse ports.

I figured out how to reuse ports!


Just leave them on! OK, it might look a little weird, but it will save me hundreds of dollars.