New Respironics ComfortCurve

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon May 23, 2005 5:48 am

That was my last post - forgot to log in.
Catch ya'll later
Patti

AllShookUp · Post by **AllShookUp** » Mon May 23, 2005 5:54 am

Ok, I don't know what happened but those last 2 posts were mine. I really did think I slept pretty good last night too!

mikemoran · Post by **mikemoran** » Mon May 23, 2005 6:06 am

Okay went with the moleskin last night without the pad. worked great at first then woke up feeling like my cheek was being cut. Might have been from cranking down the pad so much previously.

Tonights experiment is to remove the pads altogether and use my Swift headgear. I am slipping it on right by the elbows. I really want this to work, the interface is not painful like the nasal pillows are for me. I just need to get it sitting right.

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Mon May 23, 2005 6:06 am

rested gal wrote:Perhaps it's just a matter of face size (average woman's face, here) but a goodly portion of those huge cheek slabs were uncomfortably on my cheekbones, not just resting under them.

VERY FUNNY!!!

RG,
Perhaps, we need you to translate the company literature so that it uses language that is more accurate to what the interfaces are actually like.

DrDroopy · Post by **DrDroopy** » Mon May 23, 2005 6:19 am

So last night I had the Saran Wrap gaskets and the mole skin on the cheekpads. I decided to have a go without the It Stays to see if the moleskin allowed for an adequate seal. I've realized with using the moleskin cheekpads that the silicon pads made the mask sit too far off my face and that was really messing up the seal for me, especially when I rolled onto my side. The seal was better with the moleskin but still too leaky. So part way through the night I rolled the It Stays adhesive on my skin and that did the trick. I had quiet (no hissing at the joints), comfort (moleskin cheekpads worked well for me) and a good seal. I logged 8 hours on the machine and I think I slept most of the time. I'm going to bring the computer card into the medical supply place to get it read and be sure that the AHI reading is good, but at this point I believe that for me, the search for sleep is over, at least until something better comes along. I was disappointed, though to see that it didn't work out for you mikemoran. I had my fingers crossed and logged on this morning specifically to see if it you posted. Keep innovating!

AllShookUp · Post by **AllShookUp** » Mon May 23, 2005 7:44 am

Don't worry guys, you will finally get it adjusted right for you. This is definitely one comfortable mask once you find what works for you. For me I had to completely remove those annoying pressure points. I have slept for 5 nights with no problem now.

mikemoran · Post by **mikemoran** » Mon May 23, 2005 8:14 am

DrDroopy I think I actually bruised my cheek when I tightened down the silicone pads too much before. The moleskin approach defintiely gave a much better fit. Trying the head band until my cheek feels better. I think part of it is my facial structure it is a little broad. I think I need a Comfort Flat instead of a curve

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon May 23, 2005 11:10 am

I've just read DrDroopy's description of Saran Wrap gaskets, mole skin and It Stays adhesive. I never ever expected to find anyone who was more determined than I was to make the ComfortCurve work for them, no matter what it takes; but now I know I found him, and I am extremely grateful for the encouragement it provides for me to keep going.

I just received my first machine, a ResMed AutoSet Spirit, 5 days ago along with the requisite Ultra Mirage mask my sleep center had been prescribing for many of their patients. I had read everything I could find about the new ComfortCurve, and I was positive from the promotional materials (and of course the testimonials on the Respironics site) that the timing of its release was some sort of good omen, that it would the most comfortable, least intrusive and least claustrophobic mask ever invented. I practically begged the doctor's office at the sleep center (Stamford Hospital in CT) to order the ComfortCurve for me, as had one other patient. It turns out that the Respironics rep was a little thrown by the information that the center had to learn of the existence of the ComfortCurve from patients rather than from him! Perhaps that's why he quickly gave the sleep center two ComfortCurve units, one of which I was fortunate to be the recipient of. The sleep center was eager for my feedback, particularly since they normally would give a new mask to an experienced CPAP user for trial.

My first night trying out the ComfortCurve happened also to be my first night using the APAP, with the single exception of the titration study. It took about 10 minutes before the LCD display showed that the fit/leakage was "very good" (= ****). It was indeed quite comfortable, and it was the first time I can remember in my 63 years that I didn't even wake up for a call of nature;normally it's been at least 2 or 3 time during the night. (The doctor had told me that would happen, but at the time I didn't believe him.)

The next night, I spent 35 frustrating minutes trying to get a "****" or "*****" (= excellent) fit/leakage reading, trying all three sizes of the nasal cushion, every angle of the cheek pad supports and headgear straps at different tightnesses. Nothing I did gave me a good reading, even though I had succeeded in fitting it in such a way that I wasn't aware of any leaks.

What was then even more frustrating was that I decided, at least for that one night so that I could get some sleep, to use the Ultra Mirage mask, even though I found it quite uncomfortable. But that one, too, after 15 minutes I still couldn't get to give me a good reading; but since I couldn't identify any leakage, I used it and slept through the night.

I am still determined to make the damn (excuse me) ComfortCurve work for me. However, last night, after again trying unsuccessfully with both the ComfortCurve and the Ultra Mirage, I located the Nasal-Aire the sleep center had used for my titration study, since the bridge of my nose couldn't tolerate the regular mask with which they started me. Okay, the Nasal-Aire wasn't my idea of unintrusive comfort, but at least my machine was happy and gave me a ***** fit/leakage reading; and again I slept through the night.

People, I REFUSE to give up on the ComfortCurve. I must be doing something wrong in placing it. Meanwhile, I like the idea of what it's supposed to do so much that I'll get my face changed to fit it if it can't fit me (not really, but as you can tell I am definitely determined)!

So, for now DrDroopy is my mentor and I shall eagerly follow in those footsteps of his which have led him closer to a successful relationship with the ComfortCurve.

In eager anticipation of the ComfortCurve at the end of the rainbow,

JOE STAMLER
Fairfield, CT

Mister Logo · Post by **Mister Logo** » Mon May 23, 2005 11:20 am

AllShookUp wrote:Don't worry guys, you will finally get it adjusted right for you. This is definitely one comfortable mask once you find what works for you. For me I had to completely remove those annoying pressure points. I have slept for 5 nights with no problem now.

What specifically do you mean by "pressure points", the silicone cheek pads?

JOE STAMLER (Mister Logo)
Fairfield, CT

PS: I forgot to log in before, so that ultra-long message from "Guest" was from me.

Mister Logo · Post by **Mister Logo** » Mon May 23, 2005 2:32 pm

Just in case this is of use to anyone else:

In an earlier posting [from "Guest", because I neglected to log in], I wrote about my lack of success and frustration in trying to get fit/leak readings of **** to **** [= very good to excellent] on the display of my ResMed AutoSet Spirit before I felt I could go to sleep.

The home health care aide from GenOx told me to ignore what the LCD showed and go by my own awareness of whether or not there are any leaks. If I'm not aware of them, I should accept the fit and go to sleep. Later today, a 2nd tier support tech at Respironics confirmed this as to the ComfortCurve; he said that's just what they tell their patients. I asked him what Respironics would consider an acceptable leakage rate for the ComfortCurve. His response was, as long as it's not over 40 L/min, I needn't be concerned.

Consequently, I'm going to give the ComfortCurve another try tonight, ignoring the LCD readout and use my own judgment as to whether or not there seem to be any discernable leaks.

Kind and hopefully restful regards to all.

JOE STAMLER
Fairfield, CT

snork1 · Post by **snork1** » Mon May 23, 2005 5:02 pm

rested gal wrote:Excerpt from the Comfort Curve interview with Justin Crout, Respironics Product Manager, Patient Interface, where he explains how much testing they do during development:
................. typically involves hundreds of participants. We test our products on real CPAP users (new and current) that wear the product night-after-night for extended periods of time.[/i]" (emphasis, mine)

Soooooo... hundreds of lab rats prior to the release didn't notice a leaky elbow? .......

Of course the other possible catches IF they are testing these on users(has ANYONE here or on other forums been involved in ANY ACTUAL pre-market testing, by the way?) BEFORE selling them:
1) Sure they get input, but do they figure they are already tooled up and too far along in the product cycle, so they ignore the input?
2) Sure they test them, but what do they ask of those testers? I am sure everyone has gotten one of those questionaires for something or another that doesn't allow you to give the input you WANT to give. e.g. only asking: "Did the Comfort Curve cause bleeding sores or cause eplipetic fits over one night. Please answer, What." to which you can only reply "What?" And their survey is complete. Obviously this is a huge exaggertion as an example. (I hope so anyway), but the point is made.

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DrDroopy · Post by **DrDroopy** » Mon May 23, 2005 6:09 pm

Hi Mister Logo,

Glad to be a source of encouragement but just to be clear, I have nice, little GIRL cheeks (which goes along with the rest of my anatomy).

mikemoran · Post by **mikemoran** » Tue May 24, 2005 5:59 am

Okay I think I finally have the solution for me. I stripped off the cheek pads and the colored curve piece. The Swift head gear slides right on to the tubing at the elbows. It allowed me to pull the interface up so my nose was pillowed by it. Was able to sleep on my side without it shifting. Went a full night with no pain and no major adjustments.

Respironics must of considered headgear versus the cheek pads at some time because the unit clearly is adaptable for it. I guess the marketing of colored curves and a new support system was more important than comfort. The square pillow interface is really spectacular. No pressure on the upper nose and no invasive nostril inserts. Now that I made it work I love it.

With the headgear the unit is light and controllable. The only additional adjustment I need to make is put a rubber band on the tube below the elbow so the rings on the Swift don't slide down the tubes. Wasn't a big problem just a potential one.

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NeurosurgeryNP · Post by **NeurosurgeryNP** » Tue May 24, 2005 6:29 am

Very interesting. I got my CC yesterday and I was going to try io out last night, but I couldn't get it perfectly right, and I gave up to my FF as I was congested - I guess it wouldn't have worked anyway. I will try again with a nap today when I get home from work, taking into acount the Swift head gear idea.
Doesn't it hurt without the silicone cheek pads though?

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AllShookUp · Post by **AllShookUp** » Tue May 24, 2005 7:19 am

mikemoran wrote:Okay I think I finally have the solution for me. I love it.

I told you guys you would get the CC right for you. Don't give up guys this one is great!
Love the ComfortCurve now
Patti

New Respironics ComfortCurve

APAP "Newbie" and the ComfortCurve

Update re ComfortCurve Fit/Leakage Stats in LCD Display