How many masks did you try when you first started?

[ewl]

Hi:

I'm curious about how many masks you "tried" when you first started CPAP (say, within your first 30 days?)-- and how long did you give it before you decided it was time to try another?

Here's my deal: will have been on CPAP for two weeks tomorrow. Used a ComfortGel nasal for the titration, and so that's what the DME wanted to give me when I went for the fitting. The only other option was a nasal pillows mask, but when I mentioned my deviated septum (can breathe, though--) they steered me away from that. The "fitting" was done sitting up under pressure, which of course meant when I got home that night and was laying down, nothing "fit" right. After some days of fumbling, loosening straps, and wearing a small patch bandaid on the bridge of my nose every night to reduce the redness, I have it so it "mostly" fits OK but still leaks when I roll over, etc., until I move the right way to stop the leak. So it's sort of a love/hate relationship with this thing now, but I have already invested 2 weeks in it.... so: how long do I give it?

I asked my DME about trying something else (and mentioned Swift LT specifically), and here's what they said:

I am sorry to hear about your mask issues. One thing to remember is that the top straps of your mask shouldn’t be on too tight. The forehead piece should just be resting on your head, not any tighter or it will cause pressure. If you are doing everything correctly, which it sounds as though you are, a different mask would be the next course of action. You can contact our office to schedule a time to be refit by a technician. The technician will have different samples for you to try on and the selection is dependent on what our vendors provide as “samples”. I will make sure that we have a nasal pillows mask and a different type of nasal mask for you to try on.

Certain manufacturers have a 30 day guarantee for select masks but there are some restrictions on the policy that prevents abuse or fraud. In order to comply with those restrictions, it is important that we discuss the issues you’re having with the mask, make a recommendation, and properly fit you for the mask. Simply exchanging a mask because you don’t like it and want to try something different is not considered a valid reason for return. In the event you wish to keep both masks to compare, we only ask that you return one mask to us within a reasonable timeframe.

What "abuse or fraud" has to do with trying another mask, I sure don't know... and HELLO, the only reason I would not "like" a mask and would want to exchange it is because it DOESN'T FIT! so how that isn't a valid reason for return is beyond me.

So what do I do... stick with the ComfortGel a while longer? Give it back and try something else that could be better, but could also be worse? Hold off until I'm eligible for a new mask and then try something else? This sure is a confusing and frustrating process. Thanks for any advice.

[rubymom]

Don't let them get you all worked up. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if there are people out there who ask for new masks for the sole purpose of selling them for their own profit.

But you've given it a good try. She's acknowledged in the first paragraph that a new mask is the next course of action. Don't pick apart the rest of the note. Just take her up on her offer to contact the office and schedule a refit. Hold her to bringing the nasal pillows mask and move on.

In specific answer to your question, I'm on my second mask, I immediately knew I didn't like the first one that completely covered my nose and mouth so moved to one that is better. I am having some leakage issues with it around the nose so for me it's time to try some of the suggestions I've read here before trying another mask.

Good luck!!

[Pugsy]

Does 45 minutes during titration count as mask trial?
Tech tried to use some unknown nasal mask. The pressure across the bridge of my nose and cheeks caused immediate nasal congestion and a headache within 30 minutes. Bailed out.
Asked for Nasal pillow trial which was what I had originally told him I wanted any way. He had the Optilife nasal pillow system available. I completed the titration study using it and came home with it but the pillows given were size medium and I needed a small in that mask. Got by a few days with Optilife but the head gear is really too big for my head and I couldn't seem to get the "chin strap" to line up and size down appropriately so I picked up a Swift LT for Her from DME. Works much better on my small frame. My leak rate was immediately cut in half.

I have a Hybrid to try but last time I tried it I had major aerophagia and haven't had the guts to try again. Only want it available for when nose is completely congested.

I have a Nasal Aire II prong system that I rather like but I am awaiting a chin strap so that I can modify the head gear so I only use the tubes and a chin strap instead of the whole head gear regiment.

All this since I started treatment May 23. The Hybrid is on loan from someone kind enough to let me try it since it didn't work for them. The Nasal Aire II prong system I bought on cpapauction.

Right now the Swift LT is my mask of choice. My thoughts are "you never know till you try". If the nasal pillow system intrigues you and your septal deviation doesn't create a problem, why not try it? My DME (who I got the Swift LT from) told me I had 60 days to trade it in and keep trying masks if it didn't work. The tech at the titration study didn't want to let me try the nasal pillows. Said they caused extremely sore nares which would take 2 to 3 months to get used to. He was an idiot. Never had anything more than tiny bit of tenderness directly related to how tight I crank down the straps.

Go to your DME, go through some different fittings and make them use pressure with the fittings. See if something else might feel better. You won't know unless you try. If they don't have a brand you are interested in, check cpapauction for used or new (seem to run about half price). Or ask someone here if they have an unwanted/unused mask they would let you try. There are some test drives going around.

[TheDreamer]

Too many to count off the top of my head....

I had optilife for titration, so that's what they gave me to start with. After a couple weeks I went in and talked about getting a different mask. That's because even though my AHI was nice (it wasn't at first, but I got software and saw the data and did stuff to make it better...like sleeping with my hand holding the mask so it wouldn't leak).

I tried some nasal masks, sitting up with pressure (though don't know what pressure)....walked out with FlexiFit 407. But, that night..laying down it shrank...(or my nose got wider)....so it wouldn't seal. Back to DME, they came out with a ProfileLite held it to my face and said that should be wide enough and said that'll do until I'm eligible for a new mask in 6 months. That worked good....until the it ate a hole in my nose, which then got infected.... MRSA.

I was then starting to asking for advice on masks to try on here and checking out cpapauction....acquired a few masks.... Mirage Vista (because it avoids the nose bridge), got size based on cpap.com sizing tool...but it was the wrong size...changed to other seal size, still not quite right and other issues with the mask design.

During the MRSA infection, my doctor told me to not use CPAP for a couple of weeks, though when the Mirage Vista showed up, I used that for a few nights.....doctor then told me to go back to DME and find a mask that didn't contact my nose bridge. The DME gave me a trial of the Opus 360 to try for a couple of weeks. I didn't like it, and the longer I tried it the worse I felt about it. I was continuing to acquire masks on cpapauction....Ultra Mirage FFM, FlexiFit 405 and then I saw/read about the ComfortLite II....that looked like the nasal pillow mask for me. So I won one...and switched to using that. After a week I knew it was the one...and went back to DME to return the Opus 360 (also tried a few times to return the Profile Lite, but no luck).

I briefly tried the 405, while cpap.com said it should fit (while it said the 407 wouldn't)...I found that I didn't like it. At the DME, they had a demo of the CL2 which they let me have and sold me a new nasal pillow. This basically gave me the extra to play around with modifying it...which makes it even better. And, it continues to be the mask that I use. Though I have still acquired a few more masks along the way....though I haven't actually tried any of them yet.

Ultra Mirage II Nasal, ComfortGel Nasal, and Breeze Nasal Pillow. And, there are other nasal pillow masks that I've looked at trying. My latest is that I want to find a full face mask for backup....and 6 months was a month ago...so I could be looking to get a new mask from the DME. Last time I was there I asked about the FitLife....I think the next time I drop in...I'm going to ask about the FullLife.

So how many was that?

The Dreamer.

[Babette]

8 masks in 6 weeks. Couldn't get anything to work all night every night. They hurt, they leaked, they shifted....

Found the Nasal Aire II, and haven't looked back.

Free test drives for this mask and others can be found in the links below in my signature block.

Good luck!!!!
Barbara

[Catnapper]

I bought 13 masks before I found the right one. In the first month I used 5. Now I like the Headrest - with the headgear removed and replaced by a home-made one. The mask I used most before that was the Activa. I had to quit that one when I changed to a bi-pap. That makes the mask too active!

Catnapper - Joanie

[Wulfman]

Not counting the mask I used during the sleep study (titration), the answer is.......ONE.

I did a lot of studying and comparing before I selected my Ultra Mirage Full Face......so I either did my homework correctly or got lucky.......because it's the one I've used almost exclusively from the beginning. I've tried three others, but none compare.


Den

[Handgunner45]

Counting the one that I used in the sleep study??????????????? That would maki it one......The UMFF........never found a reason to try another.

[jdm2857]

The technician will have different samples for you to try on and the selection is dependent on what our vendors provide as “samples”.

That sentence got me. The masks we have for you to get fitted with are the ones that we can get for free. Not all the masks, or even the ones that work for the most people.

Shouldn't any DME have samples of all the masks in all sizes and a sterilization system so that the samples can be re-used? But that would mean the DME would have to work for their money. Silly me.

[drj130]

Shouldn't any DME have samples of all the masks in all sizes and a sterilization system so that the samples can be re-used? But that would mean the DME would have to work for their money. Silly me.

Wouldn't that fall under the common sense rule? As we all know, that is something that isn't used much lately.

[Muse-Inc]

...how many masks you "tried" when you first started CPAP (say, within your first 30 days?)...

ONE!!! I loved the OptiLife mask used in my split-night PSG (17 mos ago) and I wore it up until 3 nights ago. I'd still be wearing it if I didn't have this blasted lip leak thing going on. Great mask! The Hybrid's not so shabby either.

[robertmarilyn]

Shouldn't any DME have samples of all the masks in all sizes and a sterilization system so that the samples can be re-used? But that would mean the DME would have to work for their money. Silly me.

Wouldn't that fall under the common sense rule? As we all know, that is something that isn't used much lately.

In Feb, the tech that ran both of my sleep tests, was very upset during my titration test since she was only allowed to use masks on me that were set aside for the titration tests and none of them fit me. More masks were available but she wasn't allowed to use them because the DME/doctor wouldn't let her. Since the two masks that came closest to fitting me were too big for me, they were cranked down really tight and hurt a lot.

Before my titration test in June, with a new doctor/sleep center, two weeks before the titration, the lab sleep doctor spent two hours fitting me with masks to find a mask that would fit me. Then I was able to use the mask for two weeks at home so that I was very used to it during my titration test. The first doctor/sleep center couldn't have done that exactly since I didn't get a machine until after my first titration, but at least they could have had masks in enough sizes and types that one would fit me. They got a LOT of money out of my two sleep tests and equipment that would fit me (the patient) should be a high priority.

mar

[Bert_Mathews]

Lets JUST SAY I have Closet full and I stopped counting at 10 but had a few after that... ALL at COST!!!
BERT

[lfzguud]

How many? Ten or more. I've tried every variation possible. I use the oracle 452 the most as it's natural for me as a lifetime scuba-diver to have that in-the-mouth breathing.
Can't wait to try the new FITLIFE Total mask - the full face one that is REALLY full face.
Ditto on the problems with masks that ride on the nose, don't seal, etc.
Try all the ones you can until you find THE ONE that fits you and your sleeping style best.
DO NOT SETTLE FOR THE ONE THEY 'GIVE' YOU. Also, they don't fit better over time. Either they fit right or they don't and you'll know within a night or two. Take them back as fast as you can.

[LSAT]

I have used only 1 mask.....Comfort Gel Nasal...It was the first mask my DME asked me to try. I am on my second mask in 10 months. I find it forms to my face very easily...rarely leaks.