FullLife Sizing Guide

[BleepingBeauty]

Hi, all. I got my FullLife mask yesterday and used it last night. I won't be posting an in-depth review until I've worn it for at least another few nights. I've been a nasal pillows user since late 2007, so no doubt this mask will take some time to get used to.

The leak was a little high, but I think I know the reason for that. It seemed that, as long as my mouth was open and my cheeks were full of air, the FullLife sealed very well. When I closed my lips to swallow or moisten my teeth and gums with my tongue, it broke the seal for a couple of seconds; then my cheeks puffed out again, and all was well. I'll turn up the humidifier tonight to try to combat the dry mouth and see if that makes a difference.

Otherwise, the mask was comfortable, with the exception of the pressure on the bridge of my nose. I'm sure that's just a matter of not being used to having anything pressing on my nose, and I felt congested as a result, so I'm sure I mouth-breathed all night. But at least I wasn't losing therapy.

The sizing guide was part of the white bag it came in. I cut out each one, scanned them with a black background, and uploaded them (here) so I could post them.

Keep in mind that the mouth needs to be open for proper fitting. If you want to print and actually cut them out, make sure the pic is at 100% and fits a full sheet of paper. If you just want to wing it and cut out your own, the measurements of the openings are as follows:

Small:
Height 3 1/4"
Width 2 13/16"



Medium:
Height 3 11/16"
Width 3 7/16"



Large:
Height 4 1/4"
Width 3 3/8"

[SaltLakeJan]

Hi B.B.

Congratulations on getting the "wonder mask". At least, we all hope it will be a wonder. I'm waiting for your report after using it for a while. Good information on the sizing.

Jan

[DannyP]

Good Morning BB. Thanks for posting the sizing Guide. I have the FullLife Mask on Order and should arrive in a couple weeks via UPS. Just a Few questions for you though. You said that the Mouth needs to be open during Fitting. Does that Imply that you need to sleep with the mouth open with the Mask. I would think you would need to fit the mask with the mouth closed as you still breathe through the nose mostly with any Mask. It is understandable that the bridge of the nose will be sore and I have ben using Nasal pillows since 2007 also. When my Mask arrives I might put a Band aid on the nose as a precaution. I can hardly wait for my Mask to arrive. Also you mentioned Dry Mouth ( Mouth Breathing ). I would assume One needs to retrain yourself to keep the Mouth Closed woth the FF mask. I will continue to use the chin strap with this new mask. Were you using a Chin Strap with the FullLife mask ? Once again thanks for the Post. Have a good Day.

[socalmonkey]

Congratulations on your new mask!

I will be very interested to hear your comments in the days ahead. Hopefully you'll over-come any leak issues. It's all about outsmarting these masks. There seems to be no perfect one.

I am wondering if there is any sensation with the air blowing on your mouth?

Trying to imagine how different it will be.

Best of luck with it... sweet dreams!

P.S. the sizing chart looks kind of obscene

[jdm2857]

Here's a link to Respironics' sizing and other info about the FullLife, including a video: http://fulllife.respironics.com/rightfit.aspx

Note: link was originally missing. Thanks to SoCalMonkey for pointing that out.

[BleepingBeauty]

Hi B.B.

Congratulations on getting the "wonder mask". At least, we all hope it will be a wonder. I'm waiting for your report after using it for a while. Good information on the sizing.

Jan

Thanks, Jan. I hope the sizing guide is helpful to anyone who wants to order this mask. And I will post a more in-depth review after I see how things go over the next few nights.

Good Morning BB. Thanks for posting the sizing Guide. I have the FullLife Mask on Order and should arrive in a couple weeks via UPS. Just a Few questions for you though. You said that the Mouth needs to be open during Fitting. Does that Imply that you need to sleep with the mouth open with the Mask. I would think you would need to fit the mask with the mouth closed as you still breathe through the nose mostly with any Mask.

Yes, the mouth does need to be slightly open for fitting. That's what the guide (and everything else I've read about this mask) advises. My guess is that this mask is designed for use with the mouth open (whether you're breathing through the nose or the mouth). I'd prefer to nose-breathe; it just wasn't possible with the congestion I experienced last night. Perhaps in time I can do that.

Were you using a Chin Strap with the FullLife mask ?

No, I didn't use a chinstrap. The mask comes with a chin stabilizing strap. (It's not a chinstrap, per se, but it's designed to keep the mask in place and keep it from riding up on the face. It worked as intended.)

I am wondering if there is any sensation with the air blowing on your mouth?

Trying to imagine how different it will be.

Other than mouth-breathing when I'm used to nasal pillows, I can't say there was any weird sensation while using the mask. But my teeth are sensitive, and I definitely felt that this morning. I was congested due to the pressure on my nose bridge, and too much effort was needed to nose-breathe, so I'm pretty sure I was mouth-breathing all night. Maybe my nose bridge will become accustomed to that kind of pressure and I'll be able to avoid the congestion in the future. I'd prefer to nose-breathe, but I just couldn't do so easily last night.

I'm going to turn up the humidifier tonight to see if the air warms a bit more (it was chilly here last night), and I also bought some fleece the other day and will attempt to make a hose cover this afternoon. (But I ain't no pad-a-cheek with a sewing machine, so we'll see what I come up with. )

Best of luck with it... sweet dreams!

P.S. the sizing chart looks kind of obscene

Thanks! and

[socalmonkey]

Here's a link to Respironics' sizing and other info about the FullLife, including a video.

The Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfF95MqHR4E

The Site: http://fulllife.respironics.com/

[karessamom]

Thanks BB sounds like a really good mask--hubby wants to try it and i'm hoping it will be available by the time i get my machine.

[BleepingBeauty]

FYI, I've also scanned and uploaded the Intentional Leak chart. Bear in mind the Flow is listed as "slpm" and not "lpm." Also, I have no idea what the "Whisper Swivel 2" is that's referenced with the diamond symbol on the chart.



I Googled "slpm" and believe that it means "Standard Liters Per Minute." I don't know what the difference is (if any) between slpm and lpm, but I sent Respironics an email to inquire. I'll post here if/when I get a reply from them.

[Arizona-Willie]

When I used my Resmed machine with this mask it showed leak around 20 LPM but since I switched to my Respironics in CPAP mode it is showing much much higher.
Last night was the best and the average leak was 45 lpm with max leak of 98 and 90% leak of 76 LPM.

Way way higher than what the chart shows it should be running at 9.5 cm pressure.

But, I don't hear or feel any leaks. Occasional face farts but no steady or huge leaks. Of course, being lazy, I didn't stay up all night and watch myself.

I'm puzzled as to why the software is showing such high leak when I don't see any leaks like that.

My AHI last night was 3.5 so I didn't do too badly apparently.

I have felt along the hose and the fittings and don't feel any leaks there either.

[BleepingBeauty]

When I used my Resmed machine with this mask it showed leak around 20 LPM but since I switched to my Respironics in CPAP mode it is showing much much higher.

It's always puzzled me how ResMed leak rates can be accurate if the setting that has to be used for so many different (i.e., non-ResMed) masks is simply "Standard." Leak rates vary from mask to mask, so

Last night was the best and the average leak was 45 lpm with max leak of 98 and 90% leak of 76 LPM.

Way way higher than what the chart shows it should be running at 9.5 cm pressure.

Last night with this new mask, I got the best AHI numbers I've seen in the past month. My average leak was 41 lpm, max leak of 77, and 90% leak of 46. (The spike on the chart re: the max leak of 77 coincides perfectly with my trip to the bathroom.) Otherwise, my leak line is fairly flat. Still higher than the chart indicates it should be (I figure around 28-29 slpm at my 12 cm), but I have no idea how slpm correlates to lpm.

But, I don't hear or feel any leaks. Occasional face farts but no steady or huge leaks. Of course, being lazy, I didn't stay up all night and watch myself.

That reminds me of a Three Stooges line.

I was very aware of this new contraption on my face but, like you, I didn't hear or feel any leaks except when I closed my mouth to swallow. Those leaks were momentary and, as soon as I opened my mouth again and my cheeks filled with air, the mask was sealed again.

I'm puzzled as to why the software is showing such high leak when I don't see any leaks like that.

My AHI last night was 3.5 so I didn't do too badly apparently.

I have felt along the hose and the fittings and don't feel any leaks there either.

Ya got me there, Willie. Maybe we'll just have to wait until more people are using this mask and posting about their experiences re: leak rates to be able to pinpoint a possible reason for the differences.

P.S. Thanks for posting your informative review of this mask on the other thread. I hope I can be just as helpful when I post my own review in a few days' time.

[BleepingBeauty]

Just wanted to update you all after my second night with this mask. Overall, I think this mask is a real winner for me.

I made a few adjustments last night. I cranked up the heated humidifier (from a setting of 1 to 2) and slipped the hose into the fleece cover I made yesterday. I wore a foam bandaid over the bridge of my nose, which helped to cushion it against the pressure of the mask. I also loosened two of the mask straps (the neck strap and the over-the-ears strap) a bit and found the mask to be much more comfortable than it was the night before. I was able to nose-breathe and keep my mouth closed without breaking the seal. I even slept on my side with no seal problems. The best part? I woke up today with no dry mouth, no chilled teeth, and feeling like I slept much more soundly. The numbers aren't bad, either. I feel more alert after just two nights with the FullLife, and I'm looking forward to continued success.

So I'm feeling very positive about this mask, for the good therapy it seems to be giving me and because it's so silent, compared to my LT. (I find myself checking the vents to be sure it's working. ) I also like the fact that the vents are angled to the sides, rather than blowing straight out like the LT does. (I don't have a bed partner at the moment, but I'm guessing this angled venting would be advantageous in that regard.)

I'm also finding it easier to breathe with this mask (re: both inhale and exhale). I didn't have much trouble getting used to nasal pillows, but the FullLife makes me feel like I'm breathing much more naturally than I was able to with pressurized air flowing directly into my nostrils.

I hope this update helps to clarify some of the things I found a little troublesome on my first night. If you guys have any questions, fire away.

[socalmonkey]

Good news BleepingBeauty! Sound like a real positive experience with your new mask.

I was particularly glad to hear your report on how silent it is. What was the "LT" old mask you were previously using? Was it the Mirage LT... Swift... or what?

Thanks for posting the leak chart as well. Did anyone figure out what the Whisper Swivel 2 is?

Glad to hear the mask is working good for you.

Here's to many more bleeping nights of beauty sleep!

[socalmonkey]

Did anyone figure out what the Whisper Swivel 2 is?

Oh, I figured it out.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/whispe ... onics.html

[socalmonkey]

Oh, one more thing I really want to know...

BleepingBeauty - have you slept on your side with this mask?

I am wondering if your pillow hits the part of the mask that sticks out (where the lower straps connect).

Is this a problem at sleeping on your side?