Those that wear Hybrids and have Higher pressure?

[katiemo]

I need feedback from those that wear Hybrid type masks with a pressure of 14 and above, do you have problems with the pillows blowing out? I am having alot of problems accomidating my wide nose bridge, I wear a small mask, but need more room width wise for the bridge of my nose, and I don't see being able to afford a nose job:lol:

[timbalionguy]

I am not there yet, but suspect that my pressure will end up around 14. My auto is currently set to titrate up to 16, which for a while, it was doing frequently. I find the hybrid mask is pretty stable, and the stability depends a lot on how clean I keep it. I occasionally will have a nasal pillow blow out, but not enough so far to be a real problem. I am beginning to think the silicone is losing its elasticity, so I have a new set of pillows on order to try.

What size nasal pillow are you using? I found that the size with the largest opening that will fit in my nares is the best size for me. Are you perhaps using a small or medium pillow because you are using the small face seal?

[Guest]

I use a similar mask, the Liberty and my pressure averages around 14 with a good bit of time between 14 and 17. (I have tried the hybrid and prefer the Liberty) The thing that has helped the most is a 1.5 inch wide band of an Ace bandage pinned to the back of the headgear and worn over the nose pillows. This provides a gentle pressure (the band is not at all tight) to keep the pillows in place. This is similar to the ladies tights fix discussed here rather often. I had also tried a suggested use of tape to keep the nose pillows in place but found it didn't work all that well and was generally quite a hassle.

[Demeter_Soul]

I'm on Bipap and my numbers are 14/8...and I find I hardly even feel the air anymore. In fact...I worry the machine is off.
In the beginning I cut the pillows apart and used two different sizes and this caused me all kinds of different problems.
Now...I just use the medium pillows and they are still connected, and I have very little problems with them staying in.
I also wear a non-restrictive headband on my face, covering them, just to make sure they don't move.
It took a little bit of playing around with the sizes of pillows for me to find the perfect combination, which is two mediums.
The small ones actually seemed to restrict air flow and the large...were just too large.
I fear I may have to have my pressures adjusted, though, as I'm thinking the 14 inhalation is not high enough.
I'm wondering how the mask might hold up with higher pressures.
BTW...the Hybrid is the ONLY mask which has really worked for me and which I can wear all night long.

[jasminechichi]

I have a pressure of "only" 12, but what I did for my Hybrid nasal pillows was to get a clear (non hair pulling) pony tail holder. You can get a small box at Walmart that will last forever.

I gently stretched the holder and applied it to both the left and right pillows. To me it holds the pillows together and I don't have as much blowouts as when I did without them.

I really do like the Hybrid, and I have tried several different kinds. I am a mouth breather and the Hybrid works for me.

[katiemo]

I am not there yet, but suspect that my pressure will end up around 14. My auto is currently set to titrate up to 16, which for a while, it was doing frequently. I find the hybrid mask is pretty stable, and the stability depends a lot on how clean I keep it. I occasionally will have a nasal pillow blow out, but not enough so far to be a real problem. I am beginning to think the silicone is losing its elasticity, so I have a new set of pillows on order to try.

What size nasal pillow are you using? I found that the size with the largest opening that will fit in my nares is the best size for me. Are you perhaps using a small or medium pillow because you are using the small face seal?

I don't have a hybrid yet, but I am having a terrible time with the bridge of my nose. The medium, Quattro is to large and the small tears my nose up, moleskin has been no help as it just makes the small mask tighter. I may order both the Liberty and the Hybrid and see which one I like the best. My DME told me that nasal pillows will blow out all the time for any pressure over 12, I figure you guys who have actually tried them would know best

[roster]

...... My DME told me that nasal pillows will blow out all the time for any pressure over 12, ........

The human brain is such that it likes to get a simple rule fixed, whether right or wrong, and then operate from there.

I have used the Hybrid at 19 cm. I did use the ladies' tights fix on the nasal pillows (and still do). This holds the pillows steady when I roll around in bed and also prevents them from coming out of the nostrils.

Here is how to put an end to the need to do pillow adjusting during the night. Cut a leg out of a pair of ladies' tights. Tie it in a loop. After you put the mask on, pull the tights leg over your head and use it to stabilize the nasal pillows. The leg is very light weight, soft to the touch and cool in hot weather. I hardly know it is on.

The loop should be placed over the pillows similar to the last position below. Be sure not to block the mask exhaust ports.



Thanks to Rested Gal for the images.

[katiemo]

...... My DME told me that nasal pillows will blow out all the time for any pressure over 12, ........

The human brain is such that it likes to get a simple rule fixed, whether right or wrong, and then operate from there.

I have used the Hybrid at 19 cm. I did use the ladies' tights fix on the nasal pillows (and still do). This holds the pillows steady when I roll around in bed and also prevents them from coming out of the nostrils.

Here is how to put an end to the need to do pillow adjusting during the night. Cut a leg out of a pair of ladies' tights. Tie it in a loop. After you put the mask on, pull the tights leg over your head and use it to stabilize the nasal pillows. The leg is very light weight, soft to the touch and cool in hot weather. I hardly know it is on.

The loop should be placed over the pillows similar to the last position below. Be sure not to block the mask exhaust ports.



Thanks to Rested Gal for the images.

That is awesome imagry!!!! I think I will order both and pick the best of the two. Thank severybody so much, you all are great!

[Pugsy]

Katie, try the Hybrid first. It comes with 3 sizes of cushions as well as 3 sizes of the nasal pillows.

The Liberty only comes with one size of cusion and the 3 sizes of nasal pillows. So you have to decide ahead of time which cushion size you need. There is a fitting guide somewhere for the Liberty that can be printed off. Can't go very well by measurements from cpap.com's little mask guide. It told me I wasn't suitable for either and the small cushion in the Hybrid will work just fine.
I have not tried the Liberty. Didn't get that far since the Hybrid is strictly a backup mask anyway.

[katiemo]

Pugsy, I ended up getting the Hybrid overnighted to me as I can't hack another night, my nose is a mess!! I also nabbed a Liberty off of the auction site and will give that a go, I had already had the Resmed sizing guide printed out and am well within the small mouth cushion on that one. I can't wait to try the Hybrid, I already have some stratchy headbands and Lanolin cream ready, better to be prepared, right?

[Pugsy]

Do your fiddling with the Hybrid very early. Don't wait till anywhere near bedtime. First time I tried it I messed with it for over an hour and was ready to toss the whole mess in the trash. Headgear adjustments take really fine tuning. The video helps a little but I am one of those people who learn best by trial and error so...

Hook up the machine to it and in front of the mirror and at full pressure not ramp pressure to really isolate leaks.

[roster]

.......First time I tried it I messed with it for over an hour and was ready to toss the whole mess in the trash. Headgear adjustments take really fine tuning. .......

Pugs,

Do you find once you get it right it rarely needs adjusting? I go for months without adjusting mine.

Regards,

[Pugsy]

Do you find once you get it right it rarely needs adjusting? I go for months without adjusting mine.

To be honest, I did get it adjusted and used it 3 nights. I hated it.... I got some awful aerophagia with it and my belly hurt really bad all day.. I don't know why. I cannot explain it but I can keep my mouth shut very well with the nasal pillows but I must have swallowed copious amounts of air with the Hybrid. The only time I have had aerophagia issues was with the Hybrid trial.

I can see where once the head gear does get adjusted that it will not need much further adjusting since the little clips are used for removal. Once adjusted, it doesn't need any fiddling with.

I passed that Hybrid along to Spirit because he needed it much worse than me. I then got another Hybrid from Nancy when she sold off all her gear. I haven't set it up yet. It is/has been delegated to "emergency use only" for those times that my nose has cement in it (bad cold).. and the congestion is so bad that I cannot use the nasal pillows. Between the belly pain and the neck pain from the lower strap tension on my cervical spine it just is less than ideal for me.

I know you love this mask. You probably love it as much as I hate it. For me it is the lesser evil of the FFM systems. I could use it if I absolutely had to but I would bitch about it.. Not for fault of the mask itself though. It really was quite comfortable on my face under pressure. The fault lies with me so please don't let my negative experience stop someone from using this mask. I have a really, really bad neck and it really messes with me most of the time.

[GaryG]

I don't have a hybrid yet, but I am having a terrible time with the bridge of my nose. The medium, Quattro is to large and the small tears my nose up, moleskin has been no help as it just makes the small mask tighter. I may order both the Liberty and the Hybrid and see which one I like the best. My DME told me that nasal pillows will blow out all the time for any pressure over 12, I figure you guys who have actually tried them would know best

I couldn't tale the irritation on the bridge of my nose with the Quattro or the Comfort Gel. Tried nasal masks, but I'm a mouth breather, and the chin strap wasn't for me. Been using the Liberty over the past few nights and finally a mask with low leakage and no irritation on the bridge. Yeah, had rainout, and I'll take care of that, but you'll find a hybrid may be the mask for you.

[RickE]

I just switched this week to the Mirage Quattro mask. My pressure is 17 and I struggled after my pressure was adjusted from 13 up to 17. This mask is working well so far. I agree with the comment about not adjusting close to bedtime and at full pressure. My wife help do the final adjustments for me last night and we did all the adjustments and testing with me lying down. Last night, I had virtually no leaks and slept great. Perhaps the mask size provided to you was not right to accomodate your nose.

I don't understand all the discussions in this thread about nasal pillows. The initial query was about a FF mask. Unless I'm not understanding something, I believe there are no nasal pillows.

RickE