Downside of the hybrid mask?

[tektrek68]

Hello - for those that have to switch from pillows to mask, is there a disadvantage of a hybrid? It sounds like the mask not hitting the bridge of the nose in the hybrid would be a big benefit?

[xenablue]

I tried a Hybrid as part of sleepnationtv's mask trial and found it, for me, less comfortable than the Mirage Liberty (my usual mask), however I've heard that others prefer the Hybrid.

I love the nasal pillows combined with the mouth piece. All the features of a FF mask without the restriction of that pressure across the nose etc. so IMHO, either 'hybrid' is great - just need to find the one that suits you best. Oh, and I'm a stomach sleeper and no issues at all.

Cheers,
xena

[Goofproof]

I don't use one never have never will, I think the vent rate is too high. I wont use any mask with a leak rate higher than 40 LPM @ 15 CM, really I use a under 38LPM @ 15cm as my top standard for masks. Jim

[pitrow]

I don't use one never have never will, I think the vent rate is too high. I wont use any mask with a leak rate higher than 40 LPM @ 15 CM, really I use a under 38LPM @ 15cm as my top standard for masks. Jim

Care to explain why that's the case? Just curious as I'm not really sure on why the leak rate would effect treatment.

[DocWeezy]

Masks are such a person thing....what works for one is horrible for another.

That being said, I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Hybrid! I couldn't use the Liberty--felt like I was suffocating and couldn't stop the leaks. But the Hybrid just fits me well, particularly after I modified it by cutting off the chin flap and using an elastic band to hold the nose pieces firmly in place.

I'm a very claustrophobic mouth breather and couldn't adjust to a FF mask at all, so the Hybrid has been a life-saver for me.

Weezy

[Ms.Snuffleupagus]

The Hybrid seems to work best for me; no real downside compared to other masks.
By the way, how often do you find you have to change the cushions and the nasal pillows?

[roster]

Hello - for those that have to switch from pillows to mask, is there a disadvantage of a hybrid? It sounds like the mask not hitting the bridge of the nose in the hybrid would be a big benefit?

From an old post of mine:

But I do alway recommend the Hybrid (https://www.cpap.com/productpage/RespCa ... -Mask.html) over the Liberty because:

1. The Hybrid comes with all three sizes of mouth cushions. The Liberty only one.

2. The Hybrid has a built-in chinflap. The Liberty has no chinflap (Hybrid patent prevents this).

3. If you prefer the mask without a chinflap (as I do), the Hybrid chinflap can be easily cut away with a pair of scissors.

4. Some people have complained that the headgear on the Liberty mask is inferior to the headgear on the Hybrid Mask.

5. On cpap.com the price for the Hybrid Mask is $119 and the price for the Liberty mask is $207 (Those clowns at ResMed!)

The ResMed Liberty is a more expensive and inferior copy of the Hybrid.

[DocWeezy]

The Hybrid seems to work best for me; no real downside compared to other masks.
By the way, how often do you find you have to change the cushions and the nasal pillows?

I'm not sure yet!

The mouth cushion does seem to lose its "stickiness" and become rather milky looking where it is in contact with my skin after about 3-4 weeks, and doesn't seal as well because it seems to stay slippery even after cleaning (which I do every day). HOWEVER, last month I decided to try boiling my mouth and nose pieces instead of replacing them. I figured there was nothing to lose since they'd be thrown out anyway, and hubby kept telling me that silicon can handle boiling. After about 20 minutes or so, there seemed to be a bumpy coating so I thought it was toast. But I scratched at it and discovered it was a film that rubbed right off and the pieces were like new again! Sticky and clear. So I'm now two weeks into using the same pieces (6 weeks total now).

Otherwise, my doc recommends replacing them once a month. But I'm notoriously cheap and if I can get another few weeks out of the pieces, I will. But then I'm still a newbie and others may have better information

[Muse-Inc]

I too love my Hybrid! Liberty wouldn't seal on my face. I wash the silicon parts with Dawn and toss 'em in a 1 qt Pyrex container with some water for a soak, then rinse well. Once/twice a wk, more often if sick, I rinse then spray with white vinegar and let sit for 2-3 mins to sanitize 'em, rinse and air dry. I too have boiled the silicon parts to remove the haze. No downside for me wearing this mask.

[Goofproof]

I don't use one never have never will, I think the vent rate is too high. I wont use any mask with a leak rate higher than 40 LPM @ 15 CM, really I use a under 38LPM @ 15cm as my top standard for masks. Jim

Care to explain why that's the case? Just curious as I'm not really sure on why the leak rate would effect treatment.

Thought I had that pretty well covered. At leak rates over 40 LPM, the machines have trouble providing the volume of air required for treatment. A few here will call this statement false, but I can see a difference in my treatment at leaks over 38 LPM @ 15 cm. Why would I want to cause myself poorer treatment by buying a mask that has a excessive vent rate. The answer I wouldn't and I won't.

People using low pressures might not see a difference, as at a lower pressure your XPAP doesn't move as mush air (Work as hard) to provide treatment. As the pressure rises it takes more effort to pump the same volume of air.

[ozij]

Correction: The machines only have trouble when the leak rate is 40 above the expected vent flow rate.

I tell my machine my Hybrid is a full face mask, and it subtracts the expected vent flow rate from the total - the result is 0.0 leak for most nights.

On other machines, your total leak rate would have to be the 70's or 80's before you run into trouble.

I have had far far worse leak rates with non-hybrid full face masks that seal perfectly on your face, Jim.

The bottom line about masks: Those that don't fit you are useless. Those that fit you are great. And our faces have different structures. My first standard for using a mask it how comfortable it is when I try to sleep - and that goes hand in hand with seal quality and sleep quality.
Neither a mask that seals well and hurts me, nor a mask the does not seal well and trumpets till kingdom come, will be of any use to the quality of my sleep/therapy.

I've been using the same Hybrid seal and pillows for 6 months - washing them with Dr. Bonner's liquid soap daily -- and they seal fine.

The type of soap you use to clean your mask makes a difference -- Dr. Bonner's gives me far far better long term results than baby shampoo - which I had used for a couple of years before that.

[roster]

At leak rates over 40 LPM, the machines have trouble providing the volume of air required for treatment. A few here will call this statement false, but I can see a difference in my treatment at leaks over 38 LPM @ 15 cm. Why would I want to cause myself poorer treatment by buying a mask that has a excessive vent rate. The answer I wouldn't and I won't.

....

GP, Can you clarify whether you are talking about total leak or unintentional? Thanks.

[cflame1]

I've been using the same cushion and pillows for well over a year now... no issues.

[Goofproof]

At leak rates over 40 LPM, the machines have trouble providing the volume of air required for treatment. A few here will call this statement false, but I can see a difference in my treatment at leaks over 38 LPM @ 15 cm. Why would I want to cause myself poorer treatment by buying a mask that has a excessive vent rate. The answer I wouldn't and I won't.

....

GP, Can you clarify whether you are talking about total leak or unintentional? Thanks.

I use a Classic Remstar APAP, they measure the real leak rate.... So what you see is total leak. I am talking about Mask Vent Rate, I know others will poo poo me, I know what works for me, and I set the standards for my treatment. With a avg AHI of under 2.0 for five years I can't be too far wrong in my beliefs, however they are my beliefs. My data shows a higher AHI if I exceed the vent rates listed, so I don't. jim

EDIT: I keep my leak rate under 38LPM@15cm, most nights unless something goes very bad, 35LPM of that is mask vent rate, the rest is on me and poor sealing.

[Ms.Snuffleupagus]

Thank you Doc, Muse and Ozij for the info on cleaning/boiling. Well, I have had my cushions for too many months now, so I think cleaning won't help but will keep these tips in mind for my new cushions. Thank you!

By the way I just switched 2 nights ago for a new cushion and pillows and had 0.0 leaks past 2 nights!
Funny thing about this new cushion. There is a section where the 2 layers on the bottom part of the mouth piece is completely stuck/fused together. It does not seem to affect the fit (obviously with 0.0 leak rate, can't ask for better). Anyone notice this with their mouth cushions?