New TAP PAP mask review

[Debijo]

I am so excited, I got my Tap Pap today! I am anxious for 10:30 to come so I can take this baby for a Snooze

[Kiralynx]

Please respond to this post if you are with Apria and want to try the TAP PAP. Just post "Apria". If we get enough people posting I ll pass the level of interest onto Apria.

If more people ask Apria for the mask it will help, but you will need to ask the branch to pass the message onto the Apria head office, unless they hear the request will not count.

Count this an interest... and I'll see to it the branch is advised. However, I don't hold out a lot of hope for my branch passing the word upstairs. They have yet to fill a supply order correctly in 4.5 years, and they fight me over "unusual" masks, telling me that they are not available.

[edm_msu]

Based on the glowing reviews here, I bought one out of pocket, without insurance. It arrived yesterday.

This is one of those products where I wonder why wasn't something like this done sooner? Probably because people didn't think out of the box.

This is easily the most comfortable, most stable mask I have used. No leaking problems at all, including side sleeping.

Some thoughts:
There is a setup time of about a half an hour to fit it. This is done one time. Most masks only take a few minutes.
I already used a bite guard for teeth grinding so the mouth insert didn't bother me at all.
I agree with the small sizes. I usually use a medium and I used a large for this.
The nut needs to be tight. The clamping surfaces are smooth so the nose piece will rotate if bumped by a hand if the nut isn't tight. It would help if the clamping surfaces were rough, not smooth.
There is no pivot for the hose. The hose interfered with reading. It didn't bother me when asleep.
No problems with the hose connection between the mask hose and CPAP hose.
Quiet exhaust.
I think that I have more of a tendency to have my mouth open than with conventional masks. I'll pay attention to this.

Overall, for me, easily the best mask I have used. I'll keep it.

[Mask guy]

Based on the glowing reviews here, I bought one out of pocket, without insurance. It arrived yesterday.

This is one of those products where I wonder why wasn't something like this done sooner? Probably because people didn't think out of the box.

This is easily the most comfortable, most stable mask I have used. No leaking problems at all, including side sleeping.

Some thoughts:
There is a setup time of about a half an hour to fit it. This is done one time. Most masks only take a few minutes.
I already used a bite guard for teeth grinding so the mouth insert didn't bother me at all.
I agree with the small sizes. I usually use a medium and I used a large for this.
The nut needs to be tight. The clamping surfaces are smooth so the nose piece will rotate if bumped by a hand if the nut isn't tight. It would help if the clamping surfaces were rough, not smooth.
There is no pivot for the hose. The hose interfered with reading. It didn't bother me when asleep.
No problems with the hose connection between the mask hose and CPAP hose.
Quiet exhaust.
I think that I have more of a tendency to have my mouth open than with conventional masks. I'll pay attention to this.

Overall, for me, easily the best mask I have used. I'll keep it.

The TAP PAP also comes with free return insurance on CPAPcom, so you can try it risk free.

[kteague]

I'm still trying to decide what my next mask will be. These poor pitiful beloved Headrest pillows I've had well over 2 (3?) years need to be put to rest as I wake up all night reseating them. I thought I'd decided on the Swfit FX with Bella Loops for the singular reason of not having headgear. Now I see everyone talking about the Tap Pap and I'm leaning that way. My only concern is having had TMJ problems in the distant past, and I shudder at the thought of stirring that up again. Even now I have to be care not to push against my lower jaw when sleeping or it will get sore. Is it an overbite when the lower teeth close too far up under and behind the upper teeth? Mine do that, and I habitually keep my tongue up behind the front teeth just to keep the joint from being stressed by fully closing. That has turned out to be an advantage in keeping a seal for nasal pillows use. Not sure if the joint issues are due to my bite or the fact that my jaw was once dislocated.

I'm thinking that since I'm used to creating a gap between my upper and lower teeth it could make the TAP PAP adjustment more natural than someone whose jaw gets forced into an unnatural position with this mask. Am I grasping at straws to try to justify my desire to be headgear free? What is the experience of those who have used the TAP PAP for a while now as far as TMJ issues?

[Pugsy]

Am I grasping at straws to try to justify my desire to be headgear free?

I tried the Headrest for a week last January. Not a bad little mask if you can get past feeling like you are a fish dangling on a fish hook. Quite comfortable and I realize now why so many people liked it.
But after coming from it...boy the lure of no head gear will grab a person.. It grabbed me and I was using the Swift FX and very happy with it.

Been using the Tap Pap now since my first post in this thread...somewhere around the first of March.
No TMJ issues at all. I had sort of wondered about that because prior to the Tap Pap I was noticing that sometimes my TMJ on my left side seemed to want to act up a bit. Not horrible but noticeable sometimes.
It hasn't become any worse with the Tap Pap for sure and may actually be a little less annoying in that it doesn't seem to act up as much as it did. Kind of hard to tell for sure because it wasn't horrible to start with...just minor thing that would pop up every now and then...last 3 or 4 months or so. Never had TMJ before that.
TMJ not related to prior CPAP for sure...I remember whacking my chin really good as a kid and I bet I have a little arthritis in that joint now. Heck, I don't think I have a joint that I don't have Arthur in now.

You know the Tap Pap comes with official free return insurance provided by the manufacturer...finding a DME that will do it is another matter. I got mine from cpap.com. Wasn't time to use my insurance anyway but I am working on getting my DME to stock it. Last time I was there I told him that Lincare (competitor in nearby town) was going to carry it and that got his eyes to light up. So he is going to try to get the main office to stock it just because they don't like Lincare.

[chunkyfrog]

Does anyone know what the HCPC code is for a spare bite plate?
Like to know if Medicare would cover it when/if I need to renew that part.

[khauser]

I'm still trying to decide what my next mask will be. These poor pitiful beloved Headrest pillows I've had well over 2 (3?) years need to be put to rest as I wake up all night reseating them. I thought I'd decided on the Swfit FX with Bella Loops for the singular reason of not having headgear. Now I see everyone talking about the Tap Pap and I'm leaning that way. My only concern is having had TMJ problems in the distant past, and I shudder at the thought of stirring that up again. Even now I have to be care not to push against my lower jaw when sleeping or it will get sore. Is it an overbite when the lower teeth close too far up under and behind the upper teeth? Mine do that, and I habitually keep my tongue up behind the front teeth just to keep the joint from being stressed by fully closing. That has turned out to be an advantage in keeping a seal for nasal pillows use. Not sure if the joint issues are due to my bite or the fact that my jaw was once dislocated.

I'm thinking that since I'm used to creating a gap between my upper and lower teeth it could make the TAP PAP adjustment more natural than someone whose jaw gets forced into an unnatural position with this mask. Am I grasping at straws to try to justify my desire to be headgear free? What is the experience of those who have used the TAP PAP for a while now as far as TMJ issues?

I suggest trying it. It's really minimal in terms of changing your bite. It's less intrusive than the typical nightguard prescribed to some for TMJ reasons. It doesn't change the position of your jaw AT ALL.

I was concerned about TMJ as well. But I think particular appliance is unlikely to trigger anyone's TMJ by itself. Now, if you're going to bite extra hard just because something is there, well then all bets are off.

[Pugsy]

Does anyone know what the HCPC code is for a spare bite plate?
Like to know if Medicare would cover it when/if I need to renew that part.

I do not know. Haven't had a chance to cross the insurance road with it yet. It's a replacement part but I have no idea under which category it would fall.


Hey Mask Guy....you still hanging around here by any chance?
Do you know what HCPCS code the DMEs would need to use for insurance billing needs?
Misc code leaves the door wide open for a denial.

[G'night Gracie]

Picked up my Tap Pap mask this week from cpap.com. (Thank you, Elizabeth for your oh, so helpful assistance!) Can't remember a better sleep experience than what I've enjoyed these past two nights with this mask. The ability to shift from sleeping on my left, to right, or on my back, without causing the nasal pillows to shift and leak, is nirvana. When I wake during the night, for any reason, I feel supreme comfort and calm that I've never experienced before. I'm still taping my mouth shut, as I've done with the Swift fx, so if I awake thirsty, I just pull off the tape on one side, squirt water into my mouth, and go back to sleep. I have experienced some drooling, but no big deal. Thank you, Pugsy and all who commented in this thread, as your reviews motivated me to try this mask!

[Pugsy]

I am so glad this mask worked out well for you. I am still totally into it. Gave away all but one Swift FX to have on hand for emergency in case the dog or cat wants my Tap Pap for toy and I don't have any backup stock yet.
I've discovered that I can loosen the mouth guard a bit so less of a "girdle" feeling and it still won't come loose.

Picked up my Tap Pap mask this week from cpap.com. (Thank you, Elizabeth for your oh, so helpful assistance!) Can't remember a better sleep experience than what I've enjoyed these past two nights with this mask. The ability to shift from sleeping on my left, to right, or on my back, without causing the nasal pillows to shift and leak, is nirvana. When I wake during the night, for any reason, I feel supreme comfort and calm that I've never experienced before. I'm still taping my mouth shut, as I've done with the Swift fx, so if I awake thirsty, I just pull off the tape on one side, squirt water into my mouth, and go back to sleep. I have experienced some drooling, but no big deal. Thank you, Pugsy and all who commented in this thread, as your reviews motivated me to try this mask!

[human_bipap_user]

Please respond to this post if you are with Apria and want to try the TAP PAP. Just post "Apria". If we get enough people posting I ll pass the level of interest onto Apria.

If more people ask Apria for the mask it will help, but you will need to ask the branch to pass the message onto the Apria head office, unless they hear the request will not count.

Count this an interest... and I'll see to it the branch is advised. However, I don't hold out a lot of hope for my branch passing the word upstairs. They have yet to fill a supply order correctly in 4.5 years, and they fight me over "unusual" masks, telling me that they are not available.

I also have Apria and have interest in this mask. I already sleep with a night guard so this is very interesting to me.

[Mask guy]

Does anyone know what the HCPC code is for a spare bite plate?
Like to know if Medicare would cover it when/if I need to renew that part.

I do not know. Haven't had a chance to cross the insurance road with it yet. It's a replacement part but I have no idea under which category it would fall.


Hey Mask Guy....you still hanging around here by any chance?
Do you know what HCPCS code the DMEs would need to use for insurance billing needs?
Misc code leaves the door wide open for a denial.

Hi Pugsy........I'm still here, looking at the feedback, thanks.

The TAP PAP also won the "Providers Choice Award", at Medtrade (DME show) last month. If anyone is interested have a look at the TAP PAP face book page. It would also be great to get some user feedback on TAP PAP face book and "LIKEs" if you want to get this kind of infomration.

The mouthpeice is part of the mask frame and the code for that is - A7034, so it is repalced when you get a new mask frame, upto every 3 months if needed.

Hope that helps.

Mask guy

[Kiralynx]

My Tap Pap arrived on Saturday, and I fit it yesterday. Slept with it last night, and slept quite well.

My teeth were a bit sore when I pried it off -- maybe I need to re-fit it? -- but the soreness went away in about 20 minutes.

I was conscious of the bite plate in my mouth at different points in the night, but not a bad consciousness, Just "there's something different there."

I usually take smaller pillows, so wasn't surprised when the mediums fit fine.

One thing I appreciate is the ability to adjust the positioning of the pillows in relation to the bite plate. Makes it easy to arrange it so it fits properly, and comfortably.

We'll see how this goes... as long as my hip pain doesn't come back the way it did with the Swift FX, this may well be a new mask for me. Certainly, it's tremendously more comfortable than the Swift FX, or the Opus 360 because it doesn't have those blasted cheek straps.

Even better, I can easily put my glasses on and off for reading at bed time.

Apria's gonna hate me when I ask for one of these for my next mask replacement.

[RogerSC]

My Tap Pap arrived on Saturday, and I fit it yesterday. Slept with it last night, and slept quite well.
...
Apria's gonna hate me when I ask for one of these for my next mask replacement.

If they're like my DME, they won't bat an eye, they'll just tell you that they won't get it or stock it.