Reviews of new AirFit P10 Resmed nasal pillow mask thread

[jaye8898]

Finally was eligible for a new mask this week. So I've now got a P10. Last night was night 1 with the P10. There are a few things that I love about this mask and things that I'm decidedly undecided about.

Best feature is undoubtedly the diffused exhaust vents. No more jet stream blowing on my chest. But as some others have commented, my lips felt more of the exhaust venting with the P10 and there's some decided chapping going on with my lips right now. Don't know if it's the mask or not, but chapped lips have been an Energizer Bunny problem for me ever since I started 3.5 years ago.

Headgear? It's a mixed report. The cloth straps are comfortable on my skin and hair. But even though I have a SMALL head, this head gear triggered some real piggy nose problems. And yes, I know about spreading the straps out vs. keeping them closer together. But it took a long time to figure out where the straps should be to minimize the piggy nose. I wear my Swift FX extremely loose, and quite frankly it almost doesn't matter where the Swift FX's straps wind up on my head---the mask still works for me. So pulling on the FX is much much easier than pulling on the P10.

The semi-rigid plastic frame thingies that are inside the fabric headgear bothered me at the beginning of the night, but they bugged me less than I afraid they would. Still, they are a potential long term problem. I don't really see the point in making them so long and they've got the potential (in my case) to become nothing more than poky irritants even though they are wrapped inside the cloth headgear.

I had some real difficulties getting the pillows to align correctly with my nostrils. And the slightly too snug headgear seemed to be pulling too much of the nasal pillows into my nose. And tugging on the pillows to allow them to re-seat didn't seem to work as as it does when the nasal pillows are at the wrong angle in my Swift FX. I'm not sure, but perhaps part of this problem is caused by the fact that the P10's pillows + cradle are a lot bigger than just the pillows on the FX even though the mask's headgear is smaller and more minimal than the FX's. And the plastic arms with the permanent bend in them seems to control how the pillows rest against the nostrils in a much more authoritarian way than the FX's totally soft straps do. In other words, those plastic strips on the P10 feel a bit like an underwire bra for my nose.

The pillow cradle. The fact that it's made out of very hard plastic is a bit of a concern. But a bigger (and unexpected) concern is simply the shear SIZE of the pillow cradle. The hard plastic didn't bother me too much last night, but the size of the cradle felt enormous compared to the size of a Swift FX pillow. Everytime I was awake enough to realize anything, that pillow cradle felt really awkward and it seemed like I had to be much more careful how I was burying my nose into my pillow last night. The FX's pillows are completely soft and smooshy and small and my bed pillow doesn't tend to knock them out of place. It felt as times that the pillow cradle was some catching on something and not yielding at all when it "caught" on whatever it was "catching on. And the "not yielding feeling" made it feel as though the mask was in much more danger of being pushed off my face. (The leak line, however, is pretty much just like the one I get with my FX.)

Rainout at the mask level. This is a major potential concern. Padacheek's FX pillow cozies essentially cover the entire pillow and they do minimize condensation in my FX pillows. They also keep the pillow barrel from touching my upper lip directly and they simply feel "cozy". When I first put the P10 on, I immediately missed the feeling of the barrel cozy. I was able to figure out a way to attach a very worn out Padacheek FX pillow cozy to the P10's pillow without covering the vents. But that also meant the whole back side of the mask was uncovered and exposed to the cold bedroom air. And I did wake up this morning to wet nostrils from rainout and lots more water droplets visible in the nasal pillows than I see in my Swift FX.

The short pigtail hose without the pivot at the mask end? The jury is still out on this one. I don't run my hose over my head, but I do hug it. And with the FX, I tend to twist the hose to get the whole hose---both the pigtail short hose and the long main hose---to fold exactly where I want them to be for hugging purposes. And as flexible as this hose is, it did cause problems finding a good way to hug the hose last night. More importantly, however, is that the hose seems to be made out of awfully thin plastic and I'm quite worried that this hose is going to prematurely tear at the mask end because of the normal twisting my hose gets at night as I move around in bed. It just doesn't seem to be as durable as the heavier FX hose.

For now, I'm planning on continuing to use the P10 for several more days before doing anything else. Pugsy's FX headgear + P10 pillows is something that I intend to try at some point, but not right away. And while I think that overall, this mask is going to be a real winner for Resmed, I'm not sure it is going to displace the FX as my mask of choice.

My perfect mask? Right now it would be the Swift FX combined with a simple diffuser cap to place on top of those damn vents in the elbow. Adding something that looks and fits like the diffuser cap on my hubby's Eson nasal mask would make the Swift FX into about as perfect of a mask as I can invison.

I'm sold on the Airfit but wow, well written and thought out review, Robysue!

[KentuckyHoser]

Impressions night 1: What mask? There is no mask.

Seriously, I thought the Nuance was unobtrusive, but this thing just vanished almost from the moment I turned my machine on and laid down. My numbers are about the same so far. My AHI has been under 1 most days since I started therapy. This thing took me under five minutes to fit the very first time I put it on and it stayed in place perfectly all night. Don't get me wrong, the Nuance is an awesome mask, but the AirFit steps up the awesome just a notch or two. My sincerest gratitude to the wonderful person that made it possible for me to give this one a try. If my experience with it stays the same as the first night going forward, the Nuance will be regulated to a back-up.

[Pugsy]

this thing just vanished almost from the moment I turned my machine on and laid down.

I think that is the way it should be with just about any mask..if we had a perfect world.
For some people it is going to be that way...the P10 will vanish but others won't be so lucky for various reasons.

I can successfully use any number of nasal pillow masks and even have success with one nasal cushion mask (just one which is the Nano) but for my own reasons I still have a number one preference and that's okay.

The Tap Pap vanishes for me. I have woke up breathing normally and not feel the nasal pillows and more importantly not feel the mouth guard. I have woke up thinking I don't even have the Tap Pap on...but I do.
The AirFit P10 pretty much vanishes too now...it didn't initially. If you are having success now...it will continue I am pretty sure. The P10 is running a real close second behind my Tap Pap.

And yes, the Nuance is a really nice mask...I kept mine after my trial and I don't do that with an experiment unless I like it well enough to maybe use it...but now with the P10...it has moved down my preference list.

[gcos]

I have used the AirFit P10 for a month and a half. In the five years I've used CPAP I've never been able to keep mask on for more than an average of about 3 hours/night. The P10 has increased that 50-100%. ResMed hit a home run with this device as far as I'm concerned.

[Stormynights]

I still love the gel pillows on the Nuance. I wish the Air Fit had gel pillows.

[fluxquanta]

I just wanted to come here and say that thanks to this thread I ordered the AirFit mask, which arrived yesterday. I was googling around for a new mask after the headgear on my Aloha bit the dust and this thread was one of the results. I've only been using a CPAP machine for a little less than a year but have already gone though 2 uncomfortable masks as well as the Aloha, which felt like it wore out way too quickly.

After just one night I'm blown away. So light and comfortable, even for a six and a half for tall man with an equally large head. Its simple design makes me think it will also hold up better to wear and tear than the Aloha. It's definitely a keeper.

Thanks to everyone here for helping me make a great purchase.

[allan pease]

I've got the new mask but it feels a bit suffocating. Without venting, where does the rebreathed air go?

[bavinck]

I've got the new mask but it feels a bit suffocating. Without venting, where does the rebreathed air go?

I found this at first too, seems to be common. I think it is because the headgear is tight at first and pulls the pillows into the nose too much. Not to worry, expelled air leaves through the tiny holes for venting on the hard plastic part of the pillows and over a few days of use the headgear loosens up and makes it fit better. Try pulling the pillows away from your nose to stretch out the fabric.

[ems]

I've got the new mask but it feels a bit suffocating. Without venting, where does the rebreathed air go?

I found this at first too, seems to be common. I think it is because the headgear is tight at first and pulls the pillows into the nose too much. Not to worry, expelled air leaves through the tiny holes for venting on the hard plastic part of the pillows and over a few days of use the headgear loosens up and makes it fit better. Try pulling the pillows away from your nose to stretch out the fabric.

Felt this also - even now a few weeks later. If it still feels the same way in a few weeks, I may consider upping the pressure a little. I'm not concerned... but making it a little more comfortable can't hurt.

[deerslayer]

After a couple weeks i'm having trouble finding anything to whine about the P-10 . Sure it's not perfect just like anything else we have to stick on our face & try something new/different. Getting good quality sleep & somewhat lower AHI.....Now if i can get rid of those annoying pea fowl that roam the neighborhood & woke me yesterday @ 0440
tim

[chunkyfrog]

I love it. I wondered if the headgear would fit, but it does!
--and my leaks are quite low.
I'm having multiple mask-gasms!

[deerslayer]

I love it. I wondered if the headgear would fit, but it does!
--and my leaks are quite low.
I'm having multiple mask-gasms!

Wow, if that was the case Resmed couldn't make them fast enough ?

i do seem to be dreaming a lot more frequently lately, all pleasant & nothing scary

[RobertS975]

I have been using the P10 for about two weeks, and overall I am quite pleased. In lighter moments, I often believe that I have forgotten to put on a device since it is so quiet. The headbands have to be situated just right and the angle of the pillows has to be spot on to avoid leaks around the pillow. But once the angle is correct, it somehow stays aligned properly through most of the nite. Also, for whatever reason, I do a lot less of the "guppy" stuff... air popping out of my mouth.

[Kenwood]

Seems like forever since I switched masks from my SwiftFX. I was really surprised the headgear fit on my big melon head without any discomfort - from all the posts in this thread. But I totally love the Airfit P10.....but the wifey is the one thats LOVES this new mask P10. Now when I turn on my left side towards her, I don't blast her with vent air (she makes a wall barrier with the bed comforter). The first night, she came to bed in the dark. She actually turned on the light, cause she thought I fell asleep without my mask on cause if was dead silent. Two happy thumbs up from the wifey!!!

[Paton]

After using a Swift LT for 5 years, and as a result of this thread, I bought a P10. This new mask is perfect for me: extremely light weight, no air blowing out, according to my software I've had 100% "Mask Fit" for 30 days straight, and I rarely wake up due to nose pillow issues.