Recommendations for nasal masks to try or avoid

[Physician]

In two days I'll have the opportunity to try as many masks as are available on the market, but as stated previously, the Mirage FX standard has been fine.

• WISP

• AIRFIT N (all sizes larger than standard, since the standard was suffocating)

• MIRAGE FX (larger than the standard)


Please advise any others you enjoy and ones to avoid.

[Julie]

Not only is everyone's face different, and more so when lying down, but everyone's experience is subjective, how they relate to the mask, how it feels on their face, etc. etc. Just because 10 people here love one mask, or 100 hate another, has no bearing on what you may experience. Certainly some will be more popular. but I think it's near pointless to go by that beyond giving that one a try along with the others... only you can 'fit' a given mask.

[Physician]

Not only is everyone's face different, and more so when lying down, but everyone's experience is subjective, how they relate to the mask, how it feels on their face, etc. etc. Just because 10 people here love one mask, or 100 hate another, has no bearing on what you may experience. Certainly some will be more popular. but I think it's near pointless to go by that beyond giving that one a try along with the others... only you can 'fit' a given mask.

Of course, but there must be a few favorites and dislikes as judged by the majority here.

[Pugsy]

Each person has their own individual needs and preferences in terms of what works or doesn't work for them and thus what I might love ...isn't worth much....and what I might hate isn't worth much either.
Your Mirage FX nasal cushion mask that you are happy with......I wouldn't use it if you paid me to and gave it to me free.
How I feel about it is really irrelevant and doesn't mean squat.
What I might hate, others might love...what others might love, I might hate.
It's the way it is with masks.
I could only use the Wisp for 86 minutes but I had great success with the Swift FX Nano which is very similar.
Some people prefer the Wisp over the Nano. Personal preference is something that we can't compare anything to.

You are going to find lovers and haters for every mask out there and the only way you will know which side you are going to be on is to try the ones that look interesting to you.

[dumborat]

It's the only mask I've tried so far, but I like my Wisp. I am sure that it does vary for everyone though and that me saying this won't necessarily help, as discussed.

[The Latinist]

If you can try any mask, why not also try out some nasal pillows, too? I love my Airfit P10.

Please note: when you put on a nasal pillow mask for the first time it can be a very jarring experience. I felt like I was going to suffocate and almost ripped the mask off my nose immediately; but I mastered myself and breathed very slowly and deliberately for several minutes. Slowly it began to feel more natural and soon I had adjusted to the difference. Now it's a pleasure to don my mask.

[Physician]

If you can try any mask, why not also try out some nasal pillows, too? I love my Airfit P10.

Please note: when you put on a nasal pillow mask for the first time it can be a very jarring experience. I felt like I was going to suffocate and almost ripped the mask off my nose immediately; but I mastered myself and breathed very slowly and deliberately for several minutes. Slowly it began to feel more natural and soon I had adjusted to the difference. Now it's a pleasure to don my mask.

Good question.

1. Because of auto-titration over 9, I get such turbulence in my nostrils that it inhibits sleep. (main reason)

2. The nasal pillow straps seem to always pull up on my cheeks creating a strange sensation and skin wrinkling.

3. There is a feeling of comfort with a divide surround my entire nose.

4. The pillows are more easily displaced than the nasal masks.

[The Latinist]

I have not experienced any of the things your describe with the P10 (despite pressures up to 14 cmH2O); but we are all different, and what works for me may not work for you. I would advise, however that the fact that you have experienced these things with past trials of nasal pillows does not mean that you would necessarily experience them with newer, untried ones. They are making advancements in masks of all types all the time. If, as you say, you have the opportunity to try "as many masks as are on the market," it cannot hurt to give a newer pillow a try...and you may find you like it. You never know what you might be missing.

[Physician]

I wouldn't use it if you paid me to and gave it to me free.

Why don't you like it ?

[Pugsy]

Why don't you like it ?

I just don't.
Any mask with those lower straps that go around the base of the skull just kill my neck....headache in about 10 minutes.
Any mask that puts any sort of pressure across the bridge of my nose causes pretty much immediate nasal congestion that is solely related to the pressure as it goes away immediately when mask is removed.
and finally
"Less on my head and face" is REALLY important to me....that forehead piece alone is a deal breaker.
Personal preference is important.

My point is...just because I hate a mask doesn't mean it isn't a good mask for someone else. It just means it isn't a good mask for me and quite frankly "I don't want to use it" is a good enough reason for anyone.
You like it...I hate it. I can't find anything good to say about it and I did try it briefly when I was trying every mask that my DME had available in his office to try on.
Just because you hate a mask doesn't mean it's a crap mask...it just means that for you it is a crap mask.

[Stevoreno_55]

I've used this mask for years; it's an old style but has been a good one for me made by Philips Respironics. Here's the link to it featured on this discussion board's website. The mask also comes with very comfortable headgear too.

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


Stevoreno_55
MS Gulf Coast
06/16/14

[Physician]

I've used this mask for years; it's an old style but has been a good one for me made by Philips Respironics.

It looks like the first mask I used: The Comfort Classic.

[TheDuke]

After having quite a number of different masks, my doctor suggested that I try the "Old" Resmed Mirage Activa- with the inflating bellows and the quick connect coupling to the mask. I have been using the Activa exclusively for about 8 years now, and I am really not willing to even try any other type of mask. I do realize that mask preferences are an individual matter, but I intend to keep using the Activa masks as long as they are available.

[jencat824]

I love the P10, my hubby loves the F10 so if I had to pick just a nasal mask to try, I would want to try out the N10.

Now my hubby has a much lower pressure than mine (his 7-12, mine 12-20) but I have no problem using the P10 at my high pressure, which has been staying around 18-19 for long portions of the night lately. I had problems learning to use a nasal pillows mask, never mastered the Swift FX, but loved the Swift LT, an older mask, at first sniff. I think each of us likes or dislikes certain masks for reasons that are hard to explain other than 'just because'.

Another mask I like is the Sleepweaver Elan, a nasal mask I've tried. The only reason I didn't stick with that one is it came up too high on my nose for me to wear my reading glasses to bed. I read myself to sleep, even though its not good sleep hygiene, its a habit I just can't break. I even have a small pillow beside the bed to catch my Kindle when I drop it after nodding off. The Elan is a cloth mask & very comfortable.

Let us know which mask is the winner.

Jen

[Physician]

I love the P10, my hubby loves the F10 so if I had to pick just a nasal mask to try, I would want to try out the N10.

Now my hubby has a much lower pressure than mine (his 7-12, mine 12-20) but I have no problem using the P10 at my high pressure, which has been staying around 18-19 for long portions of the night lately. I had problems learning to use a nasal pillows mask, never mastered the Swift FX, but loved the Swift LT, an older mask, at first sniff. I think each of us likes or dislikes certain masks for reasons that are hard to explain other than 'just because'.

Another mask I like is the Sleepweaver Elan, a nasal mask I've tried. The only reason I didn't stick with that one is it came up too high on my nose for me to wear my reading glasses to bed. I read myself to sleep, even though its not good sleep hygiene, its a habit I just can't break. I even have a small pillow beside the bed to catch my Kindle when I drop it after nodding off. The Elan is a cloth mask & very comfortable.

Let us know which mask is the winner.

Jen

Wow ! You liked the P10 ? Amazing how people have different experiences. The P10 was not good.

1. All sizes pinched my nasal septum. Very uncomfortable.
2. Very little torsion caused high leaks
3. The DME provided a fixed size fabric belts, and the pillows push too hard on my nares.


https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... dgear.html