Question for Rooster--Hybrid Mask ?

I am wanting to get the Hybrid mask for the cooler months when I have cold related congestion. I am currently using the Swift II nasal mask. My problem though is with the RT at my DME. Seems like they can't keep an RT there for some reason. I have tried for two weeks to contact the RT and he is always "Not in Today ". Well, this past Friday I was told that He no longer works there and that they will have a New RT on Monday--Same Song, Different Verse it seems to me. I will call again Monday to try to set up a Fitting for the Hybrid but My Question to you is Would it be Possible for me to just order the Hybrid from my DME and fit myself since it comes with three sizes of Pillows or Does it come with Different sizes of HeadGear ? I want to get this mask soon as winter is coming soon but I am so Flustrated with the RT at this point that I am searching for other opportunities now. Thank You

DannyPh wrote:I am wanting to get the Hybrid mask for the cooler months when I have cold related congestion. I am currently using the Swift II nasal mask. My problem though is with the RT at my DME. Seems like they can't keep an RT there for some reason. I have tried for two weeks to contact the RT and he is always "Not in Today ". Well, this past Friday I was told that He no longer works there and that they will have a New RT on Monday--Same Song, Different Verse it seems to me. I will call again Monday to try to set up a Fitting for the Hybrid but My Question to you is Would it be Possible for me to just order the Hybrid from my DME and fit myself since it comes with three sizes of Pillows or Does it come with Different sizes of HeadGear ? I want to get this mask soon as winter is coming soon but I am so Flustrated with the RT at this point that I am searching for other opportunities now. Thank You

I know rooster's the "Big Kahuna" around here when it comes to the Hybrid, but here's my $.02:

Yes, you can certainly just order the Hybrid and fit it yourself. No matter how good (or bad) your RT is, YOU'RE the one sleeping with the mask every night, so it's up to YOU to fit it properly. The Hybrid comes with three sizes of oral cushion and three sizes of pillows (which can also be height-adjusted). I've never seen or heard of a mask with different sizes of headgear; it's one size, fully adjustable.

Go for it, Danny. Don't wait for an RT to "fit" you, as most of them seem to do a pretty poor job of that, anyway.

I"ll back BB...go for it! Great online fitting guide also comes on CD. Pretty easy to determine the right size of oral cushion and pillows. The tightness of straps might be tricky...at least they were for me as I'd only worn the OptiLife pillow mask. I hadda get my sleep doc's techs to help me adjust the straps...all I needed was to tighten the top of the head strap a tiny bit and tighten the top shell strap a tiny bit, I was that close to getting an ideal fit on my own. I had to lab rat for a slight leak at the very end of my nose but that was pretty easy...if I'd have had a pair of tights around I'd have tried Rooster's fix, instead I used 2 small hair scrunchies to rig up a fix. I really like this RespCare Hybrid mask.

I'll repeat what the other 2 have said! Buy it! There is so many sizing possibles and some good instruction with this mask that you don't need an RT to fit you. You get 3 sizes of pillows and 3 sizes of mouth pieces with this and the headgear is standard (there are no different sizes of headgear). You adjust it to fit you.

If you are getting it from the DME just BE VERY SURE that yo get the WHOLE package with all the sizes. Sometimes DMEs say you just need 1 sizes and sell you just the headgear and 1 size of each.

There is lots of help online to help with fitting the Hybrid. I was just looking at "YouTube" last night and watched a video on the Hybrid and fitting it.

There are lots of people here too who can help you!

DannyPh wrote:...My Question to you is Would it be Possible for me to just order the Hybrid from my DME and fit myself since it comes with three sizes of Pillows or Does it come with Different sizes of HeadGear ? I want to get this mask soon as winter is coming soon but I am so Flustrated with the RT at this point that I am searching for other opportunities now. Thank You

Danny,

Yes, you can order it. But check around on the Internet for prices first. I find that the Internet prices are often cheaper than what my co-pay would be at the DME. Plus the DME charges extra for all the stuff that normally comes in a mask kit, like the headgear. With time that you have spent trying to work with your DME, you could probably order it on-line and get it quicker than what you will with your DME.

-john-