Hybrid Users--I need Advice, Please ?

More questions about the Hybrid:
Does any of you route the hose from above when using the Hybrid? What happens when the vented air hits the hose?

O.

ozij wrote: What happens when the vented air hits the hose?

It makes noise. Just like when it hits the pillow (bed pillow, not nasal...). I WISH I could route it that way, but it sounds too much like a leak.

Thanks, Link. That's what I feared....
It's beginning to look like my velo-lingual seal is getting worse and worse, and I may have to say goodbye to my nasal pillows masks....


O.

SleepingUgly wrote:I can try LinkC's "circumference of a leg" technique, although I guess I'd have to cut from the thigh section if it's to fit around my head (not sure how the size of the cut affects the tension...seems like the section of the leg used would better dictate that...).
!

OK, right out of the package the leg is about 3 in wide. That would make the unstretched circumference about 6 in. It is no wider at the thigh than at the ankle. If you put your fingers in the top, you can stretch it to about 16 in (circumference 32 in). If that won't fit your head, you have a lucrative future with a circus!

No matter how wide a "slice" you take off the leg, it will stretch to approximately the same maximum...BUT the tension will be greater with a wide slice than a narrow one. When you stretch the slice for the first time, the cut edges will automatically roll in, forming a band that's from 1/8 to 3/8 inches wide depending on how wide the slice was. It will still be about 6" in circumference unstretched, and will stretch to 32" max. But the wider the slice was, the more tension it provides.

The fabric is REALLY stretchy (obviously!) and a slice from the ankle is just as big as one from the thigh. If you cut off the hem at the ankle, you can't tell one end from the other.


I REALLY need to take some pics! lol

LinkC, thanks for the details. I'll have to try it. However, you didn't succeed with this "fix", correct? I believe you said it still hurt your nose. I am having an issue with my nose hurting, perhaps from the straps being too tight, but still might be leaking. I have two tiny sores on the outer part of either nostril... I'm not sure if these fixes will make the problem worse. Seems like I need more pressure to keep them secure, but more pressure may mean more pain/sores....

LinkC wrote:

SleepingUgly wrote:I can try LinkC's "circumference of a leg" technique, although I guess I'd have to cut from the thigh section if it's to fit around my head (not sure how the size of the cut affects the tension...seems like the section of the leg used would better dictate that...).
!

OK, right out of the package the leg is about 3 in wide. That would make the unstretched circumference about 6 in. It is no wider at the thigh than at the ankle. If you put your fingers in the top, you can stretch it to about 16 in (circumference 32 in). If that won't fit your head, you have a lucrative future with a circus!

No matter how wide a "slice" you take off the leg, it will stretch to approximately the same maximum...BUT the tension will be greater with a wide slice than a narrow one. When you stretch the slice for the first time, the cut edges will automatically roll in, forming a band that's from 1/8 to 3/8 inches wide depending on how wide the slice was. It will still be about 6" in circumference unstretched, and will stretch to 32" max. But the wider the slice was, the more tension it provides.

The fabric is REALLY stretchy (obviously!) and a slice from the ankle is just as big as one from the thigh. If you cut off the hem at the ankle, you can't tell one end from the other.

I REALLY need to take some pics! lol

ozij wrote: ... my velo-lingual seal is getting worse and worse...

Where your tongue meets your BICYCLE????? (I had to Google THAT one!)

Well, the Hybrid would be a great upgrade, IMHO! My hose is routed under my pillow and lays in front of me when I'm on my right side, and over my shoulder when on the left. I've gotten to where hose-management is so automatic I can do it in my sleep. And I DO!

SleepingUgly wrote: However, you didn't succeed with this "fix", correct? I believe you said it still hurt your nose.

Well, I still use it. I have one ""thick" band and one "thin" one that I use (and a drawer-full of in-betweens). The thin one runs over my ears to the nasal pillow lips. It gives me a more secure seal, but over time makes the ridge between my nares sore. Nothing visible, just sore.

When that happens, I switch to the thicker band for a couple of nights, running behind my neck to the front of the mask (tucked under the O2 ports to keep it away from the vent holes). It works well, but if I move my head much, I get leaks. They usually don't wake me up, but I can sure see the difference in my leak line.

I go about a week to 10 days with the "pillows" band, then 2-3 nights with the "mask".

LinkC wrote:

ozij wrote: ... my velo-lingual seal is getting worse and worse...

Where your tongue meets your BICYCLE????? (I had to Google THAT one!)

I learned THAT one from Muse-Inc --

posting.php?mode=quote&f=1&p=406404

O.

ozij wrote:More questions about the Hybrid:
Does any of you route the hose from above when using the Hybrid? What happens when the vented air hits the hose?

O.

It does sound like a leak whenever anything's in front of the vents, O.

But I do use a hose hanger. I just make sure there's plenty of slack, so that the hose can point downward first. Not a foolproof solution, but it works well enough for me.

SleepingUgly wrote:...Astepro...

Make sure you spray early enough that the spray is gone; if I don't spray at least 45 mins before maskup (typically 2 hrs), it will make my pillow seal fragile and any movement will cause leak. If I'm runny, then a good seal is next to impossible for me to maintain. Congestion is my primary CPA therapy challenge.

SleepingUgly wrote:...the straps are so tight that my nostrils hurt when I wake up and I developing a little sore on the rim of each nostril, so I'm not sure tightening the straps more is a good idea.

IMHO waay too tight! Make sure you are using the right size of pillows. With my former pillow mask, the RT insisted I use the medium but I felt like too little aire was coming thru the opening, so I went to the large pillow. When I switched to the Hybrid, I started with the large pillow...tried the medium for grins and they leaked badly. Sometimes what we think is right isn't...might switch to another size and see what happens.

SleepingUgly wrote:...feels like the chin cup holds my mouth shut. I can certainly force my mouth open to breathe if I need to, but it doesn't open naturally...

IMHO too tight. I can open my mouth without much effort; my bottom straps are much looser than the top straps...the top of the head strap is my snuggest. When I get completely blocked from congestion (common for me), I easily breathe thru my mouth, tho more often it's just thru pursed lips...it's rare that my jaw drops very much but it has happened. I have 2 'fits' with my Hybrid and both are rated by my AutoSet as 'excellent': one is with my chin deep into the groove for your chin (feels like full contact with the silicon) and the other is with my chin partly in that groove. Maybe you need to try loosening the bottom straps. Are you sure you're using the right size oral cushion?

Muse-Inc wrote:

SleepingUgly wrote:...Astepro...

Make sure you spray early enough that the spray is gone; if I don't spray at least 45 mins before maskup (typically 2 hrs), it will make my pillow seal fragile and any movement will cause leak. If I'm runny, then a good seal is next to impossible for me to maintain. Congestion is my primary CPA therapy challenge.

Are you using Astepro? I was using only Nasonex in the morning and then I went to an allergist who had me start using Nasonex morning AND night, and Astepro morning and night. I only had one night with the Hybrid at 1 spray of each at night and I slept 4 hours with the Hybrid that night. The next two nights I used 1 spray of Nasonex and 2 sprays of Astepro at night, and both those nights were rough. Don't know if it was due to Nasonex (that was kept constant at 1 spray, but maybe night is not the best time for this), Astepro, or neither. I also wonder if Astepro is causing sedation during the day. In short, I'd like to blame the Astepro for keeping me UP at night and making me TIRED during the day.

Are you sure you're using the right size oral cushion?

Well, I actually thought the small was perhaps big enough, but I needed the medium to bring the pillows close enough to seal (even with the tall setting).

LinkC, thanks. I'm going to try your suggestions.

SleepingUgly wrote:...Are you using Astepro? I was using only Nasonex...

My congestion runs unpredictably from mild to completely blocked as I have allergies, chronic sinusitis, vasomotor rhinitis, and get this something called gustatory rhinitis (when I eat more than a bite or 2 of in my case a wheat product, I get congested). For several wks before Thanksgiving, I was pretty much not congested (rarity for me, I thought it was my reaction to switching to an APAP and getting better sleep). Then, congestion started up again, so now I'm back to Astepro and Nasonex at night and sometimes Nasonex in the AM; congestion and cold weather seem to go hand in hand for me. I have another spray I've yet to use, generic Atrovent 6% nasal spray which is targeted to runny noses but some get very good congestion relief from it. Sleep doc wants me to try it but I keep resisting...I hate drugs as most give me side effects. Wish I could go back to what an ENT had me doing for yrs pre-apnea, 1 spray Afrin in each nostril before bed...worked great with no rebound and I often could skip a night or 2. Then, after about 10 months on CPAP, I began having cardio side effects ...oh well. I haven't found anything that's worked anywhere near that well to manage my congestion issues

SleepingUgly wrote:
Are you using Astepro? I was using only Nasonex in the morning and then I went to an allergist who had me start using Nasonex morning AND night, and Astepro morning and night. I only had one night with the Hybrid at 1 spray of each at night and I slept 4 hours with the Hybrid that night. The next two nights I used 1 spray of Nasonex and 2 sprays of Astepro at night, and both those nights were rough. Don't know if it was due to Nasonex (that was kept constant at 1 spray, but maybe night is not the best time for this), Astepro, or neither. I also wonder if Astepro is causing sedation during the day. In short, I'd like to blame the Astepro for keeping me UP at night and making me TIRED during the day.

By experience I found that I am very sensitive to both products.

*Astepro (Azelastine Hydrochloride Nasal Spray) - Both the doctor and the pharmacist insisted that that Astepro would not cause drowsiness. I had a bad experience with Astepro and had to take a ninety-minute nap or risk collapsing to the floor. Later, as an experiment, I tried it again to see what would happen. Within 30 minutes I could not keep my head up and took another ninety-minute nap until the effect wore off. I permanently discontinued use of the product after only trying it twice.

*Nasonex (mometasone nasal spray) - This is a steroid spray. A side effect of steriods in some people is a high alertness or short term nervousness. The doctors will tell you the dosage in nasal sprays is so small that this side effect does not occur. I am overly sensitive to steroid nasal sprays. The positive part of the side effect is an elation and high energy level. Of course you don’t want this at bedtime. So I only use steroid nasal sprays in the a.m. After using the spray for a few days, I don’t notice the side effect anymore.

Regarding the unusually high sensitivity to these products, I attribute it to sleep apnea. Unfortunately for you, your sleep apnea at this point seems to be poorly controlled and you may be sensitive to small effects. Keep working on getting a mask adjusted and things can get better for you.