So Many Masks, So Little Time....

NOTE: I am quoting KATFISH from another topic, as I think this is worthy of its own attention! birdshell

KATFISH wrote: YOU MEAN THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF MACHINES?IAMB TRYING TO LOCATE A SYSTEM I CAN USE WITH ONE HAND AS I HAD A STROKE AND ONLY HAVE USE OF ONE HAND TO GET THAT MASK OFF AND ON,OFF IS EASY,BACK ON IS VERY HARD.IM NEW TO THIS SITE AND HOPE TO GET THE HELP YOU SEEM TO HAVE GOTTEN
THANK YOU
KATFISH

WHOA! I feel for you, as I have had such trouble with slipping and have tried several masks. I would think that your sleep lab and/or Durable Medical Equipment provider (as in the medical supply place) would let you try out several masks, as they have with me. If you call them and tell them you are having a problem, they should have you come in and try a few then send you home with one to test.

Unless you need a full face mask, the comments below will apply. If you need the full face mask, forget it.

I have the nasal pillows version of the Comfort Lite (original) to test right now. Since it was designed to be similar to a baseball cap, and the straps are covered with a plastic, maybe this would work for you to put on one-handed. It has a velcro strap in the back that can be adjusted one-handed. The other straps are more difficult to adjust, but once they are adjusted they do not seem to need adjustment again.

The original ComfortLite also comes with a small mask, or nasal pillows, or a third choice that I do not understand because it seems just like the nasal pillows in the pictures. Maybe someone else could explain it to both of us.

I have also tried the Mirage Swift and Puritan Bennett ADAM Nasal Pillows. Neither of these would be my choice for you, as I fought to get the straps adjusted without slipping. They both seemed to need a lot of adjustment nightly compared to the ComfortLite.

Hang in there, Katfish. Keep asking the sleep lab or the DME provider for help. There are TONS of choices, and you deserve to be able to make them.

Anyone else have thoughts on which mask/interface YOU would like to use single-handedly?

birdshell wrote:Unless you need a full face mask, the comments below will apply. If you need the full face mask, forget it.

birdshell,

I've never tried it, but I THINK I could put my UMFF on with one hand without too much trouble. There are four plastic clips that attach the headgear to the mask. They recommend that you leave three of them attached (top two and one of the bottom ones) and then you only have to slip it over the top of your head and attach the last one. ALMOST like a catcher's mask.

Den

I think I would try just about any mask before a full face. I've been happy with the tried and true NasalAire II. Never lets me down and never wakes me up.
Nothing like 8 hours sleep.

The Breeze, because of its rigid frame, is relatively easy to put on with one hand. I have also been using the Comfort Lite 2 and it has a nice soft head gear which, however, would be harder to single-hand.

GOOD LUCK!
AII

I agree with apneaicinisrael -- if one handed on/off is the most important factor, you can't beat the Breeze. It's easy as pie to put on and take off with one hand.

However, if a person likes to sleep on their back very much, the Breeze's rigid headgear tends to get shoved forward causing leaks, or backward tugging upward at the nostrils.

It's a wonderful mask for sleeping on one's side though, and for toss-and-turn side to side sleeping.