Hybrid Mask Reveiw - First Blush (Long)

Issac · Post by **Issac** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 12:51 pm

Seems as if companies are giving much more value these days, at least, for the money. Most products have all the pillows included and this one has all the cushions included and all the pillows. I think that is good because it stretches the envelope a bit and it may cause the other companies to include all the cushions in their masks now. The other companies will have to give more to overcome all that this mask is offering.

It seems expensive, but Teleflex must have spent a fortune in research to come up with something like this. Or Respcar, Innomed, whoever.
Whoever made this one really raised the bar.

I am calling the customer service number tomorrow to see what the pressure recommendations are. My pressure limits me to big uncomfortable masks, but thanks to this forum, I am getting a new Resmed Spirit Autopap of some sort next Tuesday. My Doctor ordered it for me because of my new knowledge and confidence and insistance (thanks to all of you).I think every who suffers from a sleep breathing problem should read this forum. I learned more in one month than I would have in my life about thse problems and how you solve them.

chdurie2 · Post by **chdurie2** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 1:19 pm

mike:

maybe this is too much of a "custom-made" question for you in your follow-up review, but i'll ask it anyway. is your wife small? if so, could you ask her to try it on, then open her mouth and if it feels like her lower lip drops or could drop below/behind the seal, let us know?

this is my problem with UMFF and F&P 431. at the sleep center last week they gave me a comfortfull small and a comfortfull 2 medium (no comfortfull 2 small in stock) and this seems to resolve the problem, but i don't find either as comfortable as a UMFF. the sleep tech saw the problem--said small women generally don't have enough chin for full face masks. i've only been working with it a few days, so using your full "one week" test, the comfortfull line may work out. but would like to know if hybrid would work.

but if this is too much--i'm sure many have their own private "will this work?" questions--i certainly understand.

and thanks for letting us know this seems to be a good alternative, at least for some, to UMFF.

and yes, let me add my thanks to the others for a generally great review.

caroline

mikemoran · Post by **mikemoran** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 1:30 pm

Caroline,

I would say my wife's face is more of a medium so i don't know having her try it would answer your question. However, I can address it from the standpoint of the design. The bottom of the mask has two seals. One is below the lip and seems to be the primary one, the second is the chin support a thicker peice of silicone. It fits under the chin like a cup. The small mouth peice is significantly smaller than the large and noticeably smaller than the medium. Even if there was a gap between the chin support and a smaller persons chin, the lower lip seal would still be suffcient I think to seal the mask, since there is only one seal on the upper lip.

Can't say for sure but it is my best guess looking at the design.

chdurie2 · Post by **chdurie2** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 1:36 pm

thanks, mike. yes, i can see the bottom part of the mouth part is smaller than the top, so that may work.

thanks again.

caroline

Born Tired · Post by **Born Tired** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 1:51 pm

Boy, the things you miss when you don't stay on top of things It has been over a month since I've taken time to visit the forum (I am ashamed ) and has been sporadic for a number of months--been very busy.

Today is the first I've heard about the Hybrid. I have been using the Aura Headread since last year, and it has made a huge difference. The only 2 problems were leaky lips (even with a chin strap) and a rare episode of sinuses completely closing off--hard to get any air in through the mouth with a chin strap on. Mentioned to my husband that it would be great if somebody would come up with a combo of air pillows and mouth piece--he just laughed. Wait till I tell him. Although I don't think he would like that air tunnel blowing into his ear. Maybe they'll fix that one.

Mike, thanks for your review. When I first saw the topic heading about a hybrid mask I was expecting to read one of your humorous CPAP stories.

Thanks for the info
Esther
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jondough · Post by **jondough** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 1:57 pm

mike,
thanks for the review!
as a very active sleeper, i cannot concieve of having a hose that did not go up. I have used a breeze with a chinstrap for a year and a half with the hose going above my head and laying back and forth on the top of a pillow. . as I twist and turn, I have rarely gotten caught up in the hose.
with the hose going down, i imagine i would always get it wraped around some limb.
could you comment on this. thanks again

yardbird · Post by **yardbird** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:03 pm

I must be getting spoiled or something. This mask looks AWESOME, but all I can think of to sy about it is...
OH MY GOD, IT's a hundred and eighty bucks!

tooly125 · Post by **tooly125** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:08 pm

mikemoran wrote:I will crank up the pressure for an awake test and let you know.

I will look forward to this part of your report.
Would you be willing to go as high as say 19?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:39 pm

with facial hair pillows is your only option. you think the UMFF is noisy? noisy maybe due to leaks from facial hair.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:46 pm

i'm sticking with the tried and true for one forty two:

jones · Post by **jones** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 3:27 pm

I asked the experts at the Teleflex Medical booth at Sleep 2006 last week if this puppy would work at pressures 12 and higher. One of the guys said that it would work much better than nasal pillows at higher pressures because the air sits in the oral part for a tad bit before going through the pillows and so the jet effect is reduced. The pilloes seemed quite secure, so I don't think they will blow away.

Sounds believable but I have to try it to confirm....

maskjkie · Post by **maskjkie** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 3:48 pm

I've been sleeping with the hybrid mask for the past 8 nights. I got a sample to try.

My titrated pressure is 16. The first night was a learning curve but after that I got a good fit. By adjusting the upper and lower sets of straps, I was able to solve the initial leak issues. Once I did that, it was much quieter too. I was able to breathe through the mouth.

It has addressed all the issues I had with other masks. I think I'm going to stick with this to eternity!!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 3:52 pm

jondough wrote:as a very active sleeper, i cannot concieve of having a hose that did not go up.
with the hose going down, i imagine i would always get it wraped around some limb.
could you comment on this.

I'm with you jondough. But Mike said if it's routed upward it not only blocks the line of vision but also the exhaust ports and makes it loud. That's too bad because I don't think I could handle a hose routed downward either. I would be tangled up in it all night long as I flip around. Looks like I'm stuck with the Breeze and taping. Then again, a little piece of tape seems a lot less cumbersome than the Hybrid mouth part anyway, so I'm trying to convince myself I won't be missing out on much.

Mike, are there marks on your skin in the morning from where the mask has been touching your face all night?

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 4:04 pm

Just a point of view on the upward hose situation and this mask. I think most of us do this to get a better night's sleep with the current masks we use, however have other problems that go along with our masks that can cause arousals anyway. If this mask is that good otherwise, we still may get better sleep with it because it's eliminating some of the other issues that our present masks present. It may be a trade-off and end up working out well.

I, for one, am convinced enough to call the DME tomorrow, being I was due for a new mask this month, and am going to look into its availability, downward hose position or not. If it helps me sleep well, I don't think the hose position will make too much of a difference. And, believe me, I am not one to just choose a position and stay in it all night long. But I think it's worth a try.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 4:24 pm

Sleepless on LI wrote: And, believe me, I am not one to just choose a position and stay in it all night long. But I think it's worth a try.

Thanks for checking it out. Let us know if you find you get tangled up in it.

Mask

Additional Comments: Large mask collection

Mask

Additional Comments: Large mask collection

Hybrid Mask Reveiw - First Blush (Long)

hybrid mask review