Hybrid Mask Reveiw - First Blush (Long)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:38 am

Is there any mask whose exhaust port is not directed at the bed partner? Overhead, maybe? I love the Breeze, but hubby doesn't like the breeze when I turn in his direction.

lvehko · Post by **lvehko** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:50 am

Man, I am GREEN with envy you guys!

It would be really great if someone could post photos of this thing with the headgear, and maybe a detail of the mouthpiece from the back? The main question I have is how the seal at the mouth works. For me, with full face masks, I'll put the thing on and get a good seal, but as soon as my chin relaxes during sleep I lose the seal. I do have a small chin, but also I think the issue is that in general a person's chin moves independent of the nose, so from that standpoint it seems to me that all full-face masks that bear on the nose are doomed, at least for me. From the descriptions, it sounds like the Hybrid tries to solve that problem with some sort of chin support or something, but I'm still not sure if it will accomodate the chin moving *back* while sleeping -- i.e., receding from the mouth seal. Maybe my chin is the only one that does this...?

Anyway, I'm doing OK with my swift and mouth taping, will look forward to hearing more. The reps who were talking to me about sending me samples have stopped returning my e.mails, so I imagine sales are good enough that they have blown me off. I wonder if the price will go down or up on this thing over time?

Minerva

Bonnie · Post by **Bonnie** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 9:07 am

Great review, Mike.

I've never used a full face mask excpet when they slapped one on me during the sleep study and I totally freaked out. I use the Swift and like it, it works well and as far as I know (I sleep alone) I don't mouth breathe. Last fall when I had a very bad cold for weeks and couldn't breathe very good thru the nose I would have loved a FF mask. Thoughts of the sleep study experience have not left me but I really would like to get one for the upcoming fall hayfever and cold season. This one might be the key to overcome my fears. I will read with interest everyones stories from now until September when insurance will pay for a mask.

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 9:22 am

[quote="Anonymous"]Is there any mask whose exhaust port is not directed at the bed partner? Overhead, maybe? I love the Breeze, but hubby doesn't like the breeze when I turn in his direction.

birdshell · Post by **birdshell** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:24 am

Is there a reason that the exhaust vents have to be close to the nose? The other air is coming QUITE a distance through the hose--could it not be directed through a vent in the hose and re-directed by the sleeper (or co-sleeper)?

Keep the information coming! This hybrid seems to have much to recommend it to all kinds of faces and folks.

Bonnie · Post by **Bonnie** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:35 am

I am definitely interested in this mask and did the provider locator thing with my zip code to find out who in my area carrys it. I called the DME listed and they had "no knowledge of such a mask"

I just watched the video on this mask, it having 3 sizes for the built in chin support. It occurred to me that Jay Leno must be glad he doesn't need a mask of this sort ....

birdshell · Post by **birdshell** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:50 am

Bonnie, do you think that the hybrid is SO new that the DME company did not know they carry it? With the way some folks have spoken of their DME providers, it could take 6 months to a year before they realize what that weird looking thing might be....

I visit my DME provider Wednesday. I will ask the RT what she knows about it. Not only am I fortunate in having one sharp cookie for an RT, but she is a fellow user of CPAP as is her daughter. The DME provider is somehow affiliated with the Sleep Lab where my diagnoses and titration tests were performed. Because of all these factors, she sees things from several perspectives.

I'll let you know ASAP Wednesday evening (my appointment is at 4:00 pm).

mikemoran · Post by **mikemoran** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:51 am

The Chin support with the headgear pretty much keeps the jaw in place. This may be due to how I got it strapped tight but it is more support than I have had with any chinstrap. If you jaw did drop it would probably slip out of the flexible chin support rather than pull the mask down. I have moved my chin under the support and the main seal stayed in place and the mask did not move.

jondough · Post by **jondough** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 11:32 am

Boy I envy you "active" sleepers that can sleep with the hose both on and under the blankets. I start on my stomache, then I am on one side then the other, on my back, under the covers, over the covers, adding covers, throwing them off.

I just cannot imagine not having my hose go overhead. I am amazed that I do as well with it there and rarely disconnecting. No way it would work below the neck!

By the way, my wife would envy anyone who is less active than I.

Born Tired · Post by **Born Tired** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:15 pm

Hey Mike,
Have you noticed any rainout with the Hybrid? The Aura had a tendency to rainout for a lot of people so the Aussie heated hose was necessary. Can you using much humidification?
Thanks,
Esther
---

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:40 pm

Hmmmm. Lori's post regarding insurance caused me to think of something. I wonder what code the Hybrid will be for insurance purposes.

A regular mask or pillows is code A7034.

A full face mask is A7030, and the allowable amount is quite a bit higher than the A7034.

If the Hybid code is the "regular mask" one, my insurance company will only pay up to $117.64 which would leave quite a bit of out-of-pocket money from me.

Mike, did your invoice from cpap.com have a billing code on it? If so, what was it?

Guest too · Post by **Guest too** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:45 pm

http://www.hybridmask.com/reimburse.htm

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:49 pm

Now I feel pretty darn stupid.

DME_store · Post by **DME_store** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 4:03 pm

Guest too wrote:http://www.hybridmask.com/reimburse.htm

WOW! 4 codes.........I think this is the only mask with the a7030, a7031, a7033 and a7035 codes.

guest, too · Post by **guest, too** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 4:15 pm

Doesn't comfortlite 2 have all those codes but with a nasal mask?

Hybrid Mask Reveiw - First Blush (Long)

Exhaust(ed)

Interrresting!

Overhead hose.

Mask

Additional Comments: Started CPAP June 14, 2006, pressure set at 8.0