Question about the FitLife Total Full Face Mask sizing

Wanting to try the Phillips Respironics FitLife Total Full Face mask but am having difficulty determining the size I need.
The templates one prints and cuts out are only for the small and large sizes but they also now offer an XL size mask.
Called cpap.com and they said they don't have the XL template.
So I called Phillips directly, what an exercise that was wading through a multitude of menus - - Finally got a guy that said he had a template he thought for the XL, he wasn't sure, but could not send it to me anyway because it didn't have their letterhead on it!
He was going to research it more and call me back but so far that hasn't happened.

So- can anyone give me a feel for how much larger the XL is than the L? Using the template for the L it seems it might be a little small for me. But I don't want to spring for over $100 to find the XL is too large or still too small.

Note- I haven't been able to conquer the nose bridge irritation issue and am finding I have too much leakage using nasal pillows, so was considering trying a true total face mask....

Here it is- https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... dgear.html

BudSky,

There is a forum member Sheriff Buford who has extensive experience with this mask, if memory serves correct. I have not been around much lately so I am not sure if he has been on the forum, but perhaps send him a PM as it should get to him.

I hope Sheriff or someone else is able to help. Good luck...

John

BudSky wrote:Wanting to try the Phillips Respironics FitLife Total Full Face mask but am having difficulty determining the size I need.
The templates one prints and cuts out are only for the small and large sizes but they also now offer an XL size mask.

Here it is- [urlhttps://www.cpap.com/productpage/respironics-fi ... dgear.html][/url]

Here is a vendor that offers free shipping and 100% satisfaction or full refund. However, I don't know if they stock XL size. Give them a try. There are other vendors with similar deals.

http://www.directhomemedical.com/fitlif ... R9g-G7mUk

I received an XL yesterday. I cannot compare the XL mask to the L mask, but I will tell you that it is a great fit for me. I wear a L in the Quattro FX and the Airfit F10, if that helps you any.

I can't tell you how the templates size up either. I printed the L template, which I determined was too small, so I ordered the XL by default.

I don't like the bottom of any mask sitting in the recess just below my lower lip (like the fitting diagrams illustrate) because my mouth falls out when my jaw relaxes in my sleep. I figured if the XL FitLife was too long for me, I could just wear it higher on my forehead. That was not necessary. The bottom of the mask sits on my chin (ideal for me) and the top sits in the middle of my forehead. Perfect. Last night was my first night with it. I made a mask liner out of micro fleece, made the proper adjustments, and added a headband around the top of the mask to keep air from leaking out of the forehead area (tip learned here). My leak line was very good this morning. I am really going to like this mask.

Hope this helps.

Thanks M'ohms!
Good info.
When I started on CPAP I paid for everything myself as my insurance at the time had some ridiculously high deductible, so I bought all my stuff online and came in way under their deductible.
My current insurance pays 90% - BUT- I have to buy through one of their approved providers- so- that lets out any online purchases if I want to be reimbursed.
I have a feeling that may make my acquisition of the desired mask costly if none of the "approved" local providers stock it or will get it. The insurance pays nothing if I buy online.
So now that I'm retired and my only pension is just 10% of my former income (not quite old enough for SS) that makes it all the more important to scope out if the mask will fit without risking $120 or so!

I've wearing the large fitlife total for about 5 years. I get restocked from crapria every 3 months. I don't know what I was thinking last fall, but I ordered a large (I think the x-large) came out last summer. I bought an x-large in January this year and fell in love with it. Crapria doesn't stock them so they have to "special order" it and it could take a FEW MONTHS. Why, I don't know, but that's Crapria for you. I have been wearing the Remed F10 of and on, so I ordered it instead. Before I read this thread this morning, I had the thought that I love the fitlife, even though I wear the F10 successfully.

Now..., sorry for getting off the subject. To me, the difference of the large and x-large was that the sides of the mask on the x-large moved a little farther "around" my cheeks (in the direction of the ear). I used to get marks on my cheeks from the large because of the mask. The officers at the station used to comment on my relationship to our LT.'s backside (if you know what I mean). The X-large moved the mask out far enough to stop that. It also seemed to sit higher on the forehead. The only other difference was the x-large mask headgear was way much larger than the large was. It was too big for me. I had an old large size headgear in my drawer, so I wore it instead.

When crapria starts to stock the x-large, I'll probably go back. That being said, after successfully getting the F10 to work for me, I have not given it much of a chance. This is an opportunity to really like the F10 or not. The F10 is less cumbersome. To me, the Fitlife total mask is like an ole' ugly dog. You love her and wouldn't trade her for anything.

Sheriff

Have you guys checked here? Currently on sale!

http://www.thecpapshop.com/fitlife-tota ... d-headgear

BudSky - FYI, those masks are known to have lots of leak problems with lots of patients... hope that doesn't happen to you!

Newcomers should be aware that the FitLife has the largest allowed leak rate of any mask. That is because of the large space under the mask, it must flow a lot of air to get the CO2 out. My point being, that the area around the center nozzle is supposed to leak, have air flow. Likewise there is some leak around the flapper valve. Make sure it goes up and down without air pressure.

The leaks you can not have is around the outside edges of the mask. Usually it makes a huge farting noise when it leaks around the edge. Plus, the area under the mask does not have a sense of air flow, well very little. If you can feel air movement under the mask, then that might be a leak.

A woman who said she had a small face, also used the XL FitLife. I feel that the straps for the XL are too long, but my DME was quite nice and supplied the Large straps to me. I find that the straps do not last for the Medicare allowed six months, so I have to buy additional head straps from our forum sponsor, cpap.com.

I also am weird in how I position the mask. I used to use a Fischer and Paykill Forma mask (with a sore bridge of nose as well), which had one feature I really liked, the chin cup. As it kept the mask mostly in position. So with the FitLife I slip the bottom of the mask below my chin, instead of just under my mouth. I can do this because I have a really small nose. I might use the recommended way of putting it on if I could get the more modern straps for this mask which I have seen pictures of, but no supplier seems to have in that PR wants to sell out of the originals they have first. The more modern has a chin strap built onto the mask.

I am also a strong supporter of the mask liner supplied by Padacheek, AKA Karen. However, I used four inch wide Postal tape to secure the thing so it could never cover of the nozzle barrel designed in, CO2 air overflow exhaust.

I also got a anti-leak strap, Which had a hold in the center of one long strap to go around the nozzle barrel of the mask. I felt it was too close to the barrel, then found I could put that strap across the lowest area of the mask, and hold the mask in position, without the usual straps pressing on my face, which caused pain. I think I should create a small riser on the bottom of the mask, so that with the long strap across the bottom of the chin of the mask, it does not touch my face at all.

My sleep doc said I had really low Respiration rates, which I guess is because I have extra low CO2 from having a much smaller under the mask area (because I slide it down below my chin) than it was designed for. I never told the sleep doc why I thought my respiration rates per minute were low, he was not concerned, because it seemed it was working correctly.

LSAT wrote:Have you guys checked here? Currently on sale!

http://www.thecpapshop.com/fitlife-tota ... d-headgear

How about this one?

http://www.sears.com/respironics-cpap-m ... 5886604809

With my XL mask came the XL headgear, which is totally worthless to me. I prefer the blue mesh headgear, which works very well with this mask:

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/softca ... onics.html

I wear a medium and it holds up better than those headgears that come with the masks.

Sheriff Buford wrote: Now..., sorry for getting off the subject. To me, the difference of the large and x-large was that the sides of the mask on the x-large moved a little farther "around" my cheeks (in the direction of the ear). I used to get marks on my cheeks from the large because of the mask. The officers at the station used to comment on my relationship to our LT.'s backside (if you know what I mean). The X-large moved the mask out far enough to stop that. .

Sheriff

Do you mean the curve of the mask is wider? I mean if you look down on it from the top of the mask the part that curves around your face is a wider curve?
Right now I am using a Quattro FX small, and the curve of the mask seems to be too narrow and presses into my cheeks. I've only been using CPAP for a few weeks. The girl at the DME just gave me a small. She didn't measure my face or anything.

winnie wrote:

Sheriff Buford wrote: Now..., sorry for getting off the subject. To me, the difference of the large and x-large was that the sides of the mask on the x-large moved a little farther "around" my cheeks (in the direction of the ear). I used to get marks on my cheeks from the large because of the mask. The officers at the station used to comment on my relationship to our LT.'s backside (if you know what I mean). The X-large moved the mask out far enough to stop that. .

Sheriff

Do you mean the curve of the mask is wider? I mean if you look down on it from the top of the mask the part that curves around your face is a wider curve?
Right now I am using a Quattro FX small, and the curve of the mask seems to be too narrow and presses into my cheeks. I've only been using CPAP for a few weeks. The girl at the DME just gave me a small. She didn't measure my face or anything.

Winnie,
I also use the QFX and had it fitted at the DME. They sized me out as a Medium, but I didn't like the way it felt on my face --too close to my mouth. I have both the Medium and the Large. I like the large much better. Occasionally, I go back to the Medium just to compare, and still think it's too small. I would definitely try the medium, or try the F10. I like that one too. Both are very similar. Good luck!

I suspect DME's dispense very few FitLife masks, so I doubt if most know much about which size is for you. I can only point to a woman who said she had a small face, and found she liked the XL mask. I am guessing that a Small FitLife mask would be for a child. ????????????????????

Can you push your DME to swap for one of the larger sizes, without cost to you.

I am guessing that a Small FitLife mask would be for a child. ????????????????????

Not necessarily. While I am a small woman with a small face and head I needed the small size when I tried the FitLife. It doesn't run that small. While I am not a large woman...my features are adult in size and no where near child size.