Hybrid Mask, Week 1

If I may chime in...

My lips get dry with the hybrid without humidification. I have been slathering on the lip salve and drinking water before bed, and that helps.

Shelley

Hybrid Week 1, Night 5

For tonight, Sunday, I’m using the same mask setup as the previous 3 nights. That is the medium mouthpiece, and the large pillows. I’m starting out with only pass-over humidification.

10:15P – Lights out. Went to bed and went right to sleep. I guess I’m starting to get comfortable with the pressure above my upper lip.

2:42A – Awakened by a big leak. Understandable, because I had rolled over from my right side to stomach, and the mask was pushed to one side. I got up got a drink and etc,
Turned on the heat for the humidifier (level 1), and quickly went back to sleep.

4:36A – My cheek is starting to tickle and a small leak is starting at the corner of the mouthpiece. I removed the mask and discovered my face was pretty wet. So I turned off the heat to the humidifier, re-installed the mask, and went back to sleep.

5:36A – Time to get up.

Summary – For me, there is a connection between the mask leaks and the amount of moisture delivered to my face. My room temperature is a constant 73DF. Would a heated hose help, or not? I guess I could try one.

Notes: I am able to fit the mask with two different configurations: The medium mouthpiece with the large pillows, and the large mouthpiece with the medium pillows.
I would prefer the use the latter, because I can open my mouth with it. I can not open my mouth with the medium mouthpiece, for two reasons: It’s difficult because of the chin piece, and when I try real hard I get leaks. I can not use the large mouthpiece because its radius is just too great for my face, so it leaks. After my first week is over, I will take steps to modify the large mouthpiece.

I wouldn't suggest the heated hose, the warm air will make your face perspire.

When winter ended I was still using my heated hose and HH at 4 and I started waking up thinking I was in the Amazon rain forest. IT was hot and humid. I gradually backed everything off and now only use the HH at 1, with no heated hose.

It's so weird that 70 degrees in the winter is different than 72 degrees in the summer. IT must have to do with the additional humidity.

I just got notified that my Hybrid shipped so I will be joining you in the lab shortly.

Best,

Tom

Tom, When did you order yours? My order as of tonight still shows "processing." I am so ready for it, and it is so hard waiting.

Geez, again I forot to sign in

I ordered mine on 7/4 and it still says 'processing'

on the wet and leaky note - I am using the umff now and I, well, drool - and so I am getting leaks around my mouth at night after drooling - my dentist says I just have lots of salivia - great - anyway, so agree with the wetness and leaks - but mine for a different reason

I was expecting a much better night than I had. I used the medium mouthpiece with the large pillows. As I've said before, this is not the best option for me, because its too small for my mouth. However, the radius of the large mouthpiece prevents it from a sealing on my face.

Moisture - I used the humidifier in pass-over mode, with about a quarter inch of water in it.

10;15P - I hooked up and went to bed. A few minutes later, my cheeks started to itch and the mask started to leak at the corners of the mouthpiece. I felt hot and stuffy. Remember, I can't open my mouth with the medium mouthpiece. Next, the pillows started to leak.

12:10A - I give up! I got up and put on the CL2. However, that didn't work at all because I was pretty congested.

12:45A - I got up, removed the CL2, used the saline solution, and set up at the computer until my head cleared. Next, I looked at the thermostat. Sure enough it was set a 77DF. I changed it to 74DF.

1:50A - Put the hybrid back on, and slept soundly until..

5:45A - Alarm sounds, time to get up.

Summary - Three things are starting to show up for me to be able
to use this, or any other FF mask:
1) Moisture - as little as is comfortable.
2) Cool room
3) I'm thinking I need to get that lower partial plate soon. This might round out my face enough to use the large mouthpiece.

I ordered mine Mon 7/3.

I am currently using the Activa, works great except I wake myself up with occasional mouth breathing - which is why I'm "betting $172. on the Hybrid).

I also have UMFF that leaks into my eyes - unuseable and hot.

I tried my HH in the pass-over mode and woke up with dry mouth & throat during the night and had to put it back on at HH 1.

I expect to get the mask soon and will advise.

Best,

Tom

Tuesday Night 6/11/06

I am going to be able to copy and paste Monday's log on this one. Very similar, bad.

I used the large mouthpiece with the medium pillows. In order to overcome the radius problem with the large mouthpiece. I put 3 layers of Moleskin on both corners of the mouthpiece.

Moisture - I used the humidifier in pass-over mode, with about a quarter inch of water in it.

9:45P - I hooked up and went to bed. I checked everything and detected no leaks. I went to sleep.

12:30A - I woke up. The phone was ringing, the mask was leaking at the corners again, and my nose was 'stopped up'.

1:305A - After taking care of the small, family emergency event, I used the saline solution, and switched to the CL2. However, that didn't work at all, because of the congestion.

1:50A - Put the hybrid back on, and slept 'badly' (leak, leak, leak) until time to get up. I guess I will quit trying to use the large mouthpiece. I just cannot seal the corners. 5:45A - Alarm sounds, time to get up.

Summary - My first thought would be to heat up the Hybrid's hard plastic face piece, and bend it until it conforms to my face. However, I'll save that until a bit latter on when I get desperate. Humm..maybe I could saw a couple of slots in it, and bend it. What do you think? I may try some spacers tonight.

Tuesday night was not a total 'washout', I did find yet another good reason to make this mask work. With the CL2, if one nostril gets congested, it is very difficult for me to inhale. However, with either of the Hybrid's pillows I use, inhaling, even with some congestion, is effortless.

The quality of sleep I have had with the Hybrid is unsurpassed. It's the quantity that is giving me a problem....Cheers

The sleep is very good on this mask because it seems like we get so much more air. I dream like I have never dreamed before.
I had to get up twice and change my pillow last night. The darn bed pillow. I need something the mask can be off the edge of. Thinking of ordering a temperpedic or something. I get the darn mask just right with no leaks and I'm afraid to get comfortable on my pillow.

Had my first Hybrid night last night. I was exhausted from driving 830 miles in 11 hours and 45 minutes. I returned from a family funeral in South Carolina. The Hybrid had been waiting for me since last Friday. I went to the extreme of trying it when so tired (beyond belief actually) because some allergen I encountered or, some other event, had made be very congested, very sore and achey and given me a deep cough (all still present). I had probably over extended Afrin as a solution so may have had some rebound too but the Swift was not going to be effective without more Afrin and I didn't want to do that.

At 9:30 I washed the mask parts and put them on the balcony to dry. I watched the video and put my xPAP back where it belongs after traveling. I sort of hand dried various parts but there was still a little moisture in the mask when I fitted it with large mouth cushion and large pillows. I went to bed at about 11pm after taking a couple of ibu's as well.

I did sleep, if not terribly well. I can not attribute it to the Hybrid since there were so many other variables. My AHI was 1.3 though with 42 secs total in Apnea. There were corner leaks, chin leaks, a few pillow leaks but nothing too troublesome. I did have moisture on my face but was surprised to find no condensation in my mask or hose so it may have been sweat. The moisture did break mouth and pillow seals but not hopelessly so.

Being so tired I slept 10+ hours, or I was in bed 10+ hours. I was amazed at how low the AHI was but average leak was high and snores were off the chart compared to my Swift. If I had been on Auto my pressure would have gone up significantly.

All-in-all a positive experience. I may try medium pillows tonight. I would be interested in cutting off the chin support and may consider that with the medium because I suspect it would work equally well. I will definitely try that when parts become available, if not sooner.

David

OK, I've wasted 4 nights trying to get the large mouthpiece to work for me.
I think it's time to put it aside and work with the medium mouthpiece. So for the second Wednesday night I'm using the medium mouthpiece with the large pillows. I added two layers of Moleskin to the corners of the mask and used the humidifier in pass-over mode.

9:30P - Went to sleep rather quickly. Did not notice any leaks.

3:45A - Woke up with a very dry nose and a small leak in the right corner.
I removed the Moleskin, set the humidifier heater to 1, and lay back down.
I experienced no leaks in any position! Why? I think the Moleskin left just enough 'stickum' on the mask to keep it in place. Back to sleep.

5:45A - Time to get up.

Summary - The keys, for me, at this time are:
1) Cool room (72F-74F)
2) Low moisture
3) Maybe a bit of Marine Mask Seal or Tinture of Benny for 'stickum'...

Cheers

My 2nd night -

Leaked like a sieve. That's it - leaked, leaked, leaked. I was too tired and sick to try and figure out what was what. Rotten numbers, huge leak numbers, snores still off the chart. I am not as happy with the Hybrid right now as others. It has not been a quick response.

I am contemplating chin cup surgery on one of the cushions. I may need to change the pillow position from "tall" to "short". The pillows do bother me a little with some soreness this morning from them.

If I have it tight enough to seal then my lower jaw aches, like at the dentist. Of course little or none of this may be valid because I am still sick - hence my instistence on staying with the thing because I am seriously stopped up.

I am happy it's working for others and at least I do have a mask that works, sort of (so far), when mouth breathing is the only option.

David

Got mine today, Thursday. Did a fitting I am using the large mouth piece and large pillows.

The clips on the straps are dumb, why did they scrimp there?

I have tightened it down to stop leaks and during my daytime test/adjustment I leak a bit at the pillows. IF I could push them forward somehow they wouldn't leak but they do.

I am going to try it tonight and see what kind of leak and AHI I come up with and will let you know tomorrow.

Mike Moran made a suggestion about cutting the chin-flap, it is on another thread - that may be my next move but I 'll put a night or two in before taking out the scalpel.

Best,

Tom

That's great Tom. I like to read you posts. They are usually, painfully, logical. (Is that a real sentence?)

I really like the smooth quality of the Hybrid mask. It makes my CL2 feel like a fish hook. However, it is still a full-face mask, so some FF mask problems come with it.

I'm still a bit reluctant to cut off the chin flap, because I cannot tolerate the pressure on my lower jaw inflicted by the UMFF. However, I can use my HC431 (it has a chin flap) for an hour or two.