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Looks like that all elusive perfect mask is still lost somewhere between your face and the drawing board. I can't wait to hear how RG rat labs the hybrid she gets. You just know she is going to get one and turn it inside out looking for a solution that works for her.

Snoredog,

No regrets here. I wish it was working great for me, but you never know unless you try. You always have a 50/50 shot at it working and sometimes you win, other times you don't.

I hope you have better results with it than I did. From the reviews of others, it does work wonderfully for some people. I hope you fall into that category. Let us know when you get yours and take it for a spin.

[quote="Anonymous"]Min, that is a good review. Even though it didn't work for you. It is hard to tell what mask will work for you and what mask won't when you've only been on cpap for three weeks. The adjustment period can take a lot longer than that and sometimes it takes a while for your nose to toughen up. Thanks for the review.

[quote="minerva"]Reading the various reviews here, I wonder if perhaps this mask is more forgiving for men, because of their different chin alignment (i.e., men's chins seem to stick forward further, which would change the angle of the mask and make the nasal pillows more comfortable/leakproof)? It seems like the people having the most trouble with it are the gals, while most of the men are liking it. Guys, what do you say?

Min

Linda3032 wrote:RG, what is your personal favorite FF mask? I'm going to order a new mask in Sept and it might as well be a FF one for when I get a cold.

Linda, I wish I could say I had a favorite FF mask right now. Fortunately I don't have to wear a FF mask very often, but like you, I want to have one always stashed away for the rare occasions I get a cold.

There are two I haven't tried that I'll get around to someday. One is the Fisher & Paykel HC 431 FF mask. Have read of quite a few people getting along well with that one. And I'd like to try the new ComfortFull 2 by Respironics. If Respironics improved the feel and seal of the cushion of their older FF mask as much as they improved their ComfortLite nasal pillows interface when they came out with the "2" version of the ComfortLite, maybe the ComfortFull 2 might be my choice. I used to use a ResMed FF mask, but no more ResMed's for me.

rested gal wrote: However too much mask pressure against the outside just below the nostril openings can quickly make the area where upper lip joins the base of nostrils sore and tender.

Rested gal,

That little piece of information was more helpful to me than you'll ever know. I had my top straps very tight to compensate for the mustache but after reading your post I decided to trim down the top 1/8 inch of it.
The results were I like the new look of the thinner mustache and I was able to loosen the top straps and had less pain.The newly trimmed area lets the mask seal nicely!

Thank you

Cool, Tooly...glad that helped. Not having a moustache myself, I'd never thought much about the extra lab ratting you moustachioed guys have to do to get the pieces of the puzzle in place.

rested gal wrote:…Even raising or lowering the nasal pillows couldn't accomodate the angle not being right for me.

I finally tried using one of my ubiquitous pantyhose tights straps over the front to stabilize the thing better against my face. That's helped every mask (except the Comfort Curve, which I never could tame) for me, if the mask needed a little leak control or stabilizing of the headgear. No joy….

…I could probably figure out a way to route this one up (already was eyeing a spot on the ceiling and/or thinking about getting a longer swivel arm plant hanger for the wall...lol ) but with the on-going leakiness issue, it wasn't worth trying to lab-rat my way around the hose position problem.

Lowering the pillow made a big difference for me.

I did use your ubiquitous solution the night before and it did help during a troubling night but what it resolved was resolved by lowering the pillows. I have the solution ever handy if I require though.

I will have to remember your optimism about hose routing if I have to spend more time with this interface otherwise I think I am with you in that this will be reserved only for those times (like now) when it is absolutely required.

David

[quote="Sleepless on LI"]The problem that Minerva and Rested Gal speak of is exactly my problem. It seems the angle of the nasal pillows is just not right and the top of them wants to either pop out or leak, no matter what combination I've tried.

I hate to say this, but I don't think this is made for everyone, and I'm included in the category of the unable-to-use group. I think we are going to soon start to see listings of "gently used" Hybrids up for sale, mine perhaps being one of the first to go. In theory, it's a great idea. However, I think since this is the "Edsel" of Hybrids, we may need to wait until all the kinks are worked out and this mask is modified before more users find it can work for them.

This link is quite a bit outdated
The new headgear addressed most of these problems and the new shell addressed the alarm situation. Still the best interface on the market in my opinion.