CPAPtalk.com

tooly125 wrote:
Tom

If it looks like the hybrid is going to work out for you now that you modified it you might want to sew on the "fuzzy half" of some velcro on to the headgear.Its cheap enough and will eliminate strap pops.
I did the top strap on mine and what a difference I would have done the others but wound up using my HC431 headgear instead.
Your mask has been under the scalpel already so now it's time to stich it up.

_________________

I thought it was the hook part of the velcro--as in velcro rollers? That is the half that looks like hooks on a burr if examined closely. In fact, I believe that is how velcro was invented. A man was removing burrs from his dog's feathers and had a better idea than I ever did when removing the blamed things.

(And feathers are the longer part of the hair on the legs of many hunting dog breeds, before I hear too many jokes about birds.... )

Wouldn't the loop part slide fairly easily as well? I'm wanting those hooks to GRAB the hair and STAY.

Pelican Nose - Not quite but ......

I have been testing my Hybtid, the idea being a nap to see how it would go.

I tried all the adjustments and tweaked it as best I can.

It seems to fit as best it can with this one BIG exception:

I am getting a Pressure Sore right under the center of my nose right under the septum.

IT seems for me to get a seal at the pillows, the hard part of the Hybrid, the rigid material presses against my upper lip just under my septum.

This is where the pressure sore is rapidly developing.

Any ideas on how to protect that area?

I am usng AYR Gel for breaking in my Nares but this pressure sore under my septum is a whole new challange for me.

Help

Tom

birdshell wrote: Wouldn't the loop part slide fairly easily as well? I'm wanting those hooks to GRAB the hair and STAY.

The loop part of the headgear although looking whimpy actually will hold nicely if it has the right "feathers" or to grab on to.
The loop part on the hybrid will grab and hold onto my HC431 and stick very well.
The velcro I stole from my wife included both sides so you could replace both if you wanted to but I don't think it's necessary and I can't sew that good anyway!

roztom wrote: I am getting a Pressure Sore right under the center of my nose right under the septum.

IT seems for me to get a seal at the pillows, the hard part of the Hybrid, the rigid material presses against my upper lip just under my septum.

If you have already developed a definite sore I would give the mask a break until it heals. I learned this lesson with FF masks and the bridge of my nose.

I think Rested Gal had that same problem It was in her review of the hybrid.
She said that if the top straps on the mask were too tight it would hurt the area under you septum.

Maybe you can loosen the top straps a little and maintain you seal on the pillows by tightening the 5th strap?

Also I found that cutting the web between the pillows has allowed me to rotate them to match the angle of my nares which gave me a better seal.

Tom,
Could it be the 'curve' of the mouthpiece does not match up with your face.
So all of the contact is concentrated at one point. I noticed the 3 mouthpieces included with the Hybrid all have different radii. Furthermore, the 'hard' plastic part of the mask (shell) will not bend. If that is the problem, you might try putting two spacers (I used 2 pieces of electrical wire, 3 inches long.) shaped like C's in the groove of the shell at each corner, then install the mouthpiece into the shell. Note: This fix take a steady hand and a diameter of insulated wire that will fit snugly in the groove, but it will give the mask a smaller cheek-to-cheek radius.

I am a mouth breather, and I have tried several full face masks, but could not stop the leaks. My sleep center told me about the Hybrid. But when I tried to use it, I could not keep the pillows in my nose. I called the company, and they told me to cut the chin flap off. Works great now.

I for one would love to see a photo of a modified Hybrid. Thinking about cutting the chin strap on my except I am afraid of ruining an expensive mask.

I was talking with the resp. therapists at my DME (there are two) and told them I'd bought the Hybrid online and one asked me how I liked it. I told them I love it and she said to the other one, "See, I knew we'd find someone someday."

Anyway, I do love it, problems with the swivel coupling (that I posted about separately) notwithstanding. I think I may go up a size on one of my pillows, I'd been using one small and one medium and I wonder if I actually need two mediums; I can't see any gap around the small pillow, but I seem to always have a small leak there.



BTW I had a sore in the same place as roztom, but it wasn't from the mask rubbing against there; it doesn't touch there. It was from the mask stretching my face out of shape because the pillows are further out from the face than my nostrils are, so they sort of pull the nose forward, plus the stiffness of the mask was pulling my mouth down a little (I do use the chin flap).

I used one of those tiny square band-aids and cut the top off so the pad could go right against my face and slept like that for a few days (ETA: a different band-aid every night, obviously!). I figured the small increase in leak was worth it for the lack of pain. After a few days my skin adapted and the sore is gone and I've stopped using the band-aid.

I recommend that you cut the chinflap off one of the mouth cushions that is not your favorite size, first. You get three. Then you will see if your nose was too high for the pillows, your chin was too long for the cuff, whatever. Most of these posts were before the new headgear which has made all the difference in the world as far as great fit .

Mike, you never fail to make me smile, even when your being serious.
I just bought a new (used) Liberty that I wore for the first time last night. Thankfully, I got a large size because it come with only one size.
My face is long and small and I feel as if I need the next size up. I hope they come out with an extra large soon. There is no way my Liberty will work with face hair. I used a chinstrap last night and had a favorable result with it. I know it sounds crazy, but it worked!

Oh, I forgot...
Mike and Tooly, you guys were early birds with the Hybrid mask, long beforte the new improved headgear came out. Which headgear are you using? Do you have pad-a-cheeks ?

birdshell wrote:FYI, I happen to know that Tooly has tiger-striped Pad-a-Cheeks.

Next, can anyone detail the differences between the older headgear and the newer one for the Hybrid? What exactly makes it better?

Thank you.

The thing that makes it better for me is the 4 ball and knuckle fittings. I can put the new one on in the dark.

rested gal wrote:

new2 wrote:I'll tell the story of trying to sleep with a sock in my mouth to prevent the air from passing through the tape another time.

ROTFL! Do please tell that story sometime...a good one for when lab rats gather 'round the campfire!

Sounds like it will be as good a story as when a woman on another board, in desperation to stop mouth air leaks, taped the tip of her tongue to the OUTSIDE of her upper lip. She said the pain of the dried out tongue was excruciating the next morning.

Geese, the things we try....

RAG I am not even going to go there.

I was getting pressure sores on my forehead from my other masks. I went to the one I am using now and so far it's great and I only feel like the put a medicine ball in my left no right nostril.

I taped the chin flap after folding it back over the shell to see what removing it would be like. Worked a treat! My Hybrid is on loan, so I wasn't sure if I could do "Surgery" on it. Got a great seal, and slep well for once!
Gill