AirFit P10 Too Tight

I got the blue headgear. It is a bit longer than the pretty in pink one. It fit my head much better!

I love this mask! It's the best fitting and most comfortable of all of the 6 types of nasal pillow masks I've used.

Grouch wrote: While I was happy with it before trying the P10, it now seems clunky and I don't like that the straps get so close to my eyes.

Guess I'm now a P10 convert.

Yep, me too. That's why I kept on so long with it.

I had thought of the idea of cutting the strap and sewing an extra band on it, but from my brother's experience with hospital equipment, those extra bumps actually make more problems over time. If you sleep on your back all night, you'll eventually get a pressure sore! Sucks, but there it is.

I find that I can stretch the P10 straps and hold them pretty much where I wish using just the friction between my Deluxe Chinstrap (with its velcroed-on, elastic forehead and back-of-head straps, as well as its around-the-chin-and-over the head chin strap) and the bands of the head gear. If that proves in-sufficient sometime (not enough friction) then some Velcro affixed to the chin strap can be placed to anchor and keep my stretch of the P10 strap.

I'm not saying to use that chinstrap, just being specific about what works great for me as a mouth breather who has solved that problem and is grateful for the P10 after using the FFM's F10, Amara View, and F&P Forma with a variety of chinstraps, both purchased and DIY. If I didn't need a chinstrap to control mouth breathing I'd probably get or devise a minimal one to anchor any needed stretch of the P10 strap. In doing that one could have a minimal chinstrap tension that came mainly or only from the relatively weak P10 strap being stretched.

I'm a True Believer in the P10, finding it easy to relax any over tightness of the P10 strap once the A10 pump comes on as I lie down (the latter's auto-on works great for me). The key to my P10 enablement, as a mouthbreather (who taped, tongued forward and up) and unsuccessfully tried a lot of things, was finding the Silipos Gel-E-Roll (4in by 44 inch) and fashioning ways to apply enough pressure for ony a 4"x4" (or 4"x8") piece of it to (merely) be held against my face with its top edge about 1/4" below my nose. It is tacky with just enough adhesion (no stickiness) so it won't shift. It is used to treat scars; is non allergenic. I paid about $36 for the roll, but have found a source for next time, $24. You can wash the item with gentle soap. I have using it about 2 months and have only used 12" that I'm guessing will be good for more than 2 months more.

My pressures on APAP are 8.6 to 14 cm, 95% about 12. Leaks are more often zero than my highs of 7. Now I no longer awaken from leak noises and never have air blowing in my eyes; I sleep great, with occasional AHI of zero, more typically less than 1.0, infrequently 2.0, having started from a 56 in Sept. 2015. The best consistent results have been from the P10 for about 3 months. I do use Lanisohn (lanolin) on the mask and rim of the nares; will try without it one of these days. Don't want to fix what ain't broken yet.

I use he blue headgear for my Airfit P10. I did buy both blue and pink when I got the mask (buying the pink one separately). The blue one is bigger and it is more comfortable for me.

Good to know that I'm not the only big headed lady out there! I had tried on the blue headgear at the medical clinic, but the DME sent me the pink. Don't know if the respiratory tech didn't specify or if the DME sent the wrong thing. I''m leaning toward the second choice, as my sleep doc ordered the Airsense 10 Autofit and they sent me the Dreamstation. I was able to get them to exchange it the For Her version, so the mistake did have an upside.

I'm still hoping to get back to my beloved P10 once I get my lip puffing under control. CAn't say enough good things about this mask, as far as comfort.

To AmSleepnBetta

Where can I get the Silipos gel roll 4" X 44" you purchased? I looked all over the Silipos web pages and don't see it any where.

Thanks.

Grybeard77

The forum software did not accept my use of a direct link to the Gel-E-Roll page. Get there from the Home page by clicking on (1) the "Skin & Beauty" hot button showing a woman's hands on her feet, (2) then the "Orthotics | Sleeves &Wraps" selection in the left sidebar, (3) then the "Gel-E-Roll" image among the product images being displayed.

If you want TMI, too much information and some pictures, and my referral to my long Apnea Board posts on this topic is permissible (doesn't get this taken down or blocked), then look at later posts by 2SleepBetta. Again, I show what works for me and I've (lazily and in relief) kept using the rough prototypes shown--only the later and not significantly different trial of the 8' length is not shown.

CORRECTION: The mineral gel of the Gel-E-Roll is not that one of their gel products that is used to heal incision scars, etc. My mistake. Your inquiry prompted me to read, as careful users should, the site's three (main ["main or only"])web pages about their gels: begin with the "Gel Solutions" menu item at the top of the home page, then proceed to the two other webpages listed under it.

CAVEAT: I was warned at the AB forum about lack of an anti-asphyxiation valve for my closed system: the thinking seeming to be that what I described was more restrictive than some level of taping. I doubt that, but after having a lot of extremely long OA's in my FFM days, I took the warning to heart and fashioned a functional valve setup using the detachable elbow from an F10 mask (it has the desired valve) and splicing short (about 3") segments of two spent heater hoses that had the usual rubber, female ends. No, like the rest of the setup, not pretty or elegant, having an elbow in my valve adapter. Fortunately, the elbow, made to snap into the mask on one end, will fit tightly into one of the usual rubber female ends of the adapter. The P10 male hose end is inserted into the other end of the adapter.

Some "tapers" claim the drive to breathe is so strong one would awaken if power failed. But my long apneas, a few in the two minute area, prompted skepticism about awakening and my insertion of a make-do valve for now.

Great, found the page showing the roll you describe. Now, how or where can I get some? Is it available online some where? Couldn't find any thing on their site about where or how to buy. Is it available at any drug store? complete info is appreciated. You can PM me if you are registered.
Thanks, GB

Just been all over the AB site, I am also a member, but don't go there much, and I can't find any of your posts. Looked in members and no where is there a member listing for 2SleepBetta, or SleepBetta that I can see, So, how do I find your posts on AB?

BTW, on AB I am grybeard86

Bobby269 wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 16, 2017 11:45 am

The headgear for the men and woman's are not the same size.I have received the ladies, 18 1/2" and 19 1/2" long. The men's, 21 1/2" and 22 1/2". I receive the men's from the Veteran's Administration in a complete P 10 mask package.The ladies I buy just the headgear from a local DME.

Does the VA offer both lengths (21 1/2" and 22 1/2"), or did you buy the longer one somewhere else?

I believe I've solved the problem. The Airfit P10 Frame has plastic struts that are inserted into the elastic headband. I simply marked on the headband where the end of the plastic strut reached, and then stretched the headband so the strut reached 1/2" less along the headband. I then made some stitches at that point a half inch back from where the strut wants to go, to prevent the strut from going that far, thus keeping that part of the headband permanently stretched. A few months ago I switched to the P30i because it has a nice wide adjustable headband. It's comfortable, but it keeps leaking, so now i'm going to my modified P10.