Hybrid mask... latest report

Last night I used a large cushion and two large pillows in the extended position.

Best results so far!

Strangely my numbers this morning were quite bad but I felt like I had a pretty good night. My numbers were:

Leak rate -- -- -- .42 L/s

AHI -- -- -- -- -- 19.1

AI -- -- -- -- -- -- 4.0

AHI -- -- -- -- -- 15.1

I awoke with mild cases of FF several times. Apparently due to the pillow pushing against the mask as I slept on my side.

But when it woke me up I felt like I was sleeping good. I was surprised that the numbers were so bad this morning.

Of course the leak rate is meaningless because a hybrid is a non ResMed mask and there is no setting on the machine for it.

I'm not sure that the machine can even calculate the other numbers properly.

I had some minor leaking with the left nostril and I may try a medium on that side tonight but it wasn't anything significant.

This morning my nose was just very slightly tender -- -- nothing compared to previous nights.

Hopefully if I continue using this mass those numbers will come down and instances of FF will diminish. I could put the straps a tiny bit tighter but not much without discomfort.

Best night I've had with this mask and I'm smiling this morning

Are you using PACs? They seem to help hold the mask in place without making it feel tighter.

Brenda

No, I don't have the pad a cheeks.

I just bought the hybrid a couple of weeks ago, and am just beginning to figure out how to fit it to my strange face

Last night was the first time I've used it and didn't feel like I needed to go to the emergency room when I woke up to have my nose surgically repaired.

I'm hoping that new headgear might help things. The supplied headgear is pretty cheesy.

If I can continue working the kinks out of this and use it without getting a Rudolph nose every morning and only have the FF problem I will consider getting the Pad A Cheeks.[/code]

I didn't realize you had the original headgear. The new headgear is sooo much better. The old headgear seems to stretch from the time you put it on until you take it off. The new one is much sturdier!

Brenda

Ummm, I just got this Hybrid fairly recently from my DME.

How do I know if I have the new headgear or the old headgear?

Mine is black and the straps are about a half-inch wide.[/img]

Actually your leak rates are meaningful ... you just have to do a little extra math.

Resmed LCD data provides a leak rate above and beyond the exhaust vent flow rate for the mask that the machine has been set for.

Most Resmed masks have a vent flow rate of about 35 L/m at a pressure of 10 cm. So if your LCD reads 0.42 L/s you first multiply times 60 to convert to units of L/m which equals about 25 L/m (0.42 L/s x 60 s/m) ... then you add that to the 35 L/m (average of most ResMed masks at 10 cm pressure) to get the total leak rate of your Hybrid (exhaust vent flow rate plus any other leaks) which equals about 60 L/m (25 L/m + 35 L/m).

You can then look at the graph on the cover of your Hybrid manual and see what the normal exhaust rate at 10 cm. is and the difference between that and the 60 L/m will be the true leak rate.

If your pressure is at some pressure other than 10 cm ... then you just do the math accordingly.

-r

Of course if the normal exhaust vent flow rate is less than the typical Resmed mask, the LCD leak values may or may not be meaningless (ie. the Breeze which has a normal exhaust vent flow rate of about 25 L/m).

Headgear - The older (standard) headgear has the Hybrid logo on
the back and the straps are very thin. Several people were sent an
"experimental" headgear when we complained about the older headgear.

The newer, trial version, is much thicker and has no logo. The newer headgear appears to be very similar to the HC431, but slightly different angles for the top straps..

The passive Exhaust Port Flow for the Hybrid is about 48 LPM at 10 cm/H2O,
and 60 LPM at 15 cm/H2O.

The padacheeks are great... have a set of neck wrap and crown wrap which makes the old headgear soft! Even if you just get the strap PAC's it's well worth it, especially with the old head gear... prior to them I was waking up in the morning with lots of marks on my face.