Breeze, Swift, etc.

I think I'm coming to the conclusion that some people, mainly myself, are just not cut out for the nasal systems.

I have tried everything but it seems like in the middle of the night I end up ripping the thing off and putting on my Activa.

I thought about the Breeze with the Dreamseal but have not heard very good feedback about it.

Maybe I should just stick with the Activa and forget the others?!?

Heidi,

What about the nasal pillows is bothering you? Are you using a pillow size that is too small. I can adjust my Swift so that it still seals and I can barely feel it on my nose. Use bigger pillows so that they gently rest on the outside of your nose. When I wake up sometimes I forget the Swift is even on.

With the Swift I have used the medium and large. it just seems like when I wake up they are jammed into my nose.

With the Breeze at first it was the jammed feeling, but I adjusted it and now its just the nasal pillows that seem to irritate the inside of my nose. I have used the large and extra large with this one.

Heidi, ResMed's Activa is a wonderful nasal mask. If that's the interface that suits you best, I'd just stick with it.

Rested Gal,

That is exactly what my husband told me. I just wanted to see if the other would work for me but apparently it isn't going to agree with my nares.

I agree, Heidi. If I've learned nothing else from this board and my other apnea "researches", it's that nothing works for everyone, particularly not mask-wise.

If you find something that works for you, GREAT. I don't think it matters if it's universally panned by everyone else. Maybe you sleep in a different position. Maybe your face is a different shape. Maybe you have different "sensitive spots".

The best example I can think of is that "NoMask" or "CPAPPro". Most people who have tried one seem to HATE it, and say it's cheaply constructed and doesn't work.

But some small percentage extol it's virtues as if until they found it, there was no way they were EVER going to be compliant, and now it's like they've found an extra limb that they can't imagine having lived without.

I think if you're having PROBLEMS with a mask, it makes sense to listen to what's most commonly liked, because that's where you have your best chance of success, statistically speaking. But if the Activa works well for you, there's just no point in changing, even if NO ONE else liked it.

Liam, vive la difference.

The Activa (just found out the other day how it's pronounced...act-TEE-vah... I'd been saying the name wrong) really is a deservedly VERY popular mask for many, including me.

The Activa is the least likely to leak of any nasal (covers the nose) mask out there, and is usually the most comfortable nasal mask. I wish every new user would be issued an Activa first instead of the usual cheapie masks the DMEs usually give out. Perhaps there would be better compliance rates instead of so many cpap drop-outs.

The only downside of the Activa for some (women in particular) is that it can seem big on the face at first. And it might actually be a bit too long for very small faces. But gosh, the leakproof-ness makes it worth trying and getting used to, imho. The "shallow" size Activa works best for me - I have an average size woman's face with a small nose, but normal bridge of nose, not particularly flat. Some people are annoyed by the pulsating-on-the-face effect of the bellows cushion that makes the Activa so leakproof, but I never had a problem getting used to that fairly soon.

Liam's right - one person's "perfect mask" is another person's disaster. The Activa has a lot of fans. I love it, at least as well as we can "love" any of these things!