FF masks: F&P FlexiFit HC431 vs. RedMed UltraMirage

I've been on APAP for a little over 3 weeks now and have only used the UltraMirage FF mask. It took a bit of adjusting in order to get it to work properly. The first few nights (with a CPAP, pressure @ 18 ), it leaked quite a bit. I tightened the lower straps a bit, tightened the upper straps a bit, fiddled with the angle adjuster for the forehead piece, retightened the lower straps, retightened the upper straps, adjusted forehead angle, etc. By the time I got the leaks stopped, it felt like my brains were going to get squeezed out! Then, after 2 nights, I got an APAP (420E with humidifier). I figured, "What the hey, I've got a new APAP, may as well start the mask off as if it were new." and loosened all the straps and put the forehead adjustment in the middle position. With the new APAP, the starting pressure was at 4 instead of way high, so it took much less tightening of the straps (upper and lower) to make a good seal. Also, I adjusted the forehead piece while laying down instead of while sitting up! I did a minor bit of tightening of the lower and upper straps the first night when the APAP went up to 15 or so. Things have been going very well ever since.

Two things I've found out about the Ultra: 1) When you first put on the mask, have the APAP running and 2) after laying down, pull the mask outward, away from the face, and let the seal "fluff out", so to speak and then gently lay the mask against your face (be darn sure you don't pull the mask too far out and then release it suddenly! That could be hazardous!!! ). This way, the mask seals well. For the last 3 weeks or so, there have been almost no problems and I'm sleeping through the night most nights. There's a few nights when I wake up and have to take a bathroom break, but compared to before, when I'd wake 3 to 5 times for a bathroom break, this is nothing! I'm a mouth breather and a side sleeper (darn, that could almost be a line in a song!! LOL), so I will stick to full face masks.......and, given the success I've had with the UltraMirage, I'm going to stick with it.

Finally, last night I got a memory foam pillow and that seemed to work pretty well.

Like I've been saying "Folks, this therapy WORKS!". Stick with it and good luck to everyone!

My husband and I have both tried the HC405, and it hasn't worked for either of us. I didn't have any problems with leakage, but I didn't feel like the exhalation ports worked well. I had a lot of water vapor building up inside the mask and felt like I was in a sauna (I don't use a heated humidifier - can't take breathing steamy air). My husband can only get a good seal about 1 in every 3 nights. The other nights are interrupted by shrill squeals when a leak develops. I think the combination of the air pressure and the silicone flap makes it similar to blowing on a blade of grass. Kind of defeats the purpose of using a CPAP in the first place, no? This was recommended by our sleep techs due to the improved comfort of the headgear and the swivel. Expensive exercise in futility.