Size does Matter

I went to a local A.W.A.K.E. meeting last night, and since I was the only one who showed up, I got the personal attention of the ResMed representative. I told him that I have some 14 masks and they all leak and drive me crazy. I have to clamp my favorite Activa LT down hard. He took out his little measuring tools (different ones for different masks) and measured my face. He said I needed a large in the Activa. Who woulda thunk it? I have been struggling with standard, medium and shallows. He also measured me for the Quattro. He said I should be wearing an X Small. I've tried small, medium and large. Same company, two very different sizes. Too bad my DME didn't have a clue.

He also said that the Activa LT would soon be available in a small, for those of you with cute little noses.

Bev

Personal note to Slapmewake:
Thanks for the B-Day greeting. Your PMs are "disabled" so I can't tell you about the meeting last night.

Does the Mask Sizing guide on CPAP.com vary greatly from what the ResMed rep. did?

I wear the XS in the Quattro but the Activa Std sits in the middle of my mouth!

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dieselgal,

The new small LT might fit you. I only need the large because I have a large nose bridge. The standard hits me in the middle of my top lip.

Tatooyu,

The size fitting guide on cpap.com didn't recommend either of those masks for me. I don't know what the difference is. He didn't let me take them home. I'm going to try the recommended sizes and see if I have better luck.

Bev

packitin wrote:I wish I could have made it there. I've never been to one, and I don't think they've ever had one in our fair city.
That sounds like the ideal job to me though, that is, the one the Resmed technician has. Do you think they have any openings for trainees?
Even minimum wage wouldn't be bad.. Traveling around, measuring faces,... etc.

I wish you could have been there, too. They had enough food for 30 people and I ate all I could...... In the last week I've been to two meetings and met with both the ResMed and Respironics reps. I think these guys were both RTs before they became reps. I don't think they usually meet with patients, they seemed more like salesmen. They go around to DMEs and sleep centers to sell their brands.

How far away from Richmond do you live?

Bev

This ResMed cutout worked for me:



I got an exact fit by selecting Medium size.On my own,I would have went for Large.

5aces wrote:This ResMed cutout worked for me:

Yep, that's the one he used. He said if you fall between sizes, go small.

Aha,got caught between edits again,putting up a better image.

The one in my post above will work.

Three and a half hours. But keep me informed. I still may try to get there for the next.

5aces - I love that avatar!!!!!!

I have found that with most masks, if you have to crank them down, they're the wrong size!!!!
Especially the Activa!!!! That mask needs to inflate before it will seal properly!!! If you crank it down, it won't inflate and WILL leak!!! Just an observation!!

cheers
goose

Thanks for that tip,Goose.

As a new owner of the Mirage Quattro,I had to remove this mask after a few hours-that valve membrane in the elbow kept waking me up and the whole mask seemed to 'pulse' when breathing faster.

Looking over the old posts on this mask,I also found that EPR should be lowered or turned off altogether on the Flow Generator to minimize these effects.

BTW,I purchased this mask on Craigslist from a local owner who was given the wrong size by his supplier.Good as new.Deal at $110 Can.

Bev,

I've been curious about A.W.A.K.E. Groups . . . there are none in my area. I've been toying with the idea of starting one. Your post gave me the idea to do a post to learn from others who either attend -OR- have started a group in their area. I'd LOVE to have your input on that post . . . and anyone else out there who might have some input for me. Thanks in advance.

Joy

5aces wrote:Aha,got caught between edits again,putting up a better image.

The one in my post above will work.

5aces,

Your avatar looks very funny
Upon further inspection, it looks like the girl may have hurt her leg before going into the water and that guy that looks like a hunk is really a chump because he just keeps walking after she falls in. He doesn't even look to see if she is ok.

She would have been better off if she hadn't tried to impress him


Anne

Ok Bev, I corrected the PM thing so let me know how the meeting went. When is the next one?