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I currently use a Liberty. I hate the conventional full face masks because they leak around the eyes and leave painful pressure sores on the bridge of my nose. The Liberty has worked well for me, but I'm still not happy.

Does anyone have experience with using a nasal mask with CPAP at a pressure of 19 cmH2O or more? If so, is there a good one I might want to try? I've talked to three different DME's and they all say that any nasal mask is just not practical at my pressure. I just don't want to leave any stone un-turned when it comes to my treatment.

UPDATE: I'm open to nasal prong, nasal pillow and nasal masks. I already expect I'll be taping my mouth if I go this route.

You could PM me about the Nasal Aire II Test Drive and find out if it works for you, before buying it.

A little Control III disinfectant and you're in business.

Read more below in the links in my signature block.

Good luck!!!!
Barbara

My dad uses a swift II at 27/17 on a bipap....but be warned, you have to strap that down TIGHT to keep it on in a hurricane!!!! He has used the swift II with those settings for about a year now with no problems, other than strap marks for 2 hours after getting up.....

Tell him about http://www.padacheek.com Those fleece strap guards really help with strap mark.

Cheers,
B.

I have, he's not interested in them....i think he likes the "badge" of the CPAP......kinda an odd duck, my pop is.

I have used a nasal mask, I think it was the Comfort Classic before trying the Aeoimed Headrest. I have been using the Headrest for prob over a year now and won't turn back. My pressures sometime reach 20/17. Using the Headrest no strap marks either. It's just like putting on a hat.

HTH

http://www.aeiomed.com/products/headrest.php

The Movie - http://www.aeiomed.com/video_product_in ... adrest.php

https://www.cpap.com/productpage.php?PNum=1717&PAID=215

mask test drives going on:
viewtopic/t35761/phpBBFolk.php?mode=sea ... 20drive%22

I use the Swift nasel pillows, and have a good deal of luck with them. My pressure is set at 21/16, with a bleed in of 6 litters of O2.


ResMed vpap auto 25
swift nasel pillows
chin strap

i tried a swift 11 for a while on 18 and it felt like my nose was being scalded after a couple of hours- it sealed well and strap marks were not a problem and i suspect that i could have ""hardened up" a bit and got used to the swift- i like the way it left most of the face free and if i wanted to pop my spectacles on for a moment i could easily. I have had to go to the resmed VPAP adapt SV and that is fussy about what masks can be used and the swift 2 is not one of them. I have been using a mirage micro (small) and have to be careful how i put it on as it can leak around the bridge of my nose (i don't have much of one seems to be the issue!) but as long as i wash it everydayand use a little care it has been ok. I still do not like the fact i can't put my glasses on if i need to in the night and i am useless without them these days. so i have decided to give the mirage vista a go- tonight will be the 1st night with it - i have tried to do the bulk of the fitting earlier today as it was a bit fiddly - i seemed to be able to get a good seal but thats awake so i will just have to wait and see

SleepyDragon wrote:I've talked to three different DME's and they all say that any nasal mask is just not practical at my pressure.

I think the DMEs are absolutely wrong. I've experimentally tried several nasal pillows masks at 19 and 20, just to see if they could handle that kind of pressure. They could and did.

Granted, I had my usual homemade strap around the front of all of them -- ComfortLite 2, Breeze, and my longtime favorite the Headrest -- but I have to use my extra strap anyway, no matter how low the pressure, to steady nasal pillows for my toss'n'turn sleeping style.

Titrator, who used to post on this board, used a Breeze nasal pillows mask for years with his bilevel machine set at IPAP 18 / EPAP whatever.

If you decide to try a nasal mask (covers the nose) instead of nasal pillows, ResMed's Activa would be my choice. I'll bet it would seal just fine no matter how high the pressure. That mask can be worn with straps almost floppy loose, yet it sucks right onto the face when cpap air starts flowing. I don't know if the Activa LT (a new smaller version) can do that as well as the larger bellows design of the original Activa, but I've often said I thought the original Activa would hold a seal even if you wore it on your knee!!

SleepyDragon wrote: I already expect I'll be taping my mouth if I go this route.

Yup. I do that. Well worth it to me, in order to use masks I find much more comfortable for me than any FF mask I've used. FF mask users that have found a mask that works well, and comfortably, for them are fortunate. Everyone's different, of course. FF masks are an aggravation to me. Tape isn't.

TR wrote:I have, he's not interested in them....i think he likes the "badge" of the CPAP......kinda an odd duck, my pop is.

NAH, he's just a REAL MAN, in the mold of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood.

REAL MEN DON'T CARE ABOUT STRAP MARKS!

LOL,
B

rested gal wrote:If you decide to try a nasal mask (covers the nose) instead of nasal pillows, ResMed's Activa would be my choice. I'll bet it would seal just fine no matter how high the pressure. That mask can be worn with straps almost floppy loose, yet it sucks right onto the face when cpap air starts flowing. I don't know if the Activa LT (a new smaller version) can do that as well as the larger bellows design of the original Activa, but I've often said I thought the original Activa would hold a seal even if you wore it on your knee!!

The Activa is a very good mask which seals very easily. However when I tried the Activa it left a raw spot directly under my nose after a couple nites. My thought was the bellows design, which is what makes this mask work, when coupled with my bipap rubbed the skin raw. It may cause the same rub when used with other exhale relief machines, like the aflex or cflex.

The mask moves in/out like an accordion when you breath.

YMMV

Yes, the Hybrid works like a charm at 20 and the Nasal Aire II works well , too. I use both, Hybrid mostly. Good luck!

Wow I cant believe you guys got the swift to work at those high pressures. I started on IPAP 18 and the swift almost blew into pieces, as a matter of fact it leaked really bad out of those blue plastic stoppers on the side. I put it on occasionally because it feels like it would be SOOO comfortable, but Im a mouth breather and nothing works for me on that front. I went over to the Hybrid and it worked pretty well. I have heard people like it better than the liberty.

I have actually just started using this super cheap FFM, its soft rubber all over and I have found that when the pressure gets going and my face totally relaxes, it seems to grip well. Unfortunately its really cheaply made and it does leak a bit if the hose arm gets pressure on it.

Everybody's experience is different. That's why there's a zillion different masks out there.

Cheers,
B.