Liberty or Hybrid????

So I noticed that my leak rate hasn't gone down any since, well since I've started CPAP. I drool...A LOT. My lips flutter...A LOT. My mouth constantly fills with air and puffs open. I am mouth breathing. I really really really like my Swift LT for Her. It's oh so comfy, unlike the other nasal masks that rest on the bridge of the nose. I like my nasal pillows. They seal very well and I have no leaks at all from my nares or right at the pillows. So I can only assume that my high leak rate has to be attributed to my mouth breathing. I can't bear the thought of taping my mouth shut or using my poligrip strips on my mouth (I would surely have a panic attack, without a doubt!!!). SOOOO, I'm asking my DME if they can switch my script to one for a full face mask or at least let me try one out. I'm thinking the Liberty or Hybrid are my best options since they are nasal pillows with mouth enclosures and headgear, what do you all think? Which are your preferences and why? I'd love opinions on each so I go in armed with options. Thanks!!!

~Heather

I'm slightly biased myself... I keep hearing that the Liberty breaks easily.

I am in a similar boat. I prefer the Swift LT for Her. I can and have taped and used poligrip. It really isn't nearly as bad as I had envisioned it being when I first started this CPAP thing. While not a full fledged mouth breather, I do have some flutters that affect my treatment.

I am currently test driving a Hybrid. Last night was first night. I had to modify the way the head gear sat on my head due to bottom strap affecting my neck but I got it done. Also I need a smaller nasal pillow as the Medium is a bit large.

All in all, once I got it situated, I slept well with it and had decent data for a first night trial. I have small face and the small Hybrid mouth cushion works very well for me. To use as a back up FF mask, this Hybrid would work for me. I haven't tried the Liberty though, so cannot comment. I didn't need to tighten it up to get it to seal. No marks on my face anywhere this morning from straps. It actually was quite comfortable. The nasal pillows had to be in the "tall" position to even stand a chance of staying put.

My pressures fluctuated a bit but then I had a couple of large leak spikes (likely the pillows coming out) but overall average was right at the acceptable leak rate. My AHI was 4.7 and those events predominately coincided with the leaks so I don't know who came first. For a first night, not bad at all.

Pugsy, please report your progress over time with the Hybrid. I may have to graduate from pillows and -- with claustrophobia -- a FF mask makes me anxious even thinking of something covering my face . Plus, it would be good to have a backup for colds.

Muse-Inc wrote:Pugsy, please report your progress over time with the Hybrid. I may have to graduate from pillows and -- with claustrophobia -- a FF mask makes me anxious even thinking of something covering my face . Plus, it would be good to have a backup for colds.

I sure will report on things as they develop. I have to get some small pillows though. That will take a few days. In the meantime I will see how I get along with the hybrid as it stands now.

I don't like anything causing pressure across the nose or cheeks. That is why I started off with the Swift LT for Her nasal pillows. I also have a problem with my cervical spine in that it simply is not flexible enough to tolerate the straps that come around from the base of the skull to the chin area to attach. That is why I had to modify the headgear approach on this hybrid. To be honest, I gave up initially but found a picture showing the head gear coming in at a different angle and decided to try that approach. I got lucky. It seals and doesn't put tension on my spine.

I am not claustrophobic though but I have looked at the other FF masks and this one sure is a lot less intrusive. It does take some work to get it situated though and the instructions with it are less than ideal. I finally moved my machine into the living room and fiddled with mask, seal, pressure for about an hour before I was happy with it. Then I just sat there playing on the computer and breathing through the mask at my normal pressure. Anyone wanting to try this thing, don't wait till bed time. Come to think of it, probably a good suggestion for any mask change where we are going to a type that is completely different from what we have been using.
Brenda

If you like to breathe from the mouth once or twice a night, go for the Hybrid! It's taught me to breathe through my nose without a chinstrap or tape
Some people can use the Liberty. You have to try both sizes (two different masks) to get all the sizes.

I started out with the Quattro FFM, which works great for me until my face starts covering with oil halfway through the night. Then, leak city! I was intrigued by the hybrid mask, so I decided to give it a try. To say the least, I am very pleased with it.

First of all, it does leak, but nowhere near like the Quattro did. Once adjusted, the leaks are generally minor, and the mask seems to handle the higher pressures well. For me, the nasal pillows don't leak at all unless they are grossly misseated, or the mask somehow slips to a crazy angle. (Has happened once.) (BTW, I'll trade my unused small nasal pillows for your unused large.) The mask is a lot simpler than the Quattro, and much easier to keep clean. The headgear, with all its adjustments, is a bit fussy at first but now I rarely need to adjust it. As far as comfort goes, this mask is hard to beat. There are times when I will wake up in the middle of the night, usually laying on my side. I will feel like I am breathing room air, normally. Even if the pressure is fairly high (13 or so). I have to try and feel the mask contacting my face, or touch it to realize it is still there. And before I fall asleep. I can do things that require the use of my eyes, or eyeglasses.

The drawbacks to this mask are few. It seems a little bit more prone to rainout than the Quattro. It cannot be fully disassembled for cleaning, but due to its simple construction, this is less important than a traditional FFM. The straps on the headgear stretch a bit with time, but I suspect this is common to all masks. And the jury is still out on the chin cushion. Sometimes, the chin cushion seems to hold the mask away from my face when I move, or simply from pressure pushing out against the mask. (This is about the only significant leak issue for me.) When I replace the seal, I plan to cut the chin cushion off the old seal and try that for a while. I would also like to see the lower headgear straps set up to pull more level or downwards on the mask. This would eliminate the chin cushion problem. Unfortunately for you, this would not be good because of your cervical problem. (What headgear did you end up using?)

I have never even seen a Liberty mask, let alone use one. If it is anywhere near as good as the hybrid, it might be worth trying. But fun as it is, trying out different masks is an expensive pastime!

I didn't like it near as much, but that's just me. The pillows push up against my nose hard to seal and after 2 hrs, that's a problem. I grew a beard and cut off my chinflap in the hybrid, but just bought a new Hybrid because I think the chinflap has real therapeutic value in helping to teach me to breath through my nose wile I'm asleep.
The only thing I would change on the Hybrid is where the headgear attaches. They could have made that a lot better, but the product overall is wonderful and the longer I wear it and compare it to all my other masks, the more I see all the thought that went into developing this mask inside and out right down to the super soft pillows.
I wore the Quatro too for a few weeks. I liked it better than the other Mirages, but I keep going back to the Hybrid. My pressure needs are a bit high, so I need a good solid, well developed,super comfortable mask.

Heather,

I am a big Hybrid fan and am approaching a three-year anniversary of nearly exclusive Hybrid use. My leak rate ranges from zero to very low.

From observation, I believe the Hybrid is a better mask and it was the original. The Liberty was a copy made to compete with the Hybrid.

The Hybrid gives you more options. It comes with three sizes of mouth cushions and three sizes of nasal pillows so you can experiment in your own bed to find the best size. With the Liberty, you have to get a second mask to try a different size.

The Hybrid has a chin flap and the Liberty does not. If you find you do not like the chin flap, you can cut it off. I use my Hybrid without the chin flap.

We can help with tips on adjusting the Hybrid.

Regards,

I'm an oddball, I tried both the Liberty and the Hybrid and like the Liberty better.

klockemy wrote:I'm an oddball, I tried both the Liberty and the Hybrid and like the Liberty better.

Klock,

I only tried on a Liberty at the DME and never had one at home to sleep with. What did you like better about the Liberty?

Regards,

rooster wrote:

klockemy wrote:I'm an oddball, I tried both the Liberty and the Hybrid and like the Liberty better.

Klock,

I only tried on a Liberty at the DME and never had one at home to sleep with. What did you like better about the Liberty?

Regards,

I like the fact that it has the detachable elbow....that is a huge plus. Also, the large mouth cushion on the Liberty actually goes around my mouth. The large Hybrid wasn't big enough. Also, the clips on the liberty are more user friendly and the headgear is comfortable, although not as adjustable as the hybrid.

What is the purpose of taking the elbow off?

I don't have to fumble to attach the rubber hose to a fixed elbow. I can just quickly pop it off. That and it makes it much easier to clean.

klockemy wrote:I don't have to fumble to attach the rubber hose to a fixed elbow. ......

My DME showed me the best way to manage disconnecting the hose. She gave me a hose quick connector, https://www.cpap.com/productpage/hose-q ... nnect.html . This goes on the end of the hose that attaches to the machine or humidifier. When I have to make a pinkelpause, I unhook the hose from the machine and wrap the hose around my neck.

Others take their mask off. Then you have to put the mask on again and make sure it is placed properly. All of this is an aggravation and tends to get you wide awake.

On the other hand, I am able to slip out of bed, take a quick pee, and slip back into bed very easily thanks to the hose quick connector. IMO, any DME worth his salt will supply and explain the use of a hose quick connector.