Post your favorite mask

I finally found a great nasal mask its by DeVilbiss EasyFit Nasal Gel. Its comfortable, easy to get use to. No leaks it seals great! No bridge nose irritation
Finding the "right" mask means so much to me. It just came out recently past 2 months. In the past I usually got a small but for this particular mask
I ended up getting the medium and works real well! When it comes to using FF mask [when I have too] I still think Res Med Quattro is the best for me, in that mask
I do use a small, I have some leaks. The nasal pillow mask choice would be Swift LT for her it has excellent seal but works better to me at lower pressures. It took
me awhile to get use to CPAP therapy - I started this journey in 9/2008 and if you read any of my posts you will know I have add my ups & downs. But now I have
got the right machine which I had to purchase myself since my insurance wouldn't cover a different machine. I never gave up because I knew I felt so much better
when I use my CPAP machine everyday and I am now lasting up to 7-8 hours which is remarkable for me. So to the relatively newbies there is hope down the road
don't give up I am definitely a witness to that fact !

Catatrina

I about to enter my 4th night on the Swift FX, and I can't explain my interpretation of this mask's evaluation as any other than OMG!!!

It's efficient, comfortable, easy, ummmmmmm AWESOME!

I kinda like it.

I have been using the Swift FX for a little over 2 weeks I think it is and it has become my favourite mask --for now!

I did a weekly data check today with the software, with this mask and have 6 out of the 7 days with an AHI of 0.0! I had an AHI of 0.2 the first night of the week. I did have a few flow limitations a couple of nights and a couple of hypopneas over the week but that's it! I haven't changed anything but the mask. Oh - I did change one thing - I stopped taping about a week ago! My leak rate is as it should be at my pressure with this mask and I decided to try not taping.

I don't expect this to be the norm every week but it has been good since I got this mask I do have sleep apnea after all! It took about a week of getting it set just right but, even the first week, my AHI was below 1 with the FX.

Having an AHI below 1 is the norm for me though. I have had an AHI below 1 almost always (sometimes I get up to 2.0 for a variety of reasons) and have had some 0.0 AHI with masks I have used before this one but this week is a record for me with all those 0.0 AHIs in a row!

I don't know if anyone is still following this thread, but it seems a lot of people like the Activa LT. Does anyone like the micro? How about the SoftGel vs. the Activa LT--any opinions on that?

Gosh, this is so helpfull for those of us not happy with our masks. Thank you so much, I'm off to the C-Pap store to check out "favorites".

I have only used nasal pillows masks: Breeze, Optilife, Switft LT, and Opus 360.

My favorite by far is the Breeze nasal pillows mask. It has nothing on the sides of the face that disrupts side sleeping and the nasal pillows fit well and are durable. People have reported using one set of nasal pillows for as much as four years.

The OPUS 360 has clasps that hit the jaw area when side sleeping that caused me dental pain. I liked the nasal pillows. They were sturdy and fit well to the nose.

The Optilife has a strap across the lower jaw area that caused me dental pain. The nasal pillows seemed sturdy and a good fit.

The Swift LT is comfortable but the nasal pillows are too soft and collapsed after one washing, leaving me unable to breathe with the CPAP on. I believe insurance allows replacement of these nasal pillows twice a month. That is way too often to have to replace nasal pillows, but mine didn't even last 2 weeks before I started having problems.

So my vote in the Nasal Pillows category goes to the Breeze.

Swift FX

I use the Resmed Ultra Mirage. The Quattro cannot be adjusted enough to stop the leaks around the top part of my nose.

SleepingUgly wrote:I don't know if anyone is still following this thread, but it seems a lot of people like the Activa LT. Does anyone like the micro? How about the SoftGel vs. the Activa LT--any opinions on that?

I have tried many Nasal and Pillow masks... I am now trying the Mirage SoftGel.
I didn't want to influence anyone involved in the Product Challenge right now so I haven't posted anything about it... since you are asking...
This is my personal view...

Background:
I haven't compared to the LT Cushion yet as it hasn't arrived yet.
The Mirage SoftGel is the Activa LT frame with a Gel cushion attached... it has the Active Cell technology for moving around somewhat.
I am a side sleeper most of the time with some belly time thrown in... very seldom supine.
I am slightly overweight (6 ft 200 lb) with slightly larger facial features and reasonably good sinus system
But a very light sleeper who gets no Stage 3 sleep and very little REM time and somewhat restless.
Pretty good control of any mouth breathing... so Nasal works for me... Pillows don't.
Pressure is currently at 7 cm and Temp set for 80 Deg and ClimateLine on my S9.

So...
It is a very quiet mask... the quietest I have used.
Exhaust air is spread forward and slightly down... on par for me with the F & P Zest. I would say very good.
Headgear is also very good with newer velcro and somewhat easy quick releases. Position of the headgear is excellent and doesn't change position.
The LT frame is sturdy and light with pretty good adjustment... relative to the Gel Cushion.
The Cushion is combo Gel and partially separate Silicone seal for next to the skin.
The Cushion is fairly large and pushes the front of the mask out fairly far. It is easily knocked around if the straps are loose.
The Cushion is VERY heavy and that is not good. With loose straps it will move easily unless you have the perfect adjustment.
The Cushion is also very comfortable especially with air inflating it. It also fits somewhat small... so if you are Med then perhaps Large is the sizing.

Now...
I get a great seal in static position. When moving around... not a perfect seal. If it was lighter... then maybe it would hold the seal.
But... seal is getting better as I get better with adjustment.
Some people have reported bridge irritation... I do not have a protruding bridge and no issues.
The forehead pad barely touches when adjusted loose as I have it.
If you tighten the headgear too much the silicone pushes down and curls up over the nares and blocks your air.
This also happens if you have it loose and knock the mask out of position and again you are struggling with air.
More than once, I have awakened and not been able to breathe because the silicone blocked my nares. I have trained my mouth not to open... so I choke to breathe.
It also sits very low over my top lip, when inflated. Disconcerting but not heavy or objectionable for me.

A very good mask but fussy for adjustments... IMHO.
I'm going to compare the Activa LT cushion next week.
I understand from my DME that it is bigger but lighter with all silicone... we'll see.

Nord

Sorry to jump in so late. My favorites out of my drawer full of masks are:

Mirage Swift II by Resmed (nasal pillow) - use the most
Mirage Ultra by Resmed (FF) - use occasionally when congested
Flexifit HC 407 by F&P (nasal) - don't use a lot

Thanks for allowing me to add my $0.02 worth too!

I've been doing this less than a month now but my go-to mask is turning out to be the EasyLife Nasal CPAP Mask they gave me after my titration. I've tried a couple of other masks (including a Swift LT that didn't work for me at all). The Swift was replaced by the DME with a Resmed nasal mask (not remembering the model offhand). I've found the nose cup on this to be too stiff and it has a tendency to close off one of my nostrils when I sleep on my side.

The EasyLife isn't perfect but I keep coming back to it after trying other masks. One of my peeves with it is that if it rides up my face a little bit while sleeping the "outer cushion support" rests over my eyes (I've got the smallest size so can't get a smaller 'wing' to avoid this). I do like that it doesn't leak much and when it does I can just pull it away from my face a bit and let it reseat itself which (so far) always takes care of the leak.

Do you know who makes the EasyLife mask?

sleeplessguy wrote:Do you know who makes the Easylife mask?

Respironics... you can look up this stuff on CPAP.com or at the manufacturers themselves...
Its in the Search function...

Nord

Have to say the Hybrid full face Pillow mask by Innomed (Respcare, whatever...)

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/3121

sleeplessguy wrote:Do you know who makes the EasyLife mask?