Posted this same message on another board, so for those of you who bounce to different forums, YES I'm plagiarizing myself.

Well tonight marks the end of my first week on the hose. I'm not loving the mask but I'm beginning to start sleeping a bit at nights. It's not the pressure -- it's the leaks and the uncomfortable position on the pillow and the AWARENESS of this THING on my face. SO... I called the MDE and said I'm looking for something different, mask-wise. I have the ComfortClassic which perhaps is a bit of a misnomer, IMHO. I'm soliciting advice on masks... and I'm betting it may come in wide and varied form. However, someone mentioned the Swift nose pillows and looking at them online, it looks like that setup might work for me. There's several ways to configure it and I could actually wear my glasses, which is out of the question with the mask I have now. So to bring this ramble to a conclusion, could I get some feedback from the tribe here on: 1. The Swift 2. The CPAPPro 3. The ComfortCurve 4. Nasal Aire II and 5. New Version Breeze Sleepgear.

Here's my thoughts: I hate the red marks on my face and the air leaks. My pressure's only 12 right now so I should be able to use nose pillows or whatever without too much trouble. And after looking at all the options out there, it appears to me that my insurance company just sent me home with the cheapest possible mask available on the continent without much thought about efficacy or comfort. I must say, I'm just shocked...


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(8-{)
Artiem

I use the Breeze nasal pillows with a setting of 13 and have no problems with leaks.  I've always been a stomach sleeper and with the nasal pillows I can still do that.

Artiem wrote:

Posted this same message on another board, so for those of you who bounce to different forums, YES I'm plagiarizing myself.

Well tonight marks the end of my first week on the hose. I'm not loving the mask but I'm beginning to start sleeping a bit at nights. It's not the pressure -- it's the leaks and the uncomfortable position on the pillow and the AWARENESS of this THING on my face. SO... I called the MDE and said I'm looking for something different, mask-wise. I have the ComfortClassic which perhaps is a bit of a misnomer, IMHO. I'm soliciting advice on masks... and I'm betting it may come in wide and varied form. However, someone mentioned the Swift nose pillows and looking at them online, it looks like that setup might work for me. There's several ways to configure it and I could actually wear my glasses, which is out of the question with the mask I have now. So to bring this ramble to a conclusion, could I get some feedback from the tribe here on: 1. The Swift 2. The CPAPPro 3. The ComfortCurve 4. Nasal Aire II and 5. New Version Breeze Sleepgear.

Here's my thoughts: I hate the red marks on my face and the air leaks. My pressure's only 12 right now so I should be able to use nose pillows or whatever without too much trouble. And after looking at all the options out there, it appears to me that my insurance company just sent me home with the cheapest possible mask available on the continent without much thought about efficacy or comfort. I must say, I'm just shocked...

Artiem,

At the risk of repeating myself.......the mask is everything.

Get your DME supplier to call, or go to their office and don't leave until you get a suitable mask. It is up to them to fit you properly, advise you and finally to make sure you are happy.Try everything. They are all interchangeable with the various cpap machines. You are the consumer, demand your rights.

Red marks on your face and leaks indicate that your straps are too tight. The tighter the mask is to your face the more likely it is to leak as the side walls of the mask collapse. Straps should be snug, no more. The air pressure within the mask creates the seal to your face.

Don't go with preconceived ideas. Everyone is different. What works for me probably won't work for you. Make the supplier work for you.

Kind regards,

Daniel.


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The untreated Sleep Apnoea sufferer died quietly in his sleep.......
Unlike his three passengers who died screaming !!!!!!

(Anon)

Dear Artiem,

I used the Swift for about four months.  I loved it, even though I had small red marks on my cheeks for about 40 minutes after awakening.  I don't think the mask was too tight (I always look for that first).  The red marks weren't an issue, as they were gone by the time I leave the house.  My spouse didn't like the Swift, however, as its exhilation port blows quite a bit of air for an amazing distance.

When I met with my DME most recently, I checked out the Comfort Curve.  It would also blow air, albeit not as vigorously, on my spouse, so I didn't investigate further.  I ended up with the Mirage Vista (I would not have guessed so beforehand!).  Although its harness covers quite a bit of my cheeks, there are no red marks in the morning!  My DME said that would be the case, as the force is spread over a larger area.

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice folks... I'm ready to go in and discuss the options now...


_________________
(8-{)
Artiem