Dreamwear full face mask

[jtech1]

I just got one last week. I had been using the Dreamwear nasal pillows. I have a close shaven mustache and goatee. I tried the first few nights with the large face piece. Although Sleepyhead did not show any large leak periods, I felt like it just did not seal around the bottom of the nose too well. But, my numbers were as good as some of the best I had with the nasal pillows for last 4 months... almost always between 1-2. Rarely below 1.

I actually turned my pressure down from 10-13 to 9-13 and still got good numbers. I was getting tons of events at lower pressure with nasal pillows. I suspect (and my wife confirms) that at times I open my mouth and leak with nasal pillows... may be that was giving me garbage numbers around those periods.

Today I tried the other size face pieces, and the medium seems to give a better fit. I am going to try that tonight.

The mask does not seem to have as much upward pressure to hold it against the nose as the pillow/cushion only headgear does... I think it is because the double headgear with the full face mask sits lower on the back of my head and cant be adjusted upward since the lower straps need to be low to keep the chin tight. I wish there was a way to adjust the headgear to be able to provide more upward force on nose piece like with pillow/cushion only mask.

I am also wondering why they did not do a nasal pillow version of the full face mask... that would ensure no leaks at nose.

So far, I am encouraged... this is the first full face mask I have ever used... and may be I am discovering that I am not a 100% nose breather and may be once I get used to it and get it tuned in, the Dreamwear full face mask may get be under 1.0 more often...

Just wish it was not so darn noisy!!!!

Definitely room for improvement...

[Pugsy]

What size frame are you using?
You might benefit from a smaller frame to help hold that cushion more securely to the nose area.
Or maybe do what I did and add more fleece wraps to help snug things up a bit...and I was already using the small frame.

[weroberts75]

What size frame are you using?
You might benefit from a smaller frame to help hold that cushion more securely to the nose area.
Or maybe do what I did and add more fleece wraps to help snug things up a bit...and I was already using the small frame.

Pugsy, maybe you should contact Respironics about making an extra small frame!
They may need to provide a smaller headgear option as well, although the included headgear does have a pretty wide range of adjustment.

My experience with wraps on any sort of mask is that I wind up with more leaks, but from what I'm reading it sounds like they are helpful for a lot of people.

[weroberts75]

I wish there was a way to adjust the headgear to be able to provide more upward force on nose piece like with pillow/cushion only mask.

I know your individual needs may vary due to the shape of your head, but really the only thing I have to watch for when I put on my Dreamwear FFM is to make sure that the back of the headgear is pulled all the way down behind my head. That keeps the cushion up firmly against my nose. I don't really feel the cushion, which is odd since I'm used to nasal pillows, but it stays in place there all night.

I have the lower straps just tight enough to avoid excess slack, but I wear them pretty loose.

[Pugsy]

Pugsy, maybe you should contact Respironics about making an extra small frame!

I am sure they will get right on it...right after they give me the XSmall gel pillows that I want to try.

I could make this mask work if I really, really, really needed to or wanted to. It would do as is in a pinch if I just had to use it for some reason and it wouldn't be that big of a deal.
Remember you are talking to a coming on 9 year nasal pillow mask veteran who has this "thing" about stuff on her face and head (I want as little as possible)....so the trying of this new full face mask was more on a lark than a need and I figure that if I can make it work then there's a good chance that others can as well. I am a pretty hard nut to crack when it comes to being happy with a full face mask.
I just don't care for them in general.
It wouldn't be perfect for me even if the frame size wasn't a bit of an issue BUT if I just had to use a full face mask for some reason or other this one would be my choice even with the minor frame size issue.

No mask is ever 100% perfect. Or at least I have yet to find one that checks all my boxes perfectly. There's always been some little something or other that my own preferences or needs would maybe need to be done differently or "better".
It's a fact of life that I just have learned to accept after trying dozens of masks out there just to be trying something. Nothing is ever totally perfect for me. Like I said...I am a tough nut to crack when it comes to masks of any kind.
Even the P10 that I use now...it's not perfect but it checks off enough boxes that it is my primary mask at this time.

In terms of full face masks...there's really only been 2 that I could even sleep half way decently through the night with.
The "old school" full face masks with the over the nose bridge stuff...not going to happen because they put pressure on my nasal bridge area which causes nasal congestion and if my nose is congested I simply don't sleep.
The 2 full face masks that I can successfully use...the Amara View and now this DreamWear FFM...and I prefer the DreamWear because of the smaller footprint of the cushion and the hose attaching at the top. Let's me get on my side or stomach so much easier.

This new mask from Respironics....it's going to have lovers and haters...just like every other mask out there. It's the life of a mask.
People won't know which way they will feel about any mask is to try it and when they try something new they learn not only about the mask but they learn more about their own personal preferences and needs which is very important.
My personal preferences and needs might be totally different from someone else's. The very things that I think are advantages to a mask might be disadvantages to someone else.

So while the small frame is still a bit to large for my head...it can be managed so that the leaking is minimal and minimally annoying for me should I ever just have to use a full face mask for some reason. No...it's not perfect but then again I have yet to find one that is perfect and what I do is make my primary mask choice decision on what mask checks off the greatest number of the boxes that I have for my own personal needs and preferences.
No...it's not going to ever be my primary mask...but then I didn't try it for that reason. I tried it just because I like to try new stuff and I was curious about it especially the hose on top for a full face mask...this one is the only one of its kind that does that.
I can see where that would be a huge advantage for some people who do have to use a full face mask and don't like the hose coming out of the nose part of the mask. It's potentially in the way for some people when the hose sticks out at the nose level.