I triple dog dare you...

[AbbyNormal]

I didn't even see her today. She left a mask for me at the desk and frankly, I think it's best that way anyhow. I have the Mirage FX for her now. Blah. I took a picture with it and then ripped it off. I felt like I was going to puke. My hands were shaking trying to get the straps off. NOT good. I imagine I won't be sleeping any tonight. Joy. On the up side, a very sweet person contacted me here and they have a used Swift FX I can buy from them AND they're visiting in Houston right now!! I'm going to go pick it up tomorrow if all goes as planned. So, here's a picture of me in the mask I'll be wearing for a whole day... And I'll owe you yet another one when I get the Swift FX.

PS- Cheryl, GREAT PICTURE!!! You actually look happy about wearing your mask! YAY!! I sure hope I get to that point. There's no joy in Mudville here.

[YogaKitty]

Angela, are you using a national DME? I really think I want to stay far away from them... I still haven't heard back from my doctor so I'm still waiting. I researched today and think I found more preferred DMEs in my area. I'm not too far from you, I'm in the Beaumont area.

[mzlaura1884]

Can't believe i am posting this! I am new here is my 2nd night at the sleep study with the Resmed Quattro FX for her. This is the mask i want.

[retrodave15]

@AbbyNormal,

I hope you find a mask that works. Your DME seems like a "shlunk" outfit to me. Are there any others in the area you can use? My wife had the unmitigated joy of firing a DME and telling them to pick up their crap equipment. She now is with my DME, more comfortable, and almost 100% compliant

[retrodave15]

Can't believe i am posting this! I am new here is my 2nd night at the sleep study with the Resmed Quattro FX for her. This is the mask i want.

I actually got my wife to use that mask in the hospital after her back surgery. When she started CPAP therapy, she told me that there was no way in hell she would ever use a full face mask. This is now her mask of choice during allergy season. She is very claustrophobic, but with nothing over the eyes or on her forehead, she is good. The Valium they gave her for the back spasms, she had a L5 S1 spinal fusion, reduced her anxiety as well.

[MrPresident]

I got my new S9 Autoset....STOKED!!!
Got a new mask with it so it is an opportunity to put another picture ME on the internet.
Kind of like this mask, but it shoots a stream of air out the vents and I'm worried that it will make it hard for my wife to sleep if I am turned toward her. We'll give it a try and see how it goes.

More pictures please!!!

[AbbyNormal]

MzLaura, you want a mask that big? Mind if I ask the perks? What you like about it and such? For me it isn't just the mask, it's the amount of straps that go around my head and how easily they come off again. The one I picked up today they are on with velcro and it's difficult to get it off quickly which seems to be part of the freak out factor for me. I'm glad you posted the picture!! Bravo!!!

Mr President, You're a hoot and a holler!! Congrats on the new machine! This is the only one I've ever had, but it's a good one... you'll like it! It's super easy to learn. Good luck on your new mask! Can't wait to hear how it goes! YAY!!!!

Keep the pictures coming gang!

[brucifer]

MzLaura, you want a mask that big? Mind if I ask the perks? What you like about it and such? For me it isn't just the mask, it's the amount of straps that go around my head and how easily they come off again. The one I picked up today they are on with velcro and it's difficult to get it off quickly which seems to be part of the freak out factor for me. I'm glad you posted the picture!! Bravo!!!

Mr President, You're a hoot and a holler!! Congrats on the new machine! This is the only one I've ever had, but it's a good one... you'll like it! It's super easy to learn. Good luck on your new mask! Can't wait to hear how it goes! YAY!!!!

Keep the pictures coming gang!

Hey Ms. Abs, I've been following your thread, and I feel badly that you have been struggling to find a mask that works for you. Your DME provider seems so clueless. I don't have the patience to deal with that kind of thing. Props to you for going along with the game so well.

One of my friends who also was struggling with getting just the right mask is absolutely thrilled with her new Sleepweaver mask. She has used it for a week now and absolutely loves it. She was about to give up on CPAP, but the Sleepweaver mask has allowed her to meld with her machine. I know that others have mentioned that mask here, so I thought I would encourage you to give that mask a try. BTW, the cammo is totally you!

BTW#2, since you're a Texas gal (okay, an Okie in TX), you must have at least one pair of boots, or am I wrong?

[AbbyNormal]

Brucifer, I did ask about it, but it isn't one of the seven whole whopping masks that they carry. It would also be a premium I guess, just like the Bella Swift FX I asked her about. The mask I'm trying out tonight will be my third one. I imagine it will only last a night or two. I've taken one of my muscle relaxers (Skelaxin 500mgs) and Ultram (pain pill) that I have for my neck. (I have a Syrinx wrapped around my spinal cord in my neck) I was hoping it would calm my retarded self down enough to get through the night. I've also got my fragrance oil on a cotton ball next to the vent on the back of my machine... AND I took 5mgs of Melatonin just for shits and grins. (pardon my profanity. for me this is cutting it down a few notches... unless I'm around my mother or a preacher. LOL) I'm sitting in bed, laptop on my lap. Duh. Where else would a laptop be??? Cpap is beside me on the night stand... and I'm giving it the evil eye. I figured I'd try to sit up awake for a while with it going to see if I could dial it in and not wig out so much. I'm honestly not such a puss. Things around my face is really about my only hard line. I can handle just about anything else. Meh.

On the boots, I had some but I wore them to nubs. I need new ones, but I'm currently job hunting. Boots are sort of the last thing on the shopping list. I have several other kinds of boots, but I'm out of cowboy boots at the moment. *cry face* :'(

Well, moment of truth. Time to put on the big girl panties and suck it up. Let's do this. *reaches shaky hand to the dreaded snake... I mean CPAP hose*

[Kody]

Well here I am sporting my trusty Mirage Quattro, complete with homemade fleece covered hose.
Sadly no firearms to display, however I do have a 4.5 Million Volt Stun Gun I take with me while walking the Dogs!

[Xney]

Illicit mask-passing in the night with strangers? Oh, my.

Your DME sounds pretty bad, Abby. Finding the right mask(s) that fit is probably the worst part of xPAP therapy, or at least the longest. I'm quite jealous of all these full-facemask wearing people in this thread. I have never found any that fit, so I'm a tapin' fool.

If I had understood, when I started, just how many masks I might have to try to find one that fit, I think it would have made it easier. I figured like 2 or 3. Hah! But once you get one, it makes all the difference.

[AbbyNormal]

Kody, way to go dude!! Go on with your bad self! And is that string wound around the fleece to keep in in place vs being sewn? If so dude, hit me up, I'd be glad to sew it for you! It's the least I can do for a good sport! Also, lemme see the ink you're partly flashing us! (My entire back and my upper left arm are inked.)

Xney, My lady isn't "bad" exactly. She seems to be dingy, limited in options without it being out of pocket costs for me, and for whatever reason she wants me dependent on her to change settings and such. Um, you're in Katy, I'm in Jersey Village and I have a brain in my head. I really can adjust my own machine if you'll just tell me what you want it at and save me an hour drive each way, pretty please!

I will admit I didn't snore last night as far as I can tell. Granted, I didn't sleep much either. That was with a lot of meds that make me sleepy in my system too. I was fighting it big time. I didn't wear the chin strap.... I probably will never set that thing on my bean again. No bueno. I'm thinking of cutting off the part that goes between my eyes on this thing and maybe seeing if I can come up with custom headgear to make it stay in place. Then I'd have a back up mask. I won't have a chance to do much with it until the weekend. Today I am also meeting in a Walmart parking lot to pick up a used Swift FX, so we'll see how that fits later. YAY! The last time I met someone in a parking lot to buy something, it was sex toys actually. I'm good at this. LOL I kept praying the cops WOULD stop to see what we were exchanging because can you imagine the look on his face?!? Totally true story though.

Keep the pictures coming folks! I'm so very proud of you that have butched up and posted pictures! YAY!!!

[MrPresident]

Abby

The mask in my new picture is a Quatro FX. You mentioned ease of removal. This mask uses velcro to adjust but the bottom 2 straps snap in. To remove you just squeeze the snaps and the bottom straps pop off. Then it you just lift it off of your head. Very easy on / off. The key to choosing a mask for me is that it just MUST NOT have a thing that goes up to my forehead. This maks has only side straps so it is comfy and not "claustrophobic".

I got this mask because I had my choice of 3 mask that came with my S9. I chose the full face because I had not tried one yet and because I wanted one for when I have a cold and can't breath through my nose. Even though I love my Sleepweaver, I do have a slight problem with opening my mouth which then beomes a wind tunnel. The Quatro FX is almost as comfy as the sleepweaver, which I didn't think was possible.

Just my 2 cents.

You can just call me "Mr. President".

[chearyshe]

Lovely thread! Tomorrow I'll have have my granddaughter take a pic of me...then you'll see the real me.....beauty that I am in my Mirage Quattro FF mask with home made mask liner.
Next up is making an antileak strap...

actually, I'm doing better with the leaks lately....either I sleep through the little ones or they just don't exist. I can't access my data because I don't have a reader for the wee little thingy that collects the data. OMG! my brain just went into TOTAL SHUTDOWN MODE!....CBM and CARS!

chearyshe!!
ps: I swear that one of these days I'm going to use the suggestions for words that spell check gives me! It's a HOOT!

[AbbyNormal]

Mr President, Sir, Your Highness, Lord of the CPAPers... hee hee ... I found out this mask can slip over the end tabs instead of fumbling with velcro. I was just panicking and being a total tard. I still freaking hate it and it took 3 pills to calm me down enough to wear it all night. Boo. As soon as I can, I'll just buy a mask of my own and skip insurance I guess. That might be the easier thing to do. Just wade through until I can get what I want. I think I'll try the DreamWeaver you guys keep talking about. I just really do NOT like things that go up the bridge of my nose and the forehead thing is brutal. I'm a -9, and I need my glasses at night since I have to take my contacts out. You can't sit and read with this mask on. My glasses sit so far down I can't read.

I didn't snore last night though and my AHI was at 4.5. My boyfriend said if that continues through Friday, we can set my CPAP up in his bedroom and we can try to sleep together again. So, maybe I won't be lonely in the guest bedroom anymore. *crosses fingers*

Can't wait to see your picture tomorrow, Chearyshe!! Rock on with your bad self! I can't wait to see your modifications! I think I'm going to make this tank into a rhinestoned and befeathered mess. Can't decide.

PS- No comment on buying sex toys in a parking lot... Are you sure you folks are awake? That was comedy gold right there, yo. *taps mic* Hello? Hello? Is this thing on?? Lame. (Yes, I'm just razzing you.) Carry on.