Will Succeed,
Does your "side sleeping" and "use when travel" comments mean that you are using the OPUS on a daily basis or have you gone back to another mask?
I am asking because I use the breeze but am looking for a similar option with more" flexible" headgear.....
Thanks,
Kurt
OPUS mask has arrived
-
WillSucceed
- Posts: 1031
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:52 am
- Location: Toronto, Ontario
kurtr:
I think Breeze is a great mask if you stay on one side and don't roll. For me, as soon as I rolled, that stupid outrigger part that sits at the back of my head hits the pillow and causes the nasal pillow section to move --makes me nuts. Overall however, I like the nasal-pillow design of Breeze better than any other mask.
One of the other users on this forum (DreamStalker) has done some really clever lab-ratting with his Breeze -chopped the outrigger off and used straps to hold the Breeze nasal-pillow in place. I did a similar thing with the Breeze nasal-pillow section and Adam Circuit headgear. I have found my modification to be successful and I'm going to try DreamStalker's modification with an old Breeze that I have retired from service.
So, to get back to your question, I still think that Opus is a great mask but I am not using it nightly right now. I received an Aussie Heated Hose just 3 days ago and I am trying it with different masks (including Opus) to see how the rainout factor is affected. Overall, I think that this heated hose is the best thing since sliced bread! I can have all the humidity I want (no dry nose, no dry throat, no coughing) with zero rain in the face. I'd recommend the heated hose to anyone.
Opus continues to be comfortable although it is not as comfortable as I'd like due to the amount of rolling around that I do. It is more stable and more comfortable (in MY opinion -your results my differ) than Swift. I gave my Swift away to someone on this forum, hope it is providing good service, but don't miss it at all. With Opus, the nasal-pillow section maintains it's seal really well, even when I'm on my side, I just don't like the feeling of something up against my cheek. Even with the Pad-a-Cheek type sleeve between the Opus headgear (cheekgear?) and my face, I still don't like it. It is not as bad as Swift was, but I still seem to prefer headgear that is not touching my face.
For every night use, I prefer my bastardized Breeze and CL2 the best. For occasional use and, for travel, I'll take the Opus. Opus is exceptionally light-weight and easy to manage; it will be great for travel as it will fit in a small space in the CPAP travel bag and is not subject to easy damage like the CL2 is.
The trick with Opus seems to be to adjust the top strap so that the angle of the Opus nasal-pillow section is essentially parallel to your face. What I mean by this is that the part of the Opus nasal pillow which sits next to your upper lip is actually contured so that it gently lays right on your upper lip area. If you tighten the straps so that you pull the Opus up off your upper lip, you will not get good seal at the nares. The paperwork with Opus talks about the design being such that the Opus gently rests on the upper lip area, NOT floating out in front of your face, touching your nares only.
If I trim my 'stache really short, such that the hairs are poking straight out from my upper lip, this lifts the Opus slightly and throws off the seal by making the Opus NOT parallel to my face. When my 'stache is longer, such that the hairs lie flat or, if I were to chop it off altogether (hasn't happened for 30 years, ain't gonna' happen now) the Opus is in proper angle relative to my face/nose and it fits/seals well.
So, kurtr, if your objection to Breeze is the outrigger, I'd encourage you to give Opus a try. And/or, look for DreamStalkers modifications to Breeze and give that a try.
Best of luck!
I think Breeze is a great mask if you stay on one side and don't roll. For me, as soon as I rolled, that stupid outrigger part that sits at the back of my head hits the pillow and causes the nasal pillow section to move --makes me nuts. Overall however, I like the nasal-pillow design of Breeze better than any other mask.
One of the other users on this forum (DreamStalker) has done some really clever lab-ratting with his Breeze -chopped the outrigger off and used straps to hold the Breeze nasal-pillow in place. I did a similar thing with the Breeze nasal-pillow section and Adam Circuit headgear. I have found my modification to be successful and I'm going to try DreamStalker's modification with an old Breeze that I have retired from service.
So, to get back to your question, I still think that Opus is a great mask but I am not using it nightly right now. I received an Aussie Heated Hose just 3 days ago and I am trying it with different masks (including Opus) to see how the rainout factor is affected. Overall, I think that this heated hose is the best thing since sliced bread! I can have all the humidity I want (no dry nose, no dry throat, no coughing) with zero rain in the face. I'd recommend the heated hose to anyone.
Opus continues to be comfortable although it is not as comfortable as I'd like due to the amount of rolling around that I do. It is more stable and more comfortable (in MY opinion -your results my differ) than Swift. I gave my Swift away to someone on this forum, hope it is providing good service, but don't miss it at all. With Opus, the nasal-pillow section maintains it's seal really well, even when I'm on my side, I just don't like the feeling of something up against my cheek. Even with the Pad-a-Cheek type sleeve between the Opus headgear (cheekgear?) and my face, I still don't like it. It is not as bad as Swift was, but I still seem to prefer headgear that is not touching my face.
For every night use, I prefer my bastardized Breeze and CL2 the best. For occasional use and, for travel, I'll take the Opus. Opus is exceptionally light-weight and easy to manage; it will be great for travel as it will fit in a small space in the CPAP travel bag and is not subject to easy damage like the CL2 is.
The trick with Opus seems to be to adjust the top strap so that the angle of the Opus nasal-pillow section is essentially parallel to your face. What I mean by this is that the part of the Opus nasal pillow which sits next to your upper lip is actually contured so that it gently lays right on your upper lip area. If you tighten the straps so that you pull the Opus up off your upper lip, you will not get good seal at the nares. The paperwork with Opus talks about the design being such that the Opus gently rests on the upper lip area, NOT floating out in front of your face, touching your nares only.
If I trim my 'stache really short, such that the hairs are poking straight out from my upper lip, this lifts the Opus slightly and throws off the seal by making the Opus NOT parallel to my face. When my 'stache is longer, such that the hairs lie flat or, if I were to chop it off altogether (hasn't happened for 30 years, ain't gonna' happen now) the Opus is in proper angle relative to my face/nose and it fits/seals well.
So, kurtr, if your objection to Breeze is the outrigger, I'd encourage you to give Opus a try. And/or, look for DreamStalkers modifications to Breeze and give that a try.
Best of luck!
Buy a new hat, drink a good wine, treat yourself, and someone you love, to a new bauble, live while you are alive... you never know when the mid-town bus is going to have your name written across its front bumper!