New Swift FX Bella Mask.....

Nate I got it from another older thread on the forum. My Lowe's or Home Depot didn't have them but my catch all Hardware store did.Like Pugsy said it gives the base a firm support and you can't smash them into the main body of the pillow. It sounded sort of crazy to me but it worked for me.

Instead of O rings, I have used small pony tail holders for little girls. I used the Goody brand, commonly found in most super centers (WalMart, Target, etc.). For me they work just as well as the o rings, and are much easier to find.

Still waiting on my Bella mask. May have to give the DME a call tomorrow to see if they expect any in the near future, or if I should be looking online.

You can find O rings at Walmart, as well, although they might just come in a pack of assorted sizes, so you'll need to packets.

squid13 wrote:Nate I got it from another older thread on the forum. My Lowe's or Home Depot didn't have them but my catch all Hardware store did.Like Pugsy said it gives the base a firm support and you can't smash them into the main body of the pillow. It sounded sort of crazy to me but it worked for me.

Thank you one and all and squid13 in particular for his advice. Home Depot didn't have that size, but the gentleman who tried to find them for me there sent me to a little hardware store down the road which had exactly those. I am looking forward to trying them tonight!

Best regards, Nate

Awww man!! You girls with the new loops are making me jealous!! Sure hope my order makes it here before too much longer 'cause I REALLY want to try them now! Pugsy, I'm awaiting you're trial with anticipation!

In honor of the new Bella Loops I broke open a brand new nasal pillow. My report is below. I almost always have a spike in leak at about the 90 to120 minute marker. REM sleep I am sure. It is so common for me now that I just expect it and shrug my shoulders and go on. While it looks huge due to scale. It really is still acceptable and way under Large Leak territory.

I had the left loop too tight. I suspected it was when I went to bed...just a bit "off" feeling.. Woke up with a bit of ear discomfort from the ear being "folded" forward just a bit in the wee hours of the morning. Not hugely painful though and easily remedied temporarily by moving things back in place. I was very careful when making adjustments that both sides were "equal". Looks like left side needs one notch less than the right side. Most people's faces are not totally perfectly symmetrical anyway. Right side loops felt perfect to start with and never bothered me at all during the night.

For supine sleeping..piece of cake. I did a lot of side sleeping (both sides) last night. Woke more times than normal probably because I was partly hyper vigilant and partly because the damn cat wanted to play with Sarge and that doesn't work well. Then he wanted to sit on me and swat my nose. I do have strap impressions on my cheeks...both of them. Not huge but I see them. Both indentations on both sides, from side sleeping with face in the pillow. I will loosen the straps a little and try again tonight.
I had them with the Swift FX until I added Padacheeks cover. If they continue I will see what I can come up with as an extra covering...Something that will cover both straps on the side at one time. I think that would be easier. I still used my barrel cozy. I just like it.

The Bella Loops allow stomach sleeping almost to the point that it feels like no mask is on at all.

I use a buckwheat hull pillow. The firmness of the buckwheat hulls pretty much is what my neck needs but it is going to probably give me those side strap cheek marks when the side of my face is against the hulls. I suspect the hulls are 90% of the problem when cheek marks.

So here is my report. The leak line is really pretty good and though brand new nasal pillows, this is pretty much what I see with nasal pillows that are over 5 months old. One crappy lonely Hyponea. 4 Clear Airway events which really seems to correlate when Huck (the cat) decided to play with Sarge (the dog) and then with my nose. I was awake about this time.

Awesome report but I feel the fragmented sleep this morning. The cat had been doing really good and not wanting to play at 4 or 5 in the morning until last night. Wouldn't you know it.

I loved the Bella straps!! I could barely feel that I had a mask on. In fact, I had to mentally remind myself that if I got up in the middle of the night to remember that I was attached.
The angle of the regular straps (going above the ears) pushed the mask onto my upper lip and it drove me crazy. I was so aware of it being pressed that I would be conscious of it every waking moment which caused even more waking moments. The Bella straps seem to even out the pressure and it was awesome.
I unhooked from the hose to make the strap adjustments and wore it for a while until I found the correct fit. The one "problem" I had while sleeping was when I flipped from side to side, the mask would loosen just enough to cause a quick leak but once I settled into the new position, it resolved itself. I will take that small inconvenience in order to have a light fitting mask.
With the regular straps, I often found myself taking it off during the middle of the night. Again, the pressure on my upper lip drove me nuts. Last night, I could barely feel it that I had to touch it to make sure I still had it on.
So all in all, I highly recommend the Bella straps. Without having the headgear, that shifted constantly, I felt that I could have the straps a little looser thus being a lot more comfortable.

You are all really making me WANT my Bella!

My DME called my house today (while I was in the same part of town as the DME office) to tell me that my Bella is in! Unfortunately, but the time I got the message, it was too late to run in and get it. I will either go in tomorrow (special trip to town--25 minutes one way) or I will pick it up on Thursday when I'm back in that part of town. The more I read here, the more I think I might have to find a way to get there tomorrow.

After leaving a message for my DME yesterday, he called me right back, told me he just heard about the Bella mask and I should call him today. I did call him, my Bella is ready for pick up tomorrow, and the best news is that I don't have to give the mask I got last week back. I'm so excited to get it everyone here seems to love it!

Night 2 report on Bella Loops. Loosened the left side straps one notch. Making the mask 100% comfortable and pretty much like nothing was on my face at all. Completely comfortable during the night.
Reports below....Leak city starting again at my magic 2 hour witching time but this time lasted all night. I won't change anything at this point and will see what tonight brings.

Even though the leaks are ugly looking due to scale..they are still well below large leak territory. Perhaps I just had a "off" night. Perhaps more restless for some unknown reason. I don't think the leaks were significant enough to account for the increased in events. I have had similar nights (event wise) in the past with essentially no leaks so the increase in events is something I have seen in the past and can't blame on leaks.

Reports below. I included an Encore Pro report (set for unintentional leak) to show what the leak line looks like when zoomed way out. A little more perspective as to overall look. Snores at sleep onset...we can blame those on the Pug dog.

Well, I just called my DME, they haven't even heard of the Bella or atleast the chick that answered didn't.

PLus I'm not able to get new head gear till the end of March.... bummer...

With all the rave reviews you guys have given, I'm gonna purchase it off of Ebay....

Can't wait to try it out!

I've got my loops now. They were comfortable for the chunk of time my RT left me stranded in a recliner, while he fetched a machine for someone else. I don't like how much they cost, though. Stupid, exorbitant, Canadian ResMed prices. Apparently I'm the first person with my DME to try them.

Hello, new here (first post!). I just got my diagnosis and am waiting for my doc to sign off on my prescription to get set up. I've already contacted my insurance company and verified they don't care what machine I get (as long as the billing code is correct) and I've checked with the DME I picked to make sure they have those to give me (I read the article on what to know before going to the DME, which helped me know what homework to do). I also asked about the Bella mask. They have them on order and will be getting them in two weeks.

The part I am wondering about is they said that my insurance will cover the mask and headgear but NOT the ear straps, that I have to pay for those out of pocket. Does that sound right? I thought the mask was packaged with both the head gear and ear straps, so I am wondering if they just ordered the ear straps? Has anyone else run into this?

Right now my plan is to get the Swift FX or Swift FX for Her mask and order the ear straps myself. That way I can get started this week, and the cost for the ear straps isn't very much. But I also want to make sure my DME is on the up and up since I am just dipping my toe in the water.

My DME had no idea what I was talking about. Waiting on a few more posts from you guys, and then will probably order on line. I'm fairly comfortable with my mask as it is... so, I want to be sure that getting the loops will be a step up.

The Swift FX for her includes both sets of headgear the regular head gear plus the bella over the ears. https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... -cpap.html Check the specs. tab.