Considering Dreamwear. Cushions or pillows? Your thoughts?

[cronkster]

I'm a mostly side sleeper and although I like the Dreamwear mask, I too have a slight problem with it shifting and losing its seal sometimes as I move around.  But I think I've found the answer that will make it the perfect mask for me.  I have a 2 1/2 inch wide elastic chinstrap which comes with a couple of separate 1 inch wide by 8 inch long, velcro-ended stiff elastic straps for extra securing.  I attached each of these small straps to the side tubes of the dreamwear. After putting on the mask in the normal way, I connect those straps behind my head and voila!  I've tried pressing on a surface with my cheek and the straps now prevent the mask tube from shifting the nosepiece.  And the setup is still comfortable and quick to put on and take off.
Why it took me so long to come up with this is beyond me.

[Sheepish]

I'm a mostly side sleeper and although I like the Dreamwear mask, I too have a slight problem with it shifting and losing its seal sometimes as I move around.  But I think I've found the answer that will make it the perfect mask for me.  I have a 2 1/2 inch wide elastic chinstrap which comes with a couple of separate 1 inch wide by 8 inch long, velcro-ended stiff elastic straps for extra securing.  I attached each of these small straps to the side tubes of the dreamwear. After putting on the mask in the normal way, I connect those straps behind my head and voila!  I've tried pressing on a surface with my cheek and the straps now prevent the mask tube from shifting the nosepiece.  And the setup is still comfortable and quick to put on and take off.
Why it took me so long to come up with this is beyond me.

Sounds good. Love to see pics.

[cronkster]

Loop the end of the strap around the side tube of the dreamwear and attach its velcro to it to keep it there.  Do the same with the other strap on the other side tube of the mask.  Put the mask on as normal, then put the two straps together, (they will route themselves either below or across your ears but will be comfortable) at the lower back of your head, attaching them in a comfortable position with their other velcro end.
The dreamwear headgear stabilizes the mask at your temples, and the additional straps stabilize it at your cheeks - which is what it needs.

[Sam Wallis]

I use the Dreamwear and have both the cushions and the gel nasal pillows.  The cushion worked pretty well and was quite comfortable, but I had problems with minor air leaks if I moved in my sleep.  I also discovered if I hear any swishing sounds of my own breathing, if the fit was at all uncomfortable, or if it was leaking  I need to wiggle a bit and/ or adjust my pillow to tweek the mask position a bit.  It worked well but the little leaks that developed as I squirmed woke me up.

I read here of users having less leaks with the gel nasal pillows and ordered one via Amazon.  I like the gel pillows much better and the air leaks were pretty much cured.  I did find that I was feeling starved for air with the gel pillows when I slept on my side, which I usually do.  I spoke to my provider and there was a very easy fix, she simply set the minimum pressure a couple notches higher and that fixed that! With that problem solved I much prefer the gel pillows.  I do use an APAP so the air pressure adjusts itself to my needs throughout the night.

One thing I have noticed, which would occur with any mask, as the weather is warming up, I get unevaporated sweat under my nose and under the straps where the silicone touches my face.  That hot wet feeling bugs me -- any one on ideas how to solve this?  Short of turning the air conditioner on colder which is not an option? Of, course, that is a question for a different thread 

[Fats Drywaller]

One thing I have noticed, which would occur with any mask, as the weather is warming up, I get unevaporated sweat under my nose and under the straps where the silicone touches my face.  That hot wet feeling bugs me -- any one on ideas how to solve this?  Short of turning the air conditioner on colder which is not an option? Of, course, that is a question for a different thread 

This is just a single point, not definitive: One person here has said that he prefers to sleep with an electric fan blowing air over him. I've done that also, in the summer. It can be comfy. I assume it's also best to have the humidifier's heater switched off.

[Fats Drywaller]

One thing I have noticed, which would occur with any mask, as the weather is warming up, I get unevaporated sweat under my nose and under the straps where the silicone touches my face.

Oops, I wasn't paying attention when I replied to this before. Look in your Dreamwear package for two gray polyester-fleece wraps, with velcro, to put around the silicone frame pieces. If none, then it's an earlier edition of the package that didn't include them. In that case, if you have a DME that you can ask for small favors, you might ask if they have any of those lying around as spares. Otherwise, pieces of cotton rag cut to size, wrapped, and taped could do the trick.

[Sam Wallis]

One thing I have noticed, which would occur with any mask, as the weather is warming up, I get unevaporated sweat under my nose and under the straps where the silicone touches my face.

Oops, I wasn't paying attention when I replied to this before.  Look in your Dreamwear package for two gray polyester-fleece wraps, with velcro, to put around the silicone frame pieces.  If none, then it's an earlier edition of the package that didn't include them.  In that case, if you have a DME that you can ask for small favors, you might ask if they have any of those lying around as spares.  Otherwise, pieces of cotton rag cut to size, wrapped, and taped could do the trick.

Got those, it is the areas that the wraps don't cover, especially where the mask touches my nose and upper lip.  I don't use the humidifier, so that isn't the cause.  Guess I'm just a sweat person - oops, typo, I meant sweet.