Having an issue with my Wisp mask

[cbramsey]

Thursday, I discovered wear on the fabric mask frame where the clasp I hook / unhook to put on / remove the mask had experienced so much wear it would not stay hooked during the night. This caused increased leakage which lead to nagging by wifey.

Great thing is I got a phone call on Good Friday (this is a paid holiday for Philips Respironics). They will be sending me postage paid envelope to send my old mask to Respironics when they return to the office on Monday. In turn, they will be replacing my Wisp at no charge. The interesting thing is this mask had only been in service 77 days.

There may be something to the post JJJ posted in this thread.

Knowing that the warranty is 90 days I took it to my DME today. I asked if the warranty was from Philips Respironics or from the DME. The nice lady (who recognized me and even remembered my name) said that the warranty was through the DME, and then went into the back room to call Philips Respironics. When she came back she told me that the Philips Respironics folks told her to go ahead and give me a new mask at no charge and to pick up the broken one and return it to them.

Then she said that the Philips Respironics people told her that some of the early Wisp masks went out with bad fabric. The problem has been resolved, so hopefully my replacement will not break.

Wonder if my mask slipped through the cracks.

[eplantz]

Thursday, I discovered wear on the fabric mask frame where the clasp I hook / unhook to put on / remove the mask had experienced so much wear it would not stay hooked during the night. This caused increased leakage which lead to nagging by wifey.

Knowing that the warranty is 90 days I took it to my DME today. I asked if the warranty was from Philips Respironics or from the DME. The nice lady (who recognized me and even remembered my name) said that the warranty was through the DME, and then went into the back room to call Philips Respironics. When she came back she told me that the Philips Respironics folks told her to go ahead and give me a new mask at no charge and to pick up the broken one and return it to them.

Then she said that the Philips Respironics people told her that some of the early Wisp masks went out with bad fabric. The problem has been resolved, so hopefully my replacement will not break.

Wonder if my mask slipped through the cracks.

mine broke as well. in use for about 30 days.

[Sleepster]

My DME has a very limited inventory of masks and claims that if I want something else I have to pay an "upgrade fee" that's more than what the masks cost online. My insurance company tells me these upgrade fees are not allowed charges and therefore I wouldn't have to pay them, but I don't trust that advice so I've always chosen one of their "allowed" masks. I get those at a very low cost and can get a new one every three months.

Anyway, the reason I'm telling you this is because they told me that the Wisp is now one of their "allowed" masks, so if I want one I don't have to pay an upgrade fee. I was thinking about trying one but now I'm not so sure.

[JJJ]

Anyway, the reason I'm telling you this is because they told me that the Wisp is now one of their "allowed" masks, so if I want one I don't have to pay an upgrade fee. I was thinking about trying one but now I'm not so sure.

I discovered that I don't need to use the snaps at all. Once I have it adjusted and the snaps connected I just slip it on and off in one piece. It's the constant snapping and unsnapping that wears out the hole in the fabric.

I also note that it now comes in your choice of fabric or silicone frame. Originally it came only in fabric, and that is the part that is failing. Had I to do it over I would go for the silicone.

However, I may have to give up on the Wisp. I'm still experimenting, trying to stop the leaks. The only way I have found that gets my leaks under 24 L (about two nights out of three) is to apply two Quietus liners, gluing the first one to the cushion and the second to the first one, using medical jelly. The Quietus liners are 21.95 for 10. And sometimes in the middle of the night I wake up to find that it is leaking. Then I have to get out of bed, disassemble the whole thing, and use two more liners to put it all back together. Then I can crawl back into bed and hope that I can get back to sleep after all that.

I found some fabric that I swear is identical to the fabric the Quietus liners are made out of, but it doesn't work as well. And Quietus says you can reuse their liners, but after one use, even after washing, they don't stop the leaks as well.

At $4 a night for liners (and sometimes $8), this is getting expensive. But other masks I have tried leak even worse.

Oh, and the leaks are at the top. It's as though the cushion is tilted away from my face at the top of the cushion too much, so air leaks up into my eyes. If the headgear could be adjusted so I could tilt the cushion toward my face at the top a little more it would be a lot better. When it is leaking I can stop the leaks easily by putting my hand on it and pressing the top of the cushion against my face.

[Cobra4x4]

I had posted on another forum where I had suggested to slip the headgear on/off as the plastic clips would break over time especially as they become older they will become brittle. I also mentioned that people should stock up on some extra clips in case one breaks while putting your mask on after all you wouldn't want to be without your mask even for a night.

Respironics according to my DME is now shipping both the fabric & silicone headgears when you purchase the Wisp. Personally I prefer the silicone even though its heavier and firmer, It stays in place better. I found that the fabric headgear moved around too much thus creating a chaffing issue with me.

My pressure has increased with this mask, 95% going from 10.5cm with the Swift FX to 14.5cm with the Wisp.

To ensure a good seal I follow this regiment ...

1. put mask on
2. turn machine on
3. pull mask away from face for a second or two (allows seal to inflate under pressure without being against face)
4. set mask back on face and twitch nose to seat.
Done!

I have not had to use anything to help with the seal, and my AHI has been in the 0.0 to 0.6 range with only 1 bad day since I found the sweet spot and correct pressure range for this mask. It has been about 2 weeks now since I found my ideal settings.

@JJJ ... At 1st I also found that the mask leaked near the top, The cure for me was to make the top two straps a little tighter than the bottom two. My straps are not very tight at all just snug. Keep experimenting and good luck.

I do expect that my headgear will eventually stretch to the point that I`ll be required to reset the straps.

[vsheline]

mine broke as well. in use for about 30 days.

Hi eplantz, welcome to the forum!

Even if it is now more than 90 days after purchase, maybe you could explain to your DME or supplier that the mask failed after only 30 days of use, and ask them to call Respironics to see if Respironic will replace it for free.

Good luck,
--- Vaughn

[eplantz]

mine broke as well. in use for about 30 days.

Hi eplantz, welcome to the forum!

Even if it is now more than 90 days after purchase, maybe you could explain to your DME or supplier that the mask failed after only 30 days of use, and ask them to call Respironics to see if Respironic will replace it for free.

Good luck,
--- Vaughn

I called Phillips but they do not deal/talk with consumers. I have submitted a return request with the seller (Supplier #10) and am waiting to hear back. I am sure it will be replaced.

The other poster is right..... you don't need to use the snaps at all.... just pull it over your head. I normally do this but did try the snaps a couple of times and it broke then.

Gene