I’m sure mask fit is so incredibly personal that there is room for everyone to be right in defining which is “best”.
MY DME had a Brevida in stock, and it looked more different from either mask I had, so I picked one up yesterday.
Okay, I also found it incredibly amusing to tell my family I got the mask that was most likely to be described as a nasal sucking clam. Like Mary Poppins sang, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. CPAP is annoying the c*ap out of me, so laughing about it is better than being grumpy.
My DME also gave me the other cushions that should have been included in my original mask kit so I can do that experiment, too, with the Nuance Pro. I still have a bump inside my left nostril, however, so I’m feeling cautious about trying any “nose rim sitting” mask until I’ve been to the Ear, Nose & Throat specialist in early January.
Just so this thread may be helpful to someone searching in future, my experience of three masks so far has shown me:
* the Nuance Pro nasal cushion mask feels like it gives me the best therapy, directing air exactly where I need/want it, but seems to annoy my nostrils;
* the DreamWear Under the Nose mask is the most comfortable thing I’ve put on, but is noisier than the others and shifts the most during sleep; and
* the Brevida grips the nose in a slightly odd, but comfortable (for me) way that seems to make it ROCK SOLID at staying in place during movement, though my AHI ran a little higher last night and the air stream felt the least generous of the masks I’ve yet tried. (I may try the next size up as an experiment because the extra cushion is in the package.)
I will almost definitely try the popular P10 in the future, if only to see if it gives me the very directed therapy of my original mask in a more comfortable package.
I’m grateful to all who offered their experiences. I think, until we all get laser measurements of our nostrils upon being prescribed CPAP, with a custom, 3D-printed mask delivered with our machines, these discussions will remain the best way to learn what might be smart to try next.
—willo