[Product Review] Mirage FX Nasal Mask [copied from old forum]

[BlueDevil]

Thanks for that SuperSleeper.

[PsychoMike]

I had my first experience with this mask last night and, frankly, I was quite impressed.

It is quite small and lightweight...I really didn't notice a huge penalty (weight, disruption or anything of the sort) from the change. The exhaust port ring around the elbow does a really good job of diffusing the exhausted air...better than what I had on previous nose pillows...so it seemed very quiet. Out of habit, I woke up a couple times when changing position (expecting to have to reset my pillows) but I didn't have any major disruptions when going from supine to side sleeping or even to a bit of tummy (yeah, I know....not the ideal way to sleep for therapy).

Took a bit of fiddling to get the headgear tension right....I definitely had it too tight to start with...but once comfortable (though probably tighter than I could get away with), I slept well and only had minor indications of the headgear straps and red on the bridge of the nose in the morning. Any "residual" indications of the mask had faded in a couple hours.

Only other item that took some work was getting set-up to use a nasal mask. I had to adjust the heat/humidity a bit on by CPAP...not used to having the "cool" air I typically had with the nasal pillows blowing on the point of my nose. Brought the humidity up one increment and the temperature up a few degrees and, once the CPAP got up to the new settings, the remaining "wind" effect on the nose was unobtrusive.

Looking at my data with Sleepyhead this morning...and yes, I know one day doesn't really mean squat...my 95% leaks dropped from 18 to 6, my median leaks dropped from 6 to 2 and my average pressure dropped a bit too. I'll be looking forward to seeing if this becomes a trend over the next week (my trial period from my DME).

First impression, if it works for you, it could be a very nice mask. Of course, we all know that not all masks work for everyone, so YMMV.

[Richg44006]

I have used the ResMed Mirage Fx mask during the titration at the sleep lab but haven't been the ordering process.

This is the only mask I have ever used or tried. I didn't have any issues with it during the titration. If a mask doesn't work for you as expected, can it be returned? exchanged? In reading many of your awesome postings (thank you very much), what would be the reason that you would have multiple masks?

Thanks
Rick

[PaulaO2]

Some people like one type of mask for certain situations and keep a second for other situations. Like if someone has nasal/sinus issues, they may use a nasal mask most of the time but need to switch to a full face mask during allergy season.

Most suppliers (DMEs) have a mask return policy where you get to try out a mask for a set period of time then return it and try another. Some have it for just a few days, others for several weeks. Ask about this policy before you take a mask. The "a lot of our customers use this one" is not a good thing to hear. You need a mask that fits YOUR face and YOUR sleep style. Some folks find the right one easily. Others go through a lot of masks.

[PsychoMike]

I'll agree with PaulaO2 on the trial and error thing and on the 2nd mask thing.

I'm currently trying out a FFM to use when our daughter brings home a bug (ahhh...the joys of Petrie dishes...erm....I mean children ). I am waiting on contestant number 2....the first FFM I've tried seals well, but is narrow near the nose bridge. My side sleeping pushes the frame into contact with my nose, causing soreness on the side of my nose, instead of across the bridge. Working to find one that works for me

[DOOM_NX]

After trying the ResMed Ultra Mirage II, the Respironics ComfortGel and the Weinmann JOYCE SilkGel masks, I was given a Mirage FX to try. It was either that or a Large Ultra Mirage II available for purchase. The FX was considerably lighter and less claustrophobic than the UMII. It has a smooth cushion, not a sleek sticky silicone like UMII. It also doesn't put any pressure on your nosebridge. I was afraid it might be filmsy or leaky, but neither was true. It's so small that your pillow won't even touch it when sleeping on your side, let alone break the seal. The thin frame doesn't obstruct your view, so you can actually walk to your bathroom without bumping into anything with this mask. It might work for watching TV, too, but I don't do that in bed. You don't have to tighten it as much as a gel mask, as well. The cushion inflates and creates a seal. You might feel some air on your mouth from the diffuse vent though. The headgear is thick and comfortable. The fact that you don't have to undo the straps to remove it from the mask is a great convenience. The FX really makes Ultra Mirage II look dated and cumbersome. However there are no ventilation ports for the Mirage FX, making it a CPAP-only mask. If I had to rank the masks I've tried so far it would be like this: Mirage FX > JOYCE SilkGel > Ultra Mirage II > ComfortGel.