[Product Review] Respironics Nuance / Pro Mask Review

[allielb83]

I recently tried this as my therapists said it was newly available. My problem is that I'm a restless/side sleeper so my mask is always moving. The hope was this mask would reduce slipping.
I found the straps fit in much the same way as the Philips Go Life For Men. The main benefit my therapist pointed out to me was the strap at the back of the head has a "no slip" type material and is supposed to stay put. I found this was up too high on my head. I have soft shiny hair and it slipped off during the night. Perhaps it would stay in place on course or short hair. The comfort of the pillows was adequate, about the same as the Swift FX. I wear a medium in the Swift. I was given medium pillows for this mask but probably should have had the small.
Back to the Tap Pap for me and this mask is being returned.

Hope I did this right, its my first review.

[jaybeem]

Just had my first week with the Philips Respironics Nuance Pro mask. It is so new that I can't find it on the Respironics website, although Supplier #10 is taking pre-orders, and they have the manufacturer's brochure under mask specs. The Nuance has a fabric frame; the Nuance Pro has a gel-padded frame.

(I have been using Swift FX for Her medium pillow for months. I love how minimalist the entire apparatus is. But I am really between the small and medium sizes, so I have been "gluing" the pillows to my nose with a mustache diving mask sealer. That works fine, but I am beginning to worry about putting that stuff in my nostrils every night.)

Description: All the straps are stretchy. The top strap and the straps from the gel-padded frame are adjustable; the back strap is not. There are small, medium, and large pillows. The cones that go into the nostrils are very short and very small. The pillows are 3/8" to 1/4" thick and are in two layers. The layer closest to your nostrils is blue squishy gel. The layer furthest from your nostrils is solid and rubbery. The diameter of the pillows is actually about the same as the Swift FX, but the Nuance feels like it sits further out of my nostrils. It has a light, stretchy, flexible hose.

Stats: 0 apneas/hypopneas (not unusual), AHI of .52 from phony CAs and OAs vs. average of 1.6. One leak a night, a record. Average leaks 0.03 vs .57. 95% leaks 0.0 vs. 3.6. I am hypersensitive to even small leaks, so the leak numbers are a big deal.

Cons: Nuance Pro is more bulky than the Swift FX. The Nuance Pro frame is stiff and protrudes on the sides of the pillows. I have to hang my nose a little further over the edge of the pillow (I am an almost-stomach sleeper). Back strap sits higher on the back of the head than the Swift FX and initially was easily displaced if I was briefly on my back when I was about to awaken. I adjusted the fit by moving the back strap further down the back of my head and the top strap more at the top of my head.

Pros: The nostril cones are so small I can not tell that I have anything in my nose. The gel pillows do not displace unless I yank the whole mask, which I don't do during sleep. I can wrinkle my nose, scrunch my mouth, or make faces and the pillows do not leak. Much more forgiving fit. With the Swift FX, I must slide my face along the pillow and tighten up the Swift FX, as I usually have puffy eyes in spite of having the Swift FX mask properly loose. No puffy eyes or strap marks with the Nuance.

Conclusion: Mostly because I am between sizes with the Swift FX, this is a keeper. VERY comfortable, VERY stable.

[jaybeem]

Supplier #1 is now taking pre-orders on the Respironics Nuance and Nuance Pro mask. I looked at the illustrations on the right side of the webpage and discovered that my supplier did NOT fit the mask correctly. I will adjust it tonight and see if it makes any difference with the backstrap displacing.

[SuperSleeper]

Thanks for the great review & info Jay!

[jaybeem]

I am three weeks in with the Nuance Pro and still loving it. I have actually had some zero leaks nights. My numbers have been great since I started using CPAP in early May, but I was still exhausted with 11 hours of sleep every night. This mask has solved the problem. I still seem to be working off some sleep debt, but FINALLY feel like a human being again.

My only complaint is that the medium pillows have been back ordered for those three weeks at my DME. The mask is all over the internet now, but no one is offering the pillows yet. I can't understand why the manufacturer would put this on the market without having replacement pillows available.

[jaybeem]

Supplier number one now has replacement pillows. I will check with my DEM next week. Problem solved!

[PaulaO2]

I've had this mask for a week now. What I like about it? A lot. Very light weight. Quiet. And different. It is a lot like the Swift LT for Her in design. At first glance that is. But after that glance, there's not much to compare to.

Nasal pillows are designed to fit inside the nostrils, using flared wedges. The seal is usually fairly good but dependent on the rest of the mask, of course.

The Nuance, however, is different. It is designed to fit on the outside of the nostril, right where the septum is, with just this tiny bit going inside to direct the air. Because it sits on the outside, without moving the size of the nostril itself, the seal is actually quite good. I was surprised since I have a little pipsqueak of a nose.

Pro:

• quiet. this is by far the quietest mask I have ever had. And I've had a lot. This means that leaks are easy to hear. Which is good because I don't hear any.
  
• soft. everything about this mask is soft. The headgear is sensual and quite comfortable. There's a few quirks (see below) but overall, I'm liking it. I especially like that wide back strap. It stays in place, man!
  
• easy to put on. The best part is despite the fact it is a cloth headgear, I can almost put it on one handed. I need one hand on the nasal piece and one on the headgear.
  
• the hose is super flexible. This means it can take knocks from the pillow or the covers and not dislodge the mask. I use a feather pillow and this was the main cause of leaks for the Swift LT.
  

Con:

• padded cheek section on "pro" - useless. My cheeks feel almost bruised in the morning. But it makes me wonder if the non-pro was jabbing people in the cheek or something.
  
• "velcro" side adjustment - is super wimpy. Every night it feels as if it is pulling to one side or the other. Or that I have to pull it to one side or the other to make it "fit". And it almost always is because one of the side straps has shifted or is completely undone. I am not a gentle sleeper. I sleep on my side a lot with my hands up near my face. So I'm sure I'm not helping it any.
  
• this mask has the "curse of the lightweight masks" really bad. doing nightly adjustments sitting up before going to bed is impossible. I have to lay down first. I had less trouble the one or two nights before I found out the mask's hose could be routed up through a loop in the head gear. I'm going to take it out of that and give it a try to see if that helps.
  

Overall? I'm loving this mask. What I love is waking up to a normal feeling nose. I don't feel like my nose holes are four times too big from having a bung plug shoved inside all night. Which I didn't know I was feeling until I wasn't feeling it anymore. Does that make sense? And I'm loving the quiet when I lay down. I barely hear myself breathe. Ahhhh.

[Bompa]

After almost 3 years of trying mask after mask, after mask. Eureka!!!

My DME has let me try a Resperonics Nuance Pro Nasal Pillow mask.
WOW!!! I am sure impressed. It's very comfortable, lightweight, and super quiet. Since being on it now for 2 weeks I find a substantial difference in my numbers and sleep quality.

The only negative with the Pro model, I find, are the Gel Pads that fit the cheek. I find they make me sweat and therefore itch. Next time around I'll try the cloth model.

IMHO it's a great mask.
Bompa

[Galactus]

I just got one too, it was my second mask in my first two weeks of using cpap, and I am loving it, much better than the other mask I had. I have the gel model as well and honestly I love the gel.

[jonne4c]

I am brand new to CPAP and am having trouble. Should I be hearing a very loud leaking noise with the Nuance Pro. It comes out of the front elbow and is almost a whistling noise. It is driving both my wife and I crazy.

Also, in the settings of the System One machine I can change the Resistance Control based upon the mask I use. I can't find the Nuance Pro in any of the literature. Old pillows are a setting X1 or X2, does it matter?

Finally, my 6' hose is a 22 cm, but the Nuance Pro short hose is 15 cm. In my humidifier setup, should I choose 22 or 15? Does it matter?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.