Amara View Mask

[adej3d]

Thanks guys. Yea my concern is less about the leaking and more about feeling like i have a huge suction cup around my mouth/face. I cannot fall asleep with this thing on. I will be calling my DME today and hopefully getting a new appointment to try a different one.

[speed3914]

How about trying a nasal pillow mask ( I love my Swift FX mask) and a chinstrap?   The chinstraps are soft and would help prevent mouthbreathing. If you are not mouthbreathing then you'll love the nasal pillow mask by itself. I'm a side/stomach sleeper and mine works wonderfully.

[Jimsp1]

Thanks guys. Yea my concern is less about the leaking and more about feeling like i have a huge suction cup around my mouth/face. I cannot fall asleep with this thing on. I will be calling my DME today and hopefully getting a new appointment to try a different one.

The Arma view is a minimalist design so it should be a good choice for the new user. Unless you go to a nasal mask most other full face masks are going to be bigger. It took me a week before I could fall asleep with the Arma view mask. Near the end of the second week I woke up alarmed that I had forgot to put the mask on and then realized I was in fact wearing it!

[Gideon]

Thanks guys. Yea my concern is less about the leaking and more about feeling like i have a huge suction cup around my mouth/face. I cannot fall asleep with this thing on. I will be calling my DME today and hopefully getting a new appointment to try a different one.

A good way to get used to it is to wear it/use it while watching TV, or reading a book, any enjoyable activity will work.  The concept is to get your body used to it.

[Dawnstar]

Have been using the Amara View for some time now, it's a new design and if not sized and fitted properly, you can have problems.

• The mask has a fitting guide you can download and print out if you are unsure, the fitting more related to how far out your nostrils are than your face. Best printed on heavy paper or even card stock if your printer is capable.
• The mask comes in three sizes, but the actual mask frame is the same for each, the only difference is the gel cushion. There are at least two sets of headgear, standard and large.
• I find that the innermost part of the cushion loses resiliency after about 2 months and has to be replaced. Your temptation might be to tighten to compensate, but I don't recommend that.
• High cheekbones (which I have) can cause the mask to not fit properly, cause pain or need to be tightened. Be careful not to over tighten the straps.

Hope that helps.  Good luck!

[Dawnstar]

Forgot to mention the AV is, AFAIK, the only mask that will work with a blindfold.

A good blindfold will block any air from blowing in your eyes and help prevent wakeup due to other family members turning on lights, and may improve your sleep.

The downside is that morning light will not help to wake you, you will be completely dependent on your alarm or family members to wake you.

I can recommend the Tempur-Pedic and Brookstone Napform masks.

[duhmom]

Hi Adej3d - as you are so new, your DME company should work with to to try many different type masks in the first 30 days of treatment. I tried just a nasal mask, could not initially stand a FFM. Then switched to nasal pillows. I used those in combo with a chin strap for the first couple years of therapy. I get nasal congest too but with the air going thru there all the time it cleared it up. I sometimes used Nasonex or equivalent. My problem was the whole mouth breathing thing - I open my mouth when I am deep asleep and that defeats the purpose of nasal pillow. I was doing this even with a chin strap - eventually tried the good old tape on the mouth... My doc was quite concerned with that. and suggested the Amera View mask. I like this mask because it allows me to read as I fall asleep. It does take a bit of adjusting to get it right and seals better if you start out mouth breathing. Don't hesitate to try all the different versions of what is available.