how to reduce leaks with dreamwear mask
I recently found that looping velcro to the middle of the dreamwear headstraps, and sewing a velcro strip to the back of a soft cervical collar allows for sticking the two together and keeping the straps in place all night. The result has been reduced leaks for me. I also use a thin piece of tape (I use blue painters tape which removes painlessly and is latex free) in the the middle of my lips to keep me from opening my mouth.
AHI hovers around 1 and leaks are few.
Maybe this will be of use to others too. 
Inspired
RE: how to reduce leaks with dreamwear mask
Inspired, those are great ideas. I tried the Dreamwear mask for 4-5 days, and gave up.
I kept the mask, and may revisit using it with your velcro idea. I think the frame (which is a size Med.) is too large for me, so the velcro may help hold it in place.
RE: how to reduce leaks with dreamwear mask
(03-26-2016, 12:49 PM)OpalRose Wrote: Inspired, those are great ideas. I tried the Dreamwear mask for 4-5 days, and gave up.
I kept the mask, and may revisit using it with your velcro idea. I think the frame (which is a size Med.) is too large for me, so the velcro may help hold it in place.
If it still seems too big maybe you could stitch a fold in the back of the strap to reduce the length.
Inspired
03-29-2016, 08:26 AM
(This post was last modified: 03-29-2016, 08:27 AM by drgrimes.)
RE: how to reduce leaks with dreamwear mask
Opal, look at the brochure that came with the mask. The pics show the main frame/straps coming down your temples about midway between your eyes and ears. If the frame is more back toward your ears, then it's too large. Assuming it came with an assortment of nose pieces, you might experiment with those also. I think my first fit from DME was wrong and leaked horribly. They only gave me one nose piece.
RE: how to reduce leaks with dreamwear mask
Well, I don't have a cervical collar, but I'll try to do something similar. The mask was wonderful the first 2 nights and then leak, leak, leak. I was incredibly disappointed, especially after finding out that I couldn't return it for a different mask.
RE: how to reduce leaks with dreamwear mask
(03-29-2016, 08:26 AM)drgrimes Wrote: Opal, look at the brochure that came with the mask. The pics show the main frame/straps coming down your temples about midway between your eyes and ears. If the frame is more back toward your ears, then it's too large. Assuming it came with an assortment of nose pieces, you might experiment with those also. I think my first fit from DME was wrong and leaked horribly. They only gave me one nose piece.
Thanks dgrimes,
I ordered mine online and it came with one frame (Medium) and 3 nose pieces. I think the frame is a bit too large because it tends to fall forward if I move too much at night. It seems I have to tighten straps too much and that barely keeps it in place.
It also seems I am between sizes on those nose pieces too, but if I can get the frame to work, the nose piece may stay in place.
Hindsight, I should have bought it at DME where I could have been fitted. I decided to keep it and try to make it work, (even though I love my P10) because I was looking for something else to use when nostrils get sore. I don't see myself abandoning the P10. 
03-29-2016, 09:29 AM
(This post was last modified: 03-29-2016, 09:31 AM by drgrimes.)
RE: how to reduce leaks with dreamwear mask
Opal i am surprised it falls forward. I would think the strap is too loose for that to happen. I know what you mean about getting strap too tight, that's not good either. It's a delicate balance. You might try experimenting before you try to sleep, with the lights on. When you look at your data in Sleepyhead, do you notice that your major leaks are occurring the same time as your pressure goes over 10? That was the case with mine. I think this mask has a tendency to blow out at pressure over 10.
I know we should be careful changing our RX settings, but when i lowered my max pressure to 10, i quit having major leak problems and my aHI actually improved a bit. Actually this is the first time i have changed any setting in my autoset since all this began a couple years ago.
Oh my 95% pressure is at around 7 most of the time, only spikes above that briefly. I was thinking the cpap might be trying to compensate for a breathing event, but my events are less now.
RE: how to reduce leaks with dreamwear mask
I've never made it through an entire night with that mask, it kept me up too much.
Even though my max pressure is set to 12, it very seldom goes above 11.
Thanks for the advice, I haven't given up on it yet.
RE: how to reduce leaks with dreamwear mask
(03-29-2016, 08:42 AM)Mosquitobait Wrote: Well, I don't have a cervical collar, but I'll try to do something similar. The mask was wonderful the first 2 nights and then leak, leak, leak. I was incredibly disappointed, especially after finding out that I couldn't return it for a different mask. I got one for just 7 bucks at a local pharmacy.
Inspired
RE: how to reduce leaks with dreamwear mask
Inspired, that is a neat solution, I might just try it if I can't find another way of keeping the straps behind my head. I find that the straps do creep up toward the top of my head during the night and then I get leaks. I have to push the straps back down 3-4 times a night behind my head. I tried adjusting the straps but if they are to tight then I have other issues like a sore nose. So right now I am balancing between comfort, leaks, and keeping the straps in place. I did find that if anything pulls on the hose at the top of your head that will pull the straps out of place, so hose management behind your head is critical to minimize pulling the straps out of place. I still like this mask a lot and will continue to use it as my main mask but it would be nice to solve the strap movement issue.
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