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Chin straps (sigh)
#31
RE: Chin straps (sigh)
(09-15-2013, 12:43 AM)me50 Wrote: Can you dye the chin strap that works for you so it doesn't show dirt?

Not a bad idea! However, it also comes off during the night about once a week. It has just one elastic strap about one inch wide that goes around the back. It's not enough to keep the chin strap from sliding forward and off my head.

Sleepster may be right: I need a custom chin strap. Or at least modify one of the ones I have. Today I have a meeting where I will meet the woman who is a genius with sewing and fabric. I e-mailed her last night to ask if she might have some scraps of elastic material large enough to go over my head, and why I needed them. She replied that she will bring what she has, and also that she uses a CPAP too! Cross your fingers for me. Smile
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#32
RE: Chin straps (sigh)
Can you dye the chin strap that works for you so it doesn't show dirt? [/quote]

Not a bad idea! However, it also comes off during the night about once a week. It has just one elastic strap about one inch wide that goes around the back. It's not enough to keep the chin strap from sliding forward and off my head.

Maybe you can get some bobbie pins and secure the chin strap to your hair so it won't slide forward and off of your head.

Hope you find a solution that works for you!!
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#33
RE: Chin straps (sigh)
(09-15-2013, 11:00 AM)JJJ Wrote: Sleepster may be right: I need a custom chin strap. Or at least modify one of the ones I have. Today I have a meeting where I will meet the woman who is a genius with sewing and fabric. I e-mailed her last night to ask if she might have some scraps of elastic material large enough to go over my head, and why I needed them. She replied that she will bring what she has, and also that she uses a CPAP too! Cross your fingers for me. Smile

I now have a custom chin strap. The dear lady looked at my original chin strap as well as the SP-CHADJ, and listened to my story. After looking at them on top of the Wisp she agreed with my theory that the SP-CHADJ did not have enough material in front to hold the Wisp.

She showed up with all kinds of elastic from her scrap bin. One was the same width as the chin strap that gave me acceptable leaks but kept coming off. She helped me figure out the correct length to go around the top of my head, and then we worked on a back strap that would keep it from coming off. We settled on an X arrangement with narrower elastic material. We used bobby pins to figure out the best length and position. She invited me to her apartment after the meeting where she could use her sewing machine to make the chin strap work without bobby pins (except she left the parts where the back X connects at the top with bobby pins for me to adjust the back strap if necessary. I now have a very professional looking custom chin strap that is very comfortable and cannot possibly come off my head.

More importantly for people here, she said that elastic fabric is famous for picking up oils from the hair and skin. Even if you wash your face until it is squeaky clean before bed, oils will come out as you sleep. The oils get on the elastic fabric, which then attracts other dirt. The result is grime (she was not shocked to see the condition of my original elastic chin strap). Her advice: Soak the material in white vinegar (white only because cider vinegar smells) for five minutes, then wash it in your favorite dishwashing detergent. The vinegar cuts the oil and allows the detergent to do a better job.

If you live alone you really need to get a friend to help you with the mask and chin strap stuff. My friend is a genius, but anyone can see things that you cannot see yourself.

Oh, and before I left her apartment I asked what machine she had, It is a PRS1. So I told her about SleepyHead and showed her the SD card in the back of the machine. She has two laptops, but they are older and don't have an SD card slot. I ordered an adapter for her and explained to her about SleepyHead. Hopefully she will soon be able to see her data.
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#34
RE: Chin straps (sigh)
Let us know how it works!! Glad you found a solution!
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#35
RE: Chin straps (sigh)
Thanks for the tip about the vinegar. I notice that even after washing my chin straps they retain a hint of that oily smell. Now I understand why. The same is true of an eye mask.
Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#36
RE: Chin straps (sigh)
(09-16-2013, 09:52 AM)me50 Wrote: Let us know how it works!! Glad you found a solution!

Last night my maximum leak was 24L and 95% was 15.6L. Not bad compared to most everything else I have tried. But it's only one night. Stay tuned.

I had a helluva time getting it on. The biggest part of the problem was that tugging and pulling this way and that on the new chin strap kept un-velcro-ing the Wisp. After ten minutes of using a lot of special words I gave up, went downstairs and got some safety pins, and went back upstairs where I pinned the Wisp together. Should have done that a long time ago. I [expletive deleted] hate velcro.

PS, in my post yesterday I meant to say safety pin, not bobby pin. Duh!
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#37
RE: Chin straps (sigh)
OK, I now have definite proof that I am a mouth breather.

My custom made chin strap finally got overstretched to the point where it wasn't working well. Since I am resurrecting a very old thread here I should add that I used it on top of my Wisp. I have been doing this since last September, and most of the time my leaks are under 24L. My reason for using it on top of the Wisp is that I am an active sleeper, rolling from side to side all night, so I assumed the leaks were caused by the Wisp becoming dislodged.

Because the chin strap was no longer working well I decided to fix it. I cut the band that goes under the chin and around the head, then sewed it back together overlapping it by several inches, thus making it much tighter - tighter even than when it was first made for me. I also replaced the back straps.

The interesting part is what happened when I decided to experiment by putting the chin strap on underneath the Wisp, like chin straps are normally supposed to be used. The first night I did this my maximum leak went down to only 6L. The next night the leaks were even better, and I have even had a night with zero leaks. That never happened before.

Because the chin strap is now under the Wisp and my leaks are now very low it proves that the leaks I was experiencing were not caused by movement of the Wisp. Why didn't I have lower leaks before? Because the custom chin strap as first made for me was too wimpy to hold my mouth shut. It is now much, much tighter. I can open my mouth with it on, but it takes some effort to do so.

More importantly, in the week since I started using my tight chin strap under the Wisp my AHIs are slightly higher (still always under 3.0), but I am sleeping much better. I only wish I had figured out that I was a mouth breather a long time ago.
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#38
RE: Chin straps (sigh)
You make an important point: Chin straps have to be adjusted properly.

And as they wear they have to be tightened. Eventually they'll wear out completely and have to be replaced.

I also have to modify mine after some wear because I can't get it tight enough.
Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#39
RE: Chin straps (sigh)
I've used the Ruby,Premium Chin Strap.I'm currently using the white deluxe chin strap.I've had the best luck with the deluxe.So far so good.And yes you can slip on the premium&deluxe without unfastening.just take the prem&slip it up from your chin&up the front of head&back strap will come over.I was having really good luck with the ruby with my s9 elite.But,when I switch'd to the s9 auto my leak loss went up.My pressured were increased to.I have been battling the leak.A couple month's ago I had my supplier send me the deluxe.I love it.the wider strap had decreased my leakage way down.I've also found that if I use a little vick's vapor rub on the bottom part of the nasal mask It seem's to seal off a little better.I'm very happy now with what I've found that work's.My leak loss in down to 2-6 leak loss.Happy happy&sleeping like a baby.Getting a straight 7 hour's now a night.Good luck
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#40
RE: Chin straps (sigh)
(06-01-2014, 07:58 PM)HoseMan Wrote: I've also found that if I use a little vick's vapor rub on the bottom part of the nasal mask It seem's to seal off a little better.

It's recommended that you use something that won't degrade the silicone pillows. Lanolin cream is sold in drug stores, marketed as a salve for nursing mothers, you can find it in the baby aisle. I love the stuff.


Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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