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Considering Dreamwear. Cushions or pillows? Your thoughts?
#11
RE: Considering Dreamwear. Cushions or pillows? Your thoughts?
I tried one this week - cushion. Was great whilst lying on my back but leaked as soon as I turned onto my side. My CPAP provider is trying to get hold of some Dreamwear gel pillows to trial - they fit the same  mask frame. Having the hose at the top of the head was great!
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#12
RE: Considering Dreamwear. Cushions or pillows? Your thoughts?
I tried it and as soon as I lay on my side, my face squished a different way and it leaked
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#13
RE: Considering Dreamwear. Cushions or pillows? Your thoughts?
With Dreamwear, definitely need the gel pillows, its cushions are just too leaky.
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#14
RE: Considering Dreamwear. Cushions or pillows? Your thoughts?
My leak rate has come down significantly since switching to the pillows. I do have to make sure that they are fitting securely with no leaks. One thing I have noticed is that pillow cover material is important. I have a woven fabric pillow case and this tends to grab the side cushions. Using a smooth pillow case has eased this problem.
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#15
RE: Considering Dreamwear. Cushions or pillows? Your thoughts?
I hope you have tried the Dreamwear cushions. I was a die-hard ResMed Mirage FX nasal mask user until trying the Dreamwear, and I've never looked back. I'm a side-sleeper and there's no better mask IMHO for side sleepers because the dual air passages always deliver full air to the cushion, and the cushion is narrow enough that it doesn't get displaced by the pillow.

Though nasal mask pillows deliver good therapy, I've never liked the nostril chafing of pillows, but the Dreamwear cushions are very comfortable for the 4-6 weeks that they last (for me) before getting squirlly and leaky.
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#16
RE: Considering Dreamwear. Cushions or pillows? Your thoughts?
I have both cushion and pillows. I have more problem with the cushion leaking but have a slightly different problem with the gel pillows. I sleep on my right side and get less air through the mask on that side, and with the pillows directing the air directly into my left nostril it feels like too much pressure if more air is coming from one side--or one nostril is stuffed up. My main problem--really the only thing that keeps me from using the DreamWear more often--is noise. I hear myself breathe and that bugs me! I'm used to the quiet Wisp. For real quiet, the F & P Brevida mask is great--very minimal straps on the headgear but hard for me to adjust it--I have a small head. I didn't think I would like something in my nose but it is very soft. Even after two years I'm still experimenting!
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#17
RE: Considering Dreamwear. Cushions or pillows? Your thoughts?
(08-14-2017, 03:46 PM)tomkatt Wrote: I want to pick up the Respironics Dreamwear. I've been using the Wisp and the Nuance Pro and I'm not super thrilled with either. I like the Dreamwear's top connect hose and the idea that there's nothing hanging from my face.


My only hangup is this: cushions or pillows?

They sell both the Dreamwear frame and softwraps (cushion pack), and the Dreamwear fitpack (pillows). I can't decide which would be a better option, so I'm wondering peoples' experience with it. I'm leaning toward the cushions because I'm not sure if pillows are a great long-term solution for me, but I just can't decide. It's a bit frustrating that I've no means to try them on and test, so I can only just buy one and hope for the best. Insurance won't be covering it, so all the more I need to pick one and hope it goes well, there's nobody but me to pick up the tab, and I've already got two masks I'm not super happy with.

Any thoughts or advice on this? Anyone have experience with these that could chime in to help?

Thanks!

tomkatt

I use both the cushions and the pillows. I rotate between the two. When I first started using the CPAP (almost 2 months ago) the pillows began irritating my nostrils. That's when I switched to the cushions. I guess my nose has become less sensitive. I use the pillows without any irritation. The RT originally gave me medium pillows, but I have found that the small pillows are a better fit.

I see that you are in Colorado. Along the northern Front Range we have an incredible resource, Good Health Will [DME link removed, instead, search Google for "Good Health Will"]. It's a non-profit "Goodwill-type" store for medical equipment. They have locations in Loveland, Greeley, and Brighton. I was able to buy pillows and cushions for $5.00 each. This gave me the opportunity to try different sizes.
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#18
RE: Considering Dreamwear. Cushions or pillows? Your thoughts?
I tried both, and am unlikely to buy either - still trying to decide on a mask. Whilst it is fantastic having the hose connection at the top, the cushion leaks very noisily as soon as I lie on my side. The Gel Pillows were somewhat better, but still noisy compared with the Resmed Airfit P10, which has a much softer, quieter diffused exhaust but sadly a front mounted hose. Also with both Dreamwear masks the pressure of the exhaust was really annoying, and the cold aIr quite dIsturbing, yes I had a humidifier and heated hose.
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#19
RE: Considering Dreamwear. Cushions or pillows? Your thoughts?
(08-14-2017, 05:27 PM)speed3914 Wrote: I tried the Dreamwear mask because I liked the idea of the top connection.  Unfortunately I found out it was suited for a back sleeper but not a side/stomach sleeper such as myself.  When on my side the mask compressed and since that delivered the air, I felt air starved.  The flexible silicone can't resist much weight before collapsing.   Eventually I ended up with the Swift FX which I love.

x2.  I had no idea how much this was messing me up until I switched masks.  Also very noisy mask compared to all the others I tried.  Your pillow acts as an amplifier of the air moving through the frame if you are a side sleeper.
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#20
RE: Considering Dreamwear. Cushions or pillows? Your thoughts?
Not enough air when side sleeping. it works when sleeping on my back, and I don't do that much.

Trying an amara view tonight, if it fails I'll try a regular nose mask.
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