Sleepweaver masks

[Tigers Fan]

Brilliant!

Thanks, BA - that absolutely comfirms my fears. A system to support the weight of a double swivel elbow will add consequences come turn-over time whilst asleep.

I have a unique system which could easily be adjusted to support the weight without additional gizmos but I suspect the perfect balancing act required would fall apart with body movement. The very nature of the SleepWeaver makes it vulnerable to side forces, surely? (I have not seen or worn one but I'm keenly awaiting the release of the full-face version).

TF

[Barely Awake]

I am not experienced enough to comment fully but it seemed to me I could apply side forces and head movement on the mask without troubling how it worked or doing anything that would wake me. What I imagined might be a problem but may not be in practice was lifting the connector upwards at a sharp angle which was something that was quite possible with the elbow attachment (that I introduced) in place. It is hard to say with so little experience but it appears this mask is more versatile in use than one may at first think.

BTW I think the Sleepweaver video shows a really long hose in use throughout, so that combined with what are commercially known as 'Hose Management Clips' (the velcro strap with a small metal clothes peg on the end) probably solves the issue.

[ElleCee]

I only sleep on my side and have had no trouble with turning over in my sleep with the sleepweaver but I do put the hose down towards my chest. I have never used an over the head hose so an just wondering why you can't just turn the hose up and velcro it to the headgar? Of am I being toally blonde?

Lorraine

[James @ Intus]

@Lorraine - You would have to bend the hose gently, no abrupt angles, so that would then need a longer hose than the standard 6ft.

Like you, those who don't mind having the hose pointing down towards your chest won't have any problems with the SleepWeaver. Those who swear by routing the hose along the headboard, have more of a challenge at hand. Indeed as the mask is so light, any swivel or heavy long hose could potentially affect the fit. It's a careful balancing act of guiding the hose in the direction required whilst allowing enough slack for turning over.

For those with a need to get to the bottom of all options and no fear of DIY, you could of course take out the straight 360 degree swivel in the SleepWeaver, and tape the 90-degree swivel back in. That way you don't double the weight but replace it pretty much like for like and have an immediate 90 degree bend. Barely Awake, would that be an idea perhaps? With some micropore surgical tape you can quite easily put the cloth back on the swivel, see the video's for instructions, simply turn the cloth inside out to see what I mean.

By the way, those in the Bristol and Leicester area are the first to stand a chance to get one on the NHS.

[countyDownMum]

Trial mask Sleepweaver

This mask arrived yesterday and so far I have just used it for the first night. I do have a hose lift and transferred my comfort straps on to this headgear to protect my cheeks. I used a Remzzz liner as usual and am pleased to say it all went very well. I found the new mask and set up to be extremely comfortable and I got an excellent nights sleep with no interruptions. The headgear and nasaL mask stayed in place, good fit, even though I start off sleeping on my back but turn to either side during the night. Mask coped well with this!

So far I like this new mask well but will let you know how I am getting on maybe in a weeks time. I will then fill in the special form about it.

Many thanks for giving me the opportunity to try this.

[Barely Awake]

For those with a need to get to the bottom of all options and no fear of DIY, you could of course take out the straight 360 degree swivel in the SleepWeaver, and tape the 90-degree swivel back in. That way you don't double the weight but replace it pretty much like for like and have an immediate 90 degree bend. Barely Awake, would that be an idea perhaps? With some micropore surgical tape you can quite easily put the cloth back on the swivel, see the video's for instructions, simply turn the cloth inside out to see what I mean.

Sadly this is not possible as the elbow I have is female one end and male the other - the female end fits over the pipe attached to the mask and the male end fits inside the rubbery hose coupling. You can't therefore get the untaped end of the Sleepweaver over the larger female portal.

To recap, the problem of adding the elbow in terms of weight is a bit like the difference between sticking a cigarette length piece of liquorice between your lips (in which case it stays there) and attempting the same with a liquorice pipe (in which case it bends down and rests on your chin).

This can be overcome with a hose lift so it is no problem to me I have now decided. Whether others find the same remains to be seen.

[James @ Intus]

This mask arrived yesterday and so far I have just used it for the first night. I do have a hose lift and transferred my comfort straps on to this headgear to protect my cheeks. I used a Remzzz liner as usual and am pleased to say it all went very well. I found the new mask and set up to be extremely comfortable and I got an excellent nights sleep with no interruptions. The headgear and nasaL mask stayed in place, good fit, even though I start off sleeping on my back but turn to either side during the night. Mask coped well with this!

So far I like this new mask well but will let you know how I am getting on maybe in a weeks time. I will then fill in the special form about it.

Many thanks for giving me the opportunity to try this.

Thanks for the feedback. Are yo sure though you mean the SleepWeaver soft cloth mask in beige/blue/pink and not a transparent gel mask? Either way, sounds like a good start.

[countyDownMum]

Gel Mask for trial.

Yes it is the transparent gel mask but so far everything is great. I will fill in the form in about a weeks time after I have had some nights using this mask.

[ElleCee]

That isn't the sleep weaver, you are getting them mixed up.
The sleepweaver is cloth NOT gel.

Lorraine

[martin]

I have got a sleepweaver (in blue - still not sure if it matching the wallpaper is important or not), not using it everday but it gives the bridge of my nose a rest every now and again. I sleep with the input pointing towards my feet and dont seem to have any problems turning with it. Only thing ive noticed is that the velcro section on the straps is a bit short, apart from that its been quite useful especially when travelling as it takes a bit less space than my gel one. Overall a positive experience with it, even if its not as pretty as Lorraines' pretty pink one. Night night and sweet dreams to one and all.

[Barely Awake]

I have got a sleepweaver (in blue - still not sure if it matching the wallpaper is important or not), not using it everday but it gives the bridge of my nose a rest every now and again. I sleep with the input pointing towards my feet and dont seem to have any problems turning with it. Only thing ive noticed is that the velcro section on the straps is a bit short, apart from that its been quite useful especially when travelling as it takes a bit less space than my gel one. Overall a positive experience with it, even if its not as pretty as Lorraines' pretty pink one. Night night and sweet dreams to one and all.

I don't understand why you are not using it all the time if it is easier on your bridge of your nose Martin, is there some other reason you have not switched full time to this mask?

For my part I have noticed that even when stored all day in the airing cupboard I can't get the headgear of the Sleepweaver dry if it is washed with the mask each day. Either I need two to rotate or I have to wash the mask and not the headgear.

[Barely Awake]

I can also report that I tried the Sleepweaver without the elbow I had introduced, using a standard six foot hose with the CPAP machine on the bedside cupboard and the hose attached to a hoselift positioned so as to allow a gentle upward curve from the connection with the mask and it worked fine. My only problems are the side straps of the headgear being too short (it is thereby too tight), the side straps also tend to cut in below the ears, again perhaps because the straps are too short for me, and lastly after having a scratch in the morning (which wonderfully you can do through the mask without lifting it) I dropped off again only to find on final awakening that the raw edge of the mask interior had come to rest on the underside of my nose and had thus made it a tad sore. The latter I shall simply watch out for and for now I am using the soft sides of a Swift FX over the Sleepweaver straps to soften the edge under the ears.

It is early days but I think Sleepweaver is the mask for me as soon as they produce headgear with longer straps. (I wonder if I could extend them DIY style without altering how the mask fits?).

[symmit]

If I wash mine in the morning then just hang it over the headboard with it's dry by the evening.

[Barely Awake]

Anyone use a Remzzz liner with a Sleepweaver and if so which one?

[ElleCee]

Hiya,
I have used the liner that I used for the Mirage Quattro, it kind of fits but you need to turn the bottom of it over otherwise it covers your mouth.
Works fine like that so I never bothered getting any others.

Lorraine