Sleepweaver masks

[Bob the Builder]

Fredxx,
I to found the straps a little short as well and just got them to wrap around and connect on. I have had the mask about 4 weeks and have now found after a couple of washes that the straps have stretched slightly so slightly more material can make a conection. Mine does not seem to come off in the night so I am assuming I don't move about much whilst sleeping. If the Velcro does start to loose its grip, as it is only connected on a short square, then my wife suggested that you can buy velcro tape and this can be sewn onto the existing to extend the connection. It's a bit of messing about but at £100.00 for the mask it is a cheap fix than anything else that you may be able to buy.
Darren

[Fredxx]

Had my Sleepweaver for a couple of weeks now, and starting to find the foibles...the biggest of which is the velcro on the headgear! On other masks I have had the hook part of the velcro has been a good couple of inches long, on the Sleepweaver it is only about 1cm.

The result of the short velcro section is that a few times now (4 times in 2 weeks) I have moved in my sleep and dislodged the velcro, releasing the mask with the customary balloon squeal that goes with this mask leaking.

It isn't a bad enough problem to stop me using the mask; other than this I am more than happy with it. Has anybody else had a problem with this and found a solution? Is there a good alternative headgear for it?

[sleepynana]

As they say "Less is more". Glad to hear you guys like them too. Please also post your SleepWeaver reviews on EU-PAP.co.uk or .ie so others can take your valuable views into account when considering this unique cloth mask.

I picked up my new sleepweaver mask on Friday and am very impressed!.. it is so comfortable, and quiet and no blasts of cold air so I can sleep facing my partner or whatever position I like for the first time in 10 years! thank you so much, just what I have been waiting for. Takes a little tweaking to get the full seal as the first night I had some leakage but had a more successful night with it last night.

[Pedallass]

One of you has PMed me after getting in touch with the clinic. That clinic didn't visit the BSS meeting I spoke of so they hadn't received a free demo and trial sample of this new SleepWeaver Advance. As this patient has now discussed this with the lung function technician at said clinic, we will send the clinic this sample, so they can check it out, read our information about it and then (hopefully) hand it to the forum member who told them about this mask.

Rather than sending it directly to this forum member, this route helps us get the clinics involved, get them educated on this innovative mask.

We are happy to extend this to other members who really want this mask, think they will benefit (as in, you can breathe through your nose) and who have a good relation with their sleep clinic.

As explained, some clinics already have freebies, we don't want to double up on these so these free masks are granted on a case by case basis, no promise made unfortunately.

PM me, or email us, with your clinic details and some "proof" that you have specifically discussed this mask with them, and the fact Intus are willing to give one to them for free, for you, if they are curious. They will also get a demo unit to keep there.

So you inform them, if they play ball you send us their details, we send them the mask etc. and then you get the mask from them when you next go there. You'll have to do the groundwork to earn the mask!

Do you know if more NHS clinics are stocking the sleepweaver? is it still worth asking for Intus (James) to send a trail? Am now about to start my third mask but still not getting on at all well and I have a gut feling sleep weaver would sort a lot of my problems. Thanks

[James @ Intus]

As they say "Less is more". Glad to hear you guys like them too. Please also post your SleepWeaver reviews on EU-PAP.co.uk or .ie so others can take your valuable views into account when considering this unique cloth mask.

[dravidio]

I had a good night's sleep with the Sleepweaver last night. As I mentioned it won't let you mouth breathe - if you open your mouth the air is blown out through it and it is uncomfortable - so as an aid to stop me mouth breathing it is pretty good. I did tweak the lower pressure of my machine from 7 to 6 and that seemed to be OK. (You can get into the clinical menu of any machine to do this - the information is out there on the web)

[Fredxx]

Got my Sleepweaver mask yesterday and tried it last night.

As has been said, it is very minimal! You don't get much material for your money. but then the upside of that is that it was comfortable to wear, more forgiving if you roll over during the night, and you wake up in the morning without the traditional dents in your forehead. It did create a few squeaky balloon noises in the night, but nothing bad, other than that it is VERY quiet.

I have been using CPAP every night for the last 9 years, running a pressure of 16, and I think last night is as good a night with the mask as I have had in that time.

[dravidio]

The mask is certainly minimal. I found that it was not possible to mouth breathe when wearing the mask - the pressure was such that it made it uncomfortable. I fell asleep quickly but woke at 5 am to find I had removed it in my sleep - this sometimes happens - I put it back on again and slept for a further 3 hours, though felt bloated on waking. I think there might be a need to tweak the lower pressure of my APAP machine.

[dravidio]

The Sleepweaver has arrived. There's not much of it for the money! I may have to use my chin strap with it - as it is a nasal mask and I am a mouth breather. I knew that - I do have a nasal mask but have never been able to get on with the nose plugs.

Anyway - I just played with the mask this afternoon and tried it on. It fitted straight out of the packet and sealed with no need for adjustment, so looking forward to trying it tonight.

[James @ Intus]

Right - my Joyce full face mask has finally fallen to pieces and, ever optimistic, I have ordered a Sleepweaver mask. There are two positive reviews on the Intus page. I haven't visited for a while and now notice there is a bewildering choice of new masks now. How to choose the right one? I am risking £100 in hoping for a more comfortable option with the sleep weaver when I could have played safe and gone for a replacement Joyce mask. I know bits of the Joyce mask can be replaced but mine has got multiple issues and is not worth patching up...I will let you know the results...

Yes, we've gone over 50 masks, which can make it a challenge to chose. We have a few website updates coming to help with that so for the time being, ask around here, read the reviews and ask us to help you narrow down the choice. Keen to hear how you get on with the SleepWeaver.

[James @ Intus]

Just wondering how long this type of mask would last, do you have any idea, or does anyone else?

Indeed, it's new in the UK so the longest people have been wearing it here will be about 2 months now. But in the US, prior to it becoming EU approved, it has been going for a couple of years. If you look in any Respironics or ResMed manual, they will tell you to replace the mask in 3 months, 6 tops. The official line for the SleepWeaver is indeed about 6 months. But experience overseas tells us that with proper care, there is no reason why you can't get a year or even 18 months out of it. In that sense, it's like most masks. If you are an active sleeper, it may reduce the life span. If you don't clean it regularly, or with the wrong cleaning agents, that may reduce it. If you sweat heavily, with a lot of skin oils etc. that may reduce it. So it's hard to say and will vary per person.

I'd be surprised if a careful person didn't get 9 months out of it. That would make it £0.37 per night (£100 / 270). At six months, you're looking at 55p a night.

[dravidio]

Right - my Joyce full face mask has finally fallen to pieces and, ever optimistic, I have ordered a Sleepweaver mask. There are two positive reviews on the Intus page. I haven't visited for a while and now notice there is a bewildering choice of new masks now. How to choose the right one? I am risking £100 in hoping for a more comfortable option with the sleep weaver when I could have played safe and gone for a replacement Joyce mask. I know bits of the Joyce mask can be replaced but mine has got multiple issues and is not worth patching up...I will let you know the results...

[roblyn38]

Hi friend, this is my first attemt on this site. Very interested in this new sleep weaver mask, however the cost is putting me off. Just wondering how long this type of mask would last, do you have any idea, or does anyone else?

Hi Harrymole,
Welcome to the site! I too thought the price was high; but when you equate the cost to a good night sleep. I really was starting to panic that CPAP therapy wouldn’t work for me. The Sleepweaver really has helped turn my life around and now after 12 months off work I can contemplate going back!
The official site says:”How long will SleepWeaver last?
With normal care, SleepWeaver will last more than 6 months.”
I have had the mask for over a month now and it looks fragile but with reasonable care it seems to take the day to day knocks ok. I have washed the mask by hand twice with no problems. It takes a bit of getting used to when I did it the first time (but it’s not complicated).
Good luck with your treatment.
Gareth

[Tigers Fan]

As it's brand newonthe market, no-one has long term experience yet.

[Harrymole]

I was diagnosed with severe OSA around 6 months ago and had been using initially a full face mask which I just could`nt get on with. I then changed to a nose mask which was an improvement but because I have excema it made my nose itch all the time and I really struggled.

I was at my wits end when I decided to bite the bullet and buy a SleepWeaver cloth mask.

The sleep weaver is very light and far less obtrusive than previous models. It does`nt irritate my excema as much and I can itch my nose easily without breaking the seal. The air pressure doesa`nt seem so severe with this mask and I can clean the mask very easily. I have been able to sleep far better with this mask!!

This mask has been a revelation; I really thought CPAP therapy was not going to work for me. The purchase has been a very good decision.

I`m hoping that the NHS will fund future sleepweaver masks because i would be lost without it!

Hi friend, this is my first attemt on this site. Very interested in this new sleep weaver mask, however the cost is putting me off. Just wondering how long this type of mask would last, do you have any idea, or does anyone else?