hi all well my hubby has finally got his 02 and has been issued with a non-rebreather mask. Sometimes he says he feels like he aint getting the full effect of the 02... I.E. its as if it might be leaking or something but we're pretty sure its not!! Can anyone offer some advice as to how to get past this hiccup? ive looked at the ad for the 02ptimask but im still pretty ignorant to all the technical jargon.... So all u great ppl out there any input would be greatly appreciated thanx Charlotte

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

I think the comments in this thread pretty much paint you a picture of how great they work.

I have been told they abort in half the time (for some).

Oye vay!  It is the difference of night verses day!

Does your husbands mask look close to this picture?
START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGESTART PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

If so, there are many problems with this mask.  It will get you through, in a pinch, but the O2PTIMASK^TM is SO much easier to use, without most of the pitfalls of the mask in the picture above.

Now look at THIS mask:
START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGESTART PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

In the first picture, you notice where the mask fits up to the face, there is just an edge of plastic to fit.  This does NOT give an airtight seal, especially if he has any facial hair.  If you look at the second picture, notice the red around the edge of the mask.  This is an air filled chamber, that forms VERY well to the contours of the face, and gives a MUCH better seal.

If you look back at the first picture, you notice the two round white seals on each side of the mask.  These are air valves that are suppose to seal when you inhale, and then release when you exhale.  MANY masks only have the flapper seal on one side, and the other just has holes.  These are notoriously prone to letting in outside air, keeping him from getting 100% oxygen.

If you look at the second picture, you notice that there are no vent holes on the sides of the mask.  The valving and venting are all done in the green "T" valve assembly.  These seals are much more secure, and do not fail as often or as fast as the ones on the side of the first pictures valves.

In the first picture, you do not see the full bag, but it is small, only about 1 liter in capacity.  The second picture shows the whole bag, it is deep green.  This is a much larger bag, that holds about 3 liters of oxygen.  For each deep inhale that he does, during oxygen therapy, he will inhale between 2 and 3 liters of oxygen.  The bigger bag allows for that, where the smaller one does not.  He will be emptying the bag for each inhale.

The first picture is called a "disposable" mask.  Not that you would dispose of it, after only one use, but it gives you a hint of the quality of the whole mask and its components.  They are not designed for repeated or long term usage.  

The mask in the second picture is design with heavier material, and longer lasting components.  The whole thing can be easily disassembled for cleaning.

Using the O2PTIMASK^TM (the second picture) gives a much quicker abort time, and last a lot longer.  Most people that have tried them, swear by them.

Does that answer your questions?

Chuck

YES!!! god bless you for going into so much detail... Looks like my next move is to get george that 02ptimask. im still amazed at how much effort you all put into helping ppl! If i can be just half as helpfull to anyone that'd be great. i dont know much about ch but i do know about how much it hurts our loved ones. here's praying as many of you are PF right now xoxo to all u wonderful ppl Charlotte

I have the standard UK none rebreather - it works for me as long as I make sure I pinch the top around my nose.

That mask does not give the worlds most cosy fit so yes I imagine he wants to kick it.

PLEASE- contact OUCH UK first.

Our O2 cyclinders are differant our regulators are different and I bet you that means the tube sizes and all might well be too. You could order a mask from the USA that does not fit the UK equipment.

The UKs home oxygen service should supply the best mask for the users needs. This may mean seeing a neuro and getting the HOOF tweaked the UKs NHS home oxygen portal is here START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE go to your regions supplier.
You need to talk to them about the problems he is having with the mask; it may be possible to have one of the techies come out and re-assess what might meet his needs more and make a recommendation for the doc to request on the hoof.

OUCH UK folk have been doing this far longer than I have and have far more experience so do ask them on their helpline.


*edited to add- Air Liquide do seem to provide a range of comfort gel full face masks similar to the US one you can find them hidden on their website as PDF files if you use the search feature but they cost a little more to supply than the £2.00 sole use ones they normally hand out ;) perhaps that is why they are so well hidden in pdfs.

Can't say enough good things about it, made the one they gave me with the 02 script, pale in comparison. It looks like the one Chuck has pictured, I'd only use that now if I were in a pinch and had nothing else. I own two of the O2Ptimasks. One for the car and one for the house. Well worth the money IMHO.

I can honestly say it took my pervious 02 abort attempts to a much more successful level and has cut my abort times in half or more.

Good luck,
Baer

Damnit, Chuck, now I want one of those masks.

Now someone is going to find me with a picture of the mask on the laptop, petting it and repeating "The precious...my preciousss...."

I'm going to tell them to blame you. *shakes fist at*

Pixie-elf wrote on Mar 12^th, 2009 at 1:12am:

Damnit, Chuck, now I want one of those masks. Now someone is going to find me with a picture of the mask on the laptop, petting it and repeating "The precious...my preciousss...." I'm going to tell them to blame you. *shakes fist at*

Oh Yeah Pix - you tend to pet them and mutter "My precious little darling....." We understand and don't think you're at all weird.. :)

Chuck thought Linda and I fell in love with him in Dallas but it was his MASK (we both got hit and he slapped it on us - it was love at first sniff). We both came home with one...

Hugs BD

Good to know I won't be the only one doing that!  :D Maybe Chuck should write a song titled "They think my clustermask is sexy"? XD

I thought of a question I do have about the mask. If you get the 3 liter bag, do you need a higher regulator?

The one I have currently is 15lpm, and I've got the regular throw-away mask. Just wonderin'.

PFDAN
Mystina

Pixie-elf wrote on Mar 14^th, 2009 at 4:40pm:

Maybe Chuck should write a song titled "They think my clustermask is sexy"?

"I'm too sexy for my mask.
Too sexy for my tank.
Too sexy for my hose and my regulator."

You get the idea. I want to see the video.

How much do these cost. I don't have health insurance...

They are $28.60 and worth every penny!

Click on the tab, on the left side of your screen: CH.com store to order it.  Or just click on this link: START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Chuck

I am currently using a "Clustermasx" and it is a godsend. I am going to purchase an o2ptimask very soon so I have the best masks with me at home and in the car.

The cheaper non-rebreather masks are ok, but I can abort a HA in less than half the time with a proper mask. No outside air!!!

Quote:

I thought of a question I do have about the mask. If you get the 3 liter bag, do you need a higher regulator?

I have a clustermax, and many of the same features apply.  Basically, the tank fills the bag a little at a time, and you suck it out an occasional big batch whenever you inhale.  As long as the trickle is enough to be a little more than the average inhales, the flow is fine.   The siaze of the bag just needs to be a little bigger than your biggest inhale.   Kind of like a slot machine for air.  If you are completely collapsing the bag, turn up the flow a bit.

One tip from an ex-swimmer - remember to completely exhale.  Most of us keep some bad air in our lungs when we exhale.  Push it out and then get a refill with the good stuff.

PFDAN

Jon

I didn't realize how much room air I was actually sucking with my regular non-rebreather mask until I got one similar to the O2ptimask.

When I switched masks, I thought my regulator was failing because I was suddenly sucking the bag flat - I even switched back to be sure. Turns out I needed more flow than 15 lpm to maintain 100% O2 which I wasn't getting because of leakage and I didn't even know it.

Get the mask.

ClusterChuck wrote on Mar 18^th, 2009 at 4:21am:

They are $28.60 and worth every penny! Click on the tab, on the left side of your screen: CH.com store to order it.  Or just click on this link: START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE Chuck

Silly question, but is there any major difference between this one, and the more expensive one on the Lifegas site?

They O2PTI comes from Lifegas. DJ bought a bunch of them to make it easier for us to get one. Best money I've spent for CH.

Don

I've read about the 02ptimask but I don't think you can get it over here in the UK.  Surprising really as we usually get all the best stuff....ho hum :-)
Is there anyone here that can pioint us brits in the right direction for a better mask than the standard non re breather, and can we get it from the 02 guys or order it ourselves.  
Thanks in advance x

Skyhawk5 wrote on Mar 23^rd, 2009 at 11:06pm:

They O2PTI comes from Lifegas. DJ bought a bunch of them to make it easier for us to get one. Best money I've spent for CH. Don

Yes, but the lifegas site has 2 versions of the mask up. One is the kind that's in the CH shop. The other is about $35 more.

I'm just wondering if there's any major difference between the two masks? Looks like I'm in this for the long haul, so I'm wondering if the higher priced one is worth it.

I gotta get one eventually, or else a whole lot of the regular ones will be massacred by me.