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Permalink Reply by MZH on July 2, 2011 at 1:10pm

It may look awful but it works. I used it last night for the first time with my full face mask - I'm sure that looked *really* awful - but I actually went into REM sleep for the first time in years! The mummy part across the mouth keeps my lips from opening and even from leaking air when my mouth is shut. It also stops my chipmunk cheeks syndrome. I do think I need to order a small; the regular might be better for a man.

gordon said:

This looks awful, sorry. I've tried at least 6 chinstraps, I got this new one and it's fantastic, the chin part cups nicely,  &  it's about as strong as you can get and still be slim.I don't want to be wrapped like a mummy, what happens in the summer?

 

http://www.cpap.com/productpage/cardinal-health-tiara-premier-chins...

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Permalink Reply by Banyon on July 2, 2011 at 1:18pm

Marcia, As a general rule chinstraps are used with nasal interfaces. Why are you using it with a full face mask?

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Permalink Reply by MZH on July 2, 2011 at 1:48pm

Good observation! I need it because I have chipmunk cheeks (air pockets) and bad lip leaks that cause terrible aerophagia no matter what type of mask I use. It's less with a FFM. I'll be trying my nasal masks again one of these days now that I have this strap. I like nasals but found them impossible to use with my lip leaks and my mouth opening when I sleep.

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Permalink Reply by Banyon on July 2, 2011 at 3:30pm

Marcia, I hope that works well for you in the long run.

Best of luck,

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Permalink Reply by MZH on July 2, 2011 at 3:37pm

Thank you. I've tried a variety of chin straps and none have worked. This one has a far better chance, that's for sure.

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Permalink Reply by Kay Day on February 3, 2012 at 12:18am

Marcia,

I had been using a full-face mask unsuccessfully for about four months. Every other mask I had ever used (I've been on CPAP 12 years) either leaked, slid out of place (I'm a side sleeper), gave me a face rash -- you name the reaction to a CPAP mask and I've probably had it. I emailed Russ and asked about the sizing for the Ultimate Chin Strap because I have a very small head and narrow chin. I got an email back with very clear instructions for measurements needed, emailed them back, got a recommendation for a small Ultimate Chin Strap, bought it, went through the usual few days of mask (I changed from the full-face mask to nasal pillows - probably not smart to change both at the same time) fitting and chin strap fitting and . . . . . drum roll please!!!!!

The Ultimate Chin Strap is wonderful for me. It fits right, it keeps my mouth shut at night, it fits wonderfully with the Swift FX mask, and I'm getting good sleep again. The fabric is very soft against my skin, no skin reaction at all. The straps are very adjustable; you can place the over-the-head strap in the middle of your head or closer to the front or back as needed.

The only adjustment I have made to my Ultimate Chin Strap is that I sewed on some rubberized scatter rug slip prevention lightweight 'matting' (not the right word but fibro-fog is preventing the right word from coming to mind) on the underside of the over-the-head strap. I have extremely slippery hair and I needed a "gripper" to hold it in place. The little 1-inch strip of 'matting' holds the strap right in place.

Like any other piece of CPAP equipment, the Ultimate Chin Strap may not be for everybody. But it surely has solved my mouth breathing problem. Russ offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee (I don't remember the time period), so if it doesn't work for you, you get your money back. None of the makers of the other 10-12 chin straps I used that didn't work offered any kind of money back if it didn't work.

 My husband is delighted that I no longer carry on complete nonsensical conversations in the middle of the night, keeping him awake.

Russ, congratulations on inventing a chin strap that works so well for me. I appreciate getting a good night's sleep again.

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by MZH on February 3, 2012 at 8:47am

Glad it works for you, Kay. I have both the small and the regular straps. I also bought a Swift FX on Russ's recommendation. But the regular strap is too big for me at the chin and under the nose; the top strap is the right length for me but it keeps slipping down due to slippery hair. I have a very short upper lip to nose area which I think is the crux of my fitting problem. The small fits in the chin area but is too short over the top of the head and the reverse is true for the regular. If he could combine the two things, it would be perfect.

As for the slippage I tried to stop it by adding more Velcro to keep the ends together. It didn't stop the slippage long term so I gave it up. Now that I'm more rested I'll try the rug underlay approach and possibly cut down the chin/nose area material on the regular. (I know about the brain fog; recently it took me several days to come up with the right word for that!) I think I'll have to cut down some material at the nose  point.

Russ needs to make the small one with longer straps. I may just give him a call one of these days!

PS He said he'd take them back but I really wanted to experiment with them. I think it's a 30 day money back guarantee. It really is a good invention but like masks, it needs tweaking sometimes.

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Permalink Reply by Ginny Edmundson on February 3, 2012 at 2:27pm

I love the Tiara ruby red, also.  BUT in it's small size.  The only problem is MARKS on face in the morning. But it does keep my chin positioned so that my tongue stays forward and then my mouth does not open.

gordon said:

This looks awful, sorry. I've tried at least 6 chinstraps, I got this new one and it's fantastic, the chin part cups nicely,  &  it's about as strong as you can get and still be slim.I don't want to be wrapped like a mummy, what happens in the summer?

 

http://www.cpap.com/productpage/cardinal-health-tiara-premier-chins...

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Permalink Reply by MZH on February 3, 2012 at 6:01pm

I'm intrigued by the tongue forward. Is that the only one that does that? (I know I need to keep my tongue forward which is why I'm intrigued.) I have tiny lip leaks that still happen even with chin straps. That's why the mummy looks works better for me. LOL 

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Permalink Reply by Ginny Edmundson on February 3, 2012 at 6:32pm

Well, it has been the only one that fit me.  It adjusts at the top of the head and the back. I have to have it pretty snug to work.  I had a custom made oral appliance made and it DID not work.  I was very disappointed (and out over $500, and this strap is $19 with free shipping.  I sure wish the oral appliance had worked. I don't think it is because I mouth breath per se but that my tongue drops back and closes my airway and when the CPAP pressure is going it makes the air then come out of my mouth.  I wish I could find a SMALL nasal mask I liked rather than pillows but so far no luck.  So the best of all the evil has been the pillows.  I will never say I like CPAP or that it is really comfortable.  Just better than it was almost one year ago.  Hope something better comes along!!! Oh, I did try the "Mummy" as you called it (LOL) and it was too large and I really could not get it to work for me. So the chin strap is better than the mouth taping which I did for about 3 months.  

Marcia Herman said:

I'm intrigued by the tongue forward. Is that the only one that does that? (I know I need to keep my tongue forward which is why I'm intrigued.) I have tiny lip leaks that still happen even with chin straps. That's why the mummy looks works better for me. LOL 

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Permalink Reply by MZH on February 3, 2012 at 7:54pm

I went to a new dentist who suggested an NTI for starters - is that what you got? - b/c I do grind a lot sometimes. The bad news is that he would charge $600, which is outrageous for a tiny piece of plastic that they shape in the office. The good news is that if it didn't work for me he'd take the $600 and apply it to a Somnomed or a couple other kinds they fit. It would help to know what the other kinds costs just to price check things before jumping in.

I like your idea about the why of mouth breathing while sleeping. I don't do it while awake either. But I'd love to find something to open the airway other than BiLevel. The doc said that when they work on sedated patients they sometimes stop breathing. All they do is pull the jaw forward and air rushes in! Very telling!

So, does the Tiara pull your jaw forward so that the tongue forward>t? I'm trying to figure out how it affects the tongue position.

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Permalink Reply by Ginny Edmundson on February 3, 2012 at 8:06pm

It does seem to pull my jaw in such a position that my tongue is forward.  It IS tight, though.  Sometimes I have to loosen it.  My oral appliance is the Myerson EMA appliance. My dentist's wife uses one with good results.  I was so sad it did not seem to help me at all. So it sits in my medicine cabinet.  At least I don't have dentures too!   :)  Seems like "we" could have something more tolerable then ill fitting masks to wear every night FOREVER!  SOmething custom fitted!!!  I still dread bedtime. My anniversary for CPAP will be March 17th.

Marcia Herman said:

I went to a new dentist who suggested an NTI for starters - is that what you got? - b/c I do grind a lot sometimes. The bad news is that he would charge $600, which is outrageous for a tiny piece of plastic that they shape in the office. The good news is that if it didn't work for me he'd take the $600 and apply it to a Somnomed or a couple other kinds they fit. It would help to know what the other kinds costs just to price check things before jumping in.

I like your idea about the why of mouth breathing while sleeping. I don't do it while awake either. But I'd love to find something to open the airway other than BiLevel. The doc said that when they work on sedated patients they sometimes stop breathing. All they do is pull the jaw forward and air rushes in! Very telling!

So, does the Tiara pull your jaw forward so that the tongue forward>t? I'm trying to figure out how it affects the tongue position.

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