Why? The head dermatologist at my local Kaiser suggested to try it out after several unsuccessful treatments for what turned out to be contact eczema.

When? Going on about 6 months now.

Result? I feel “cleaner”, go figure! I don’t know if we really need to remove these natural oils that our skin works so hard to produce. It almost seems like I was washing my skin off with soap. I had a case of contact eczema which went away pretty quickly after ditching daily soap, however the typical eczema is still around. It isn’t nearly as bad now compared to before. The daily routine now includes no soap or lotion. It’s so easy to travel now!

And nobody else knows but me. And you. Give it a shot for a few months. It can’t really hurt to try it out… you will be saving your precious skin, time, and money! It’ll be our dirty little secret.

The Good
One of the best features of the FlexiFit 405 is the glider bar that allows a greater range of movement for the CPAP user. The Flexifit 406 and 407 both include this feature. They advertise a new diffuser mechanism that doesn’t require the old white diffuser and is supposed to allow the user to get closer to their partner since it is supposed to be quieter and direct the air away from the other person in bed. This is great in theory, but read on to the bad. The narrower seal makes a smaller contact patch with the face which seems to reduce the contact patch with the face while still increasing the chance that the mask stays sealed on your face. I once woke up with only three of the four straps attached and the seal was still not broken!

The Bad
I really wished that this mask diffused the air away from my partner as advertised. Unfortunately, it really doesn’t. I still can’t face her, and I’m stuck sleeping to the left as usual. The air blows out pretty hard for about a foot in front of it, and you have to be about two feet away from it to feel nothing! That’s terrible, in fact it’s pretty much in the same league as the old FlexiFit 405. Maybe they should try a design out that blows the air in a different direction for a change.
I don’t like how the top strap attachments on the mask changed from a U shape to a C shape. The top straps now come off much more often with the C shape attachment, which is definitely not a good thing, but somewhat acceptable given the better seal overall. The mask would probably be better with the old U shape clips that are still found on the bottom.
The new Flexifit 406 mask (the petite/small size) seems about the same loudness as the old Flexifit 405. I expected some noise reduction but there isn’t any perceptible difference.

Thumbs Up
Overall the new FlexiFit 406 and 407 do provide better seals than their predecessor the FlexiFit 405. The diffuser part has also been eliminated which is a tiny win for the environment since it seemed like it wasn’t entirely necessary. Unfortunately the new masks don’t deliver in providing less noise and less discomfort to the other person in bed since the exhaust airflow will still remain a problem for both parties in bed.

Overview
Philips Respironics System One takes advantage of meliorate intelligence to deliver the highest quality care and enable patients to manage their CPAP usage more effectively. Respironics consistently brings forth intelligent tools for sleep lab professionals to help them succeed in this complex environment. With through customer input they present the latest technology in a series of prehensile therapy devices that cogitate and perform the way they should for sleep apnea patients. The Respironics System 1 is designed to provide more than therapy. It will intelligently and precisely deliver what CPAP patients need in the modern homecare environment. The PR System One provides new, more detailed levels of control, compliance and efficiency.

CPAP Humidity Control

Even when the CPAP machine environment changes, the humidification level of this CPAP device is protected throughout the night with the advanced technology humidity control feature. The Respironics System One produces optimum humidity and crowning comfort levels to the CPAP therapy user and also reduces the rainout phenonenon by using data from the room’s ambient temperature, humidity and the CPAP device’s user’s air flow rate.

Resistance Control

System One Resistance Control creates unmitigated patient comfort by making the CPAP device and mask able to function optimally in synchronization. With easy to use settings this technology allows the device to deliver dynamic resistance to compensate for every user’s different CPAP mask. This harmonious combination creates perfect pressure delivery to sleep apnea suffers. This new CPAP technology takes further advantage of the FLEX technology.

FLEX Technology
The clinically proven, natural technologies that heighten traditional pressure therapy with C Flex, Bi Flex, A Flex, and C Flex in the Phillips Respironics fixed advanced CPAP machines improve comfort to encourage more frequent use by the CPAP patient. Clinical tests indicate patients using Flex take advantage of their CPAP therapy an average of over four hours per night at 30 and 90 days when compared with an average of less than four hours per night when compared regular CPAP devices. Flex allows the patient to breathe easier by reducing the pressure on the exhalation segment of the CPAP cycle.

summary
This new CPAP therapy system gives a wide range of sleep apnea therapy options all types of sleep apnea patients including those with mild cases as well as those with extremely difficult snoring problems that require constant treatment modification. The System One advanced event detection software and reporting capabilities that are available via web interface. Philips Respironics Sleep Therapy System can diagnose and inform when a patient might have symptoms that are more sever than obstructive sleep apnea. A intellectual 3 layer algorithm recoginzes the difference between obstructed and unobstructed airway path apneas and cyclic breathing. Sleep professionals can now enjoy ease of access to sleep assessment parameters and reports previously only found on dedicated sleep diagnostic machines. These respiratory events are verified by examining sleep apneas patient flow waveform data. Many options exist for data transfer from the CPAP therapy device including standard SD memory cards (also used in compact digital cameras like those made by Canon), and even wired (LAN) and wireless access. These new Phillips CPAP devices now have standard memory storage included that stores up to six months of compliance data 7 and 30 day averages along with five days of patient waveforms.

There are many devices in existence that are available to combat snoring. I have tried many of these different methods and although everyone is different and what works for me may not work for you and vice versa, here’s a list of what I have tried:

1. Breathe Right Nasal Strips
   
   This is a relatively old invention that many professional athletes still swear by. It is a relatively simple product in theory: open up the nasal passages to allow more air into your body. The adhesives on the Breath Rite strips sticks on to the upper part of your nose so you can get more air with every breath.
   Unfortunately this product did not work for me. Yeah it did make me look cool since I was going to bed looking like a pro football player but it didn’t do a thing for my snoring.
2. Mouth Guards/Mouth Pieces for Snoring
   
   I picked up a “boil n bite” type of mouth guard from eBay to protect my enamel from damage as a result of the teeth grinding (a side effect of CPAP) that started when I started using CPAP therapy. I didn’t have any knowledge of these dental devices that were specifically made to prevent snoring at the time so once the grinding stopped in about a week I simply stopped using the mouth guard.
   Since there are currently many manufacturers of these new dental type anti-snoring devices, I opted to try out this old eBay mouth piece to see what it would do for my snoring (without the CPAP machine of course) and I think it is actually somewhat effective in reducing snoring. I cannot say that it can be a replacement for those on CPAP therapy because of sleep apnea however it did reduce snoring according to the wife. I now take a mouthguard with me on vacation since lugging around the Remstar M-Series along with the tubing and mask a little annoying while on a trip.
   These mouthguards/mouthpieces are another tool of the trade for some athletes. A properly designed mouthguard or mouthpiece can actually reduce snoring from my experience. Here’s the concept: position the jaw slightly forward to stop the top of the mouth from collapsing and closing up the airway. It works, but I don’t have confidence that it works as well as CPAP sleep therapy. I don’t get that “fully rested” feeling in the morning with the mouth guard, but with my Remstar sleep apnea machine I feel well rested and refreshed when I wake up.
3. Snore Sprays
   
   Anti-snoring sprays are also abundant. The concept here is to lube the tissues that are rubbing against each other to prevent the snoring sound. While in theory this may help with the annoying sound, it doesn’t address the issue of airflow into the user’s lungs. Sleep Apnea sufferers should probably not consider any of these sprays effective treatment. Snorers with no evidence of sleep apnea (rare) may find these products useful.
   Now I can’t say that I’ve tried any of these products first hand but I will review these products if given the opportunity.

A couple of years with daily CPAP therapy has proven to be the most effective treatment for my snoring and sleep apnea. Proper maintenance and cleaning of the equipment is essential for proper use. Take care of your sleep apnea supplies and they will take care of you! Proper maintenance and cleaning of the sleep apnea equipment is essential to receive the maximum benefits. Take care of your CPAP supplies and they will take care of you!