For years I had used the Swift Nasal Pillow Mask and Headgear. Very comfortable fit, but occasional problems with air leaks. The hissing noise of these air leaks had long been a problem for my wife. I usually sleep right through. So I set out to try other masks, but learned a hard lesson and am now back on the Nasal Pillow! Please, if anyone has a recommendation let me know.
I was looking for a QUIET CPAP mask and made the mistake of purchasing a CPAP Pro II from Stevenson Industries in Simi Valley, CA. I threw away $139.00. Once you purchase this product, there are no returns. No refund possible.
I was aware of this policy while pouring through the website (https://www.nomask.com/), investigating the product and product claim. I called Stevenson with a list of questions and spent a considerable amount of time with a very patient and seemingly well-informed service attendant. The product is promoted as a very comfortable, painless and sleep effective STRAPLESS device. As my main concern was that of quiet, air-sealed operation, the service provider was full of assurances that the fit would be comfortable and seamless. No air leakage. No discomfort. No noise. A completely easy to adjust mechanism that would be a perfect fit.
We went through the adjustment process and I thought the provider had fully demonstrated an easy to implement and adjust device. That turned out to not be the case.
With high hopes and much excitement, I purchased the strapless no-mask CPAP Pro II device. The design is interesting in that a form fitted mouthpiece holds the nasal tubes in place. No straps, and "guaranteed" to fit perfectly and comfortably with minimal adjustments. Because of grinding teeth and receding gums, I had slept with a fitted mouthpiece for over twenty years. I had been using a CPAP machine for 15 years, but always hoping to find a quiet, perfect fit mask. So I was confident I could handle the mouthpiece aspect.
The device arrived a few days after ordering, on a Friday afternoon. My wife was more excited then I was. Finally, she could sleep without the intermittent hissing of air as I moved in my sleep. And then our problems started.
Okay, this is a comparatively expensive device, but it looked like something out of the Dollar Store. It's very simple and looked easy enough to use. Before fitting the mouthpiece, which came with a three tries and your out warning, I tried the "no mask" out with my CPAP machine. Just wanted to make sure that it was a fit for my machine, and that I understood the tiny adjustment mechanisms.
Right away I realized that the plastic tubes and nasal fittings were hard, inflexible plastic. At least compared to the different CPAP masks I had previously used or tried to use. I mean, really inflexible! So much so that it was very difficult to mark an adjustment nasal fitting and then adjust the screw alignment to hold the hose in place. The pictures on the website and the service provider made it look and sound so easy. It is anything but!
Of course, there is a technical reason for the inflexibility of the hose mechanism. The hose and nasal splitter connect to the mouthpiece, and that is the ONLY support holding the nasal prongs in place. No straps. No mask. Impossible to fit. The realization that a stable, unmovable and comfortable fit wasn't possible became obvious. The needed inflexibility was obviously quite at odds with the adjustment need for flexibility. What I needed and wanted was a soft mask that flowed and adapted to my nightly movements. The Nomask was anything but soft and flowing. It was hard, rigid, inflexible. Like having my head in a vice all night!
I kept at it, trying to find a comfortable fitting that would also seal off any hissing air. Not only were my expectations high, but so were those of my wife. When she saw my difficulties and realized that this simply wasn't going to work as promised, she laughed and asked me how am I going to get my money back.
The following Monday I called the Stevenson company and left a message. They apparently tried to call me back, but we didn't connect. When we finally did it was a contentious and very defensive conversation insisting on the "NO Refund terms and conditions at the point of sale." The next day I packed things up and returned the product with a demand letter that this was not what I had been led to expect and certainly would not solve my problem.
Stevenson now claims that the $139.00 CPAP Pro II product was destroyed on return, in accordance with FDA rules. No refund. No alternative product. No nothing. It was the quickest flush of $139.00 I have ever experienced.
I contacted my credit card company and was truly amazed at what happened next. The Stevenson group must have a very exacting document and correspondence management system geared up exactly to deal with this kind of customer complaint situation. As if this was an expected complaint, the system seemed set up for a pre-written response script, complete with FDA rules and internal documentation, spit out at a moments notice. Who does that?
I understand that this product might work for some people. it didn't for me. The thing is if you are considering purchasing this product, know in advance that there is NO WAY to know if it will work for you, without first spending the full cost of purchase.
Thanks for your consideration in taking the time to read this. I hope it helps.
garylyn@gmail.com
CPAP Pro II "NoMask" website:
THE CPAP Pro II "NoMask" Problem .......................
I was looking for a QUIET CPAP mask and made the mistake of purchasing a CPAP Pro II from Stevenson Industries in Simi Valley, CA. I threw away $139.00. Once you purchase this product, there are no returns. No refund possible.
I was aware of this policy while pouring through the website (https://www.nomask.com/), investigating the product and product claim. I called Stevenson with a list of questions and spent a considerable amount of time with a very patient and seemingly well-informed service attendant. The product is promoted as a very comfortable, painless and sleep effective STRAPLESS device. As my main concern was that of quiet, air-sealed operation, the service provider was full of assurances that the fit would be comfortable and seamless. No air leakage. No discomfort. No noise. A completely easy to adjust mechanism that would be a perfect fit.
We went through the adjustment process and I thought the provider had fully demonstrated an easy to implement and adjust device. That turned out to not be the case.
With high hopes and much excitement, I purchased the strapless no-mask CPAP Pro II device. The design is interesting in that a form fitted mouthpiece holds the nasal tubes in place. No straps, and "guaranteed" to fit perfectly and comfortably with minimal adjustments. Because of grinding teeth and receding gums, I had slept with a fitted mouthpiece for over twenty years. I had been using a CPAP machine for 15 years, but always hoping to find a quiet, perfect fit mask. So I was confident I could handle the mouthpiece aspect.
The device arrived a few days after ordering, on a Friday afternoon. My wife was more excited then I was. Finally, she could sleep without the intermittent hissing of air as I moved in my sleep. And then our problems started.
Okay, this is a comparatively expensive device, but it looked like something out of the Dollar Store. It's very simple and looked easy enough to use. Before fitting the mouthpiece, which came with a three tries and your out warning, I tried the "no mask" out with my CPAP machine. Just wanted to make sure that it was a fit for my machine, and that I understood the tiny adjustment mechanisms.
Right away I realized that the plastic tubes and nasal fittings were hard, inflexible plastic. At least compared to the different CPAP masks I had previously used or tried to use. I mean, really inflexible! So much so that it was very difficult to mark an adjustment nasal fitting and then adjust the screw alignment to hold the hose in place. The pictures on the website and the service provider made it look and sound so easy. It is anything but!
Of course, there is a technical reason for the inflexibility of the hose mechanism. The hose and nasal splitter connect to the mouthpiece, and that is the ONLY support holding the nasal prongs in place. No straps. No mask. Impossible to fit. The realization that a stable, unmovable and comfortable fit wasn't possible became obvious. The needed inflexibility was obviously quite at odds with the adjustment need for flexibility. What I needed and wanted was a soft mask that flowed and adapted to my nightly movements. The Nomask was anything but soft and flowing. It was hard, rigid, inflexible. Like having my head in a vice all night!
I kept at it, trying to find a comfortable fitting that would also seal off any hissing air. Not only were my expectations high, but so were those of my wife. When she saw my difficulties and realized that this simply wasn't going to work as promised, she laughed and asked me how am I going to get my money back.
The following Monday I called the Stevenson company and left a message. They apparently tried to call me back, but we didn't connect. When we finally did it was a contentious and very defensive conversation insisting on the "NO Refund terms and conditions at the point of sale." The next day I packed things up and returned the product with a demand letter that this was not what I had been led to expect and certainly would not solve my problem.
Stevenson now claims that the $139.00 CPAP Pro II product was destroyed on return, in accordance with FDA rules. No refund. No alternative product. No nothing. It was the quickest flush of $139.00 I have ever experienced.
I contacted my credit card company and was truly amazed at what happened next. The Stevenson group must have a very exacting document and correspondence management system geared up exactly to deal with this kind of customer complaint situation. As if this was an expected complaint, the system seemed set up for a pre-written response script, complete with FDA rules and internal documentation, spit out at a moments notice. Who does that?
I understand that this product might work for some people. it didn't for me. The thing is if you are considering purchasing this product, know in advance that there is NO WAY to know if it will work for you, without first spending the full cost of purchase.
Thanks for your consideration in taking the time to read this. I hope it helps.
garylyn@gmail.com
CPAP Pro II "NoMask" website:
Good VIDEO Review: Sleep Doctor review and video demonstration of the NOMASK CPAP Pro II ..... Very comfortable but also very noisy. VERY expensive, difficult to use. Comments and Review on this page fully confirm NOMASK is definitely not for everyone.
https://goo.gl/DJkz11
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