Nasal Pillows Constantly Leaking

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
User avatar
needsleep49
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:45 am

Nasal Pillows Constantly Leaking

Post by needsleep49 » Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:15 am

I am new to your website. I have been reading and have gotten a lot of tips from here for quite a while especially from rested gal and finally decided to join. I have been on cpap for about a year and I have a high pressure of 16. I have been struggling with my nasal pillows constantly leaking on my mirage liberty ff mask. I would have water in the nasal pillows. I have a hose cover and little covers I made for to cover part of the mask and the nasal pillows but it would still leak. I turned my humidifier down, heated the room more, have my hose elevated. I have tried everything. I have lost a lot of sleep. It is just frustrating and I have run out of answers. Could anyone help me or give me some advice?


User avatar
Gerald
Posts: 1353
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:32 pm
Location: Central Louisiana

Post by Gerald » Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:25 am

Most of your rainout might be coming from exhaled breath.

You have enough room in the full face mask to try an experiment with absorbant material.

You could fabricate a "rope" of Bounty paper towell material....or maybe even some "panty-liner" material....by rolling it up.....and compressing it by tying it up with thread...or string....anything to make it smaller.

Put that inside your mask....and it just might soak up enough water so that it wouldn't p---s you off in the middle of the night.

Gerald


User avatar
needsleep49
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:45 am

Post by needsleep49 » Sun Apr 20, 2008 3:59 pm

Thanks Gerald. I will definately try that tonight. I will try anything at this point.

User avatar
Babette
Posts: 4232
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 5:25 pm

Post by Babette » Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:32 pm

Honey, it sounds to me like you need to try ANOTHER MASK. Have you tried any other masks? Yes, I'm gonna recommend you try the NAII.

But try SOMETHING. This mask doesn't sound like your answer.

Good luck!!!!!
Babette

_________________
Machine: PR System One REMStar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine
Additional Comments: Started XPAP 04/20/07. APAP currently wide open 10-20. Consistent AHI 2.1. No flex. HH 3. Deluxe Chinstrap.
I currently have a stash of Nasal Aire II cannulas in Small or Extra Small. Please PM me if you would like them. I'm interested in bartering for something strange and wonderful that I don't currently own. Or a Large size NAII cannula. :)

User avatar
rested gal
Posts: 12883
Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
Location: Tennessee

Post by rested gal » Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:46 pm

Babette wrote:Yes, I'm gonna recommend you try the NAII.
The Liberty she's using is a Full Face mask. She may need a FF mask (which the NAII is not.)
needsleep49 wrote:I have been struggling with my nasal pillows constantly leaking on my mirage liberty ff mask.
ResMed S9 VPAP Auto (ASV)
Humidifier: Integrated + Climate Control hose
Mask: Aeiomed Headrest (deconstructed, with homemade straps
3M painters tape over mouth
ALL LINKS by rested gal:
viewtopic.php?t=17435

User avatar
needsleep49
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:45 am

Post by needsleep49 » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:25 pm

Hi, Rested Gal,

I have read a lot of your past posts and I think you have really good ideas and good advice for people. I just want to commend you for that along with other people's posts that I have read. I used your idea about your tights (pantyhose) strap that you tie around the mask. That has really helped me and saved a lot of sleep and frustration. I just wanted to let you know that.

User avatar
rested gal
Posts: 12883
Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
Location: Tennessee

Post by rested gal » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:31 pm

needsleep49 wrote:Hi, Rested Gal,

I have read a lot of your past posts and I think you have really good ideas and good advice for people. I just want to commend you for that along with other people's posts that I have read. I used your idea about your tights (pantyhose) strap that you tie around the mask. That has really helped me and saved a lot of sleep and frustration. I just wanted to let you know that.
Thanks, needsleep. Glad that helped you. It's saved me a lot of sleep and frustration, too!
ResMed S9 VPAP Auto (ASV)
Humidifier: Integrated + Climate Control hose
Mask: Aeiomed Headrest (deconstructed, with homemade straps
3M painters tape over mouth
ALL LINKS by rested gal:
viewtopic.php?t=17435

User avatar
Babette
Posts: 4232
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 5:25 pm

Post by Babette » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:44 pm

Thought of something. You're not using any Ayr Gel, are you? Ayr Gel (or any other form of lubricant on my nose) makes me leak really bad.

Also, have you tried the larger version of the pillows? Often it seems that the larger pillows are counter-intuitive, but they often will help with a leakage issue.

Cheers,
B.

_________________
Machine: PR System One REMStar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine
Additional Comments: Started XPAP 04/20/07. APAP currently wide open 10-20. Consistent AHI 2.1. No flex. HH 3. Deluxe Chinstrap.
I currently have a stash of Nasal Aire II cannulas in Small or Extra Small. Please PM me if you would like them. I'm interested in bartering for something strange and wonderful that I don't currently own. Or a Large size NAII cannula. :)

User avatar
rested gal
Posts: 12883
Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
Location: Tennessee

Post by rested gal » Sun Apr 20, 2008 10:29 pm

Good suggestions, Babette!

needsleep, the kind of fix that MaryB used for her Hybrid mask (using a rubber band to change the angle of the nasal pillows part) might not be workable with the Liberty, but in case it gives you any ideas:

viewtopic.php?t=13882

Pictures of her fix are on page 2 of that topic.
ResMed S9 VPAP Auto (ASV)
Humidifier: Integrated + Climate Control hose
Mask: Aeiomed Headrest (deconstructed, with homemade straps
3M painters tape over mouth
ALL LINKS by rested gal:
viewtopic.php?t=17435

User avatar
jsmythe
Posts: 664
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:13 am
Location: New Market Tennessee

Re: Nasal Pillows Constantly Leaking

Post by jsmythe » Mon Apr 21, 2008 7:55 am

[quote="needsleep49"]I am new to your website. I have been reading and have gotten a lot of tips from here for quite a while especially from rested gal and finally decided to join. I have been on cpap for about a year and I have a high pressure of 16. I have been struggling with my nasal pillows constantly leaking on my mirage liberty ff mask. I would have water in the nasal pillows. I have a hose cover and little covers I made for to cover part of the mask and the nasal pillows but it would still leak. I turned my humidifier down, heated the room more, have my hose elevated. I have tried everything. I have lost a lot of sleep. It is just frustrating and I have run out of answers. Could anyone help me or give me some advice?


_________________
Mask: Mirage Activa™ LT Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: HC100 HH, , Activa Orig. (w/Activa LT cushion), Activa LT, Pur Sleep, Pad A Cheeks,
Joyce

Started using cpap Sept. 12, 2007
Respironics PR System One Bi-Pap Auto w/Flex,pressure of 9/15, do not use ramp

Guest

Post by Guest » Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:59 am

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions! Rested Gal, I like MaryB's idea with the rubberband between the posts and angling the nasal pillows. I think that will work on my liberty mask. I will try it tonight. Babette, I don't use AyrGel at all. I will try the larger pillows. Jsmythe, I think the condensation is from my mouth being open in my full face mask and then I will get this condensation in my nasal pillows too. But it has not been as cold at night in my room so I don't understand.


User avatar
needsleep49
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:45 am

Post by needsleep49 » Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:02 am

Sorry that was me replying above. Forgot to log in.

jmaziarz
Posts: 63
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:04 pm
Location: Cumberland, RI

Post by jmaziarz » Sun Apr 27, 2008 8:25 pm

I've been using the Resmed Liberty for about 3-weeks and it has been great. I do find that the nasal pillows leak quite a bit though. My fix is to put a 4-5" piece of sports tape (cheaper than medical tape and stickier) over both pillows and the lower part of my nose. With the tape I find that the pillows stay in place all night and the leaks are gone.

What a great source of information this forum is. I'm so glad I found it! This is my first post of what I hope to be many more.

~Jer


User avatar
rested gal
Posts: 12883
Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
Location: Tennessee

Post by rested gal » Sun Apr 27, 2008 8:51 pm

Welcome to the message board, Jer! And thanks for the good suggestion for a quick fix with tape.

Hope you keep posting...it's things exactly like what you mentioned that could help no-telling-how-many people out there who are reading, reading, reading, trying to find a way to make their masks work!

Any chance you could post a picture of how you tape the Liberty's pillows?
ResMed S9 VPAP Auto (ASV)
Humidifier: Integrated + Climate Control hose
Mask: Aeiomed Headrest (deconstructed, with homemade straps
3M painters tape over mouth
ALL LINKS by rested gal:
viewtopic.php?t=17435

jmaziarz
Posts: 63
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:04 pm
Location: Cumberland, RI

Post by jmaziarz » Sun Apr 27, 2008 9:24 pm

Here are three pictures. Notice how the tape covers my entire nostril. I have found that leaving any part of my nostril un-taped allows tiny leaks to form.


Image

Image

Image