Sudden change in comfort

MarquisdeStyle · Post by **MarquisdeStyle** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 12:47 pm

Hi, All!
Quick question...I have been using my Breeze for almost a week now. Was extremely comfortable, with no leaks and not one bit of soreness or tenderness...until last night. I was really surprised, since things had been so great up until then. Then, last night, I was ready to scream. It kept feeling like the nasal pillow was folded over, or the edges of my nose were caught under it. I tried several times to readjust it, remove it and reseat it, etc. I tried to readjust the headgear. I tried the different size pillows. I got up and used Ayr Nasal Lubricant. Woke up several times during the night fiddling with the thing to try to make it comfortable again. Any ideas on why, after 5 completely comfortable nights, suddenly I'm irritated half to death?? Now I know what people mean when they talk about looking like
Rudolph when they get up in the am! My nose still feels a combination of raw and itchy! Know I can't get any petroleum products on the pillows, but what do you suggest for soothing this mess during the day? The Ayr isn't helping!!
Thanks!
Treva

nodding off · Post by **nodding off** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 4:12 pm

Hi Treva,
That's why I stopped using nasal pillows. I started out with them but had the same problems. However, I was using passive humidification at the time. Have you got a heated humidifier, and if so is it maxed out? That might help. If not, try a nasal mask. My ResMed Activa seals well and causes me no issues. It's my favorite mask of all I've tried. Remember though, that everyone is different, which is why they make so many different masks. Good luck! I hope your nose feels better and you get a good night of sleep tonight!

MarquisdeStyle · Post by **MarquisdeStyle** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 4:17 pm

Yes- I do have a heated humidifier, but when I took the reservoir off today to clean it, I noticed that it wasn't hot at all. Went back into programming, and saw it was only on level 1 of 5, so I boosted it up to 3. I was so hopeful that the Breeze was a perfect fit "right out of the gate." Hoping tonight will be better, with a little more heat and moisture. Just dread putting those plugs back into these raw nares!!!!

Night Owl · Post by **Night Owl** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:47 pm

HI Marquis -- had the same problem as you described -- so now I trade off between the Swift and the Infinity -- the Swift is easy on the nose, but the Infinity is very light on the face and head. I have them both ready and may switch mid-sleep. They are both nasal pillows, but just different enough -- Also, what do you clean yours with? I had to experiment, even though I rinsed thoroughly, and went to a special cleaner for masks -- and I changed my facial soap to a pure type glycerin and chamomile -- And, I found if I warmed the pillows up under warm water and quickly dried them right before using them it felt better.

Are we having fun yet ? Night Owl........

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 10:23 pm

I ran into a similar problem after 11 or 12 nights. I was instructed by - I guess you would call her the RT - to stop for 2-3 nights and let the place heal - since my desats aren't hight. I stopped for one night, retried for half the next... and will stop again.
Have no real idea what cause it, but now I understand why some people alternate masks.
Do you think the Breeze's frame could be getting lose more?
O.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:11 pm

It's expensive, but it's worth it for the sake of good treatment to buy (or trade masks, if you notice someone mentioning an unusable mask for them) until you find two or three that suit you well. Then rotate between them any time your "favorite" bothers you. Good treatment, in my book, HAS to be comfortable or the discomfort will cause sleep disruptions too - or worse, make one have to stop treatment, even if just for a day or two.

I've used christinequilts' quote a lot, because it applies so well to masks: "You don't wear the same pair of shoes every day."

I used to use the Breeze almost all the time, occasionally switching to my Activa. Now I use the Aura almost all the time and have two other masks that suit me well to switch to, from time to time. Makes all of them feel better when they get their turn.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 6:40 am

Treva,
How did it go for you last night?
Last night I tried to figure out how come my Breeze suddenly lost its friendliness, and I started fiddling around with it.
It really has at least 5 places where it's fit can be changed:
Back of the head
Top of the head
Bottom near nose - which slides up down separately from the place on the top of your head
The pivot of the nose shell
And the straps.
I remembered that during the first week - before I tried the large pillows - everything felt amazingly loose - and so I loosened things - especially the top to the head and the straps - and pivoted the shell slightly upwards. The result was a pretty comfortable night. I guess you really have to pay attetion to each of those angles - their change is not necessarily visible to the naked eye, but well recognized by the sensitive nose...
Apparently, slipping on a mask is not as simple as slipping on shoes...
My major complaint is a slight indentation of my upper lip when I get up.
O.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 6:43 am

Uh, 6 actually - the rotation of the pillows also...
O.

MarquisdeStyle · Post by **MarquisdeStyle** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 7:10 am

Well...things have definitely been better the last 2 nights. After doing my first "complete pull-apart" to clean and soak yesterday, I was anxious about getting the thing back together correctly and back into a comfortable fit, but I seemed to do ok.
Something I did try, when things were so sore, is Res-Q Ointment from Burt's Bees. I used it only when I was up and about, not near the mask, because I figured it would be petroleum based, as it has a thick, vaseliny texture. After reading the ingredients, though, I was pleased to see there was nothing but nice things, like almond oil,olive oil, cocoa butter, and vitamin E in there, so should be fine with the mask. (DUH! It's Burt's Bees...all natural...HELLO???) My nose was much better after a single day of aplying it every couple hours, and I went back to the small pillows with no discomfort at all.
Rested Gal- I'm thinking about getting a "cast off Aura" to swap out with. Is it going to work if I sleep on my side most of the time? Is the actual interface different enough that it will give my nose a rest when it needs one?
Thanks, everybody! You are more help than you can possibly know!!

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