Nostril pads vs. full nose attachment

Hi - My first and probably not the last question!

I was recently fitted with a portable cpap machine (Goodnight 420S) which has this two little thingies that plug into each nostril.

I'm finding it hard to exhale - certainly not as esay as inhaling. Would a full nose attachment solve this problem? In other words, would a full nose attachment be more confortable?

Thanks,

Rod

Rod,

I have only used my machine for 3 nights, but have very few complaints about my ComfortGel mask; it covers my nose. However, I sleep on back and don't move during the night, so I am not sure how it will work for a restless sleeper or side sleeper. The first night I used the ramp-up function on my machine, which gradually increases the pressure to my required level after about a half hour. I had problems with exhaling, it felt like a midget was sitting on my chest and I would sufficate. However, the last two nights I just put it on full-blast and take deep, controlled breaths and I find my self sleeping in a few minutes. When I get up in the morning I don't even notice the machine is on.

The drawbacks to the mask are the marks that are left on either side on my nose and on the bridge of my nose. They fade as the day goes on, but may bother some people.

I haven't had problems with leaks and the exhaling isn't a problem for me.

Thanks Procrastinator. Will try the full nose mask.

Rod, what pressure were you prescribed?

Rod, I tried the full mask thingy when I was at the clinic... It's simply not for me.... I am claustrophobic and I felt like I was sufficating. But then again, that was me.... I prefer the nostril plugs over the full mask. You will need to find whatever mask that works best for you! Good - Luck! and Take Care!

G00fy217

I'm just guessing, but I believe what Rod means by "full nose attachment" is a "nasal mask"...to cover just the nose.

Probably he was given a Breeze with nasal pillows to use with his 420G. Both are made by Puritan Bennett, so that's likely the combination he was given. The "full nose attachment" Rod may have seen, that can be used instead of nasal pillows with the Breeze, is called "Breeze Dreamseal" - a little triangular "nasal mask" (covers the nose) that can be worn with the Breeze headgear.

Rod, there are tons of choices out there for different masks. Gets expensive trying different ones, of course, but you can eventually find something that suits you well enough to keep using. What works well for one person (Breeze with nasal pillows is my favorite, as a side sleeper) doesn't necessarily for another. The ComfortGel that suits Procrastinator fine hurt my face and was leaky on me. You spoke of a feeling of not being able to exhale well enough. Some do find that exhaling is a bit easier with a traditional "nasal mask" (covers just the nose.) The Activa is my favorite in a nasal mask.

Not to throw your question about masks off track, but there are other possibilities for your feeling that exhalation is difficult....it may be that no matter what interface (mask) you try, you might still have difficulty breathing out against one steady air pressure coming in at you all the time. Or perhaps you have some blockage - maybe large turbinates or perhaps sinus congestion especially when you are lying down for awhile.

At any rate, I think you might find much more exhalation comfort if you used the new Remstar autopap with C-flex by Respironics. You'd get two types of comfort with that machine: autopap varying the pressure throughout the night, automatically delivering only as much pressure as it took to keep your throat open .....and C-Flex making the pressure drop automatically each time you exhale. Easier to breathe out against with any mask.

You might want to hang onto the Breeze/nasal pillows and instead ask your doctor to let you try the new Remstar auto with C-Flex. Even if you still want another mask, an autopap/C-Flex could very likely give you even more comfort than being on straight one-pressure cpap like you are now. Just my opinion - I'm not a doctor.