Swift LT vs. Opus 360

My Opus 360 has been showing a jagged leak line for a few weeks....tonight trying the LT and hope to get a more controlled leak rate....will let you all know what the data shows.

I use an Opus 360 and have had the same experience. It was all going very well,then over the last few nights its collapsed in a screaming, leaking heap. IS IT THE MASK OR IS IT US??

Please let us know how you like the Swift Lt compared to the Opus 360. I, too, am having trouble with mine. When I first started treatment (maybe August) I used a demo Opus. It was great, I loved it, and thought this is easy. I used it over a month and then bought my own. Ever since I have trouble getting the leaks to stop. Since I don't have the software yet, I don't have absolute numbers on my leaks. But the last three nights have been indicative of what's going on. The first night I switched from the large size cushion to the medium. I seem to get a better seal with the medium, but have higher pressure. That night the leaks were improved from using the large. The next night the leaks were great. Had really good numbers, so I was encourage about trying it last night. The leaks were terrible.

A curious thing is that yesterday, when my numbers looked good, I felt exhausted (alarm woke me), but today with horrible numbers and less sleep, I feel much better (woke on my own). I'm getting so confused!

The biggest problem seems to be the mask moving. I've tried it looser and I've tried it tighter. I've adjust all the straps to no end.

The only thing I think I'm doing differently is using the pad-a-cheek. I also think I might be mouth exhaling. I 've tried taping (blue stouff) and the tape falls off, because it gets wet. I also have a chin strap, but the few times I've used it, the pressure as gone way up. Tonight I'll try the stretchy wrap someone was telling about and maybe the chin strap.

So any help you can give me, I'd appreciate it.

The Opus pillows are sensitive to sweat and oils, and they soften over time as well. If the sweat and oil is on your face it can cause problems in a few hours (usually around 3 am for me). If it is the pillows it can take several days to a week (after washing) to get slick, or several weeks from new to soften with age. As they soften or get slick they spread apart and that causes the leaks. Tightening the mask just makes it worse.

I used to keep baby wipes by the bed and wipe everything down (nose and pillows) when it happened, but I got tired of waking up to do it.

You can keep them together all night, every night in spite of conditions by wrapping a small lasso around the area below the pillows (the part that touches your nares) and above the base (the part that touches the mask). This relief area looks like two stems under mushroom caps, growing out of the base. The lasso can be made of a thin velcro strip, dental floss or an o-ring of the proper diameter. It should touch the outside of the stems, but not push the stems, and therefore the pillows, together but keep them from spreading apart.

Kinda like this:



The o-ring works best for me because it is easy to slip on and off for cleaning or changing pillows. I now sleep through the night (for the last year) with just enough mask tightness to gently hold the pillows against my nose. They kind of float on an air cushion like a hovercraft while the headgear holds them in place and the lasso keeps the proper spacing.

Thanks Badbreath. Sounds like you're right on the money. I've just added a cotton loop to my Opus pillow. We'll see what happens overnight!

K

I went from Comfort Gel nasal mask where i fought that thing all night, and sometimes felt like i was suffocating, to the Opus 360 nasal pillows, which was much better but fought leaks every time i moved and i move alot, so i tried the Comfort Lite 2 nasal pillows, better yet as it didn't have the face face gear, less leakage but the thing kept riding up my head and pulled my nose up so far that it created soares in the nostrils, looked at the swift LT really didn't look comfortable, so I got the New Breeze nasal pillow and so far the most comfortable no leaks when i move doesn't seem to ride up, i like it. just .02 that wasn't worth a nickle.

My experience with the Swift LT: I like it. It is more comfortable than the Opus and does not hurt the bottom of my nose. This may be specific to my nose shape. My leaks are down to very satisfactory. I think the headgear for the Swift manages to hold the pillows at my nose better while I'm thrashing around at night. I first put the Swift on straight out of the box with no adjustments. It felt comfortable. Little by little, based on my leak reports and experiences at night, I keep cinching the straps a little tighter. I believe now after some experimentation, that I have the correct fit where leaks are minimized, and it is still comfortable enough to wear.

The Opus will make a fine back up or travel mask, however I believe my therapy may benefit from the Swift's lower leak rate I have achieved. As a side note, my mother wears the Swift LT as well, and has a very good leak rate.

Good luck to you all, and I hope Snoredog is still reading this.

Georgio

Thanks, Georgio, for the report. I tried the suggestion from BadBreath, and it worked great for one night. The next night it was back to leaking. Maybe I will try the Swift LT. Thanks, again.