Hello everyone, I am new to the site, sleep apnea and cpap. I was recently diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea (ahi of 16 mainly during REM) Doc gave me several options, we decided to do a 30 day trial of apap to see how I felt. I really have not felt much improvement. And now I have developed pressure sores in my nose from my nasal pillows. I have been using the Breeze headgear for about 3 weeks. A week and a half ago I developed a sore in the left nostril. So I called sleep tech and they recommended that I try a gel to help with the friction of breathing. So I did, which that sore eventually healed up, but now I have one on the other side which is much bigger and has bled some. I also have the same problem as I have read about here with the "spine" of the headgear dislodging the pillows during the night when I change position to my back, although I am mostly a side sleeper. I have an appointment tomorrow with sleep tech to discuss options. Anyone have any experience with this and have any words of wisdom. I am slightly clausterphobic and want to avoid a full face mask if possible. Thanks, this is a great site and I have learned so much in the past few weeks!
Pressure Sores form nasal pillows
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several options, based on my experience.
(Remember I am NOT a doctor)
Neosporin immediately to stop infection and start healing. Castor bean oil is also good for healing AND lube.
And of course use AYR GEL for lubrication at the contact points every night.
In addition, many experienced CPAP users "rotate" between a couple of different interfaces that have different contact points and rotate between them BEFORE the sores get too bad.
At the moment, I am rotating between the Swift and the Activa. After awhile you will toughen up and be able to be comfortable with one or the other for longer periods. But you need to get to that point first.
(Remember I am NOT a doctor)
Neosporin immediately to stop infection and start healing. Castor bean oil is also good for healing AND lube.
And of course use AYR GEL for lubrication at the contact points every night.
In addition, many experienced CPAP users "rotate" between a couple of different interfaces that have different contact points and rotate between them BEFORE the sores get too bad.
At the moment, I am rotating between the Swift and the Activa. After awhile you will toughen up and be able to be comfortable with one or the other for longer periods. But you need to get to that point first.
Remember:
What you read above is only one data point based on one person's opinion.
I am not a doctor, nor do I even play one on TV.
Your mileage may vary.
Follow ANY advice or opinions at your own risk.
Not everything you read is true.
What you read above is only one data point based on one person's opinion.
I am not a doctor, nor do I even play one on TV.
Your mileage may vary.
Follow ANY advice or opinions at your own risk.
Not everything you read is true.
My personal experience:
In addition to what snork1 said:
1. If the doctor agrees, take a real break. After a week of use, my nose was sore. The RT recommended a 2-3 night break to let the place heal. I did that, and have bee a happy user in the 4 months since.
2. Change your pillow - either a shapeable, from Target's, or a tempurpedic. You need a pillow that lets the gear sink in.
O.
In addition to what snork1 said:
1. If the doctor agrees, take a real break. After a week of use, my nose was sore. The RT recommended a 2-3 night break to let the place heal. I did that, and have bee a happy user in the 4 months since.
2. Change your pillow - either a shapeable, from Target's, or a tempurpedic. You need a pillow that lets the gear sink in.
O.
_________________
| Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear |
| Additional Comments: Machine: Resmed AirSense10 for Her with Climateline heated hose ; alternating masks. |
And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Good advice is compromised by missing data
Forum member Dog Slobber Nov. 2023
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Good advice is compromised by missing data
Forum member Dog Slobber Nov. 2023
-
Sleepless on LI
- Posts: 3997
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 6:46 pm
- Location: Long Island, New York
viewtopic.php?t=3703&highlight=breeze
Hi, Rosyann, and welcome.
That link above is to a thread, a LONG one, that has loads of information from very helpful Breeze users on this site responding to my eventual pleas for help. I started using the Breeze, thought it was great and then ended up, in the longrun, getting rid of it. But in the interim, all the different problems I had were discussed in this thread and the advice that I was given to fix them. Hope this helps you.
In the meantime, like Ozij said, switch masks from the Breeze to a nasal mask or something other than a nasal pillow interface to allow your sores to heal, and use Neosporin to help heal them faster. I did and it worked.
Good luck.
Hi, Rosyann, and welcome.
That link above is to a thread, a LONG one, that has loads of information from very helpful Breeze users on this site responding to my eventual pleas for help. I started using the Breeze, thought it was great and then ended up, in the longrun, getting rid of it. But in the interim, all the different problems I had were discussed in this thread and the advice that I was given to fix them. Hope this helps you.
In the meantime, like Ozij said, switch masks from the Breeze to a nasal mask or something other than a nasal pillow interface to allow your sores to heal, and use Neosporin to help heal them faster. I did and it worked.
Good luck.
L o R i
Switching masks is Snork1's brilliant idea... he had it long before I even had my first psg....
O.
O.
_________________
| Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear |
| Additional Comments: Machine: Resmed AirSense10 for Her with Climateline heated hose ; alternating masks. |
And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Good advice is compromised by missing data
Forum member Dog Slobber Nov. 2023
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Good advice is compromised by missing data
Forum member Dog Slobber Nov. 2023
-
Sleepless on LI
- Posts: 3997
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 6:46 pm
- Location: Long Island, New York
Back from Dr. Office
Well, I'm home from seeing the sleep tech. She had me try on some different size nasal pillows. I had size large before, now I have medium in one nostril, small in the other. Sooooo...let's see how tonight goes. I appreciate all of the great information. Sleepless, that really long thread was just down my alley....and humorous too. I appreciate the ability to see the lighter side of this situation on this side. Thanks! I will keep you posted.
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Sleepless on LI
- Posts: 3997
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 6:46 pm
- Location: Long Island, New York
rosyann,
Good luck tonight. Hope the change in the pillow sizes helps your poor nares. I'm glad the link helped you out. I figured it would because I experienced almost every problem one can encounter with the Breeze and I had so many experienced users on this site try to help out.
Let me know how you do tonight. I'll keep good wishes in my head for you.
Good luck tonight. Hope the change in the pillow sizes helps your poor nares. I'm glad the link helped you out. I figured it would because I experienced almost every problem one can encounter with the Breeze and I had so many experienced users on this site try to help out.
Let me know how you do tonight. I'll keep good wishes in my head for you.
L o R i
Staying with Breeze, trying nasal mask
Hello everyone,
Well, I tried toughing it out with those nasal pillows but ended up having to take breaks about every 3 days due to my nares either hurting too much or sores/redness in my nose. My 20 yr old daughter asked me if any of my friends were wondering if I did cocaine. I said "what!" She said, "well, your nostrils are all red." I said "Not to mention I am going around sniffing and snorting and rubbing my nose from time to time!" Anyhow, I was suppose to have a 30 day trial of CPAP to see how it made me feel. Today was my follow up appt. My AHI was 4 events/hr, AI - 0.5/hr, HI - 3.8/hr. Leakage - 0, Time in Apnea with Mask - 0.1% My range was between 8.2 and 10.4 cm H20. I am pretty happy with those results, but told doc I didn't think I had had a fair trial so far due to all of the problems with the nasal pillows and really could not tell a big difference in my fatigue as of yet. So we are going to try another month and I have switched out the nasal pillows on the Breeze for the DreamSeal nasal mask. God I hope I sleep better! Wish me luck!
Well, I tried toughing it out with those nasal pillows but ended up having to take breaks about every 3 days due to my nares either hurting too much or sores/redness in my nose. My 20 yr old daughter asked me if any of my friends were wondering if I did cocaine. I said "what!" She said, "well, your nostrils are all red." I said "Not to mention I am going around sniffing and snorting and rubbing my nose from time to time!" Anyhow, I was suppose to have a 30 day trial of CPAP to see how it made me feel. Today was my follow up appt. My AHI was 4 events/hr, AI - 0.5/hr, HI - 3.8/hr. Leakage - 0, Time in Apnea with Mask - 0.1% My range was between 8.2 and 10.4 cm H20. I am pretty happy with those results, but told doc I didn't think I had had a fair trial so far due to all of the problems with the nasal pillows and really could not tell a big difference in my fatigue as of yet. So we are going to try another month and I have switched out the nasal pillows on the Breeze for the DreamSeal nasal mask. God I hope I sleep better! Wish me luck!
Wishing you lots of luck, Rosyann!
O.
O.
_________________
| Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear |
| Additional Comments: Machine: Resmed AirSense10 for Her with Climateline heated hose ; alternating masks. |
And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Good advice is compromised by missing data
Forum member Dog Slobber Nov. 2023
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Good advice is compromised by missing data
Forum member Dog Slobber Nov. 2023
-
Sleepless on LI
- Posts: 3997
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 6:46 pm
- Location: Long Island, New York
Wow! What a difference between a nasal mask and the pillows. I only remember waking one time last night and had no real problems with leakage from the mask. I think I can live with this much easier then having raw nostrils most of the time!! I felt alert this morning, albeit refreshed is not the word that comes to mind. I am not a huge morning person though either. Now that the afternoon is here I am feeling very tired, so I think I will take a little nap and see how it goes.
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