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Wet nasal pillows - any advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:02 pm
by OntarioKevin
Been using the Resmed S9 with Mirage Liberty hybrid mask - covers mouth and two nasal pillows for nose.

The machine is awesome.

One thing that has me stumped, though, is how to keep the nasal pillows from getting wet and slipping out of my nose and waking me up.

I've tried it with no humidity at all, and on the lowest setting. I regularly breathe through my mouth, so the dry mouth is really not that annoying for me.

My nostrils are regularly blocked partially or completely, which is why I breathe through my mouth.

I have the AHI down below 1.0 on most nights, but just about every night now I wake at some point because the nasal pillows have water on the inside. Generally there's water in the mouthpiece below the nasal pillow as well.

Both sides, although unevenly - usually much more on one side or the other.

My only hypotheses are that (1) there's more moisture coming out of my nose than going in, or (2) there's more moisture in the mask than outside the mask. I have a vague memory that this is happening more in the winter than during the summer.

I also have a loose elastic holding the two nasal pillows together, which helps a little. But they still get wet and eventually they slide out.

Re: Wet nasal pillows - any advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:04 pm
by BlackSpinner
try some Lanosol (pure lanolin nipple cream for nursing mothers) It does create stickiness and might keep the wet in. Do not use anything made with oil by products like vasoline.

Re: Wet nasal pillows - any advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:08 pm
by OntarioKevin
Hadn't thought of Lanolin. Bought some a while back for nose soreness, but hadn't thought of it for stickiness.

I'd be a little apprehensive about breathing it in all night, but I'll try it.

Re: Wet nasal pillows - any advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:10 pm
by xenablue
If lanolin's safe for babies to eat, then it's bound to be OK to inhale a little...... lanolin vapour?

Cheers,
xena

Re: Wet nasal pillows - any advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:12 pm
by Pugsy
Rain out condensing in the nasal pillows is common. Yes, from moisture in our own exhaled breath. Very common when cooler room temps come about with fall and winter. I have fought it ever winter since I started therapy.

I use a little barrel cozy to help insulate the barrel so the warm air in it doesn't collide so much with the cooler room air and cause condensation. Don't know how to insulate the nasal pillows with your type of mask though. They are just sitting out there exposed to room air. Need some way to keep the air warmer in the nasal pillows which in turn will lessen the likelihood that the air cools which releases the moisture content in the form of condensation.

Re: Wet nasal pillows - any advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:23 pm
by OntarioKevin
Barrel cozy?

I would think with the Resmed nasal pillows it would be easier than with the Swift (which I think you have).

The nasal pillow "barrels" are longer - although I suppose that's the problem.

No idea what would insulate them. Thinking maybe some kind of tape, but it'd probably just itch.

Maybe I'll try pulling the whole cover over my head tonite to see if it's an issue with the ambient air.

Re: Wet nasal pillows - any advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:36 pm
by Pugsy
The Swift FX nasal pillows that I use now and the Swift LT nasal pillows that I used in the past, both have "barrels" which we can put a coat on.
See this
http://www.padacheek.com/PACSwiftII_Barrel_cozy.html

No place to put a coat on with the Liberty Pillows. Wonder if the incoming air from the climateline hose could be warmer to maybe hold more warmth in the pillows???

The problem is moisture in our own exhaled breath. The fix is not so easy. Gotta keep the pillows from having the drop in temperature which releases the moisture.

Re: Wet nasal pillows - any advice?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:18 pm
by OntarioKevin
Ahh... the pix help.

One more problem that stems from having my nose blocked!