A 3" length of dental floss...

...has made a bigger difference in my CPAP experience than everything else I've done combined over three years. As a lifelong mouth breather at night, I've had to use either full-face or hybrid masks and I'm currently on my fourth - a Resmed Mirage Liberty hybrid. Previously I used a Quattro, which seemed to work OK for more than a year but then I began having nose bridge sores, and I was never able to get the leaks well controlled. When I switched to the Liberty, my leak numbers improved quite a bit but my average weekly AHI was still in the 1.5 - 2.0 range. Over three years and four masks, I never once felt like I really slept, probably because I was forcing myself to hold my mouth in a certain position or force my face into the pillow in order to minimize leaks.

Some time ago I read where someone mentioned using dental floss to tie the nasal pillows together in order to keep them from moving around so easily. I don't even know why I thought of it two weeks ago, but I figured it couldn't hurt to try it. I just tied the two pillows together loosely; not pulled together really, just prevented from pulling away from each other. I just wrapped the floss around them a couple of times and carefully tied a knot. That night I slept like I hadn't in years! Every night since then hasn't been as perfect as that one, but all of them have been better than any night I had on CPAP before then. My last two weeks' AHI's have dropped from 1.5-2.0, down to .5-.8.

I just wanted to pass this along. If nothing else, to the new CPAP users - the most insignificant things can make all the difference in the world, and you just have to keep at it, trying new things until you find what works for YOU.

I have used one of the little sili bands (silicone 'rubber' bands kids collect)
to pull the pillows on my Innomed Hybrid backwards toward my nose, instead of popping out at will all night long.
I attach the band onto the mask loops near my cheeks and pass the center of the band over the front of the pilows.
It definitely helps.

Check out the "Papit Compression Clip" in my Avatar thumbnail photo. I've been using it for several weeks now with my Swift FX nasal pillows.

--- EDIT/INSERT: See close-up pictures and discussion on next page of this thread. ---

I developed it by experimenting with different amounts of compression (spring action) provided by various wire materials. (Never tried it with Bobbie pins, but that might work.) The use of non-corrosive, springy wire, with properly formed ends for hooking onto, and retention with, the side flaps of (next to) the Swift FX pillows, gives a durable means by which to give the pillows a slight amount of (emphasis on very 'slight') compression from the outer side of both pillows toward the septum of one's nose. The compression can be adjusted or fine tuned by removing the clip from the FX and either spreading or compressing it to give it a wider or narrower gap end to end, and then reattaching. The clip helped me stabilize the leaks between the pillows and my nostrils in a way that allowed my head band and pillows positioning adjustments to hold with significantly more reliability. The result is the convenience of quicker, easier adjusting to obtain a good seal. It takes far fewer adjustments to get the fit just right for comfort and minimal leakage once the clip is in place.
The flexible springiness of this solution allows for some head movement, without the usual accompanying leakage, by being a bit 'forgiving' due to its spring action, but at the same time holding the pillows in place. While all rights are protected so far as Resmed, Phillips, et al are concerned, fellow cpaptalk members are invited to check out and make use of this pillows-leak-reduction method. Let me know how it works for you here or PM me. Many of you have helped me so much with good advice and reliable information. I've been wanting to give back and say thanks. I hope this will be of some benefit to you guys. Thanks.

Papit wrote:Check out the "Papit Compression Clip" in my Avatar thumbnail photo.

Interesting idea....do you have a larger image available? I can just barely see what you are using and I can't seem to make the image any larger?

Pugsy, hot control plus to enlarge the page.

Elle wrote:Pugsy, hot control plus to enlarge the page.

Got it. Thanks. Played havoc getting things back to normal though.

I have to "hit" not hot control plus a lot in the morning before my eyes start working and often forget to control minus it back.

Does that wire lay across your nose?

It doesn't look like it touches his nose.
That's in there pretty secure, right?
Thanks--I never knew about control-plus.

papit, does the wire go through the silicone, or through the holes wear the tabs attach to the head gear?
Please post photos.

Hi KSMike,
I just have to thank you sooooooooooo much for the tip on dental floss around the pillows.I tried it last night and slept more than I have in a long time. I went to sleep around 10pm and didn't wake up until 3:30!!! I have a very hard time staying asleep and sleep very little actually.
To me last night was heaven and I THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
GOD BLESS YOU!

I think I'm just lucky on this one. The medium sized nasal pillow that came with my ResMed Swift FX is a near-perfect fit. What I have noticed, though, is that over a few weeks it degrades. The first few days after swapping in a new pillow I get 5- to 7-hour sleep periods, with leak numbers around 20, while a couple weeks in I'm rarely getting over 3-4 hours at a whack and leaks are near 24. Maybe the floss Idea could help - I think I've been rolling onto my side and that pulls one side a little bit.

I'm pretty sure I'm not opening my mouth, though. That's NOISY, and wakes me right up. And you should see my dog!! He handles my wearing the mask OK, but if I open my mouth he freaks at the sound & runs out of the room!

KSMike wrote:. . . Some time ago I read where someone mentioned using dental floss to tie the nasal pillows together in order to keep them from moving around so easily. . . . I just wrapped the floss around them a couple of times and carefully tied a knot. That night I slept like I hadn't in years! Every night since then hasn't been as perfect as that one, but all of them have been better than any night I had on CPAP before then. My last two weeks' AHI's have dropped from 1.5-2.0, down to .5-.8. I just wanted to pass this along. . .

It's fascinating, KSMike, how we arrived at almost the same solution. Ditto Chunkyfrog's rubber band work in Nebraska.

Using my wire clip I experienced a dramatic improvement in the Swift FX pillows seal. Can't say my numbers are as good as yours though. I'm at an AHI of around 6 or 7 compared to your .5 to .8. But am happy to be well down from my lab test 38 AHI over the past 3 months. Nice work. Thanks for starting the thread. Hope our fellow pillows and cushion-using members will benefit from this.
Later, -- Papit

Lizistired wrote:papit, does the wire go through the silicone, or through the holes where the tabs attach to the head gear?
Please post photos.

Yep, the wire goes through the silicone. I made my own holes by simply pushing the curved ends of the wire through the silicone tabs. Each of the two curved ends is like a little "U" turn with a twist to it that keeps the clip connected to the silicone tabs. I'll take a picture and post it here in a few minutes.

Papit wrote:

Lizistired wrote:papit, does the wire go through the silicone, or through the holes where the tabs attach to the head gear?
Please post photos.

Yep, the wire goes the silicone. I made my own holes by simply pushing the curved ends of the wire through the silicone tabs. Each of the two curved ends is like a little "U" turn with a twist to it that keeps the clip connected to the silicone tabs. I'll take a picture and post it here in a few minutes.

How do you all determine what the correct distance between the pillows is? Did you measure the space between your nostrils, the bridge of your nose, or what?

Interested,

Nate