New to cpaptalk, not so new to cpap

[ptchamp]

This is my first time posting, though I've been lurking for a while. This sight is great and the tips are so helpful. I even mentioned to my sleep doc at a follow-up this week that I had found some useful info on this sight and he wrote it down so he could recommend it to other patients.

I was diagnosed last November - didn't even know I had a problem until my GP saw me looking haggard in his office. He took one look at my throat and told me that it was small. I gave him the "are you nuts?" look, but remembered that both of my brothers are on CPAP so I agreed to a sleep study. Picked up my gear in December, threatened my husband and 3 kids if they made fun of me, and then cried. Eight months later I'm discovering how common OSA is and how much better I feel after a good night's sleep.

My Swift II mask is a real pain, though. Lately I've been struggling with it. Every time I move, even the slightest little bit, the pillows shift and I have to readjust. Naturally that wakes me up, so my sleep isn't as good as it was. I had been using size medium nasal pillows and thought a large might seal better, so my doc hooked me up with one, but it isn't any better. (Small was too small.) I'm going to dig in my sewing kit for velcro and try that trick. Pray for me...I'm getting frustrated! Any other ideas?

[JeffH]

replaced the pillows lately? They don't last forever.

[RosemaryB]

Did you have problems with it from the start? If so, maybe it's not the best mask for you.

If it worked well at first, you could replace the pillows, as suggested. If you have insurance, they do allow for a replacement of the pillows every month with many plans.

If you have insurance, many plans will allow for a replacement mask. You could try a different mask (sometimes after 6 months) to see if you can get one that works better for you.

It will take some work to find a mask that works for you, most likely. Just don't give up. You can get plenty of help here.

If you don't have insurance, you should still try to get a mask that works. It's well worth the money.

[ptchamp]

I had a much better night's sleep last night! The sewing kit didn't produce any velcro, but I do have old pantyhose, so I cut the leg out of a pair and threaded it around the back of the strap and through the cheek straps, then tied it in front under my chin. Wow! It made a huge difference!

I get two pillows every month, so the ones I have aren't worn out. The past few weeks are really the only time I've had trouble with the whole set-up. It's the mask that I was given initially and I'll stick with it because it's so light weight - and I can't stand anyone or anything covering my nose, so a nasal or full-coverage mask isn't an option I want to think about. Besides, the pantyhose solved my problem (for last night at least) and I'll try that again.

[tangents]

Jeff's right, it might be time for new pillows. I use the Twilight NP (Aura), and recently tried the Swift. Everyone's different, but I'm sticking with the Twilight. If you're feeling like trying a new mask, you might like it, too. The feel of the pillows is very similar, and there's lots of ways to "customize" the headgear. If you look under the "collective wisdom" lightbulb, you'll find lots of mask fit/leak suggestions.

Good luck!
Cathy