Nasal pillow leaks with Breeze

[Wolverine]

I am new to this forum and using CPAP and need some advice. I can't use a mask because I can't breathe through them very well and abandoned treatment about five years ago but recently began using the Breeze and life is worth living again. I had no idea there was daytime after lunch! My question is dealing with leaks and adjusting the fit. I tend to be an active sleeper and like to fall asleep on my stomach but spend a lot of time on my side and back. Sleeping on my back tends to push the pillows out of my nose with resulting leaks. I have tried all four sizes of pillows with similar results. I am thinking switching to the Swift II and wonder what experience people have had with this system or other adjusting tips for the Breeze. I want to stay with a nasal pillow system not a mask. Thank you in advance for the help.

Chris

[chunkyfrog]

You have come to the right place; Welcome.
Others will be along shortly who know more than I do.
In the meantime could you click on the user control panel up at the top of the page, and fill out your profile, so that the folks here will better understand your situation. When the menus come up to show your machine, mask, etc, it is best to choose text rather than pictures.
Whatever you feel like sharing--it's all o.k. Somebody, more than likely, has already been there.
We are here to help--really!

[Wolverine]

I don't mean to be dense but I can't find a user control panel to enter the information. I use a Resmed machine at 8. I am currently using the Breeze nasal pillow system. What else do you want to know about me?

[LoQ]

I don't mean to be dense but I can't find a user control panel to enter the information. I use a Resmed machine at 8. I am currently using the Breeze nasal pillow system. What else do you want to know about me?

You have to register first in order to have a user control panel, but honestly, I don't think that information will be pertinent to your question. It's just what people on this board ask you to do whenever you ask a question without registering and filling out your equipment information.

I found the Breeze difficult to keep in place, and I lie pretty still. You may wish to do some searching on the board to see what masks others have had success with. The Swift LT and LX (?) are very popular nasal pillow masks.

[stanta]

I had a problem keeping mine in place AND when my hair was short I found it had rubbed a thin spot on the front pad location. I bought a skull cap like the football players wear under their helmets and out that on underneath my headgear. Helped a LOT but cost $15 and only lasted 6 months. I next tried one of my do rags I wear when riding my bike. Works great, lasts a long time and when I find them for $5 a piece I pick up extras.

[Seawulff]

I'm going to my doctor tomorrow for the first time since I started treatment and am going to see if I am fitting the mask correctly and then ask about other options. The swift seems like a reasonable option if the breeze isn't doing the job. Thanks for the input.

[rested gal]

Seawulff, the Breeze was the first mask I really liked. Used the Breeze until the Headrest mask (designed by one of the designers of the Breeze) came out. I liked the Headrest nasal pillows mask even better and have continued to use the Headrest for many years now.
LINKS to HeadRest nasal pillows mask topics (same mask has had other names: Aeiomed Aura, then Headrest, then Invacare Twilight NP, then back to Headrest again.)
viewtopic.php?t=3098

But, back to the Breeze...

When using the Breeze, I found that it helped steady the nasal pillows in place if I added a homemade strap that I placed down very low, even lower than where I've drawn it on this picture:


Yeah, I know, the Breeze comes with an optional strap to add somewhat like that, but I found that even putting the Breeze's own "halo" strap down as low as it could go on the little "ladder" in front didn't steady it as well as my own homemade strap placed lower did. That was when I first discovered the joy of the now infamous "pantyhose leg" (leg cut off a pair of pantyhose tights..."tights", not plain pantyhose) as a stabilizing extra strap.

For tying a flat knot behind head -- easy to loosen or tighten during the night, and easy to remove in the morning:
DoubleStart Knot
http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/doublestartknot.htm

All that said, the ResMed Swift LT and Swift Fx nasal pillows masks suit many people and would be good ones for you to try. ResMed makes some of the best masks out there, imho. I like those two Swifts quite well, but I personally like the Headrest nasal pillows better. Of course different masks suit different people... well, "differently."

[countman898]

I have used the Breeze nasal pillow masks for 8 years ( Just 2 of them) and find it great. The secret to a good seal and no leaks I think is to turn the head that holds the pillows a little further inward than you at first find comfortable. Once you get used to that the seal is very good.
Good luck

Kend bris Oz

[Laos Film Director]

I used the Breeze for quite a while but have two other masks I would recommend for you. I believe both of these masks are more stable than the Breeze and I get much better results (leaks, AHI rates) with them. One is the Swift FX, a new ResMed mask that is extremely popular here. Second (and my favorite) is the Adam Circuit. The Adam Circuit is one of the cheapest masks on the market which is especially helpful for people paying for their own equipment. The Adam Circuit uses the exact same nasal pillows as the Breeze. That might be helpful since you wouldn't need to adjust to (or buy) new pillows. Let us know if you try another mask and how things turn out.

[Guest]

I have used the Breeze for many years as a side sleeper and use the straps just as shown in Rested Gal's picture above, moving the staps up/down as required by sleep position. There are so many adjustments possible on the headgear and it is so lightweight and stays off the face.