Pillow Recommendations Using The Swift FX Mask

[fullrun]

I'm just completing my 3rd week on CPAP... and adjusting slowly.. but definitely moving forward. So, I'm looking at the various ways I can increase my ease in falling asleep and one of them is definitely changing out the pillow... which has been pure goose down. But now with the mask gear, it is not working well. I'm a side sleeper...alternating from side to side during the night. Feeling comfortable with the mask... and not waking up to adjust it... is really the next hurdle for me to get over in order to have a really restful night of sleep. I would love some recommendations on pillows to try. What's not working about the down pillow is that it doesn't offer enough support in holding the weight of the head... so I'm looking for something that will support the weight of the head.. mold itself to it... and yet not create a hard resistance against the mask. RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE APPRECIATED...

[Slartybartfast]

I've got the Opus 360 mask which is similar to your Swift FX. I've found that soft pillows that my head sinks into tend to dislodge the nasal pillows, causing leaks. A firmer polyester filled pillow of medium thickness solved that problem. It's also important to be aware of where your schnoz is with respect to the edge of the pillow. I try to sleep with my face on the edge of the pillow so there is little/no pillow material in contact with the mask. That minimizes leaks and allows me to keep the straps loose. Once I'm asleep it doesn't seem to be much of a problem.

Experiment with different pillows until you find what works for you.

[HoseCrusher]

I read in bed. While reading I have a second pillow that I prop up against. One night I got really tired and simply put my mask on and went to sleep on the two pillows.

Best thing I ever did.

Using 2 pillows makes sleeping on my back a little uncomfortable (which I view as a good thing) so I roll over to my side. I also sleep with my head toward the edge of the pillows and have very little problem with knocking the mask use.

Prior to xPAP, when I fell asleep with 2 pillows one of them would end up on the floor. After xPAP I was surprised that I wake up sleeping on both pillows.

[Pugsy]

I have used a buckwheat hull pillow with mine for well over a year now. It gives me the neck support my poor old neck needs and allows me to mold a little space for the mask to lay when I am on my side.
It is called the Regenesis buckwheat pillow and I got it from pur-sleep.com. There are many other brands out there that probably would be pretty much like this one.
A search of this board for Regenesis will give you a long list of comments because Bret (the SleepGuy) who offers this pillow gave some out for a trial if we would review them.

I have a metal rod in my neck due to a bunch of things. Even if I didn't use CPAP, I would like this pillow because it works so well for me. Large pillows, or firm pillows that are too big, put a strain on my neck and causes headaches.

[paulw]

I side sleep and usually use either Opus 360 or Swift FX nasal pillows. I use a buckwheat pillow but the way I route the hose seems to matter as much as the pillow to keep from dislodging the mask.
I use a Regenesis buckwheat pillow and a couple other products from Pur-Sleep for hose management.
One is their Hose Cozy fleece cover and the other is the Hose Cozy Boss. I've also sewn a short hose cover from fleece material to cover the small hose that comes with the mask.
These allow me to route the hose straight back over the head board so I can turn from side to side without the hose pulling at the mask. The boss allows slack when I move and the covers keep the cold plastic off my face.

Good luck optimizing your set up and welcome to the board.

[fullrun]

THANK YOU ALL! VERY APPRECIATED!!!

[robysue]

Well, I'm a side sleeper who uses the Swift FX and I haven't abandoned my down pillow (yet).

But then again: I'm tiny and my down pillow is very, very old and very, very thin and highly squashable. In essense, it really only serves as a bit of padding and squashes where ever I need the most padding under my head and neck

I personally find that most pillows are both too thick and too firm. They bend my neck in an unnatural fashion---all in an "effort" to support my head.

The smaller versions of the buckwheat pillows mentioned by a previous poster are actually pretty close in many ways to my old, nearly worn out down pillow in that they're not really fluffy or over stuffed in any sense of the word. And they are highly squashable. If/when I ever have to abandon my down pillow, that's most likely what I'll wind up replacing it with since new down pillows are way, way to fluffy at this point for what I need.

[scrapper]

Over the last couple years I think I've tried all of the pillows.........but I keep going back to the firm temperpedic pillow that is shaped. Before I sleep, I often have the small regenesis buckwheat pillow on top of my night pillow. I liked the buckwheat for a long time but eventually gave it up because it was just too hard on my ears when I sleep on my side. Now the buckwheat pillow lays behind my back at night--keeps me comfortably on my side at night. I recently bought the Pappillow...........again have tossed it aside for the temperpedic. I think I've finally learned my lesson and will quick investing in pillows.............

[fullrun]

Scrapper,

Which Tempur-Pedic model did you purchase: the Cloud Pillow?

[cobra4x4]

The pillow recommendations are good, but I'll also direct you on a couple of other things which may be going on as well.

1. Quite often around about the 1 month mark your body goes through an adjustment phase which usually last a few weeks, during this phase you may feel like your treatment isn't working or even feel worse than before you started on cpap (This is normal so continue with your treatment and it shall pass).

2. As you keep using your mask the headgear will stretch a little and therefore needs a slight adjustment.

[fullrun]

Cobra, Thanks...
I've already have discovered that the difficulties to mask adjustment become more specific over time... more intrusive in your sleep. Other words, initially the experience was general. Last night was a breakthrough with mask adjustments/fit... primarily due to reading a detailed understanding of how the Swift FX operates... and how to fit it to your face. Also initially the silicone straps running across my cheeks didn't both me... but the last 2 nights they've left impressions and red marks on my skin... due to the weight of my head when I'm sleeping on my side. May have to put the felt sleeve protection on them. The most informative and helpful piece of information was given to me by one of the members who reminded me that my sleep habits were well ingrained from year and years of doing so... and that now I was breaking that up and relearning new ones... and that would take time, patience, and adjustments..

[scrapper]

Scrapper,

Which Tempur-Pedic model did you purchase: the Cloud Pillow?

No tags on the pillow--so went to the website. My pillow is the neck pillow--it's contoured.

[KimberlyM]

I use the Suprima Tempur Pedic pillow because it is kidney shaped and I can put my shoulder up into in and get very comfortable with the Swift LT on. It is softer than the Contour and Comfort pillows by Tempur Pedic (I own those too). We keep the house cool in the winter and the ComfortPillow is too stiff, the contour kinda stiff, but the Suprima stays soft and comfortable year-round.

http://www.tempurpedic.com/Contoured-Pi ... Pillow.asp

I bought mine at Bed Bath and Beyond because they always have 20% off coupons and you can see and try the pillow out and return it if it doesn't work for you. I tried the Cloud pillow, but for me it was too thick. I am 5'8", so not a tiny person, but I have chronic neck problems and I am very picky about the pillow I use (hence the hoarding of Tempur Pedics )

[fullrun]

No tags on the pillow--so went to the website. My pillow is the neck pillow--it's contoured.

Thanks, Scrapper... appreciated!

[sleeplessinaz]

Hi Fullrun--don't get rid of that down pillow yet!! That is exactly what pillow I use and have used. Got them at Costco---2 queen size for like 39.00 or so. WORKS like a dream for me and I am strictly a side sleeper as well. Even though we have a KING size bed--I found the king size pillows are too big to fit around my neck and my mask. The queen size works perfect. I punch and squish the pillow to fit and form it around the mask and neck---like the others said --you are going to have to learn to hang your nose over the edge of the pillow to prevent your mask from leaking and getting dislodged then you move from side to side.

Good Luck in the hunt!! The right pillow is a MUST for us Hose heads--:)

Carrie