Help with facial swelling using Innomed Hybrid mask

[beckah]

I have been using the Hybrid for several months now and find it very comfortable. I have adjusted the straps to the point that the leaks are staying pretty flat and I sleep the entire night through without awakening.

I have been training myself to stay on my right side during sleep by wearing a backpack filled with uncomfortable objects and it has worked extremely well keeping me out of the supine position. (Thanks for the advice about back sleeping, Pugsy)! My AHI runs higher when I sleep on my back so changing sleep position is an effort to keep the AHI low.

I have noticed my eyes are pretty swollen in the morning. I don't feel any leaks into my eyes so the only thing I can think of is the snugness of the straps is keeping fluids around my eyes from draining properly. They are not so tight that they leave marks on my face, I can insert a finger under them. They are not so tight that they cause me any discomfort. I also use the "tights leg" fix to stabilize the pillows. They are across the nasal pillow, up over my ears and tied behind my head. I'm wondering if the tight's leg is adding additional pressure across my cheek bones, causing the swelling.

Do you think I need to elevate the head of the bed, wear the mask looser, change positions more often.......can you think of anything else I can try to reduce the swelling? The swelling lasts the majority of the day and I look like I just woke up even after I've been up for hours. I generally sleep between 6-8 hours each night.

Pressure is 13.5/18 although most nights I don't see much variation in the pressure. AHI is well controlled, averaging <1.5 most nights.

Thanks for any advice you are willing to give.


beckah

[nanwilson]

Bechah
What you have is dry eyes....my eye doc told me I did too. What I use is GenTeal gel drops...put 2 drops in each eye several times a day until you feel relief, then 2 drops at bed time every night...I add this to my bed time routine.....pills, eye drops and then lansinoh on the nares, pee and off to bed There are several types of GenTeal this is in a smal purple and black box, when you open the box the bottle is white with a purple label and is 15 ml, can be bought in the states too, cost me $10.99 in Canada so should be cheaper there. There are a few of us on the forum that use GenTeal gel drops and it works. Dry eyes is caused by the air blowing up your nose, has nothing to do with the straps. I use the pantyhose trick too but I cut a 2 or 3 inch piece from around the thigh, just makes a thinner round strip and I put it around my pillows an then down to the back of my neck. No knot to deal with and no pantyhose near my eyes.
Nan

[ozij]

I agree with Nan. It's could be the vented air ricocheting back from the bedclothes or pillow to your eyes.

[M.D.Hosehead]

There have been several threads on this subject. I have the same symptom. My guess is that you are correct that the drainage from the face (either venous or lymphatic) is constricted by the strap or by the pressure of the mask itself. When I use a nose mask+tape, the problem is considerably less.

Obviously, it can't hurt to try eyedrops, but in my case, my eyes, rather than being dry, are actually boggy with moisture in the morning. Ozij' suggestion of being sure air isn't blowing on your eyes is also worth checking.

I'm sorry to report that, other than a different mask arrangement, no one here seems to have a solution.

[nanwilson]

There have been several threads on this subject. I have the same symptom. My guess is that you are correct that the drainage from the face (either venous or lymphatic) is constricted by the strap or by the pressure of the mask itself. When I use a nose mask+tape, the problem is considerably less.

Obviously, it can't hurt to try eyedrops, but in my case, my eyes, rather than being dry, are actually boggy with moisture in the morning. Ozij' suggestion of being sure air isn't blowing on your eyes is also worth checking.

I'm sorry to report that, other than a different mask arrangement, no one here seems to have a solution.

MD Hosehead
My eyes were swollen too but they were running and wet constantly, my eye doc said my tear ducts were over compensating for the dry eyes and just leaking constantly. Since using the GenTeal I have not had any swelling nor runny eyes. I have used 8 different masks over the past year including pillows only and they all caused the same symptoms.
Cheers, Nan

[M.D.Hosehead]

Well, thanks for the tip, Nan. It's definitely worth a try; I'm on my way to get some.

[xenablue]

Sometimes I just read these kinds of threads, shake my head in amazement at the inventiveness of the people here to overcome all the issues, problems and discomfort we have dealing with XPAP.

I think we're ALL bloody heroes for sleeping with those things strapped to our faces every night - without whining and crying - cuz we know how much good it's doing us.

Thank you to all the wonderful 'oldtimers' here who have helped people like me - I guarantee, had I not found this forum I would have given up long ago - thanks to no help from doctors or DME suppliers.

Cheers and hugs to all.

xena

[Pugsy]

Both eyes seem to be equally swollen? Or does the side that is "down" seem a little worse? I sometimes have a bit of swelling around eyes if I spend a lot of time sort of face down into the pillow, more so on the right side since if I am side or tummy sleeping it is usually right side down. With the wrist injury I have been on my back 95% of the time and essentially no facial swelling.

Wonder if loosening just the tights would help? That would be the first I would try if it were me. Perhaps the compression on the cheek surface is just enough to impede circulation a bit. Doesn't take much fluid to puff up the face.
Raising the bed might also help letting gravity do a bit more work.

[beckah]

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions.

Nan, I do have the GenTeal eye drops and I will start using them this evening. I do have dry eyes so this makes a lot of sense.

M.D. Hosehead, yes, my eyes are leaking a lot after I wake up. The tearing seems to go on for about an hour and then subsides but my eyes remain swollen.

Pugsy, both eyes are swollen but the right one is worse. That is the side I sleep on now. I'll also try loosening the tights. It seems I can't keep the pillows to stop leaking unless I strap them down somehow.

[cflame1]

have you tried either a shoelace or a wire... instead of tying the pillows to your head, how about just fastening them to your mask?

[beckah]

cflame1, I haven't tried a shoelace or wire although I did try the rubber band trick. (didn't work for me, the pillows still leaked) A shoelace might be less bulky and I could tie it to the mask straps. It certainly wouldn't be as binding that way.

I saw the wire mod but don't have any wire here that would be sturdy enough to keep the pillows immobile. I also wondered if the wire wouldn't press against the skin under my nares and cause soreness. Is this the topic you are talking about?

viewtopic/t64879/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=64 ... ks#p603242

I think I'll go ahead and try the shoelace tonight and see if that helps with the eye swelling. I'll also use the GenTeal eyedrops. Hopefully something helps and I don't have puffy, leaky eyes in the A.M.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[cflame1]

yeah that's the one that I was thinking of... I haven't actually done either... just thought that confining the pillows to the mask might relieve some pressure.