Opus nasal pillows uncomfortable/ pressure questions

[grumpygirl]

Hi All- I have been using the Opus nasal interface for a few weeks now(maybe 4-5) and found it very comfortable and easy to put on. Lately I have noticed that I am waking up several times during the night again with the mask making leaking sounds. Also, the pillows ( I use medium or small) are beginning to irritate my nares. It is VERY uncomfortable and a bit discouraging since things seemed to be going so well. I tried alternating between the med. and small pillows to see if one or the other was better but lately both seem to be doing it. I started out using the medium and had good results. I can't seem to get a good seal anymore and my straps are getting tighter and tighter in order to compensate for the leaking. Any suggestions?? Do you think the pillows have worn out already and are not sealing well? I would think that they would last more than a few weeks!! My poor nares look like I have had the flu and wiped every bit of skin from under my nose. HELP!! I don't have any other mask to alternate with so I am afraid not to use the Opus every night. Plus I don't sleep well at all when I don't use the CPAP (never thought I'd hear myself say that!!). Also, I'm beginning to wake up maybe 3 times a night again. I was sleeping almost 4-5 hrs. at a time before the last week. I had set my EPR at 1 fulltime and my pressure at 12. I noticed in the morning my readings showed the pressure at 11.6. Think maybe I should take the EPR off and go back to full pressure of 12? Maybe that is why I am waking up so much now??

[boynedoc]

Hmm, I use the Opus as well, and have been for about the same time frame.

If your nares are that sore, you should try the AYR Nasal Gel on them to help at night, and some sort of ointment - like Neosporin or a Vit E Ointment to ease the skin irritation and help prevent infection.

I doubt its a pressure related issue, I am on 16cm.

Also, how frequently are you cleaning the pillow? Another issue is to make certain that pillow/mask interface is aligned correctly. Leaks can occur there and have nothing to do with the seal at the nares. There is a little bump or tab that needs to line up with a recess in the mask interface to line up correctly. Additionally, make sure the pillow is fully seated into the mask harness.

Another question is, how much humidity are you using? A lack of humidity can contribute to the soreness. As far as straps go, I can't recommend highly enough PADACHEEK's strap pads. They helped me stablize my Opus and are VERY COMFORTABLE - no more strap marks!

[grumpygirl]

Thanks for the info. I am cleaning the pillows daily and I have been sure to align the pillows with the indentation on the mask frame. If I tape the pillows to my face they seem to leak less,however this too is uncomfortable and irritates my face. I agree with you that it is probably not my pressure but I am at a loss to figure out what the heck is suddenly going wrong. I know for sure that I am probably getting the headgear too tight but I don't know what else to do. I too have the pad a cheek pad and they do help with marks on the cheeks but not around the nose. Oh, well I'll just have to tinker with things again to find some relief. I'll try the Ayr gel too.

[ozij]

I"ve been using pillows for 3 years, and know what you're talking about.

Release the headgear, making it tighter and tighter is part of the vicious cycle and contributing to your discomfort.

I find that after a while - a week or so of daily cleaning with baby wipes, I have to soak my pillows in soapy water.

And once in a while maybe once in 6 week or more - I soak the pillows in a 1 part vinegar to 10 part water solution. I also did it in a 1 part v. to 3 part w. solution - but found that the more diluted solution is good enough. Start with a short soak.

There has been a recent dicsussion maintaining that the vinegar degrades the pillows "in the long run"; However, when the choice is "new pillows now" or degradation in the long run, the vinegar solution is a good idea.

It has solved leaking pillows for me like no (pillow) wash did.

I have also discovered that washing my nasal area with soap and water just befor I go to bed helps.

Good luck
O.

[michaelho]

I use the OPUS as well and have similar problems from time to time. I can't get a good seal and end up waking up to 6-7 times. Tightening the mask does not help, just hurts. Very frustrating so I have another mask I alternate with (Puritan Breeze). Usually swapping masks in the middle of the night fixes the problem. Recently I swapped all night and ended up throwing both of them across the room and trying to sleep without the @#@# machine. Had a terrible day the next day. But it is weird, sometimes I just have a few days of bad leaks , lack of seal issues, then they go away. I can't explain it.

[boynedoc]

I'd be MORE than happy to work out a swap with any of you on Pillows.

I use large exclusively and have my medium and small pillows to trade - (they are unused) - I've already posted on Mask Roulette with no result.

Just PM me and we can work out the details. The price on those replacement pillows can add up....

[sombu]

I just started using APAP with the Opus and the medium pillows, a week now and found I had better luck with leaks when the mask was a little loose rather then tight. My nares were sore the first day but felt better once I loosened the headgear The RT to me NOT to use any petroleum products like Vaseline or oil base ointments or lotions with the mask because it would break it down. She said to use saline based lubricant like KY jelly or Surilube. Good luck, I'm still waking up 5-6 time a night getting use to a mask, I know it is very frustrating.

[NotthatBob]

I use these to alternate when my Mirage wears a scab on the bridge of my nose. I find that it is difficult to exhale with these. I wake up with a headache. I wonder if I'm not exhausting all the CO2, or if the pressure is giving me a headache.

[LavenderMist]

I use the Opus as well. When I first started using it, I use Ayr gel on the inside and outside of my nose and that seemed to help soreness. Tightening straps too tight pushes your nose up and makes it sore. I put my straps looser and let the hose free swivel. I seemed to have more pressure/pain with it routed overhead and hose pulling on my nose especially when I turned. Now, I don't even use the Ayr gel anymore.

edit: by the way my pressure is 11 w/ cflex setting of 1. I have to reposition the pillows a bit sometimes at first when starting out, but then they pretty much stay in place. I think the tighter you make the straps the more problems with leaks occur. That has been my experience anyway.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): hose

[BadBreath]

Are we talking about the old Opus pillows or the new ones that come with the 360? I ask because they made the newer ones a little more rigid (I think to deal with this very problem) and as a result they are less comfortable (and didn't solve the problem anyway).

I think the original Opus pillows are the most comfortable of all the pillows I have tried. You are probably overtightening to compensate for the leaks, as they work well with just enough force to keep them against the nares, almost a "floating seal".

The problem, as you have seen, is once they break in they soften and as they warm, or your nose and/or the pillows get slick, they spread apart under even the slight force needed. The solution for most has been the "velcro strap" or the "o-ring", which is what I use. The trick is to place a band (veclcro or correct diameter o-ring) just below the pillow stems on the soft body of the pillows. It should not push the stems together (unless it gives you a better fit) but should keep them from sliding apart when the pillows warm or your nose gets slippery (it's usually both).

For me it has eliminated those type of leaks altogether and I sleep through the night.

The other trick I have used is not to let the hose float, (I like it overhead), but to add a rigid downtube between the pillow housing and the hose. This helps to stabilize your chosen position of the pillows relative to the nose by isolating any movement from the hose.

To see how to add a rigid downtube check out my "ballcap" mod,

Opus Ballcap Mod

but just put the hose assembly with the new downtube back on the original headgear and attach the tube to the top headband with one of the velcro straps. You'll find it to be a much more stable, yet fexible mask.

[Guest]

I have used the Opus 360 now for about 2 weeks and I've also had trouble with small leaks around the pillows during the night. I found if I push them together slightly while they are in my nose, the leaks stopped. Obviously that doesn't work when trying to sleep, so I came up with a possible solution (hopefully!). I tied a piece of dental tape around the base of the pillows to push them a little closer together. I'm going to try it tonight for the first time and I'll post if it works or not.

The hose hangs down in front while I sleep, not over my head. I have a clip attached to the hose, that I secure to my nightshirt so the hose is stablized if I move during my sleep. Otherwise it's too easy to dislodge the mask. I don't keep the headgear very tight.

I must say this is a very lightweight mask. Hopefully I can get the small leaks to stop!

[tiredofbeingsleepy]

The above post was mine. Sorry, I forgot to log in first!

[tiredofbeingsleepy]

I'm pleased to report that the dental tape (thick floss) worked very well in keeping the pillows closer together. This pretty much eliminated the leaks that kept waking me up. I felt like I slept much better and didn't have air blowing up towards my eyes in the night or the noise associated with leaks! I got a great nights sleep last night, so fingers are crossed that this "fix" will continue to work!

[michaelho]

Night after night at the moment, I have little leaks around one nostril with the 360. I try to re-seat it time after time, but still can't get rid of it. It's just a little little leak, probably not enough to even register very much on Encore-Pro. However it blows on my lip, just ever so slightly and keeps me from sleeping.
I can have a perfect seal on the left side (of side sleeping) then when I turn over I get this little leak!
Does anyone know how to fix these?

[ozij]

A piece of Mack's Silicone earplugs rolled into a snake, cut and put on the seal?

O.