Swift FX + narrow nose = no seal?

[snuginarug]

I just spent an hour trying to fit myself up with a swift FX. I tried small. medium and large pillows. Medium came the closest to getting a seal, so I guess that's the right size. My problem seems to be that the space between my nares (I think it is called the septum?) is too narrow. If I hold the mask, sort of squeezing the two pillows closer together, I get a seal. Is this just that my nose is too narrow? Or is it because I am positioning the pillows incorrectly? Also, I have narrow slit-like nares. Is it true that your nares can be too long and skinny to use pillows? Or is that a wives' tale?

My other question is whether the Swift LT is different in shape and might provide a different fit? I re-supply in something like 2 months, so I can try something new then. Should I bother trying the LT?

It seems like the more i struggle with leaky masks, the nicer my current softgel nasal seems. I hate the way it presses against the space between nose and lip. But I get a damn good seal with it. Perhaps I am just destined to use this mask.

Any observations, tips, tricks, instructions, suggestions, help of any kind, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, you guys are great!

[larry63]

I just spent an hour trying to fit myself up with a swift FX. I tried small. medium and large pillows. Medium came the closest to getting a seal, so I guess that's the right size. My problem seems to be that the space between my nares (I think it is called the septum?) is too narrow. If I hold the mask, sort of squeezing the two pillows closer together, I get a seal. Is this just that my nose is too narrow? Or is it because I am positioning the pillows incorrectly? Also, I have narrow slit-like nares. Is it true that your nares can be too long and skinny to use pillows? Or is that a wives' tale?

My other question is whether the Swift LT is different in shape and might provide a different fit? I re-supply in something like 2 months, so I can try something new then. Should I bother trying the LT?

It seems like the more i struggle with leaky masks, the nicer my current softgel nasal seems. I hate the way it presses against the space between nose and lip. But I get a damn good seal with it. Perhaps I am just destined to use this mask.

Any observations, tips, tricks, instructions, suggestions, help of any kind, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, you guys are great!

Hey snug,

Someone on either this forum or another one responded to this question for me, mentioning some source of differently shaped nasal pillows.
In my case my nares just weren't the right shape for the Swift FX pillows. I'm going to find the thread but if you find it first PM me and vice versa.

[snuginarug]

Well, i feel a bit sheepish. I have belatedly done what I should have done before starting this thread. To wit... look at myself in the mirror while trying on the mask. By looking in the mirror I can clearly see that the shape of my nares is the problem. So that is another mask wasted. I will be giving it away to a good home.


I am still curious about other types/brands of pillows... anyone with long, slit-like nares found a set of pillows that work for them?

[M.D.Hosehead]

I am still curious about other types/brands of pillows... anyone with long, slit-like nares found a set of pillows that work for them?

Breathe-Rite strips make my nares more round; makes the difference between pillows working vs. not working for me.

[DreamLady]

My septum is narrow and my nares are slit-like as well. I use the XS pillows and I have no problems getting a seal. I occasionally get a leak when rolling over, but a quick wiggle of the mask rounds out my nares to fit the pillow (or perhaps squishes the pillow to make it fit the nares better, I don't know which). I found it took a couple of weeks to get the headgear fine-tuned so that I know what exactly how the mask should fit, and now my AHI is consistently around 2 or less.