mask/pillow combo for side sleeping?

[wolewyck]

Since starting treatment, I suspect that I end up spending a lot more time on my back than previously. I'd like to try changing that-- I wonder if some of my persistent centrals are associated with the extra supine sleeping (e.g., see http://www.journalsleep.org/Articles/290808.pdf).

Prior to diagnosis, I've been really happy with a memory foam pillow, for whatever that's worth.

I find that for some reason, sleeping on my side with my current setup makes me feel as though it's harder to breathe than on my back. Also, the Swift FX seems to require readjustment-- seems to leak more-- when I switch from back to side, even though I hang my hose.

I'm curious what mask/pillow combos have worked for others for side-sleeping...?

[Janknitz]

I have a contoured memory foam pillow, and I position my face in the "ditch" between the two neck rolls. With some velcro in the back of my Swift it's pretty stable, and I can generally turn without having to readjust, EXCEPT that my hose hanger is to the right side, not directly overhead, and it does tend to pull a bit on the FX when I roll to my left side. My homemade hose hanger has a pulley sysem, and I think I need to reduce the counterweight a bit to fix this, but haven't done so yet.

When I sleep with the LT instead of the FX I don't have this problem because the headgear holds the short hose and it doesn't cause any drag on the nasal pillows when I turn away from the hose hanger. I sure wish there was an easy system to hold the short hose on the FX.

[WontGiveUp]

I found I get centrals with the FX and LT when I sleep on my side and the exhaust gets covered by my pillow. This causes CO2 to build up which causes heavier breathing too. To keep my hose from yanking on my mask and causing leaks I secured it with an LT hose strap by feeding the strap through the slot that the back of the head strap goes through. I only left about 3 inches of hose (not including the connector) so that the hose curves down to the mask connector as I found if it's not arced enough it pulls on the mask and causes huge leaks, but if not enough hose is sticking out on the connector side it can be uncomfortable on your head. Also, I found it best to strap the hose on the opposite side of the side you normally sleep on. If you'd lake a picture I'd be glad to post (don't have my camera handy right now). This has worked great for me and in conjunction with my hose system I get fairly insignificant leaks. I also found that the fewer leaks I get the less I roll around and subsequently spend more time on my back, so I get significantly fewer centrals. Hope this helped. Good luck.

[needzzz]

I have a similar set up (LT For Her, contoured memory foam pillow), but have been unable to get completely comfortable with it. If I get to the point that there is no drag on the nasal pillows, my neck hurts (the original reason I bought the memory foam pillow). Don't have a hose hanger (don't have a headboard from which to hang one, either).

I have a contoured memory foam pillow, and I position my face in the "ditch" between the two neck rolls. With some velcro in the back of my Swift it's pretty stable, and I can generally turn without having to readjust, EXCEPT that my hose hanger is to the right side, not directly overhead, and it does tend to pull a bit on the FX when I roll to my left side. My homemade hose hanger has a pulley sysem, and I think I need to reduce the counterweight a bit to fix this, but haven't done so yet.

When I sleep with the LT instead of the FX I don't have this problem because the headgear holds the short hose and it doesn't cause any drag on the nasal pillows when I turn away from the hose hanger. I sure wish there was an easy system to hold the short hose on the FX.

[flowergal3]

I have been trying a couple of different masks, alternating between the Swift LT and the Mirage Quattro FF mask. I am a dedicated feather pillow side-sleeper, so I was having problems with leakage, too.

My husband lab ratted me a hose hanger from the headboard which helped very much, and I bought a Regenesis pillow from Pur Sleep. When I got the pillow case with a bag of buckwheat hulls in the mail last week I had some major doubts, but I filled the pillow and decided to give it a try. The pillow is very firm (this could be adjusted by removing some hulls) but the first night I slept right straight through and my leak rates were much better. Even the Quattro's large size didn't give me trouble with this pillow. As others have said, I can sort of dig a hole in the pillow for my ear and headgear, and arrange the pillow around my neck for support in any way I need, and the nice thing is, the pillow stays right where you put it. So far, so good! (And no, I don't work for Pur-Sleep)

[Tired Linda]

I use an Ultra Mirage FFM and got a buckwheat hull pillow for Christmas.

I can sort of dig a hole in the pillow for my ear and headgear, and arrange the pillow around my neck for support in any way I need, and the nice thing is, the pillow stays right where you put it.

Exactly. I tried 3 different pillows before I got this, and I'm stickin' with it.

[KimberlyM]

I have the Suprima memory foam pillow by Tepurpedic. It is softer than their other memory foam pillows and shaped like a kidney, which I like. I also have their regular memory foam pillow, but have found it too stiff to work with right now because of the cold temperatures. I use the Swift LT and have a hose hanger.

[ArtMovesTheSoul]

I've had a good experience with the contour cpap pillow https://www.cpap.com/productpage/CPAP-M ... illow.html.