My SleepyHead charts from Jun 25

[no1texan]

Two nights in ...here comes #3....clicking on all 3 cylinders...could be 8 if I could get a smiley face in the box.

[Pugsy]

Less fragmented sleep..so that is better than the 23rd report.
Leaks still pretty much out there. Are they waking you up?
Same questions about the centrals (clear airway).

[SleepTechTN]

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[HoseCrusher]

Is that 85lmp supposed to be 85lpm?

[avi123]

Hi:

I'd like to address the leak issue. A Swift FX at pressure off of the face will make a leak of about 85 lmp. So anything in that neighborhood is the same as not wearing it. Make absolute sure that you're wearing the mask correctly. The only reason I say that is I've seen folks wear their Swifts upside down. It's an easy mask to put together incorrectly. Once you've ruled that out make sure that the mask isn't riding up or down or side to side. I love the Swift but that bugger will slide out of position in a heartbeat. Also make sure your mouth isn't hanging open.

It may very well be that the Swift isn't the right mask for you. I tend to fit a Swift first as it's a great mask, but if it doesn't look right to me I go to the F&P Opus.
I think once you get the leak thing straightened out you'll be in good shape.

K.

Comments,

1) In addition, I have seen posters' jagged leak graphs from the Swift pillows vibrating in the nostrils.
2) In above graphs the Tidal Volume and the Min Vent spikes indicate that lots of air goes into the leaks.

[nanwilson]

Hi:

I'd like to address the leak issue. A Swift FX at pressure off of the face will make a leak of about 85 lmp. So anything in that neighborhood is the same as not wearing it. Make absolute sure that you're wearing the mask correctly. The only reason I say that is I've seen folks wear their Swifts upside down. It's an easy mask to put together incorrectly. Once you've ruled that out make sure that the mask isn't riding up or down or side to side. I love the Swift but that bugger will slide out of position in a heartbeat. Also make sure your mouth isn't hanging open.

It may very well be that the Swift isn't the right mask for you. I tend to fit a Swift first as it's a great mask, but if it doesn't look right to me I go to the F&P Opus.
I think once you get the leak thing straightened out you'll be in good shape.

K.

Comment,

In addition, I have seen posters' jagged leak graphs from the Swift pillows vibrating in the nostrils.

Avi...how can you see the pillows vibrating in the nostrils. You are assuming that that is the case , you are not there to actually see it happen.

[avi123]

Hi:

I'd like to address the leak issue. A Swift FX at pressure off of the face will make a leak of about 85 lmp. So anything in that neighborhood is the same as not wearing it. Make absolute sure that you're wearing the mask correctly. The only reason I say that is I've seen folks wear their Swifts upside down. It's an easy mask to put together incorrectly. Once you've ruled that out make sure that the mask isn't riding up or down or side to side. I love the Swift but that bugger will slide out of position in a heartbeat. Also make sure your mouth isn't hanging open.

It may very well be that the Swift isn't the right mask for you. I tend to fit a Swift first as it's a great mask, but if it doesn't look right to me I go to the F&P Opus.
I think once you get the leak thing straightened out you'll be in good shape.

K.

Comment,

In addition, I have seen posters' jagged leak graphs from the Swift pillows vibrating in the nostrils.

Avi...how can you see the pillows vibrating in the nostrils. You are assuming that that is the case , you are not there to actually see it happen.

Reply,

See here a jagged leak in a ResScan graph, most likely from the pillows vibrations or looseness. You don't need to be there with a magnifying glass:

[no1texan]

It is interesting to observe the dialouge that is ongoing from parts around this globe about a specific process without seeing the process....I mean this in a positive way. You are hitting the nail on the head I think because I both feel and hear air that I am not sure I should be hearing and feeling. I know there is air coming from below my nose for exhaling. I think the fitting of the mask is the culprit, i.e. I have it on wrong and as SleepTechTN says it may not be the right mask for me. Another good reason to want to see the rep from Preferred Homecare sooner than later.

[Pugsy]

Make sure the swivel connector isn't leaking. That thing can be a pill to get just right.
Using the Swift FX headgear...the notch is on your left side of the headgear (picture it on your head)...the nasal pillow with the notched side matches up with notch on the strap. There are no notches on the right side.
I once went a week with it backwards...last summer broken wrist and couldn't assemble things and husband put it on backwards and I didn't catch it. It was leaky but no where as leaky as yours though.
Looks almost like the nasal pillow is in your ear..
So check all connections carefully and even change nasal pillow size if you think it might help...sure couldn't hurt at this point.

See if you can do a 15 minute test while awake...just so you can get a baseline where the leak should be minimal.
If it isn't...perhaps leak is not at the nasal pillow..nostril junction. Should be able to do it while awake by gently holding the nasal pillows in place with your hand.

[lazer]

.............
Using the Swift FX headgear...the notch is on your left side of the headgear (picture it on your head)...the nasal pillow with the notched side matches up with notch on the strap. There are no notches on the right side.
.......

Oh crap! Now I'm wondering if this is what I had wrong the other night. I didn't even realize these notches or anything before and thought the pillow went on either way and was the same.

[ekubaskie]

You seem to be doing fairly well. I'd also say that it's kind of cool to see your daily results and everybody chiming in with suggestions and support. What a nice bunch!

Your pressures are far higher than mine, and I don't know the effect of that, but as to MY leaks, which are rare and tend to be mild:

I can hear any leaks quite clearly. I'll hear a continuous hiss, and the worse the leak, the higher the frequency - not just volume. But the main point is *continuous*. When I get the leaks down - and it's really just a matter of positioning, because my lower pressure makes me (I think) able to cut off leaks with a fairly loose mask, the sound is VERY different. On exhale, it sounds more like air going through my nose, really just as it sounds if I exhale a bit hard while awake. It's tough to describe, but it sounds like it's more internal, or at least closer to me. On inhale, the I get a kind of quiet "whoooo" horn effect, like blowing across the top of a bottle, and I get the impression that the sound comes from the hose, not me.

At those low-leak times, it feels almost like I'm not wearing the mask. The different tones are the only clue that it's still on. Getting there? Chasing down and killing a mild leak is sometimes just a nose wiggle. Remember "Bewitched"? I need to grab the mask and adjust some, or even tug the straps around for bigger leaks, but it's still just pretty gentle tugs & nudges. Too easy to adjust too far if I reef on it.

I hope you find this description applies and helps at your pressure levels.

[Pugsy]

Oh crap! Now I'm wondering if this is what I had wrong the other night. I didn't even realize these notches or anything before and thought the pillow went on either way and was the same.

There is a tiny ResMed stamped into the pillow right next to where it attaches to the swivel...the ResMed logo name needs to be on top. If it is on the bottom the pillow is upside down and doesn't seal as well. It isn't a horrible seal but it makes the cones fit backwards.
Normal fit...the nasal pillows form a / \ shape like your nostrils.
Backwards/up side down fit..the nasal pillows form a \ / shape.
Slant being the tilt of the inner cones when looking down on them.

[SleepTechTN]

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[ekubaskie]

Oh crap! Now I'm wondering if this is what I had wrong the other night. I didn't even realize these notches or anything before and thought the pillow went on either way and was the same.

There is a tiny ResMed stamped into the pillow right next to where it attaches to the swivel...the ResMed logo name needs to be on top. If it is on the bottom the pillow is upside down and doesn't seal as well. It isn't a horrible seal but it makes the cones fit backwards.
Normal fit...the nasal pillows form a / \ shape like your nostrils.
Backwards/up side down fit..the nasal pillows form a \ / shape.
Slant being the tilt of the inner cones when looking down on them.

You are right on that, big time. Not only is it easy to hook the pillows into the straps wrong, but once they're in there, it's very easy to put the whole mask on backwards! With the strap towards you, the adjustment "notch-buckle" on top of your head should have the loose end coming out upward and to the right, making that "V" of the pillows point away from your face.

[pats]

There is a tiny ResMed stamped into the pillow right next to where it attaches to the swivel...the ResMed logo name needs to be on top. If it is on the bottom the pillow is upside down and doesn't seal as well.

At night, with low lighting, I find it easier to feel the logo than look for it.