Sidesleepers

sidesleeper · Post by **sidesleeper** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:08 pm

I just joined today and am also new to CPAP. I usually sleep on my side or stomach and would like to know what masks people have had good results with. I tried nasal pillow masks (I think that's what they're called) and because my nose is always stuffy they don't work well for me.

papdaddy · Post by **papdaddy** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:14 pm

Hello and welcome to the board. The Resmed Activa is a good mask for side sleepers IMHO. It is like an airbag for your nose. when you move around the mask moves with you . Mine seals excellent and does not leak at all when I am on my side. It is just a little bit larger then some of the other masks. Overall good and comfortable.

Rich

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 1:03 pm

Hi! Welcome!

Okay, I'm the Resident SpokesModel for the Nasal Aire II. Please check out my tip sheet up there in the Yellow Light Bulb or Red Question Mark. Or surf for "Babette" and find it in my sig line. I can't log on for real at work, so it's not appearing right here.

I have a permanently stuffy nose. And I'm always amazed that I can sleep with this thing. It just WORKS. I don't know how. I'm stuffed up, but I can breathe. And yes, I KNOW I'm not mouthbreathing. I notice it particularly when I'm lying awake and reading with my mask on. I'll pause and notice that while stuffy, I'm getting adequate O2 and breathing comfortably.

So, think about the Nasal Aire II.

Oh, and btw, I'm a side sleeper. I roll between both sides all night long.

Cheers,
Babs

Sleepdeprived · Post by **Sleepdeprived** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 1:14 pm

Anonymous wrote:Hi! Welcome!

Okay, I'm the Resident SpokesModel for the Nasal Aire II. Please check out my tip sheet up there in the Yellow Light Bulb or Red Question Mark. Or surf for "Babette" and find it in my sig line. I can't log on for real at work, so it's not appearing right here.

I have a permanently stuffy nose. And I'm always amazed that I can sleep with this thing. It just WORKS. I don't know how. I'm stuffed up, but I can breathe. And yes, I KNOW I'm not mouthbreathing. I notice it particularly when I'm lying awake and reading with my mask on. I'll pause and notice that while stuffy, I'm getting adequate O2 and breathing comfortably.

So, think about the Nasal Aire II.

Oh, and btw, I'm a side sleeper. I roll between both sides all night long.

Cheers,
Babs

I side sleep and back sleep with the nasal aire II.

Wearing it ponytale style is good for this. I have shortened the tubes so the hose connector sits at the crown of my head

I also frequently have a stuffy nose and still get good therapy with it.

Highly recommend this interface especially if like me you hate anything
pressing against or resting on your face

PS Thanks to Babs for turning me on to this mask

Sleepdeprived

Lee Lee · Post by **Lee Lee** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 1:15 pm

I am a side sleeper ,too. I have the Activa, and it's good. The only problem is, because it's so big, I can't "nestle" into the pillow. I end up sleeping with my hand under my face to keep the Activa from getting knocked around. I am currently trying to get the Soyola to work, but I am still having nasty leaks. It's really good for side sleepers.
I had wonderful success with the Fisher and Paykel HC407 for the first year or so of my therapy. It's cushy and comfy and quiet. I loved it. But then my pressure needs went up to 12cm , and the mask started to leak like crazy.
I still use it as a back up.
Best,
Lee Ann

dieselgal · Post by **dieselgal** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 1:15 pm

I like the Activa unfortunately they only have 2 sizes, the other mask I use is the F&P 406 or 407

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 1:36 pm

i am a side sleeper (back and forth like babs) and i used to have a stuffy nose all the time (btw, do you know why you are always stuffy?)

i use nasal pillows only, can't tolerate anything touching my face and find nasal pillows best for side sleeping--for me, ymmv; i've tried a few and had some success with the CL2, the breeze and mostly the Aura, although the name has changed AGAIN and i don't know what it's called these days (check out rested gal's profile, she uses it and actually calls it by it's current name...she's not lazy like me); i use the NeilMed sinus rinse kit to keep my sinuses clear and i use my heated humidifier on a very low setting, if at all...for me the humidity increased my stuffiness, for some it's absolutely imperative that they run it medium to high; i use the pur sleep system and have no issues with congestion on the nasal pillows...then again, i also had septoplasty to repair a severely deviated septum back in april, which is why i was asking if you know why you're chronically congested

best of luck

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 2:32 pm

sidesleeper, do you use a heated humidifier with your cpap machine?

Also, what is your prescribed pressure?

Do you used "ramp", and if so, what pressure is your ramp set to start at?

The reason I'm asking all these questions is... even though your nostrils are always stuffy, heated humidification can usually help relieve some of the stuffiness. Not always, though. For some people it's the other way 'round and they have less stuffiness with little or no heated humidification.

If you are using "ramp" and the ramp is set to start out at the least pressure it can be set at (4), many people find that a pressure that low can make breathing in feel like work; feel stifling.

Not trying to grill ya...just trying to get an idea of what pressure you're using, humidification or not, etc. Because even though you've tried a nasal pillows mask and said it didn't work well for you because of stuffy nose, most of the time (imho) nasal pillows masks will clear out stuffiness better than a traditional nasal mask the covers the nose.

Perhaps there are changes you could make to ramp pressure (if you use ramp) and either add heated humidification or turn it way down or turn it off. Lots of things to try that might help you be able to use nasal pillows.

A mask that offers two (actually three, but you order "two of the three") ways to have the cpap air delivered to your snout is:

Respironics ComfortLite 2

You can get it with a choice of two out of three nasal assemblies. The first two are what I'd choose:

1. Nasal pillows
2. Simple seal (like a small nasal mask covering the nose)
3. Direct seal (similar to nasal pillows but more like just two nubs)

Good for toss and turn side sleeping.

If I weren't going to get the ComfortLite 2, these are nasal masks that worked well for me:

Puritan Bennett DreamFIT mask (not the Breeze with DreamSeal attachment.)

Soyala nasal mask

Activa nasal mask

sidesleeper, if your nostrils both stay stuffy all night, there's a very good chance you'll mouth-breathe during sleep. If that happens and you're not wearing a Full Face mask to let you breathe in cpap air either way -- through nose or mouth, you're not going to be getting treatment at all. So do be a detective and figure out if that's happening.

If that's a problem, and you want to stick with a traditional nasal mask or nasal pillows, you'll need to control the mouth breathing / mouth air leaks.

Sleepdeprived · Post by **Sleepdeprived** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 2:47 pm

rested gal wrote:sidesleeper, do you use a heated humidifier with your cpap machine?

Also, what is your prescribed pressure?

Do you used "ramp", and if so, what pressure is your ramp set to start at?

The reason I'm asking all these questions is... even though your nostrils are always stuffy, heated humidification can usually help relieve some of the stuffiness. Not always, though. For some people it's the other way 'round and they have less stuffiness with little or no heated humidification.
.........
If that's a problem, and you want to stick with a traditional nasal mask or nasal pillows, you'll need to control the mouth breathing / mouth air leaks.

Yeah I found out in the last two day I get lower Ahi's without the humifier

But I live in humid south Florida

BTW for mouth leaks I like poligrip strips they beat mouth taping hands down for me

Sleepdeprived

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:06 pm

SleepDeprived - Happy to have turned you on.

Sharon, my nose is stuffy because I'm a SLOB and don't clean up the dust and mold and mildew I'm allergic too.

In my defense, when I DO clean, I get sick.

So, that's not entirely true, but I have had to call in with a bad allergic condition after going through some boxes that had been in storage for awhile.

I bought a SteamFast steamer at Costco and tried to clean the mildew fest in the shower last night. Was moderately succesful. Not as nifty as it looks on TV... grumble grumble grumble...

Cheers,
Babs

drummergirl410 · Post by **drummergirl410** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:38 pm

I vouch for the Activa as well. When I started xPAP, I stayed on my back the whole night! Now, I'm starting to shift onto my sides more, particularly my left side. It is a bit hard to nestle into a pillow with the Activa, but I tend to sleep on the edge of pillows on my side anyway, so it's not a big deal for me. I can usually turn over and get comfortable pretty quickly.

mollym · Post by **mollym** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 10:33 pm

I'm a side sleeper and don't want any straps across my face due to rosacea (forehead isn't a problem). The Comfortlite2 is working really well for me with the addition of an extra strap from about eye level down to the back of my head (it doesn't touch my face at all an is flat).

track · Post by **track** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 10:39 pm

I am a side sleeper and I use a full face mask..soyala or UMFF.....no problems at all.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 1:26 am

I sleep almost exclusively on my side, I use a Soyala nasal mask and it works fine with very little leak.

allergyridden · Post by **allergyridden** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 6:50 am

Here's another vote for the Nasal Aire II, even with all my nasal allergy problems. This is as close to not wearing a mask as you can get. I wear it with the hose going down, just put it over my ears & fasten in the back at the base of my skull with one of the head straps to hold the cushions securely. My favorite.
I turn over several times a night with no problem. It stays put. But check out the thread on pillows, you need a pillow to conform to the mask. I can even wear my Quattro without leaking.

Machine	Mask	Humidifier

Machine	Mask	Humidifier

Mask

Mask

Additional Comments: Strictly a side sleeper

Sidesleepers

Sidesleepers

another side sleeper