nasal pillow question

jenjochach · Post by **jenjochach** » Sat May 10, 2008 11:59 am

So, here is another in a series of odd questions, I'm afraid. I've been using mirage swift masks for a while now- going on 3 years I think? Everything was fantastic until a few months ago. All of a sudden, I started having terrible leaks around the nose. I tried a bunch of stuff, (including cinching my mask down so tight I got red rash/chafing/and an actual blister on my nostrils and upper lip). Finally solved the problem by switching from medium to large pillows, and loosening everything back up.

So this enlarging nares issue- has anyone else experienced somethign similar? Will this continue to happen, so that in a few years I'll have to look for extra-large pillows, and then xxl, then xxxl? Are my nares going to follow the same trajectory as my waistline? Any thoughts?

sootired2 · Post by **sootired2** » Sat May 10, 2008 8:26 pm

Ok, forgive me if this is a stupid question, but have you been using the same Swift for 3 years? Have you been getting new pillows every 3 months or so or are they the original?

I think they do wear out eventually. What kind of stuff have you been using to clean your Swift?

I doubt that your nares are enlarging! I certainly hope that isn't a side effect of xpap! Have you changed your bed pillow lately and maybe are sleeping with your face at a different level, affecting the pillows?

I have no other ideas, sorry!

Margaret

zorrro13 · Post by **zorrro13** » Sat May 10, 2008 8:53 pm

You can stretch a neck doing this then why couldn't you stretch the flexible skin around your nostrils? Doesn't everything loosen and stretch with age?

countman88 · Post by **countman88** » Sun May 11, 2008 1:41 am

I have used the same Breeze nasal pillow mask, and the same pillows, for over 6 years. I think that is quite amazing when I read of people who seem to have tried pretty well every type of mask available. My only other mask was an Ultra Mirage for a few months before I tried the Breeze.
Anyway, could the problem of stretched nostrils be due to trying to insert the pillows too far, which we probably all did trying to overcome air escaping, when the real problem was ensuring the mask was on straight and adjusted correctly.
My nostrils were inflamed at the outset leading me to experiment with looser fitting which overcame the problem.

kenD
Bris

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun May 11, 2008 10:42 am

Oh no, it's not the original. I switch my mask out regularly, and in between I clean it with water and a tiny splash of very mild soap (Dr. bronner's, in fact). I don't think it has anythign to do with the mask per se. I guess if the same thing is happening to enough of us, resmed will have to start making extra larges eventually...

thimarine · Post by **thimarine** » Sun May 11, 2008 11:34 am

This is not an odd question at all. I had the same problem with my optilife and went from medium pillows to large when I started having leaks. When I ordered new pillows, I had to switch back to medium. I don't know if there was a manufacturing problem, mislabeling or what, but I thought the same as you, that my nostrils were being stretched. I suppose if you could really stretch your nostrils from having something chronically put in and up them, then compulsive nose pickers would be able to get in as far as their wrists.

I have seen this issue come up in the past and I have read comments from several nasal pillow users that from time to time they have had to switch to a larger size pillow for no apparent reason.

And, while I am not a doctor but am a practicing hypochondriac, I believe it is possible, from time to time, to have thickening of the lining of nasal passages due things like colds, sinus conditions, changes in weather, etc. After all, we are dealing with muocosa here and anything is possible.

Just my thoughts.

Country4ever · Post by **Country4ever** » Sun May 11, 2008 12:18 pm

I wore medium nasal pillows for about 9 months, and it seemed like I would start leaking after about 2 months, and then I'd get a new one, which would leak after a couple months too. I just assumed the stuff it was made of would get too thin and flexible. Then I went to the larger pillows, and haven't needed to change it since I switched to it, about 6 months ago. I don't think the nares stretches out. I think that for some of us the medium size is marginally the right size, and does okay when its new, but when it gets a little worn, its not enough to stop leaks.

Claire · Post by **Claire** » Sun May 11, 2008 12:22 pm

Echoing those before me...I started out with smaller pillows and then went to medium ones.

About the neck-stretched girl in the pix above. I think that can happen because its done as children are growing. I'm not sure it can be repeated on a full-grown woman.

roster · Post by **roster** » Sun May 11, 2008 2:56 pm

Nares getting larger?

Count me skeptical.

If pillows could make nares larger, the penile enlargement companies would have adapted this technology long ago.

pjwalman · Post by **pjwalman** » Sun May 11, 2008 3:54 pm

LOL! Hmm. A possible invention in the offing?

zorrro13 · Post by **zorrro13** » Sun May 11, 2008 5:26 pm

LOL no need for pillows. Mine would have stretched double during puberty. Actually I think it did

freepostg · Post by **freepostg** » Mon May 12, 2008 11:26 am

I was having the same problem as "Country"..went from med. to large and haven't had a prob since. Even a slight leak...undetectable by the machine can inhibit therapy. Glad I switched to large even though DME suggested medium.

Machine	Mask

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