Newbie needs mask help

[CardiMom]

I am using my first Cpap mask. It is a Mirage Swift LT for her Nasal Pillow. (Sorry I'm newly diagnosed and don't know all the terminology so please forgive me.) I keep having problems with it whistling and leaks. The therapist said that she had never heard of a whistling problem and it sounded like a dryness problem. But it seems to me like it is more that the deals that go into my nose are round and my nose is not. She gave me the smaller pillow but it is like I just can't get it to mold to the inside of my nose. I can get it to fit at first but then through the night, it gets moved around and leaks again and wakes me up. I have tried turning the humidifier up all the way but then the condensation collects in the tube and gurgles and wakes me up. I tried putting saline gel in my nose at night but that seemed to make it worse. I also have a problem with waking up during the night and feeling like I just can't breath through the mask. I don't know if I should give it more time or change masks. -- Thanks for any help you can give me.

[drubin007]

I am new myself but pretty sure we are using about the same device....

are you sure you are using the right size nasal pillows? I think I am using smal myself, but mine came with 3 different sizes. Actually I have it here in front of me... mine came with 4 different sizes... P, S, M and L. I am using the S one for Small/Medium.

are the straps tight enough to keep it secure without hurting you?

[OutaSync]

If your therapist did not give you all of the sizes that come with that mask, call her on it. You may need a larger size rather than a smaller size.

Personally, I have tried all of the sizes and could not get any of them to fit without leaks. This may be because I have slotted nostrils, rather than round. I wish they would make a slotted style for us.

Bev

[JoyD.]

CardiMom,

First, Welcome to the cpaptalk community! So glad you found us

Like Bev, I tried off and on for more than a month to make the Swift LT for Her mask to work for me . . . but I always had leaks and the highest events on monitoring therapy with software. I wanted to make it work because I like to read in bed, and that was the only of my three masks that allowed no visual interference.

My nares are also "slotted" shape, though somewhat rounded (not thinly slotted).

The nasal pillow masks that DO work for me both leave the cheeks entirely clear to make it easy to sleep on the side without jarring the pillows:

The ComfortLite 2 using nasal pillows (comes in SM & Med or Med & Large in both nasal pillows and nasal cushions. (The Small nasal pillows fit me best). I get my best software results with this mask.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/Comfor ... -Mask.html

The Aeiomed Headrest that comes with both Med and Large (surprisingly the large fits me best).
https://www.cpap.com/productpage.php?PN ... &PAID=215I get great results on my software monitoring with both of the above.

Everyone is different, but you may want to keep these in mind. The DME's usually carry the ComfortLite 2 for you to try on before you buy. If you don't have insurance or Medicare, buying online is the most economical.

Good luck!
Joy
PS - Congratulations on choosing an excellent machine!

[CardiMom]

I am not sure if my straps are adjusted correctly. I think they were too tight since I woke up feeling like I couldn't breath at all through the mask and my nose hurt. So I loosened them last night but I loosened them too much. In other words, I am still trying to figure it out.

I only got the one size of pillows so I will call my therapist about getting another size.

Joy, I followed your link to the Comfort Lite 2 and it looks interesting. But I have a question. Do you have trouble with the headgear slipping? It looks like the straps fit pretty far up on your head. I have really long hair and I was wondering if it might cause the straps to slip up during the night. (I move quite a bit at night.) Have you or any one else had trouble with that?

Are the leaks just some thing that you have to live with? It doesn't sound like anybody finds a fit that doesn't leak.

Thanks for your help. I'm discovering that there is really a lot to learn about this.

[drubin007]

you should not have to live with the leaks...

The only time I am aware of mine leaking is if I toss and turn...

I do not have my numbers in front of me (and I do not have a card reader/software) but on nights I think my leak numbers are low, they are actually higher (never higher then I think about 0.20L/s if I remember correctly)?

hopefully you can get it worked out!

[Uncle_Bob]

I am using my first Cpap mask. It is a Mirage Swift LT for her Nasal Pillow. (Sorry I'm newly diagnosed and don't know all the terminology so please forgive me.) I keep having problems with it whistling and leaks. The therapist said that she had never heard of a whistling problem and it sounded like a dryness problem. But it seems to me like it is more that the deals that go into my nose are round and my nose is not. She gave me the smaller pillow but it is like I just can't get it to mold to the inside of my nose. I can get it to fit at first but then through the night, it gets moved around and leaks again and wakes me up. I have tried turning the humidifier up all the way but then the condensation collects in the tube and gurgles and wakes me up. I tried putting saline gel in my nose at night but that seemed to make it worse. I also have a problem with waking up during the night and feeling like I just can't breath through the mask. I don't know if I should give it more time or change masks. -- Thanks for any help you can give me.

Hello and welcome

I think you should be armed with all 3 pillow sizes that come with the mask, after all i think that's what your are paying for with a Swift LT purchase.

I dont think the humidifier is causing the leaks, you maybe leaking air from your mouth, is your mouth dry at all in the mornings? You may need a chinstrap or a full face mask if that's the case.
I found with the regular version of the Swift Lt that the straps would slip & move around as a result of head movement during the night, resulting in a shift of the pillows and hence leaks. My solution for this was to use the pur-sleep PapCap chinstrap which helps keep the Swift LT in place.

If you are having a problem with waking up during the night and feeling like you can't breath through the mask then your pressure might not be set high enough. Whats your titrated pressure and what is the pressure you are using on your machine?

[CardiMom]

[quote="Uncle_Bob] If you are having a problem with waking up during the night and feeling like you can't breath through the mask then your pressure might not be set high enough. Whats your titrated pressure and what is the pressure you are using on your machine?[/quote]

I dont' know what my titrated pressure is but I am using an Apap machine. Isn't it supposed to read what pressure I need at what time and set it accordingly?

I do believe that the leaks are occuring because the mask moves as I turn and move in my sleep. I can have it set so it feels perfect but then it seems like one little twitch of my nose can make it not perfect.

[TXLadybug]

I had the Swift LT for her that came with XS, S, and M sized cushions. Unfortunately, although I loved the headgear, I could never get any of the sizes to go through the night without the leaks driving me crazy. I cannot tolerate leaks! Plus, my AHI numbers stayed up around 11 and I was still exhausted every day. A Good fitting mask is absolutely crucial to you staying with xpap. I also noticed that it was hard to breathe out when the pressure was low (ramp started at 4). I finally turned off the ramp completely and went straight to full pressure of 11. If it's hurting your nose, it is probably too tight around the lower straps. Also - you will definitely get leaks if you have the cushion in upside down. The word "ResMed" which is imprinted on the cushion, should face up toward your nose.

[JoyD.]

CardiMom commented:
I only got the one size of pillows so I will call my therapist about getting another size.

Joy, I followed your link to the Comfort Lite 2 and it looks interesting. But I have a question. Do you have trouble with the headgear slipping? It looks like the straps fit pretty far up on your head. I have really long hair and I was wondering if it might cause the straps to slip up during the night. (I move quite a bit at night.) Have you or any one else had trouble with that?

As Bob and LadyBug said . . . you paid for XS, S, and M nasal pillows when you bought the manufacturer's mask, also with the snap-on microfleece cheek pads, and blue cloth bag. The manufacturer sells it that way (check my next post - ResMeds product brochures). Your provider has cheated you and is probably selling the other pillows. Go back and let her know she "FORGOT" to include all that you paid for in ResMed's "complete package" for Swift LT mask.

I had no problem with the headgear slipping when adjusted properly. I have short hair, and was sorry that my hair wasn't longer so I could pull it back and place the back strap under the hair (even the photo shows that). You can arrange long hair so that the strap stays firmly in place. Kiralynx also has slotted nares and uses the ComfortLite 2, as I remember. You also might want to check with her.

I'm glad you have software - that's essential to getting pressure and leaks perfected. Pay attention to the cpapers who post their results and notice what "good leak lines" look like. You can read the comments by others as to when the leak lines look good.

One key to good therapy is to get the leaks under control . . . and that is probably the one thing that most of us had to work the hardest to solve. Read all you can about "tips" for the Swift LT before giving up on it. But in the end it may be that another mask will fit you better and the leaks can be solved. No mask is perfect - and one usually has to work with any mask to perfect the fit. Finding the best one for you is what we all have done or are in the process of doing.

Ladybug's tip on inserting the pillow in the right direction so that the "ResMed" imprint faces upward is important.

Best wishes Joy

[JoyD.]

CardiMom,

Here are some Swift LT for Her Brochures that should have come in the "complete package".

Shows how to put it on and tighten it properly.
Shows how to use it with long hair.
Shows all three pillows that are included with it.
(It doesn't show the microfleece cheek pads & cloth drawstring bag, but they are part of the pack and are very soft and nice.)

Factsheet: http://www.cpapxchange.com/cpap-masks-b ... tsheet.pdf

Fitting Guide: http://www.cpapxchange.com/cpap-masks-b ... -guide.pdf

Shows the ResMed product Code: 60588.

Joy

[Kiralynx]

I followed your link to the Comfort Lite 2 and it looks interesting. But I have a question. Do you have trouble with the headgear slipping? It looks like the straps fit pretty far up on your head. I have really long hair and I was wondering if it might cause the straps to slip up during the night. (I move quite a bit at night.) Have you or any one else had trouble with that?

Are the leaks just some thing that you have to live with? It doesn't sound like anybody finds a fit that doesn't leak.

Thanks for your help. I'm discovering that there is really a lot to learn about this.

Hi, CardiMom!

I have hair which comes down to the middle of my back and the CL2 works well for me. (So does the Aeiomed Headrest, but I changed it and put a CL2 strap on it!)

I pull the mask down in front, then pull my hair through the strap and settle the strap at the nape of my neck. Then I just slide the mask up and into place.

One thing which is really nice is that you have three positions to put the strap through so you can change the angle of the head piece.

Additionally, you can have a simple cushion for it, which makes it a nasal mask (useful for when your nares are tender in the early days of therapy), or you can have nasal pillows, or you can have Direct Seals. I get along best with the Direct Seals, but then, I'm weird.

I have narrow nares also, but as I haven't yet tried the Swift Light for Her, I can't say whether I would have leaks and squeaks with it. I can tell your RT that she's crazy if she thinks it doesn't happen -- and yeah, if you turn the humidity up too high, you will half-drown yourself!

[BeanMeScot]

You can try using lanolin on your nares. It might help you obtain a better seal.

[timbalionguy]

Kiralynx, what is a 'direct seal'?

[DaveAlan]

Hang in there I am 3 weeks into the pillows and I find they have just recently "form fitted" to my nose - average nares I suppose. I too notice some whistling but if I slightly shift the pillows it goes away - even still the whistling is not enough to prevent sleep. I also have to adjust for leaks if I try to sleep on my side as the head pillow pressure moves the mask etc.