Help!

[JDC]

I had a helluva time adjusting to the mask but, after a year, I am just about comfortable. Not quite. But close. The problems I am having, however, aren't getting any better. My eyes are puffy and swollen and I am just not 'feeling' as if I have had a good rest. But let's put aside the 'rest' problem for a sec. That may turn out to be something other than CPAP related. But the puffy eyes are driving me mad! I've pretty much eliminated all the bad leaks. Of course, there are few now and then but I think it is not so much the leaks. I was stunned to read that it may be air-up-the-nose-and-through-the-tear-duct! THAT might explain it. How does one stop that?

Now, on the 'rest' part. I honestly don't know if I am rested or not. I know that sounds weird but, you see, I have puffy eyes and tired eyes and I want to close them and rest them all day long. That makes me think: I didn't get rested . But, if I have to go use my body or spend some energy, I generally have it to spend. So, maybe I am NOT exhausted. But, because of the 'closing eyes', I think I am. Does that make sense? Anyone else get that?

Would it help increase the humidity again? I have a heated hose on a Resmed S9. I have had it set at 78 degrees for so long I have forgotten how to change it.

[Mary Z]

Sounds like you just don't feel good. You may need another type of mask if the nasal pillows are causing the swollen, puffy eyes. I really don't know what else it could be. A nasal or FFM would diffuse the air somewhat from a straight stream up your nose, though they are not always the solution for that problem. Are you able to check your numbers? Are you getting good treatment? Sounds like your eyes don't get any better through the day. If that is the case a visit to the eye doctor may be needed. Good luck, I hope someone else has some good ideas.

[JDC]

I spent the week 'experimenting' and finally tried a mask over my eyes made from a face cloth. I dampened it to make it cool and, hopefully keep my eyes moist throughout the night. Result? Worse. My were twice as puffy and I was awake at least six times! So the experiment worked! Seems I have too much moisture rather than too little. So, I am gonna turn down the humidity tonight and see if that helps. One thing is for sure: when you think you are as ugly as you can ever be, you ca get uglier by puffing up your eyes!

[NightMonkey]

I am just not 'feeling' as if I have had a good rest.

You don't mention what your ResScan statistics are showing about the effectiveness of the therapy.

????

[JDC]

Well, it seems the stats are good. Low aps. Even relatively low leaks. I think now the problem is pressure and humidity. My pressure is set at 12.0 and the data showed a high of 11.8. I had temp at 80 but I am dropping to 74 tonight. I have no idea how to alter humidity. I seem to revall once setting it at 7 but that may have been the rental machine. I looked at the EPR and it is at 1.0. What is that? Just for 'experiment' I was going to try it at 2.0.

The card won't read. Seems it is 'read' by Adobe and Adobe says 'can't read'. But the machine data says that my pillows are green and smiling. So it must be a humidity/pressure thing.

ya think?

[JDC]

Reading another members question, I saw that Gen Teal (?) was recommended and I'll try that. But the premise of the recommendation is that the tear ducts dry out a bit and so the body overproduces moisture in the eyes................or something like that. If that is the case, then this is a just humidity issue. I do not 'feel rested' but, to be honest, it really just feel like 'tired eyes' rather than 'tired body'.

Hard to differentiate if your eyes keep wanting to close.

My question: if I set the temp (easy to do) at 74(F) is that enough to adjust the humidity? Is there another way to 'adjust'?

Btw........if I am 'peaking' at 11.8 and I am 'set' at 12.0 that seems 'right on'. But what would happen if I dropped back to 10? Would that mean I just suffer a partial apnea or two now and again but generally sleep (majority of the time) at a reduced pressure?

[sheep1234]

Hello,
I tried the Swift FX mask after having the Swift LT for Her for about a year and a half. I hated it. It was leaky around the metal ring section. It would not seat correctly in my nostrils. The hose wouldn't stay put. It was just waaayyy too flimsy for me so I went back to the LT and haven't even thought of trying any other mask. It only took maybe an hour of laying there being totally frustrated before I got up and hooked up my old mask. Maybe this is not the mask for you.

Personally, I can't stand to sleep with my machine set on a medium setting for humidity. I prefer cooler air to breathe in when I'm sleeping. I know we need the moisture so it's set to low and that seems to work better for me.

I've also woken up a few times with REALLY puffy eyelids, so much so that I was really hating going into work! One thing I thought of was what I had eaten before bed and how much salt was in it. I have high blood pressure and need to watch the sodium intake.

Just some things to think about.....

[JDC]

I just looked at the LT vs the Swift FX and tho I can see the difference, it sure doesn't seem like MUCH of a difference. Same looking pillows. But I must admit, I can't quite get a good a seal. I am tempted to try. It was a big difference for you?!

[sheep1234]

The difference for me was that the FX is "hose heavy". The ring part where the hose comes around is loosely made and it just goes around and around. Drove me crazy1 It also lacks the swivel feature that the LT has. It will sort of ratchet up/down so you can get a good angle into your nostrils. The FX doesn't do this so however it fits into your nose...that's it.

I also like how tight fitting the LT is, meaning the head gear part. It has places for adjustments on the back of the head as well as on top. On the FX the silicone part that goes around your head would not stay in place! It is more oval shaped and my head is just not made like that, lol. And as we all know, with tossing and turning, it's essential the your mask stay in place and that you're not fighting with it all night! lol

It felt soooo good to put my LT back on.

The hospital where I had my sleep study has certain days of the month where you can go in and fiddle around with different masks. Maybe you could look into that.

I just went and looked at the FX and realized I forgot to mention that it sat waaaay too far up on my cheeks! It was like an inch or so from my eyes. And there's nothing you can do about it because if you try and lower it, you pull it out of your nostrils. Plus, in looking at the pics again, I sleep with my hose going over my head, behind my pillow and down below the frame of my bed and when I attempted this with the FX, it would pull out of my nostrils again. Bad, horrible design, in my opinion.

[HoseCrusher]

The FX fits into your nose, that's it...

For some of us that is its best feature.

Now if you are a "thrasher," I can see where having the ability to strap and hold things into position would have a benefit, but then you loose the comfort of having next to nothing on your face.

[Perrybucsdad]

Couple of items. You may want to the mask trial that one of the members here has (at least I think they are a member). You can find more info at http://www.cpaplibrary.com/mask-trials.html.

Next, you say

The card won't read. Seems it is 'read' by Adobe and Adobe says 'can't read'.

You don't read what is on the card with Adobe, but with ResScan. You have this software listed on your profile. You would load it into there and then you could let us know what it is showing. What are your median leak rate, and what is your 95th% leak rate.

EPR is exhale pressure relief. That will allow some relief when you exhale at higher pressures. A setting of 1 means it will drop the pressure down 1cm when you exhale. More info can be found here http://www.resmed.com/us/assets/html/de ... c=patients

As far as being able to control the temp but not the humidity, that is because you have the ClimateLine hose. There is a way to adjust both, but you have to turn the auto climate control off to do that. See p21 in this document for information on how to do that.

[JDC]

Thanks guys. Since I got back to whining and complaining, I have also gotten back to working harder and it has paid off! Last night 2.0 aps. Leak rate 0. median. 95% at 4.8. Pressure 9.90/11.6/12.00. I think that is pretty good. Pretty damn good for me, anyway.

'Course the eyes are still swollen so I am now pretty convinced that is not leaks. I am going to mess with humidity next.