Swift LT issues

[Sharrykb]

I started therapy a little over 2 weeks ago and was using the AirFit P10 Nasal Pillow and absolutely LOVED it. But I started having some issues with my front teeth hurting so at my 2 week appointment on Thursday the DME said it could be from the mask so she insisted that I try a different mask. Due to my claustrophobia, she only had me try other nasal pillows. After trying a few on, we settled on the Swift LT for her. My teeth were still hurting Thursday evening so I opted to go a second night without CPAP. (And as I side note, I strongly recommend NOT skipping any nights. I felt like garbage both mornings and I now truly appreciate what CPAP was doing for me!)

So last night I wore the Swift LT for the first time and it didn't go as well as I had hoped. I am a side sleeper. However, with this mask I had a very hard time sleeping completely on my side because any time my pillow came in contact with the part of the headgear on my cheek the pillows would shift in my nostrils and it would start leaking and I would have to readjust it. So I ended up waking up a lot more often than usual and ended up spending a lot of time trying to sleep not really on my side but not really on my back either. This is a really uncomfortable way to sleep!

If anyone who uses the Swift LT has any suggestions for me to try to help this mask work better for me I would greatly appreciate it. I am hoping to use this mask (or another mask!) for several days and see how my teeth problem is. If my teeth quit hurting then I plan to go back to the AirFit P10 and see if they start hurting again. I really hope the DME is wrong and it isn't the mask because I LOVED the P10.

[49er]

I started therapy a little over 2 weeks ago and was using the AirFit P10 Nasal Pillow and absolutely LOVED it. But I started having some issues with my front teeth hurting so at my 2 week appointment on Thursday the DME said it could be from the mask so she insisted that I try a different mask. Due to my claustrophobia, she only had me try other nasal pillows. After trying a few on, we settled on the Swift LT for her. My teeth were still hurting Thursday evening so I opted to go a second night without CPAP. (And as I side note, I strongly recommend NOT skipping any nights. I felt like garbage both mornings and I now truly appreciate what CPAP was doing for me!)

So last night I wore the Swift LT for the first time and it didn't go as well as I had hoped. I am a side sleeper. However, with this mask I had a very hard time sleeping completely on my side because any time my pillow came in contact with the part of the headgear on my cheek the pillows would shift in my nostrils and it would start leaking and I would have to readjust it. So I ended up waking up a lot more often than usual and ended up spending a lot of time trying to sleep not really on my side but not really on my back either. This is a really uncomfortable way to sleep!

If anyone who uses the Swift LT has any suggestions for me to try to help this mask work better for me I would greatly appreciate it. I am hoping to use this mask (or another mask!) for several days and see how my teeth problem is. If my teeth quit hurting then I plan to go back to the AirFit P10 and see if they start hurting again. I really hope the DME is wrong and it isn't the mask because I LOVED the P10.

Hi Sharrykb,

As an FYI, last month, I developed a mysterious tooth pain that I thought might either be due to dental decay or cpap masks I have been wearing. It turned out I was taking too much vitamin D because as soon as I reduced the dose, the pain disappeared.

Could anything like that be a possibility or you pretty sure it is the P10 that is the cause?

Good luck in getting it resolved.

49er

[Sharrykb]

I started therapy a little over 2 weeks ago and was using the AirFit P10 Nasal Pillow and absolutely LOVED it. But I started having some issues with my front teeth hurting so at my 2 week appointment on Thursday the DME said it could be from the mask so she insisted that I try a different mask. Due to my claustrophobia, she only had me try other nasal pillows. After trying a few on, we settled on the Swift LT for her. My teeth were still hurting Thursday evening so I opted to go a second night without CPAP. (And as I side note, I strongly recommend NOT skipping any nights. I felt like garbage both mornings and I now truly appreciate what CPAP was doing for me!)

So last night I wore the Swift LT for the first time and it didn't go as well as I had hoped. I am a side sleeper. However, with this mask I had a very hard time sleeping completely on my side because any time my pillow came in contact with the part of the headgear on my cheek the pillows would shift in my nostrils and it would start leaking and I would have to readjust it. So I ended up waking up a lot more often than usual and ended up spending a lot of time trying to sleep not really on my side but not really on my back either. This is a really uncomfortable way to sleep!

If anyone who uses the Swift LT has any suggestions for me to try to help this mask work better for me I would greatly appreciate it. I am hoping to use this mask (or another mask!) for several days and see how my teeth problem is. If my teeth quit hurting then I plan to go back to the AirFit P10 and see if they start hurting again. I really hope the DME is wrong and it isn't the mask because I LOVED the P10.

Hi Sharrykb,

As an FYI, last month, I developed a mysterious tooth pain that I thought might either be due to dental decay or cpap masks I have been wearing. It turned out I was taking too much vitamin D because as soon as I reduced the dose, the pain disappeared.

Could anything like that be a possibility or you pretty sure it is the P10 that is the cause?

Good luck in getting it resolved.

49er

It's the DME who thinks it is the P10. I have no reason to suspect it is the mask but I'm okay with trying a different mask for a while to see if it gets better. That is, if I can either get the Swift LT to work better or find a different mask to try. Otherwise I'm going back to the P10 and hoping for the best.

I don't take Vitamin D. Interestingly, I actually have reason to suspect that my Vitamin D levels are actually low and intended to talk to my doctor about that later this month.

[49er]

t's the DME who thinks it is the P10. I have no reason to suspect it is the mask but I'm okay with trying a different mask for a while to see if it gets better. That is, if I can either get the Swift LT to work better or find a different mask to try. Otherwise I'm going back to the P10 and hoping for the best.

I don't take Vitamin D. Interestingly, I actually have reason to suspect that my Vitamin D levels are actually low and intended to talk to my doctor about that later this month.

You might want to check out these threads to see if anything reasonates:

https://www.google.com/search?q=dental+ ... 80&bih=867

Again, good luck.

49er

[poppi2]

I sometimes use the LT and sleep about half the night on my back. As a bed pillow, I use one filled with buckwheat hulls. It is not stuffed full, but about 2/3's. When I turn to the side, I adjust the hulls such that the LT pillow is in the clear. The hulls tend to stay put.

I also use the papCap, so the harness for the LT doesn't easily move.

Earl

[jencat824]

Shari,

I was a Swift LT user until the P10 came out. I didn't use the P10 exclusively after my first try, had some issues with it, but gave it another try & LOVED it, so I made it my primary mask. I got a tip from someone here several months ago to use O rings with the nasal pillows, it lifts them to the nostrils better. For the LT I was using a size 9 O ring, these are available at any plumbing supply place like Lowes or Home Depot. Sounds weird to use plumbing supplies for a CPAP mask, but it does work. Works really well in fact, I use the O rings on any nasal mask I use. The Swift LT has more headgear than the P10, so you might want to stay with the P10 as your primary mask. I'm using O rings with it too.

Now.... about those teeth. If your teeth hurt after starting CPAP you may need a retainer to keep them from moving. Search 'teeth moving' and you can real a lot of posts about this subject. If I had known that CPAP therapy could move your teeth, I would not now be undergoing $4,800 worth of orthodontic work to correct that damage. I was on CPAP for 12 years before finding this forum. I found out here that the damage is easily prevented by using a retainer from your dentist, or perhaps a 'boil & bite' nightguard you can get at Wal Mart. I would strongly recommend the retainer, but if you can't deal with that right now, the 'boil & bite' version would help until you can get a retainer. I recommend this for ANY mask you use can allow the teeth to move and based on your description of 'teeth hurting' it sounds like they are getting ready to move, if they haven't started already. I'm not an expert by any means, but I want to give you info to decide how you want to handle this issue.

I disagree with your DME about the mask being the issue. I loved the Swift LT, but I love the P10 even better, its headgear is freer and it almost seems like there is nothing there. That said, its your decision but I would recommend staying with the P10 & addressing the teeth issues separately.

Jen

[Sharrykb]

Shari,

I was a Swift LT user until the P10 came out. I didn't use the P10 exclusively after my first try, had some issues with it, but gave it another try & LOVED it, so I made it my primary mask. I got a tip from someone here several months ago to use O rings with the nasal pillows, it lifts them to the nostrils better. For the LT I was using a size 9 O ring, these are available at any plumbing supply place like Lowes or Home Depot. Sounds weird to use plumbing supplies for a CPAP mask, but it does work. Works really well in fact, I use the O rings on any nasal mask I use. The Swift LT has more headgear than the P10, so you might want to stay with the P10 as your primary mask. I'm using O rings with it too.

Now.... about those teeth. If your teeth hurt after starting CPAP you may need a retainer to keep them from moving. Search 'teeth moving' and you can real a lot of posts about this subject. If I had known that CPAP therapy could move your teeth, I would not now be undergoing $4,800 worth of orthodontic work to correct that damage. I was on CPAP for 12 years before finding this forum. I found out here that the damage is easily prevented by using a retainer from your dentist, or perhaps a 'boil & bite' nightguard you can get at Wal Mart. I would strongly recommend the retainer, but if you can't deal with that right now, the 'boil & bite' version would help until you can get a retainer. I recommend this for ANY mask you use can allow the teeth to move and based on your description of 'teeth hurting' it sounds like they are getting ready to move, if they haven't started already. I'm not an expert by any means, but I want to give you info to decide how you want to handle this issue.

I disagree with your DME about the mask being the issue. I loved the Swift LT, but I love the P10 even better, its headgear is freer and it almost seems like there is nothing there. That said, its your decision but I would recommend staying with the P10 & addressing the teeth issues separately.

Jen

Thank you Jen! I had my doubts that it is the mask too. I think I will get one of the nightguards from WalMart. If that solves the problem I will have my dentist make me a real one. Like I said, I LOVE the P10 and want to go back to using it.

[Bonnie]

I've been using the P10 for 2 weeks and am trying to figure out what could be causing your tooth pain from it and came up with nothing. Once when my Swift LT or FX (I forget which one) was getting old and I needed to tighten the back strap more to keep a seal I did experience some front teeth pain. Replaced the mask and the pain went away. Good luck and I hope you can figure it out.

[gasparama]

I've been using the Swift for about two years with no problems until the headgear begins to be too lose.

A soft pillow bothers me because it can come around the indention made by my head and get in the way of the exhaust. Presently, my small, very firm pillow is just right for the Swift. People so vary in pillow style and everything else associated with CPAP comfort. There are a few adjustments that I make every night including having the nasal pillow fit (no leaks, but no pushing up into my nostrils), making sure that the bed linens don't get in the way of the exhaust, and adjusting the headgear so that it doesn't bother my ears. These little steps work for me and are quite routine by now.

By the way, I sleep on my side, almost on my stomach. And, I've also had tooth pain caused by sinus pressure.

Keep trying. Listen to what others have to say, and then customize the adjustments that work for you.

Jane

[needzzzzs]

Do you use a chin strap? I do, and it helps a lot with the shifting of the LT for Her. That being said, my husband bumps the back of the mask sometimes with his arm and I have to re-adjust it. I've tried most of the nasal pillow masks, and keep going back to the LT.

Debbie