Dealing with my nose!

[GwinnettAndy]

I have an Autoset with a Climateline heated tube. I have been on the machine for three week now.

Last night I forced myself to keep it on for 7 hours. It was tough but I made it. I am still struggling to keep it on and to keep the air from jetting out my nose pillows.

I have tried very hard to tighten the gear, but it feels too tight. I will be trying lanolin and nose drops tonight for the first time. I have struggled with my nose being tickled and becoming too dry.

Any tips for keeping the mask on with out be overly tight, of this a tension I simply have to manage.

Thanks,
Andy

[englandsf]

Which nasal pillows are you using and what is your pressure setting/range?

[GwinnettAndy]

Swift FX

I can seem to find the screen showing the pressure setting, but I remember the person who gave me the tutorial saying 5-15.

[GwinnettAndy]

Just figured out the signature piece, how can I figure our my software?

[englandsf]

Not experienced with the FX but 3 things to think about;

1. Have you tried multiple pillow sizes? - I thought I needed small but I needed large
2. Less tight often fits better, try to use the minimum pressure
3. Look into nasal rinsing to improve air flow, when I'm congested I get way more leaks...

Hope that helps - welcome!

[HoseCrusher]

Sand in front of a mirror and get the general fit to line up properly. Then lay down to adjust the final tightness. You only need to keep the mask roughly in place. You don't need to cinch it down.

During the night you may need to wiggle your head a little to keep things lined up as you roll over, but after a few times it will become a natural habit.

[JLtheDrone]

I started out with nasal pillows and changed to a nasal mask. I tried the different pillow sizes and just could not get a comfortable fit. The nasal mask keeps in place much better and stays sealed even when I change sleep positions during the night. I have the F&P Eson, which is super quiet. May be worth a shot.

[RogerSC]

I'm in a similar position. I agree with trying multiple size nasal pillows...I've found I'm in between S and M, so I have to have the mask tighter than I'd like to avoid leaks. But I can avoid leaks, and use the minimum tightness to do that. A little fiddling each night allows me to get the nasal pillows in the best position at night. And adjusting it lying down with my head on my pillow really helps me dial in the minimum amount of tightness to get the job done, when I need to make adjustments.

I do recommend that you try the different sizes to see where you stand. You might be surprised what you find. And make adjustments when you're lying in bed, not sitting up. If this doesn't help, there are other nasal pillow masks to try...the air fit p10, Aloha, pilaro, tap pap, nuance, etc. There are lots of possibilities out there. Cpap.com has return insurance so you could try several with minimal cost.

[codinqueen]

If you are making the Swift Fx too tight, it will hurt your nose, and you will be thinking "pig-nose". Leave the silicone top straps loose enough to get 2-3 fingers under it. The one on the back of your head needs to be tight enough to hold the pillows in place in your nose. If your nose needs some help I suggest Lansinoh (or Lanisoh, I always get the spelling confused), available in baby aisles of drug stores and supermarkets. It is pure lanolin ointment moms use on sore nipples from breast feeding. You put just a smidgeon in each of your nostrils with a Q-tip and put your mask on, you can also use it during the day if you want to heal any inner nose sores. It clears up any rawness and also tends to keep the pillows in place because it is a bit tacky. One tube will last you a long time. It's about $9 or 10- if you can't find it, ask the pharmacist at your drugstore, and they can special -order it for you.

[naturalisbest]

I know that this has been said a lot and it's one of the reasons I bought this mask, bit the Aloha pillow is great. You wear it very loose and it doesn't leak. The pillows are soft and don't seem to push against my nose and give the pig-nose at all and I hate the heck out of pig nose. It fits better than my last Swift. It came with the comfort pads. If you have trouble finding it, the host features it on the main site and he has honest reviews on all the products.