Keeping Bleeps on the nose

Hi,

I've been using the Bleep system for almost 9 months. I love the system and find it to be the most comfortable 'mask' around. For the first few months, everything worked well and I had many leak-free nights. Over the last few months, I've had an increasingly hard time keeping the dreamports adhered to my nose for the full night. I have not changed any of the soaps or other products I use when showering, etc and have followed all instructions about how to clean the nose/face and apply the ports, and don't use any products on my face. What I am now experiencing is that everything is nice and sealed up when I go to bed, but about 4-5 hours into the sleep, I wake up with leaks and have to change to a backup mask (P10). I also use a hose support system similar to what is suggested on the Bleep site.

I've tried the following:

- Cleaned area with DreamPreps (essentially witch hazel) - worked for a while
- Cleaned area with Alcohol Wipes
- Tried both Smith and Nephew Skin Prep, and Cavilon to create a barrier
- Turned down humidity from 2 to 1, then to 0
- Not use soap prior to going to bed, but just lots of water, etc.
- Made sure that area around nose is completely dry prior to applying the dream ports.

I would really love to make these work again for me, but for the past few weeks, it's become increasingly frustrating to keep getting woken up overnight.

Does anyone have any additional suggestions for things to try?? I really want to use the Bleep system as it's extremely comfortable.

In advance, Thanks for any tips!

Do you think moisture is weakening the adhesive? If you have a heated hose, you might increase the temperature to reduce condensation. If you don't, you might try a fleecy hose cover. Also, make sure your hose doesn't rest against a cold wall.

Miss Emerita wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 02, 2022 11:02 am

Do you think moisture is weakening the adhesive? If you have a heated hose, you might increase the temperature to reduce condensation. If you don't, you might try a fleecy hose cover. Also, make sure your hose doesn't rest against a cold wall.

Thanks - I've thought about moisture, and that is why I tried dialing down the humidity which I had hoped would help, but didn't. I have the hose set at 80 (been that way since I started) and do use a fleece cover on both sections of hose (main hose and bleep hose).

I’ve been using bleeps for almost 2 years now, but I went through something similar. LOVED bleeps in theory, but wrestled with leaks for months!!

I could go through all the different things I tried, but cutting to the chase, as they say, here’s what ultimately made the difference for me:

Putting “two coats” of smith and nephew skin prep is what finally got me through the night.

Process -- If I don’t take a shower after getting home from work, I at least clean my face. Either way, I make a point of scrubbing the area around my nose with soap and water.

Before bedtime, while reading or watching TV, I open a skin prep pad, wipe down nose. Paying attention to “corners” of nostrils, a particular trouble spot for me. I put pad back in foil.

After drying (2-3 minutes), I wipe down nose again with same pad. After completely drying, I’m good to go. Sometime in the next hour, I put the dreamports on before going to bed.

I have had zero leaks for over a year now.

I wish I could guarantee this would solve your problem, but everyone is different, still it’s worth a try.

Good luck!!

I would be more inclined to blame simple facial oils and/or sweat causing the adhesive to fail.

I know Stuart doesn't like the idea of soap but that's because so many of the soaps out their contain some sort of oil in their product.
Especially the soaps promoted as "moisturizing" because you know how they '"moisturize"...they add oil to the skin.

For years and years I got along just fine using a generic cheap anti bacterial hand soap to wash my nose with, followed by a good wiping down with alcohol. Stuart sent me some DreamPreps to try and I have been sold on them...less wiping and washing is needed by me and the adhesive still sticks.

Since you have already tried the usual stuff the only idea I have is something my husband and I used to joke about when it came to the discussion about soaps adding oils to the face that we didn't want.
Add plain old Lava soap to your routine...just the nose area where the adhesive has to stick. Lava soap sucks the moisture out of everything it touches and maybe it will suck out enough to stop the facial oils and/or sweat creating a problem.
Then wipe again with DreamPreps
See if it sticks better...if not add in a last step of applying the Cavillon barrier.

Anyway...that's what I would do if I were having your problem.

Thanks - Will try some Lava soap. Hopefully, I won't wind up with a charcoal colored noise.

It won't change the color of your nose except maybe to red because that stuff is like sandpaper. It will take off layers of skin.
Of course if someone wants some serious exfoliating.....might be just the cheap trick needed.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 02, 2022 12:05 pm

It won't change the color of your nose except maybe to red because that stuff is like sandpaper. It will take off layers of skin.
Of course if someone wants some serious exfoliating.....might be just the cheap trick needed.

And:

Lava soap sucks the moisture out of everything it touches and maybe it will suck out enough to stop the facial oils and/or sweat creating a problem.

this really made me lol Pugsy thank you for that.

SleepyDwarf123 wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 02, 2022 11:55 am

Thanks - Will try some Lava soap. Hopefully, I won't wind up with a charcoal colored noise.

Why? pumice isn't black.

SleepyDwarf.....you still around?
Did the Lava soap help or not?
I just talked to Stuart and told him about you and he says if you still are having a problem get in touch with him and he will send you some product. Thinking maybe you got a bad batch of adhesives or something.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 18, 2022 2:11 pm

SleepyDwarf.....you still around?
Did the Lava soap help or not?
I just talked to Stuart and told him about you and he says if you still are having a problem get in touch with him and he will send you some product. Thinking maybe you got a bad batch of adhesives or something.

Hi,

I did not try the Lava soap (yet) but did try some other things and have been leak free for about two weeks. I did think that maybe there was a bad batch of adhesives since most of the issues started happening when I started a new box with a different code AND my wife began to have issues also. However some other boxes with the same code seemed to work better. I have already communicated with Stuart who (as always) has been uber-responsive and helpful. I am not sure what is different now, but for the last two weeks, its been working well. I clean my face, rinse heavily, and then use either alcohol wipes or DreamPreps and it's worked. I'm just happy to be using them again. I've even turned up the humidity a bit more and am even sleeping better.

Looking forward to the Eclipse when it comes out!

Thanks for asking!

SleepyDwarf123 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 18, 2022 3:05 pm

Looking forward to the Eclipse when it comes out!

You and me both.

Crossing my fingers and knocking on wood but hopefully the first of the pre orders from last summer with SureSeal will be shipping out in 2 or 3 weeks. Production is small right now because every little thing has to be FDA inspect and all sorts of tests passed.

Almost there.

There is an online cpap supplier offering pre orders but rest assured that all prior order commitments (those of us who pre ordered direct last summer) will be filled before that online supplier gets any product to fill their pre orders.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 18, 2022 3:15 pm

SleepyDwarf123 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 18, 2022 3:05 pm

Looking forward to the Eclipse when it comes out!

You and me both.

Crossing my fingers and knocking on wood but hopefully the first of the pre orders from last summer with SureSeal will be shipping out in 2 or 3 weeks. Production is small right now because every little thing has to be FDA inspect and all sorts of tests passed.

Almost there.

There is an online cpap supplier offering pre orders but rest assured that all prior order commitments (those of us who pre ordered direct last summer) will be filled before that online supplier gets any product to fill their pre orders.

Great news. Look forward to the preorders shipping

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 18, 2022 3:15 pm

SleepyDwarf123 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 18, 2022 3:05 pm

Looking forward to the Eclipse when it comes out!

You and me both.

Crossing my fingers and knocking on wood but hopefully the first of the pre orders from last summer with SureSeal will be shipping out in 2 or 3 weeks. Production is small right now because every little thing has to be FDA inspect and all sorts of tests passed.

Almost there.

There is an online cpap supplier offering pre orders but rest assured that all prior order commitments (those of us who pre ordered direct last summer) will be filled before that online supplier gets any product to fill their pre orders.

Oh, I am SO looking forward to getting my pre-order from SureSeal! With the advent of cold weather, it is becoming increasingly difficult (arthritis in my hand) to attach the Dreamway interface. My fine motor skills are really impacted by the cold. I have been ordering the Dreamports a couple of boxes at a time so I don't end up with a surplus and am trying to decide about another order now.