Tight Straps or Bad Fit?

Hi There - I converted from the Resmed Mirage mask to the Swift LT earlier this year but have been on a never-ending quest to reduce the air leaks. I wake up way more from air leaks on this mask then any other mask I have had. I like everything about the design and want it to work badly. I find if I really tighten the straps then I can put a stop to the leaks (and then get the lovely strap marks). Do most people have to really tighten the straps or is this just a bad fit for me?

ive been using the swift lt for awhile now and find the strap that goes around the back of my head needs to be snug, but not real tight, and the one that goes over my head is usually pretty loose. i usually have to adjust the angle of the barrel after putting it on to get the leaks to go away, i test it for leaks by using my thumb to block the end of the hose and blowing out, i can see if its leaking that way and make adjustments. and i have read that some people use ayr gel (sp?) or lansinoh lotion to seal the pillows better. not sure if your male or female, but they did just release the swift lt for her, has a smaller headgear, that might help.

For me, overtightening causes pain and MORE leaks....since the pillows more easily pop out of my nares if they are so tight they have lost their "spring". I got over that habit very quickly!!

Are you reclined when you are adjusting your mask? Do you use the "mask fit" function or otherwise start your blower while you are adjusting/finetuning the mask for the night?

Are you running the short tube overhead? (this seems so help me in many ways, leakwise)

Pad-A-Cheek helps with reducing slipping (for me anyway).

I position my hair to help also reduce slip/sliding.

Are you mouth leaking?

I side, and front sleep and achieve zero leaks regularly, so you clearly need to tweak what you are doing. And then, perhaps, a different style may be necessary for you...

Don't give up too soon!!

J

Have you tried a different sized pillow? I use a size down from what I used with the Swift II.

Are you washing the pillow every morning? Some people have found skin oils really negatively affect the fit. I also found that Ayr-gel made things worse.

I also found that the clippy thing that attaches to the top is not very functional. I replaced it with a velcro strap that originally came with the Swift II. The weight or the angle of that short hose can put pressure on the mask and provoke leaks.

There was also a mod that was posted that used the rough side of velcro on the the inside of the back strap to help stabilized it. The rougher little hooks catch and hold. I found that helped otherwise the back strap slipped up for me through the night.

I also found that using a bed pillow that supports your head but allows the mask some freedom from pressure helps prevent leaks. There are a variety of pillows available.

And hanging the hose overhead can stabilize the hose more so it does not jerk on the mask when you turn or move.


Hope that helps,
silver

Thanks to everyone for the great tips - I will need to explore several of these issues and also change out the pillow size to see if that helps. I appreciate the feedback very much!!

Joy

Hi JOYFUL56 ---I think that you should try a different size nasal pillow to see if that makes a difference for you. Also do not tighten the straps too tight--the one above my head is lose--the one around the back of my head is snug. I too arrange and re-arrange the angle of the nasal pillows after I already lay down and the machine is blowing. I am a side sleeper --but these seem to hold pretty well, my numbers look good in the morning with ZERO leaks!! LOL!

I do not wash the pillow every day either like someone suggested!! it is too hard to get it back the way I had it so I wash it maybe twice a week--it stays pretty clean, so maybe some of these tips will help you. It is a great mask --light weight, nothing on your forehead. I don't like the hard plastic tips against my cheeks but I just ordered the PAD A CHEEKS from Karen as they are custom made to fit the LT correctly so once I get those it will be more comfy,
good luck!
Carrie