Starting to lose faith in the Swift LT--How about the Opus?

I'm having a LOT of leakage with my Swift LT. I replaced the originals with brand new nasal pillows (just about 8 days use now) and they were great the first few nights, but already starting to leak more. I am using tweaks--velcro on the back headband to stop slippage, and when the pillows stop "standing up" well I have O-rings to support them.

My AHI's are staying low, BUT, I am waking in the middle of the night sweating and panicky--I think what's happening is that I'm having at least one big apnic event that my machine can't clear because the leaks are too much for it. I don't have software to see for myself, so I have an appointment to have the card read next week.

If leakage is the issue, I think it's time to consider a different mask. I don't know what else to do. The LT pillows don't seem to hold up. I love the LT because it is lightweight and comfortable for side sleeping, but I do have to have it somewhat tight for leakage control. When I can't stop the leaking in the middle of the night, I have to press my face against the pillow to push the nasal pillows to my nose. My nose is often sore in the morning.

I read the CPAP.com product challenge between the LT and the Opus, and many people commented that the Opus doesn't have to be as tight, and leakage seemed to be less of a problem.

Does anyone have experience with both? How about the longevity of the Opus pillows? Any other thoughts?

Might want to consider the Aeiomed Headrest as well; excellent for side sleeping (nothing touches your cheeks). I was using the Swift LT for a couple months (had tried the Opus but couldn't get a seal), and have now been very happy with the Headrest for 3-4 months.

I would say to try loosening the pillows...not tightening. They should just float off your nose. When I shove them too close to my nose...it's not only uncomfortable...but I get more leaks. It's a hard thing to adjust...and while it has been my favorite mask for a while...I, too, am getting frustrated! Resmed....do you hear us?! You are making a crappy, inferior product!

RE: Aeiomed:

I've always been curious about this: with the Aeiomed Headrest, what happens if you want to sleep on your back? It looks like the hose would get squished or be uncomfortable behind your head. I usually sleep on my side, but do spend a little time on my back in the early mornings?

It looks comfortable, but I probably couldn't wear my glasses with it when "winding down" at night.

RE: Loosening
I just cannot get the left nostril in particular to seal at all with it any looser. I've tried the other sizes--I use the small, and it seems like the medium should work fine, but it won't seal for love or money on that left nostril ever--at least I can eventually get the small to seal. The extra small are way too small, and in fact I traded the extra small away for my new smalls. I think I'm between sizes and would love to try the FX which might have pillows that are 'just right" (like Golidlocks!), but if they are going to wear out so quickly too, doesn't sound like there's much advantage to the fX.

RE: Aeiomed:

Love it for back and side sleeping.......it fits like a charm without lab ratting it, but I do keep the pillow apparatus wrapped to prevent rainout from my breathing, despite the S9.........

Janknitz wrote: RE: Aeiomed:
I've always been curious about this: with the Aeiomed Headrest, what happens if you want to sleep on your back? It looks like the hose would get squished or be uncomfortable behind your head. I usually sleep on my side, but do spend a little time on my back in the early mornings?

I'm considering the headrest as well. I've read some posts that said their pillows lasted over a year without showing any wear and still provided a good seal!

Janknitz wrote: I think I'm between sizes and would love to try the FX which might have pillows that are 'just right" (like Golidlocks!), but if they are going to wear out so quickly too, doesn't sound like there's much advantage to the fX.

I had bad luck with the FX... hard time getting a good seal. And from what I've been reading, I'm not into replacing the pillows every month or 2. Geez, it takes me that long just to get the mask adjusted. I'm beginning to think Resmed pillows suck. And if I had my way, Respironics would be banned from manufacturing pillow masks. I had a terrible experience with the ComfortLite2.

Headrest, here I come. Good luck with your next choice.

Re: Aeiomed

I've been using the current pillows over two months without any problems.......had worn the small pillows in the Swift FX, but use Medium in the Aeiomed. PIllows for Aeiomed come only in Med and Large.....traded the large with another member of the board.

Re: Opus 360

First... I have not used the Opus
The design appears to be very similar to the Swift FX with some differences.
The pillows are apparently very stiff and do not collapse but that can also irritate the Nares.
The design has a swivel ball at the pillows where it meets the small hose.
It has more give to the position of the smaller hose and allows over the top and to the side small hose management w/o pulling.

Fisher & Paykel make very good products but tend to be not as popular.
I will be trying an Opus 360 next... to compare with the FX.

Nord

Janknitz wrote: RE: Loosening
I just cannot get the left nostril in particular to seal at all with it any looser. I've tried the other sizes--I use the small, and it seems like the medium should work fine, but it won't seal for love or money on that left nostril ever--at least I can eventually get the small to seal. The extra small are way too small, and in fact I traded the extra small away for my new smalls. I think I'm between sizes and would love to try the FX which might have pillows that are 'just right" (like Golidlocks!), but if they are going to wear out so quickly too, doesn't sound like there's much advantage to the fX.

Have you tried using breathe right strips to open your nostrils a bit? I use them from time to time and it seems to help.

I have used the Swift LT for Her, the Opus 360 and Breeze nasal pillows.The Swift LT nasal pillows were so flimsy and the quality of how I felt even after 12 hours of sleep was so bad that I gave up on the Swift LT.

I tried on a Swift FX mask at my DMEs. I didn't find it to be much better than the Swift LT. The straps definitely would require padding (which I think does come with it) and the nasal pillows looked similar, to me.

I liked the Opus 360 when I first got it but the headgear caused me to have dental pain and started to become hard to keep adjusted. With both the Swift and Opus 360 masks, the straps made it difficult for me to sleep on my side without a pillow with a cutout, which I don't have. The Opus 360 nasal pillows were doing fine 3 months after I started using the mask. They did cause some sores in the nares. I had several occasions (on monthly intervals) on which my APAP machine did not recognize the Opus 360 mask.. I think the expiration port got clogged and I would clean it with a toothbrush to get the CPAP machine

The Breeze mask has no straps on the side of the face, so it is very comfortable for side-sleeping with a regular pillow. I love the nasal pillows. Instead of soft straps, it has a hard shelll that doesn't touch the face--kinda hard to describe. I don't have a problem sleeping on my back with it so long as I have a thick pillow, but the hard shell could be aggravating in the back if it hits the back of the head in a sensitive spot. I have neck problems and expected that to be a problem, but it hasn't been for me.

I would at least try the Breeze mask on at the DMEs before getting the OPUS 360, if I were in your position, if you mostly sleep on your side. I do not believe the Breeze would work for a stomach sleeper.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Thanks for all the feedback. Kaiser is my insurance and provider, so we'll see what they have there for me to try if it turns out that leaking is the issue that I suspect it is.

Looking around online today, it seems like almost any type of nasal pillow last longer than the Swift LT and FX. What a disappointment, as they are otherwise great masks!

I don't have any issues sleeping on my side with the swift LT strap covers to protect my face, and I suspect that it won't be an issue with the Opus either. I'm leery of the Breeze because the headgear is somewhat rigid and, from what I've read, slips around on the head if you shift positions, but I may have a chance to try it out if Kaiser has them. Not sure if they will have the Aeiomed,that looks like it might be a good mask for me, too.

At this point what I hope for is something with a much lower leak problem that will last for the three month period between new masks that Kaiser covers.

I put up with these darn night sweats for YEARS before CPAP (thought it was a loooooooong perimenopause), but now that I've seen life without my 4 a.m. wake up calls, I want to sleep all night again without waking up in a puddle of sweat and panic. Just greedy, I guess.

Janknitz wrote:Thanks for all the feedback. Kaiser is my insurance and provider, so we'll see what they have there for me to try if it turns out that leaking is the issue that I suspect it is.

Looking around online today, it seems like almost any type of nasal pillow last longer than the Swift LT and FX. What a disappointment, as they are otherwise great masks!

Sad but true. I agree, Jan. Lose the ResMed nasal pillow masks altogether. Absolutely tons of documentation on this forum to support that decision.

One other question I have. I've seen the labrat fix where some people have adapted the Swift LT pillows by cutting them and putting in Breeze pillows and dialators instead. This seems like it would be the best of both worlds in some ways--you can still use the Swift headgear but have pillows that don't collapse.

Does this fix last and work in the long run? Or is it just a short term fix???

I found that my opus 360 head gear provided a much better seal with the F and P nose pillows if I put on
strap softies which are very, very thick plush strap liners. I got them on ebay.. just type in strap softie..

When I turn on my side, the thickness of the strap cover stops the nose pillow from leaking.. and no more strap marks.

The opus was the first gear given to me, and the f and p nose pillows, however I have tried two hybrid masks with nose pillows,
including the liberty, and they dont even come close to the f and p nose pillows.. Even the DME said "they sure got that right"
about their design compared to other nose pillows, and I would have to agree with him.

Padacheek has lovely strap covers, I cant wait to get mine, and cpap.com of course carries them. The first ones to arrive
were the strap softies.. You do need to undo the head gear to put them on, as they do not velcro but GEEZ they are so,
so, so soft and luxiours! Very thick too, which I think helps stop leaks..

good luck on your quest!

Elena, thanks! I'm glad to hear that the Opus works well.