I am feeling better on CPAP. I have been using it for a few weeks and I do not have morning headaches anymore and I can actually sleep for about 5 hours! I have about three problems though:
1. Rainout-I am using a snuggle hose but it does not cover the Breeze hose on the headgear. I don't want to by the Australian heated hose though.
2. Should I hang the hose over my bed or put it to the side? I move when I sleep and am getting restricted by the hose when it is on the side but get condensation in my nose when it is over the headboard.
3. Red marks on my nostrils(mostly the left one) from the pillows. Should I use two different sizes of pillows?
nasal pillows
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rested gal
- Posts: 12881
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Tennessee
TClay, that's great that you're getting more hours in with machine and mask at night. Sounds like you're making really good progress!
As for the three problems you mentioned:
All I can say about rainout is - the Aussie heated hose truly is the best solution. If you aren't going to get that, then perhaps visit a fabric shop (or just look in your sock drawer) and use material to wrap around the exposed hose on the Breeze. Think "velcro", to hold the material on. But really, no amount or type of cover even comes close to stopping rainout the way the Aussie heated hose does. It's more than worth the money if rainout persists.
While hanging the hose up would keep it out from under you better, I've heard of some people stuffing the main hose between the top of their head pillow and headboard - keeps the weight of the main hose from dragging at any mask as much as if the hose were loose and hanging off the side of the mattress. Or perhaps use some kind of clip on the mattress edge to keep the hose from pulling downward. I don't know if those tips would help much when you turn over, though. (Not to beat a dead horse, but to be able to hang a hose on a headboard for greatest ease in tossing/turning without getting rainout.... yep - Aussie heated hose.)
Red marks, especially one nostril: If it's not from your head pillow pushing the Breeze shell sideways against a nostril, you might want to try dabbing some Ayr gel (or even KY jelly or liquid) in your nares (nostril openings). Ayr gel is what a lot of people use if any kind of nasal pillows interface hurts or reddens the nostrils.
It's good to have a completely different type of mask to switch to occasionally - nice to have a break even from a favorite mask, from time to time. As christinequilts put it once - "We don't wear the same pair of shoes every day." I've never had a sore or red nose from my Breeze, or marks of any kind from it, but I occasionally like to wear my Activa nasal mask (covers the nose) just for a change.
It could be possible that you might need one size 'pillow' for one nostril and another size for the other one. More likely, though, is that some Ayr gel would take care of it. Or, if you happen to be using "Large" pillows, perhaps try "Extra Large" to keep the soft cushion of both nasal pillows more to the outside and against your nostrils. I've found that nasal pillows which are actually "too large" for me work best - staying to the outside more comfortably, and even sealing better that way.
It's a on-going (sometimes frustrating) process getting everything comfortable. Glad to hear you're feeling better, TClay. Hope you get the remaining pieces of the comfort puzzle in place soon.
As for the three problems you mentioned:
All I can say about rainout is - the Aussie heated hose truly is the best solution. If you aren't going to get that, then perhaps visit a fabric shop (or just look in your sock drawer) and use material to wrap around the exposed hose on the Breeze. Think "velcro", to hold the material on. But really, no amount or type of cover even comes close to stopping rainout the way the Aussie heated hose does. It's more than worth the money if rainout persists.
While hanging the hose up would keep it out from under you better, I've heard of some people stuffing the main hose between the top of their head pillow and headboard - keeps the weight of the main hose from dragging at any mask as much as if the hose were loose and hanging off the side of the mattress. Or perhaps use some kind of clip on the mattress edge to keep the hose from pulling downward. I don't know if those tips would help much when you turn over, though. (Not to beat a dead horse, but to be able to hang a hose on a headboard for greatest ease in tossing/turning without getting rainout.... yep - Aussie heated hose.)
Red marks, especially one nostril: If it's not from your head pillow pushing the Breeze shell sideways against a nostril, you might want to try dabbing some Ayr gel (or even KY jelly or liquid) in your nares (nostril openings). Ayr gel is what a lot of people use if any kind of nasal pillows interface hurts or reddens the nostrils.
It's good to have a completely different type of mask to switch to occasionally - nice to have a break even from a favorite mask, from time to time. As christinequilts put it once - "We don't wear the same pair of shoes every day." I've never had a sore or red nose from my Breeze, or marks of any kind from it, but I occasionally like to wear my Activa nasal mask (covers the nose) just for a change.
It could be possible that you might need one size 'pillow' for one nostril and another size for the other one. More likely, though, is that some Ayr gel would take care of it. Or, if you happen to be using "Large" pillows, perhaps try "Extra Large" to keep the soft cushion of both nasal pillows more to the outside and against your nostrils. I've found that nasal pillows which are actually "too large" for me work best - staying to the outside more comfortably, and even sealing better that way.
It's a on-going (sometimes frustrating) process getting everything comfortable. Glad to hear you're feeling better, TClay. Hope you get the remaining pieces of the comfort puzzle in place soon.
3 posts
• Page 1 of 1