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I don't know which nasal pillow mask you are getting but be sure to read Janknitz's tips on fitting the Swift FX...those tips apply to any nasal pillow mask. The most common error people make with the nasal pillow mask is they get the straps too tight.
https://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/swift ... ing-guide/
They do NOT have to be tight to seal and in fact too tight can cause them not to inflate as designed and it's really hard to get a good seal without the inflation.

Also...the nasal pillows shouldn't move the end of the nose upwards at all...if you look in the mirror and your first thought is "piggy nose" then the straps are too tight and it's usually the top strap.
I move around all over during the night and never stay in one position and my nasal pillows rarely ever move and the straps are disgustingly loose.
If you have anything more than very minor tenderness at the nostril area then you either have it too tight or wrong size nasal pillow.

Use that cpap cream you bought..a little on the nostrils before you put the mask on. It will help the minor tenderness.

joeljjk11 wrote:Just an update, I tried out my nasal mask again last night and used the CPAP cream that I have. I feel WAY more refreshed today and actually have energy. I am going to get nasal pillows today and am hoping that I feel just as good. It is a shame that the N10 irritates my nose so much, like right now it is a little sore and doesn't feel right.

If the mask works well, check out the liners for comfort. http://www.padacheek.com/ Even if you just use it for backup.

So I had my appt with the equipment supplier today and I ended up with the Respironics Nuance Gel nasal pillows. They are very comfortable and the technician said people have really good luck with them. I tested them out a bit when I got home from work and the only odd thing is that it can be difficult to breathe out at high pressures. I swallowed a few times and this seemed to alleviate the problem a bit though.

If you have the next size up nasal pillow for the Nuance available give it a try to see if it helps with the exhalation issues if those issues continue.

I tried using the next size up last night. I woke up in the middle of the night at one point and couldn't fall back asleep for a while. Other than this they seemed to be comfortable and there was no leakage to speak of.

Happy with the Nuance mask in general?

I like it, very comfortable. The exhaling thing is a little strange but I think I will get used to it. I do not feel quite as refreshed today but I think it's because I woke up and couldn't fall back asleep for a while.

Wake ups definitely mess with how we feel the next day and even more so when we have trouble going back to sleep because that means less sleep in general.

Glad you like the mask. I think the exhale thing will likely reduce once you get more used to the nasal pillows in general. Should it persist...you might look at the Swift FX nasal pillows at some time in the future because I think it might offer a little less resistance due to the way they are constructed compared to the Nuance and the openings at the inner cones are a bit larger which would allow more air movement and more easily.
If you look at the nasal pillows and compare the openings at the inner cone...they get a little bigger as the size goes up and the bigger the opening the more easy the air will go in and out.

So I've been using the nasal pillows since Thursday night. I feel good but not as 'refreshed' in the morning as the Airfit N10. I do feel better than when I was wearing the Airfit F10 full face mask though. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Maybe a nasal mask is the way to go for me? My wife said I have not been snoring with the nasal pillows, I'm having a hard time finding the best mask for me.

Use the mask that lets you feel and sleep the best.
I experienced just the opposite...more refreshed with pillows when compared to FFM or nasal cushion mask way back in the beginning of my therapy but that doesn't meant anything....because I am not you. That's how come there are so many masks out there....everyone is a little different in their preferences, wants and needs.
It's entirely possible that your body simply feels more comfortable with the nasal cushion mask of the N10.
More comfortable can mean a little better sleep quality and better quality sleep means feeling more rested.
If you worry about the snores...that's easily fixed (if they need to be fixed) with just a tiny bit more pressure.

Good points. I noticed that I have been waking up quite a bit in the middle of the night with the nasal pillows. I think this may be because there is water in my nose from the tubes/machine. I'm not sure, I am going to try the N10 tonight and hopefully it does not irritate my nose too much.