Nose pain (septum) Resmed P30i

Hello,

I'm 47 y/o male from The Netherlands and I've asked this same question in a forum in our country, but not much activity there but a handful people who do not share exactly my issue.

Hoping someone here knows what to do.

I have been using CPAP since 5 weeks. For 3 weeks I used the Mirage FX nose mask. The last 2 weeks however, I switched to ResMed P30i and I was feeling liberated, it's much less on the face, and no left over impressions on your skin if you wake up.

But, there's one issue and it's increasingly making things worse. I put up the mask not too tight, and with a 'standard' mask size, M-sized nose pads. I go to sleep and it feels 'snug' and not too tight and not too loose. I wake up, in pain. The septum (between the 2 nostrils) on the front side hurt very bad. It's not giving me blisters, it's not bleeding, nothing like that, just painful. Very painful. As if there's a hard piece of plastic strapped very tight to my nose whole night.

I've ordered a "L" size nose pad today, but I want to know if I just need to toughen up my nose and this is known. I read in this form about micropore tape people put on it for a while or even cream. But those people have little wounds or blisters, and I'm not.

Yesterday I tried the 'S' sized pad, just to see if I needed smaller, not bigger. And I only slept 5 hours, and the pain was just too much. Had to get up. It took an hour for the pain to go away.

The rubber frame is sized standard. Anyone has any experience with this? Thanks!

bump

I like your idea of trying the large size pilllows (not pads) as the mediums might be enteing your nostrils and rubbing agaist your septum.

If that doest help try the N30i cradles. They fit onto the P30i frame and mount against the bottom of the nose. Nothing enters the nostrils.

You might need to alternate between 2 masks that contact different areas.
This would give your skin time to heal and toughen up.
Wearing the same painful mask every night will only cause long-lasting damage.

I bet the large pillows will solve this. I too use the resmed P30i. I don't have large nostrils, but I find the size large pillows are just more comfortable.

I also have a rather large head, but find the small frame holds the pillows in place more easily. The frame sits closer to the front of my head, but somehow works better. It could be that with the medium frame you need to tighten the straps tighter, adding to the nostril pain. I tried a medium frame but went back to the small.

I hope you find relief soon!

Morgan Bateson wrote: ↑

Thu May 21, 2020 11:59 am

The last 2 weeks however, I switched to ResMed P30i and I was feeling liberated, it's much less on the face, and no left over impressions on your skin if you wake up.

A clear: me too. In the first weeks I ran in the same problems: it took some time for my nose to grow accustomed to the P30i, which is the mask of my (sweet) dreams now. Also got better results with the large pillow. In the meantime I used some Arnica salve to cure the symptoms.

Maybe you should losen the strap a little. For me and my P30i there is one sweet spot in which we could breathe together happily. It depends literally on one millimetre.

Tot ziens,

Mike

Thank you all for replying !

Dog Slobber wrote: ↑

Thu May 21, 2020 7:41 pm

I like your idea of trying the large size pilllows (not pads) as the mediums might be enteing your nostrils and rubbing agaist your septum.

If that doest help try the N30i cradles. They fit onto the P30i frame and mount against the bottom of the nose. Nothing enters the nostrils.

N30i cradles, noted. But to be clear, it's not the part of the septum between the nostrils. Say you put your finger on the front tip of your nose ("boop"), then go a little bit down. That part. I found out that even though the material around the bridge of the pillows is soft, the plastic part with the filter slowly makes the area painful.

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Thu May 21, 2020 8:03 pm

You might need to alternate between 2 masks that contact different areas.
This would give your skin time to heal and toughen up.

That's exactly the idea but is this true ? I mean, the area inside the nose if that irritates, it can toughen up an grow callus maybe. But this is the very front of the nose underneath the tip of the nose. And it's not irritated and it's not with blisters. It's just painful. There won't grow callus there I imagine. Will it toughen up ?

Deborah K. wrote: ↑

Thu May 21, 2020 10:27 pm

I bet the large pillows will solve this. I too use the resmed P30i. I don't have large nostrils, but I find the size large pillows are just more comfortable.

I also have a rather large head, but find the small frame holds the pillows in place more easily. The frame sits closer to the front of my head, but somehow works better. It could be that with the medium frame you need to tighten the straps tighter, adding to the nostril pain. I tried a medium frame but went back to the small.

I hope you find relief soon!

Thanks ! I have tried loosening the straps so it was loosely on the back of my head. But that didn't really make a difference. Setting it tight made things worse. I now tried last night to slide the rubber hose that goes on top of you head a little bit more to the forehead. That made it not so tight against the nose and it seemed to help a bit. I also put a very small strip of cotton wool between the nose cushions, it acted as a softener.

But yeah, I need a different size I guess.

multicast wrote: ↑

Fri May 22, 2020 3:46 am

A clear: me too. In the first weeks I ran in the same problems: it took some time for my nose to grow accustomed to the P30i, which is the mask of my (sweet) dreams now. Also got better results with the large pillow. In the meantime I used some Arnica salve to cure the symptoms.

Maybe you should losen the strap a little. For me and my P30i there is one sweet spot in which we could breathe together happily. It depends literally on one millimetre.

Tot ziens,

Mike

Thanks Mike, if this is just for a few weeks and you get used to it, I'm fine with it. Just that I didn't really know this so I had to ask lol. Loosening the strap didn't really work as did making it tight to the face. But moving the tube that goes to the head seemed to work. I will fiddle around with that while waiting for the L size. En tot ziens ja

When I alternated between 2 different masks, there was no callus formation,
but prevented the sore spots from progressing to blister--to help strengthen the skin.
It also let me continue looking/waiting for a more tolerable mask.

I had the same problem with the p30i. The skin between the nasal cavities is skewed to one side. This caused the pillow to rub on the inside causing irritation. Picked up a n30i pillow and it was much better. The only thing was the diffuser in the n30i was blowing air over my wife and she complained about it. Now have been using the n30 for 4 months and is my mask of choice.

Did you find a solution for your fitting problem? What you've described is exactly what I am experiencing.

TheLaird wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 15, 2021 10:36 am

Did you find a solution for your fitting problem? What you've described is exactly what I am experiencing.

op hasn't been on since 6/22/20.

in her last post she says-

"Thanks Mike, if this is just for a few weeks and you get used to it, I'm fine with it. Just that I didn't really know this so I had to ask lol. Loosening the strap didn't really work as did making it tight to the face. But moving the tube that goes to the head seemed to work. I will fiddle around with that while waiting for the L size. "

so i'd guess either she got used to it or tried the large size.