Attention Stomach Sleepers

Hello all, before I was diagnosed with OSA I was a stomach sleeper and really enjoyed it. Now however, due to the mask I use (Mirage Activa Nasal Mask), I am a side sleeper but I would like to be a stomach sleeper again. My question is are there any stomach sleepers out there who are getting quality therapy and if so how are you doing it? Is it a mask-pillow combination? Or other tricks I can try? Thanks in advance for any and all replies.

Cheers

Travis

Very good question. I am a side/stomach sleeper too, although I don't have my prescription yet, I would like to know: how do others do it?

Well personally I use a combination of my current mask and 2 pillows "one under my head and the other under my arm/chest" with my hands under my chin and by my temple. It sounds weird but it works for me. The only problem is sometimes I get alot of pressure on the end of the mask which causes my nose to get sore. Of course I do roll around and always seem to wake up on my back.

travismcgee wrote:Hello all, before I was diagnosed with OSA I was a stomach sleeper and really enjoyed it. Now however, due to the mask I use (Mirage Activa Nasal Mask), I am a side sleeper but I would like to be a stomach sleeper again. My question is are there any stomach sleepers out there who are getting quality therapy and if so how are you doing it? Is it a mask-pillow combination? Or other tricks I can try? Thanks in advance for any and all replies.

Cheers

Travis

Check this out -

http://www.aeiomed.com/products/headrest.php

The Movie - http://www.aeiomed.com/video_product_in ... adrest.php

https://www.cpap.com/productpage.php?PNum=1717&PAID=215

mask test drives going on:
viewtopic/t35761/phpBBFolk.php?mode=sea ... 20drive%22

I am sure a search would bring up more posts.

Many tummy sleepers have reported that the Headrest nasal pillows mask by Aeiomed works well for sleeping in that position, as well as any position:

LINKS to HeadRest nasal pillows mask topics (same mask has had other names: Aeiomed Aura, then Headrest, then Invacare Twilight NP, then back to Headrest again.)
viewtopic.php?t=3098

I am a total stomach sleeper, regardless of the fact that it is awful for you back and I have terrible back issues it is the only way for me to get any sleep. That said after many, many, masks and pillows I have finally found what works for ME, the Swift Lt. for Women mask has a powerful exhaust so you can bury your face partiallly in the pillow as some stomach sleepers do and still get the exhaust gets way from your face, a squishy pillow from sleep innovations that you can plump wherever you need to and most of all a fix to give you lungs the maxium expandable space. Put a king size pillow under whichever leg you bend, which should be on the same side that you face, so if your left cheek is directly on the pillow your rt. leg bent on a pillow (comfortable for your hip), then put a regualr pillow less plump under your rt. arm which is also bent at a right angle hand up toward your head, doing this opens up the space between your chest and the bed, still allowing you to be on your tummy with space for your lungs to expand. I was told this by my Physical Therapist (I go to her for pars fractures of the spine) when I told her despite great cpap stats I don't sleep well. She was 100 percent on the money so we can't always blame cpap when we don't rest well.
Good luck, if this confuses you, PM me and I'll try explain it better.
Ellen

whatrdreamsmadeof wrote:I was told this by my Physical Therapist (I go to her for pars fractures of the spine) when I told her despite great cpap stats I don't sleep well. She was 100 percent on the money so we can't always blame cpap when we don't rest well.

That was good info about how to arrange pillows for tummy sleeping, Ellen!

Great advice everyone. During my titration last night, I ended up using the Mirage Swift II (snorkel) which allowed me to sleep somewhat on my stomach. I like that mask a lot, and I will probably go with that one.

Thanks Guys and Dolls for the timely and informative replies. I knew there were some stomach sleepers out there. I will spend the next couple of days
digesting all the great suggestions.

Travis

Hubby and I are both stomach sleepers to some extent, and while I've managed to do it..he was having problems. I use a nasal mask, he's had to go to the Quattro FFM since he can't get the Swift LT to stay sealed when he moves off his back. I'm not sure how to tell you how I've done it, it just happens. I remember the first night several weeks after I staretd CPAP that I found myself on my stomach, and it just felt sooooo good. Now I manage it without thinking of it. I use a down pillow, it gets scrunched up and I find myself with it supporting the left side of my head/face at a downward angle, and the rest of me is just on my tummy.

Our sleep doc, who wears a FFM, told hubby he uses two pillows with space between them that he puts his face into, the pillows support his head with space for his face and mask to hang down and leaves room for the exhaust. Yes, our sleep doctor is a hosehead...he tells the story of how he was diagnosed during his fellowship. They all had to have the sleep study so they would know how it felt to their patients....they were shocked when his study showed he was stopping about 50+ times an hour. He went on the hose that next night.

Try all the masks you want. I tried 13 before I gave up and got the Headrest. I could have saved myself a lot of time and money if I had tried it first. I just had to learn the hard way. Probably I was resisting the idea of pantyhose on my head.

Cut off the headgear and get a couple stretchy straps and you are in great shape to sleep on your tummy. Or side, or whatever. The exhaust goes overhead so it doesn't cause trouble.

A few months ago I tried to use some of the other masks to see if things had improved. Nope. My results (AHI, leaks, etc.) were all worse and the masks still were not comfortable after months of using the Headrest. Gotta love that mask. Somewhere I have a picture of the "decapitated" Aura - that is the old name of the mask. I will see if I can find it if you are interested.

Thanks Rested Gal. You showed me the way.

Catnapper - Joanie

Amen to that, Joanie. I'm an RG Headrest convert, and I am NEVER going back. Dear lord in heaven, I love that mask. <3

Tummy sleepers unite!

CollegeGirl wrote:Amen to that, Joanie. I'm an RG Headrest convert, and I am NEVER going back. Dear lord in heaven, I love that mask. <3

Tummy sleepers unite!

it's funny, I ordered this yesterday because when I took a closer look at the design, I thought, "hmmmm, in addition to this having no stress points on the upper lip, it looks ideal for sleeping on my stomach".

a squishy pillow from sleep innovations that you can plump wherever you need to

Whatrdreamsmadeof, your pillow description sounded just like my beloved pillows, so I did a search and found that they are what I have. My search also revealed a recall on them if you got them at Costco and they meet this description:

Description: The recalled Cuddly Comfort Pillows were sold in packs of two. Each pillow is 20” wide by 26” long, and they were sold in white, violet, blue, pink and yellow colors. Only pillows with Registration Number PA-27156(CA) are included in the recall. The Registration Number and the words “Sleep Innovations” are printed on the pillow’s tag.

Luckily, mine is two digits off of that number, but thought I'd post this anyway. For more information on this recall, visit http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08596.html

These pillows are absolutely fantastic---kind of weird compared to any pillow I've owned---but fantastic. I'll take these any day over memory foam or traditional pillows.

By the way, I am not a stomach sleeper, mostly a side sleeper, but they work well on the side or back just the same.

OMG, Murphyslaw, my pillows have been recalled, I don't know that I can give them up......they have literally saved my life! Not to mention that they wash like a dream. I will call the toll free number and see what I can do to get a replacement, thanks so much for the recall information!
Ellen