New problems with Swift LT pillows

dynamite wrote:I have been quite happy with the Swift LT. I did find that I needed to wash pillows every other night and wash my face every night in order to maintain the seal. I am curious about the lanolin mentioned. Is there a product or brand that works for sealing purposes? Also, my husband who is 6 days new to CPAP is not adjusting well to the Swift LT. He finds it uncomfortable after a few hours and takes the mask off in his sleep. I noticed that his nose has slotted rather than rounded shaped nares. Is there a better mask choice for him? He is unwilling to shave the beard and mustache that he has worn for 40 years. And, of course, one size does not fit all.

My husband who also has a beard and mustache is uisng a FFM, and he's quite happy with that. The Quattro seems to given him better seal, but he feels like he's not getting enough air, so he's going to switch back to the UM...I''m going to have him try the micro first though.

How do you use this stuff?

I have been using Swift LT since December. This last week it has been leaking everynight. I am taping mouth and leak rate is
.40 or a little more. They don't start leaking until the later half of the night and then I play with the pillows but they leak off and on the rest of the night.
My AHI is still low (less than 3 HI--no AI's). I hurt my back last week and I'm taking Tylenol w/codeine and valiums to sleep at night and thought the drugs might be causing the leaks.
The headgear needs to be adjusted every other day or so. And the straps from the nose part rub the top of my ears. With all of this, I like the mask. I just hope I can get my leak rate down to less than .10 again.

jnk wrote:My love affair with the LT is slowly ending as well. The pillows deteriorate too quickly. I may be going back to the Swift II. The perfect design for me would be the overall design of the LT with the pillows being made like the Swift II's.

I mentioned this a few weeks ago, but will note my observation again, since I think it may apply to the original post. There is no question in my experience that the LT pillows have undergone a change in quality since the first 2 pillows I got in August & Sept of this year. I actually called ResMed about it 3 weeks ago, and they seemed bewildered or confused about this even being a possibility. However, the original pillows I had were obviously milkier-white and definitely sturdier than the clearer and more flimsy pillows I have accessed over the past 3 months. I too am distressed with this, as the LT is the perfect mask for me. But the new pillows have been impossible for me to obtain a good seal, and my data is a mess as a result. Hard to tell what's going on, since the leak rate shows to be okay to "fair" (had been consistently excellent with the more opaque LT pillow)--but the AHI is consistently increased. I really would like to know if anyone else has noticed this change. And if so, would you please register a report to ResMed?!

Just received 2 replacement pillows from ResMed, due to my registered concern as noted in the above post. I feel lucky to have been sent two of the original quality pillows, and there is no question about the difference in quality. These pillows are the more opaque color, are definitely sturdier overall, and have a stiffer inner layer to the nasal pillows. ResMed says they have not changed their manufacturer, nor specifications. But there is no doubt about the differences as I have noted. Ugh. The thinner ones just do not do the job!

I have only used the Swift LT, but I think I like it. I have noticed, however, that I need to put it on and usually tighten the straps. Then I toss and turn for a bit, then pull the nose pillows out and reseat them a couple of times. That usually does the trick. It also seems to help seal them better if I sort of twist them so they face upwards a little more. I keep the straps pretty tight, but I haven't noticed any marks on my face or anything, and it stays on really well even though I like to sleep on my sides at night. I have been using the same nasal pillow for about a month now, and I think its time to get another one. So, is everyone washing it every morning, or just letting it air dry? I keep going back and forth....it seems like as long as it gets dry, it should be good to go, and maybe just wash it every couple of days? What are you all doing?

I am getting frustrated with my Swift LT. I do not think it is the pillows because I put new pillows in two nights ago. It starts to leak half way through the night and continue to morning. Last night I switched from the small pillows to the medium pillows(I used them about a week before I switched to small). My 90% pressure is about 10.4--10.6 each night. Last night I gave up and took the mask off and went back to sleep. I think at this point, the waking up to adjust the pillows is worse than having the hypoapneas.
I may call DME tomorrow, but in the past they have been no help in resolving mask problems.

Victoria --I wash mine once a week!!! HA!! HA!! Unless I have a cold --I have only been washing them on the weekend. I read here that they might not be that sturdy so I did not want to wear them out. I just got a replacement pillow from Resmed and it is the same clear ones that I have gotten before. I never had ones that are opaque in color. Keep up with the AYR GEL --on your nose before you mask up at night--it will help keep the seal for you.

Carrie

I too began CPAP therapy in December and got used to the Swift LT pretty quickly. I wash my nasal pillows daily! Mostly because when I started CPAP I also had a cold. I'm surprised by all of you that clean it weekly or bi-weekly, are you sure that's safe? I am only allowed a replacement mask once every 12 months, but I did exchange the other two size pillows with other users here so now I have 3 sets (including the one I'm using). This will let me change out my pillows once every 4 months. I am on CPAP therapy of 8.0 with EPR on ramp only (ramp setting is 6.0). My leak rate is almost always 0.0 as I seem to be able to get a good seal without problem. However my AHI is always 5.0-6.0 with the rare 4.0. AI is always low, < 2.0. I recently had a titration study and they said at 8.0 cm h20 my AHI is actually 0, so it's probably my resmed over-reporting AI and HI. How annoying!!!

For all those that got replacement pillows from resmed, could you please tell me how you did that? Did you have to mail in your old ones back to them?

Wongnog,
I have used the Swift, the Swift ll and now the LT. In the very beginning I washed the pilows every couple of days but found out it really wasn't necessary, for me anyhow. So after 3+ years I am still here, haven't had and respitory problems. fungus or sores in the nose . So I think not washing the pillows all that often has worked OK for me

Has anyone else noticed that the swivel right in front of the pillows doesn't want to be a swivel any more?
It is quite stiff acting now.
Otherwise the mask generally works very well for me.

TerryB

Debjax wrote:

SharkBait wrote:Be sure and give the Lanolin a try to help with those seals. I love that stuff (even though it's 10 bucks a 2 oz tube...).

You can get three tubes for 19.84 at amazon.com, if you are a Prime member, 2nd day shipping is free.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EPQ1US

It's too thick for me....pain to clean off in the am.

Thanks, Deb, but that's the cream. I don't think that's the same as the Lanolin... My tube says Lanolin right under the Lansinoh name in the green oval...

I don't have an oily face. But I've discovered that if I want to be sure of a firm seal, all night through, I have to wash my Hearest nasal seals and my face nightly - I use Dr. Bonner liquid soap on both. This has nothing to do with safety, and everything to do with sealing. If I don't wash the seals, they will start leaking sometime during the night.

O.

sleeplessinaz wrote:...I just got a replacement pillow from Resmed and it is the same clear ones that I have gotten before. I never had ones that are opaque in color.
Carrie

Well, just to be clear .....I was saying that the sturdier and more effective pillow is more opaque....Maybe I should have just left it described as "milkier" in appearance than the thinner, flimsy ones I had gotten recently. The translucence difference is subtle, but obvious when seen side by side. But equally clear is that the inner layer of the nasal pieces are definitely stiffer on the original and more effective pillows (for me).

I hate to be tedious, but by gosh when we find the perfect mask, we sure are attuned to the subtleties and don't want to see a change!!

I to have had issues early on with the Swift Lt for women pillows after the first washing about 2weeks in. I also have leaks about 3 hours into sleeping, I have found if I cover the tiny holes in the exhaust it creates a vacuum that seals me back up. Sounds weird but it works for me.