Major leaks @ 3am...but good until then

Here it is, 3am, and I'm up because of leaking! My husbands suggestion? Depends!!! Great help he is, he gets to sleep all night! As you can see, I have a Swift LT. So, does anyone have any ideas? I get to sleep fairly quickly when I first go to bed, and with no leaks, then wake up in the wee hours and CANNOT get rid of the leaks long enough to go BACK to sleep. Seems to happen every night for the last 3 or 4. What can I do? I tried reapplying the tiny bit of vicks I put on my nares just before putting the mask on, thinking that might help "glue" the thing on, but that didn't work either. I NEED MY SLEEP!!!

Okay, forget it! I'm going back to bed. With or without cpap, I need some sleep. I guess I'll figure it all out sooner or later.

Rosebud wrote:Here it is, 3am, and I'm up because of leaking! My husbands suggestion? Depends!!! Great help he is, he gets to sleep all night! As you can see, I have a Swift LT. So, does anyone have any ideas? I get to sleep fairly quickly when I first go to bed, and with no leaks, then wake up in the wee hours and CANNOT get rid of the leaks long enough to go BACK to sleep. Seems to happen every night for the last 3 or 4. What can I do? I tried reapplying the tiny bit of vicks I put on my nares just before putting the mask on, thinking that might help "glue" the thing on, but that didn't work either. I NEED MY SLEEP!!!

How long have you had this mask? If you've had success on other nights, then your pillow size is obviously okay and your nares must be rounding out good enough for a good seal. But if this is your first night with it, then try different pillows sizes to make sure you have the right one. Also, if your nares are too "slotted" then they won't round out well enough for a proper fit. Once poster has used breathe-right strips to help pull the nares round, but I'm not a fan of those things...

Make sure that while your mask is secure, it's not too tight. The nasal pillows were designed to just snug up against the nares. If you mush them, they will leak.

Make very sure that the inner wall on your pillows is facing down. Also make sure that when you are about to put your mask on, the "ResMed" stamped into the nasal pillow is facing up.

I use Lansinoh Lanolin to help secure a good fit. Take about 3/8" and apply it around the nares. I've actually started trying the mask without the Lanolin and still get a great fit.

The vicks could be more of a hinder than a help. Make sure you clean the nasal pillows well during the day so they'll be ready to go again. And the water will tend to fold those inner walls up. The worst night I've ever had with the Swift LT was when that inner wall on one side had folded up... In fact, the night I'm thinking of was a lot like what you are describing.

The finishing touch for me with the Swift LT is a chin strap. It helps me with mouth breathing, but I also run it up over the straps of the mask to help keep everything securely in place, even when I roll over onto my side. Once I've started doing that I don't think I've woken a single time with leaking...

Isn't Vicks petroleum based? If it is, I wouldn't use that on the mask. I certainly appreciate the leak problem, as I gave nights like that. But the swift has such a small sealing surface.... maybe less gunk is better than more?

I also suggest a backup mask of a different style for those nights when it's just not working.

leaks must be a common occurance with this mask,i used one during the second part of my sleep study and it leaked most of the night ,i still got one to use at home ,i put the large pillows on and it leaked and leaked ,the one at the sleep study was medium ,being as i just got my machine yesterday,i'm still working out the "bugs" so to speak. at about 4am this morning i swtched to the small pillows after a little readjustment i'm not getting any major leaks ,i have 30 days to decide weather to keep this mask or not ,if i get leaks tonite ,i may try something else.

Well my suggestion would be to switch to a different type of mask. Those nasal pillows are useless IMO. Seems like some people can use them fine, others not so much!

vipertec wrote:leaks must be a common occurance with this mask

Not really... but not every mask is for everyone. I absolutely love this mask, and it seems to be very popular so there must be something there. When someone can't get leaks stopped I wonder if their nares are so slotted that they won't round out for a good seal.

Anyway, read the checklist I suggested before and make sure everything is good for you. One of the most common mistakes I've seen when someone first gets this mask is they try to smush it up against their nose thinking they'll vice the sucker into not leaking. This actually defeats the design.

Also, even if I didn't mouth breathe I'd use a chin strap. I have the mask tensioned just right where it sits perfectly under my nose with a great seal. Then I run that chin strap over those leather flaps and it stays all night even with my tossing and turning. I also have cut large "slots" in my Tempur-Pedic to make it a PAP pillow to help with sleeping on my side.

Also don't underestimate the sealing power of the Lanolin. I actually get a great seal without it, but at first I used it to help with the tenderness caused by having something on my nose all night and an added side effect is it does help with the seal.

I wish everyone had the kind of success I have with this Swift LT... Just love it.

SharkBait wrote:...Make very sure that the inner wall on your pillows is facing down. Also make sure that when you are about to put your mask on, the "ResMed" stamped into the nasal pillow is facing up...

I can't picture this. Or you talking about the double wall pillows? or putting the whole pillow thing on the mask upside down? I used this mask until it started leaking. I would like to use it again. I really liked it until the leaks. I used it about two months.

hose head wrote:

SharkBait wrote:...Make very sure that the inner wall on your pillows is facing down. Also make sure that when you are about to put your mask on, the "ResMed" stamped into the nasal pillow is facing up...

I can't picture this. Or you talking about the double wall pillows? or putting the whole pillow thing on the mask upside down? I used this mask until it started leaking. I would like to use it again. I really liked it until the leaks. I used it about two months.

Yes, there is an inner wall that can get folded backwards. Mine happened when I was rinsing the pillows and the force of the water folded the flap back towards the top.

Also, it's common for some (I still have to double check) to put the pillows back on there upside down. The Resmed that's stamped on has to be facing up...

i haven't been on the mask long enough (about 6 weeks) to know how long these pillows will last before they finally break down and leak. I've got two mediums that I rotate each night and two more mediums sitting ready to go.

I'm sorry you were up during the night with no one on the forum available to help you.

I have several masks -a couple of nasal pillows and prongs (which I prefer), a nasal mask and a full face mask. That way, if I can't get the leaks sorted out in the middle of the night with the mask I started the night with, I have others to change to in the night.

I know having a number of masks can be expensive but there are some very good deals on cpapauction.com (some brand new masks) so that it is not very expensive to have a few available.

It's just a suggestion that works for me and thought I would pass it on.

rosebud
I put the fat cushy side against my upper lip area .
I fix the little nose parts so they just sit nicely inside my nares
I adjust the nose peice untill it feels comfortable against my upper lip and in my nose..
I turn the air on and wiggle my nose like Bewitched if It leaks I start over.
When I have it just right it seals and you feel it. Kind like a vacuum suction and then the air goes right in.. I am set for the night. My leak rate has gone down with this process.

I love this mask for the very reason it has this adjustable feature on the nose piece.
You can tilt any direction to get a comfort fit. As long as I don't something to set the adjustment off I don't have to do it every night.

Moombeam

Rosebud wrote:Here it is, 3am, and I'm up because of leaking! My husbands suggestion? Depends!!! Great help he is, he gets to sleep all night! As you can see, I have a Swift LT. So, does anyone have any ideas? I get to sleep fairly quickly when I first go to bed, and with no leaks, then wake up in the wee hours and CANNOT get rid of the leaks long enough to go BACK to sleep. Seems to happen every night for the last 3 or 4. What can I do? I tried reapplying the tiny bit of vicks I put on my nares just before putting the mask on, thinking that might help "glue" the thing on, but that didn't work either. I NEED MY SLEEP!!!

Uhh.., I don't think Depends are intended for Mask leaks! But then again you said it wakes you in the Wee hours. Thanks, I needed a chuckle this morning (may be 1:30 PM but still feels like morning - even after 1.5 quarts of coffee).

I have oily skin and my FFM tends to leak in those wee hours, so I get up and wee, then wipe the mask and my face and am good the rest of the night. I don't know if the seal in a nasal cushion gets oily but something needs corrective action in the night. If not already, I'd wash the cushion with dish soap before bed.

I did end up switching back to my original nasal pillows on another night such as the one mentioned above, and that one has been working...for now. I have a nurse/church friend that is going to get me a free sample of lanolin to try before I pay through the nose (pun intended) for a full tube.

I apologize for sounding so grumpy! Thank God I know you all understand! I had another rough night Saturday night, and in a fit of rage (yes, rage) I ripped it off my face and threw the thing on the floor. Response from my husband (whom I woke up in my rage)? "Calm down, honey". Yeah, that worked! I just sat and cried for 10 minutes, then of course I was up for 2 hours before going back to bed. He doesn't understand what it's like, he was back to sleep and snoring in minutes! I think that was the night I switched masks.

Ironically, I've been telling him for years that he needed to be studied for an apnea, and now finally his Dr. is starting to agree, but wants me to monitor him. (But I covered all that in another thread asking about home studies).

Thank you all for your responses. I just means so much to know I'm not in this boat all by myself, especially when it starts to feel like the Titantic!

Rosie

vipertec wrote:leaks must be a common occurance with this mask

Like Shark, not for me either. Everyone is different but I'm able to use Swift LT without any leaks.

Could be your face/nares are not designed for the Swift LT ... could be you have too much gunk on or in your nose ... could be you have wrong tension on the head straps ... could be you are somehow yanking the hose away from your nose ... could be the angle of the nasal pillows is wrong (most likely case IMO).

Try different adjustments, different mask, or different nose.

Oh Rosie, I know what you are saying. There has been more than one occasion I have had to just let loose and shed some tears of frustration. I was so thankful to find this forum. I had never had any other occasion to feel claustrophobic, but after reading about the ramp setting of 4 being way too low for most, I understood what was going on. Most of the time, I feel like I am awake for hours on end in the night. This is a journey. My husband has been on CPAP for 20 years, so his telling me to just calm down, take it a little at a time, and not feel bad if I only can do a couple hours a night has been a help. I am two weeks into this. I have the Padacheeks on my Swift LT. I modified them a bit by folding back and sewing the area closest to my nose so the fabric was not as loose fitting, so is tighter over the straps on that front end. Anything you can think of to help yourself be more comfortable, do it. I have tinkered plenty with trying to find just the right adjustment for the straps. I do think the Padacheeks helps to keep the mask in place better. Now I have one of those inside the nose very painful pimples. And here I am 40 years past puberty! As Rosanne Rosanna Danna used to say "It's always something!" I wish you luck, my prayers for all of us to finally "get there!" ---JS