Tried nasal pillows... nose almost exploded!!! ....

Hi all,

.. anyway, that's how it felt.

I started BPAP using a nasal mask about 2 weeks ago and developed a blister on the bridge of my nose within a few days. Even wearing glasses during the daytime was uncomfortable. I followed suggestions on this Board and soaked my gear several times in mild soap for an hour or so. That and some TLC on my nose have the problem under control and my nose on the way to a full recovery.

I read a lot about nasal pillows and wondered if I could eliminate the recurrence of problems by migrating from a nasal mask to a nasal pillow removing any device/pressure from the bridge of my nose. Having inquired with my provider, i was given a Respironics Optilife mask to try out. Having just gone to bed with a pressure of 4 (ramp), I could only notice how comfortable the gear felt: smaller headgear and little pressure on my face. However, the pressure reached a night time cruising speed of 15 and that is when the discomfort started, it soon became very uncomfortable. ramped again but eventually gave up and finished the night on my nasal mask.

Question: Is there a max pressure at which nasal pillows are not recommended? Are others among you, using pillows at that or higher pressures? If so, how do you recommend I deal with the issue of feeling the pressure quite uncomfortably at those levels?
Maybe, again, it is a YMMV situation, and I will be personnally happier with the nasal mask but having the nasal pillows on did let me dream of night's side sleeping....

As for the nasal mask, having again read advice, I went back to the drawing board and started from scratch to adjust the straps. i think i had gotten a little crazy tighthening the headgear. It is more comfortable but I do have minor leaks occurring throughout the night. I am aware or not depending on the size of the leak. Sometimes just moving my head a bit takes care of the leak. I think the respironics M series can adjust to some leakage.. How do i determine how much leak is too much leak aside from the unmistakably loud hiss that can be heard on occasion?

OK, enough for now. Thanks for your help.

Bernard

No, there's really not. Every user will have a completely individual experience.

I can run as high as 20 and not get "blow out" with my Nasal Aire II. I've heard others say that high a pressure will blow the mask off their face. I dunno...

Keep trying different masks. There are several free mask test drives going on through the forum, so you can try before you buy. Check out the links below in my signature line to learn more.

Good luck!
Barbara

Hello Bernard, have you tried with the optilife the CradleCushion? That might help as the more it inflates the better seal you get. Good luck!
Don

Bernard,
I use my Swift LT @ 14+ and don't have any problems. I tried the OptiLife and couldn't for the life of me get it to seal against my nose, but I don't have any problem with the Swift. I'm sold on it!
Your machine is designed to compensate for minor leakage so don't worry about it unless it bothers you enough to prevent you from going to sleep.
Anyway, the best advice I can offer after 15 months of Bi-level is "You own the machine - it doesn't own you. Find a comfortable mask and you're 95% there."
All the best,
LKTNKY

I use the swift with pressures of 13 being common (auto so mine varies 10 - 15). You say that you have been on the machine 2 weeks. Hardly enough time to acclimate to anything properly. Give it some time.

Is there some reason you start at 4 where most of us can't hardly get enough air and ramp up to 15? Big difference between those two. What was your sleep study pressure?

Thanks for your responses.

I realize 2 weeks isn't long to get used to anything BUT I do not feel uncomfortable with the pressure when wearing the nasal mask; its just the pressure of the mask on my face that I was trying to get away from with the nasal pillows. I have no seal/leak problem with the Optilife its just the direct flow into my nose that gets very uncomfortable during the night. I cannot say if my nose feels dry, I do have a humidifier, it just feels like the skin inside my nose will peel off from the pressure of 15. So how do some of you put up with 20? Suggestions?

I'm glad i don't have to worry about leakage; it will make wearing the nasal mask less annoying if I don't get comfortable with nasal pillows.

My sleep study was at home: oxymeter, nasal prongs, and that gadget box strapped to my chest... so no sleep study pressure. I don't know why I start at 4, I would have to ask the provider. I know many of you don't start below 7-8. I will see the provider next week.

Later.

bernard

BML, my husband just started on cpap and has a pressure of 19. He was prescribed a full-face mask (Quattro), and I asked about nasal pillow masks, or full-face masks like the Hybrid that use nasal pillows. She said it would be awfully uncomfortable on his nose at that pressure.

My pressure is 8.5, so I don't have any experience with that, just what the DME and sleep doc said to my husband.

Each person is different. Plus, maybe once you've been on therapy for a bit longer, you would be able to tolerate (even prefer) a nasal pillow-type mask.

Pam