Nasal Pillows - Leaks

Hi - I have the nasal pillows, and last nite i felt air blowing up toward my eye from the top of the nasal pillow part over my nose. I tried to adjust it but it did not stop the leak. So is it that it may be too loose, or that it is positioned to much upward? I see that I can adjust the nasal pillows by moving it upwards or downwards and it makes the sound of the air different. I might be using a too big nasal pillow.. I think i am using small or medium.

I am happy to use them because they dont take up much room on my face and even though the air pressure feels stronger than a mask, it feels good after breathing in them a while but i tell you the pressue does feel a bit stronger using these vs the mask.

I have the humidifier upto level 4, which seems to be highest,, and i get congestion in the morning. Am i stuck with congestion? also i just read in the instructions to have the unit lower than the pillow.. right now its just underneath the pillow level. so maybe that will help. Any suggestions please?

oh one more thing I forgot, i noticed I wake up once to three times a night with my mouth open.. does that hurt me? I know because my mouth is gurling that air coming from my throat. is this normal or should I need a chin strap? It looks like the chin straps can be gotten separately from the current nasal pillows i have. Thanks for your help

Hi Mary T.... first, you need to register on the forum and then fill in your profile. Once registered, go up to the User Control Panel (top left) and then Profile. Fill in your information and then go to Edit Equipment and choose your gear from the drop down menus. Then choose to show it in Text, not icons.

I presume you are using a Swift LT or LT for Her since you mention the ability to adjust the angle of the pillows. You may, indeed, be using a wrong size pillow, but since those masks came with 3 sizes, you should be able to switch to the correct size. Try getting yourself a tube of Lansinoh cream from a pharmacy or store with baby products. It is a pure lanolin cream that is used by nursing moms, but it works great for keeping your nostrils from becoming irritated, and it also helps attain a good seal.

Opening your mouth defeats the therapy since your air is going out your mouth and not into your lungs! If you are doing this a lot, you probably should try a different type of mask such as a full face or a hybrid. If it only happens once in a while, try taping your mouth or using a chin strap.

Lower the humidity level to 2, be sure your hose is elevated above...most of us snake it over the headboard. This allows condensation to run back into the humidifier and reduce rainout.

Use the search box at the top left to enter keywords like 'mouth leaks,' 'chin strap,' etc. and you will find plenty of threads about this topic.

Keep us posted on your progress. Do lots of reading here and ask questions as needed. Becoming knowledgable and empowered is the key to successful therapy. If your machine is fully data capable, plan to get the software to monitor your therapy efficacy and control your settings.

Always mention make and model of the mask when looking for help. You will get more useful answers. Typically, if the pillows are too small you will get leaks. The pillows should be large enuff the will seal on the nares and not got into the nostrils.

Lansinoh is usu. sold where ever baby bottles are. It is pure lanolin and is a MUST for me. Just a dab on the nares and the pillows will help the seal and eliminate any irritation caused by the rubbing action of the pillows during each breath. It really does help stop the leaks.