Pros and Cons of nasal pillows

I noticed no one has talked about nasal congestion. Is yours better or worse with nasal pillows? Also, how are you supposed to use the lanolin on your nose, just around the very tip?

Thank you everyone! I appreciate the responses. My Swift FX is in the mail as we speak!

KimberlyM wrote:I noticed no one has talked about nasal congestion. Is yours better or worse with nasal pillows? Also, how are you supposed to use the lanolin on your nose, just around the very tip?

Thank you everyone! I appreciate the responses. My Swift FX is in the mail as we speak!

In seven years I've never had a night that I cannot use my nasal pillows. Even when congested because of a cold, the air pressure keeps my airway open...and only very occasionally do I have to blow my nose during the night.

The lubricant should be applied to the external nares...in another words, all the way around your nostrils where the pillows rest.

KimberlyM wrote:I noticed no one has talked about nasal congestion. Is yours better or worse with nasal pillows? Also, how are you supposed to use the lanolin on your nose, just around the very tip?

Thank you everyone! I appreciate the responses. My Swift FX is in the mail as we speak!

When I first started using my FX, my nasal congestion was better than usual. That was during ragweed season and the S9 AutoSet I was using at the time has an air filter that will filter out the pollen. I attribute the temporary improvement in nasal congestion to the fact that I was not breathing ragweed infested air all night long.

Since the end of pollen season, my nasal congestion has returned to my normal level for fall and winter. I'm currently fighting a headcold with some coughing. A bit difficult with the FX, yes, but not insurmountable: Some OTC cough syrup for the worst nights has helped. I have noticed that my VS index on the PR S1 BiPAP I'm now using was up during the worst of the cold. I'm still working on finding the sweet spot for the humidifier for the new machine as well.

I expect that when pollen's my problem trigger for congestion, the pollen filter in the S1 will work just as well as the S9's filter did and the congestion will again be better than "normal" for me.

As for how far to put the lanolin on the nose: You only need it right around the edge of the nostrils. But---it's very soothing and so it's great to put it on as much of your nose as hurts from chapping or from CPAP---both on the inside and on the outside. It won't hurt a thing and will encourage healing of what hurts. Think of the lanolin as mother nature's vasoline.

I had chronic nasal congestion before CPAP, but when I started using the nasal pillows it cleared entirely. I also did nasal rinses daily at first (no longer need to) and I take OTC Claritin and Singulair daily, so I was really working on all of the issues related to congestion at the same time.

I didn't realize how congested I was all the time until I stopped being congested--it's a mixed blessing because my sense of smell is much sharper now.

Right now I have a very nasty respiratory infection, and--while I have only mild nasal congestion--I can't seem to use the nasal pillows right now. I'm suffering through a FF mask and counting the nights until I can go back to the nasal pillows.

Janknitz,
I also take Singulair and Claritin. I tried Claritin D, but it just wired me and I had heart palpitations. I am hopeful that nasal pillows will work successfully for me as they have for you. I am sorry to hear about having to wear the full face mask. I tried a few and they were miserable.

Thank you Amigo and Robysue. I also have the S9 with the allergy filter. Since winter set in, my sinuses are constantly congested. I have managed to use the nasal mask though, so far. Thank you for the tips on the lanolin!

This needs to be a hall of fame thread simply based on so many descriptions of nostrils. I really had no idea... (Going to check in the mirror to see if I have fleshy round nostrils).

I ordered my first nasal pillow to try, the Aloha . Hopefully I can get some sleep with 1 of the 4 masks I own.