CPAPtalk.com

SleepingWithUgly wrote:

SleepingUgly wrote:How do you control how deep it goes in?

Let me take care of that, baby.

Sure, Sweetheart, right after I strangle you with my Climateline. I hope it will be as good for you as it will be for me.

I position the nasal pillows bottom of the silicone portion on the very top of my upper lip, at the vermilion border, and the nasal pillows barely enter my nostrils. The top strap, the milky-colored silicone one, has to be very loose for this (It doesn't even touch my head), and the pink strap is tight enough to stay on the back of my head. I have to play with getting the strap just so, in place on the back of my head where it needs to be, above the little knot on the back of my head in the middle, down towards my neck. The pink strap that goes around my head (from the cheeks) sits about one inch above that knot on the back of the head to be on correctly for me. I have short and very thick curly and mostly dry hair and the strap stays in place once I put it where it goes. Maybe it is my hair that makes it work for me and stay where it is supposed to stay. It is rare that it slips out of place and causes the nasal pillows to move any, but if it does happen, I just re-adjust without waking up, hubby has seen me do it on occasion. He is not a heavy sleeper, so he often watches me as I sleep.

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SleepingUgly wrote:

codinqueen wrote: I like the Swift for Her now that I am used to it and know where/how to position the nasal pillows (not totally inside my nose, just barely entering the very tip of each nostril).

How do you control how deep it goes in? That would seem to be more a function of size of pillow, no? And I wonder how to keep it in if it's barely in there in the first place...

SleepingUgly,

I may be suggesting something you've already done, but here goes anyway: Have you read Janknitz's Swift FX Fitting Guide on her blog? It gives really nice, detailed step-by-step instructions on how to properly fit the Swift FX and should answer all your questions about how to tell when enough of the tippy-tip of the cone is in your nose and how the mask actually is supposed to use its own air pressure (when the machine is on) to make the seal nice and tight.

If you've read it before, but it's been a while, I'd suggest re-reading it.

Thanks!

I tried KY jelly, but it was too liquidy and didn't help the seal or comfort. I keep trying to get away from the Lansinoh because it makes it so difficult to clean the pillows and is just messy, but it is not as comfortable without it and doesn't seal as well (although sometimes I wonder if it worsens the seal mid-night, not sure). When I go to clean the Lansinoh off, I have to use a q-tip to get it out of the inside of the pillow, as just soaking in soap and water doesn't work. I feel like I'm potentially stretching the opening...

SleepingUgly wrote: When I go to clean the Lansinoh off, I have to use a q-tip to get it out of the inside of the pillow, as just soaking in soap and water doesn't work. I feel like I'm potentially stretching the opening...

Just how much Lanisoh are you using?

I ask because I honestly cannot tell the difference (in terms of "gunk" on the pillows) between the nights that I use the Lanisoh and the nights when I don't.

Remember the old Brylcreem commercials? A little dab'll do ya In the case of Lanishoh, a tiny, minuscule dab will do ya. Try cutting back on how much Lanisoh you're using on each nostril.

I think my big problem is that my nostrils are irregular and on one side there is some internal tissue (for lack of a better word) that protrudes a bit into one nostril. That's always the side that is sore and I still wake up in the middle of the night with that side hurting. The Lansinoh buffers it to a degree, and I need more than just an unnoticeable little dab of it, but it obviously doesn't do the trick entirely. I wish the surgeon would have taken care of that during my surgery, but apparently that would fall under cosmetic tip work, and I didn't do that. Ah well.

Hi,
Very useful information. I started using the swift mask and my nostril becoming a bit sore. I will try the K-Y Jelly for my nose of course.
I tried the nasal mask to start but found that when I lie on my sides the seal break and I wake up. Is there a mask a mask suitable for side slipers?

Thanks

Guest wrote: Is there a mask a mask suitable for side slipers?

All masks are in theory suitable for side sleepers, although some purport to be for active sleepers, such as the Activa LT. I think nasal pillows are the best bet all around, and you can work on the nasal soreness. You may find Lansinoh works better for that than KY jelly, at least in my experience it did.

This going to sound bizarre but I would recommend a product called Bag Balm. It is an ointment originally made to treat cow's udders that become irritated from milking. You can get it at walmart. Sometimes it is in the pharmacy area and sometimes in the pet area. I've also seen a Hartz brand in the pet area called Animal Balm which is what I bought the last time but it is the same stuff. You can use this stuff on dry skin, burns, etc.

Ladelnutts wrote:This going to sound bizarre but I would recommend a product called Bag Balm. It is an ointment originally made to treat cow's udders that become irritated from milking. You can get it at walmart. Sometimes it is in the pharmacy area and sometimes in the pet area. I've also seen a Hartz brand in the pet area called Animal Balm which is what I bought the last time but it is the same stuff. You can use this stuff on dry skin, burns, etc.

Hi, Ladelnutts. FYI, Bag Balm contains lanolin and is great stuff for rough, chapped, irritated skin. But using it with an xPAP mask is ill-advised because it's petroleum-based, which will degrade the silicone on the mask. That's precisely why Lansinoh is popular amongst us xPAP users - it's lanolin without the petroleum base and is safe enough for a baby to ingest.

If anyone opts to use Bag Balm for their therapy comfort, that's fine. They should just expect to have to replace the silicone cushion or pillows on their mask more often.

BleepingBeauty wrote:

Ladelnutts wrote:This going to sound bizarre but I would recommend a product called Bag Balm. It is an ointment originally made to treat cow's udders that become irritated from milking. You can get it at walmart. Sometimes it is in the pharmacy area and sometimes in the pet area. I've also seen a Hartz brand in the pet area called Animal Balm which is what I bought the last time but it is the same stuff. You can use this stuff on dry skin, burns, etc.

Hi, Ladelnutts. FYI, Bag Balm contains lanolin and is great stuff for rough, chapped, irritated skin. But using it with an xPAP mask is ill-advised because it's petroleum-based, which will degrade the silicone on the mask. That's precisely why Lansinoh is popular amongst us xPAP users - it's lanolin without the petroleum base and is safe enough for a baby to ingest.

If anyone opts to use Bag Balm for their therapy comfort, that's fine. They should just expect to have to replace the silicone cushion or pillows on their mask more often.

I guess I was thinking more along the lines of what I experience which is my nose gets sore up inside and not where it comes in contact with the mask. Point well taken though and something I hadn't thought of.