Swift FX - top strap keeps slipping backwards

This is driving me nuts. I cannot seem to keep the top head strap of the Swift FX in place at night, and it loosens the seal of the nasal pillows. I find myself waking up and adjusting them, then pulling the top strap forward back into place. Which is useless; I have very fine straight hair that behaves much like 'ice' to the plastic material of the strap.

This morning I woke to the right nasal pillow somewhat dislodged. I've noticed each night my average leak rate goes higher. Starting on the 16th the average was 18.6. Steadily over the last several days up to last night the rate increased to 26.0. I'm a side sleeper so I'm sure that has something to do with it getting a bit dislodged (planting the side of your face in a pillow and moving your head about a bit here and there).

First thought is I don't have the strap tight enough or it's improperly mounted. I have tried tightening it up a few times, but that ended up feeling too tight. I set it back to what the DME adjusted for and it's most comfortable for me at that setting. Seems no matter what setting I have it on, it slips. The back strap stays put just fine. I actually put the mask on in front of a mirror each night to make sure its properly fitted before I hook up for the night. New to all this, so I want to make sure I use proper fitting and alignment. I've watched the fitting video numerous times to make sure I was doing it right. It appears that I am. I really do think its my hair - just too slick.

Any suggestions/ideas on how to help keep the strap at least somewhat in place so the nasal pillows don't loosen and leak?

dlg_az wrote:This is driving me nuts. I cannot seem to keep the top head strap of the Swift FX in place at night, and it loosens the seal of the nasal pillows. I find myself waking up and adjusting them, then pulling the top strap forward back into place. Which is useless; I have very fine straight hair that behaves much like 'ice' to the plastic material of the strap.

Any suggestions/ideas on how to help keep the strap at least somewhat in place so the nasal pillows don't loosen and leak?

Some people put the looped side (the "grabby" side) of a strip of Velcro on the underside of their mask strap(s) to keep them from moving around at night. The loops have the ability to "grab" the hair and keep the straps in place.

Not sure how well it would work with very fine straight hair, though (maybe others here can say). I doubt something like a bobby pin will help much, but you can try that unless/until you have some Velcro to try. Hope that helps a little.

BleepingBeauty wrote:

dlg_az wrote: Some people put the looped side (the "grabby" side) of a strip of Velcro on the underside of their mask strap(s) to keep them from moving around at night. The loops have the ability to "grab" the hair and keep the straps in place. ... I doubt something like a bobby pin will help much, but you can try that unless/until you have some Velcro to try. Hope that helps a little.

You're right on the bobby pins. I have thin hair, as well - pins just fall out. Actually, the Velcro is a great idea. Will give that a go and report back on it's effectiveness. Now to dig through drawers to find some ... and here's hoping it doesn't take too much of what's left of my thinning hair.

Pad A Cheek makes covers for the side straps. I know that RobySue had them make one for the top strap. The idea is that fabric may "stick" to your hair better than the plastic does.

HoseCrusher wrote:Pad A Cheek makes covers for the side straps. I know that RobySue had them make one for the top strap. The idea is that fabric may "stick" to your hair better than the plastic does.

Funny that you mention those, I stumbled across them today while surfing for solutions. I really like the idea of them for the side straps; I intend to order some just for that. I go into work with strap-face every day now, even though i have the Resmed covers on the straps. It's a good idea, but unfortunately, I don't believe they would work as a top-strap cover for me. The fabric would have to be pretty grippy to stay put on my hair. It's a royal pain having fine hair.

I think you will not be able to adhere Velcro to the silicone strap but a solution might be to use a fabric strap cover and put the Velcro on that.

Janknitz wrote:I think you will not be able to adhere Velcro to the silicone strap but a solution might be to use a fabric strap cover and put the Velcro on that.

Great idea. I will give that a try, as well. I'm not a sewing person but I have a friend who's game. Will see what she can conjure up for me.

I got creative with some velcro - I did find a long piece of the loopy part of velcro (about 2 inches) and another piece of the other part that sticks to it. I put the loopy part length-wise along the strap, then cut the other piece in two, then looped them around and "hooked" them onto each end of the long loopy part. it slides along the strap a ways, but It seems to be holding on well enough; hopefully, once it's in my hair it will stay put. I tried just a loopy piece on my hair and it seemed to stay in place okay by itself.

... I cannot believe I am sitting here putting velcro in my hair.

I had the same problem with the Swift FX--until I read a post by someone here (sorry, can't find it) suggesting that the cheek cover thingamabobies not be used at all. That, and tucking the backstrap under my hair made big difference for me. Good luck with the velcro!

dlg_az wrote:... I cannot believe I am sitting here putting velcro in my hair.

We all do crazy things around here ... in the interests of getting good CPAP treatment. There was a time seven years ago that I would not have believed I'd be putting a big piece of tape across my mouth every night. Or buying pantyhose tights just to cut their legs off to put around my head.

Hope the velcro does the job for you. That's a nifty fix.

I use the Swift Fx also, and my guess is that your top strap is too tight. Mine was placed on my head rather loosely by the DME RT who told me to tighten the face straps only to keep the pillows in place. The top head strap does not even touch my head.
I am also a side-sleeper, and rarely, if ever, find my nasal pillows dislodged. I sleep with my head on the very edge of the bed pillow, so the mask or my nose are off the pillow but my head is supported. My hair is thick and coarse but plays no part since the top strap is not touching it.Good luck, hope you find your solution soon!

A couple suggestions:

1. Through various experiments, I've found that a somewhat loose strap works best on my Swift FX for the reasons you describe--it slips and loosens on its own anyway, and also because if it's too tight, it pulls the nasal pillows slightly out of my nostrils and creates leaks.

2. I have not only thinning but balding hair. What I've found works well for me is to wear a ski cap at night. The mask bands really adhere to that and don't slip around on my hair, and I don't find my head is too hot, even in the summer. And of course in the winter it feels good.

codinqueen wrote:I use the Swift Fx also, and my guess is that your top strap is too tight. Mine was placed on my head rather loosely by the DME RT who told me to tighten the face straps only to keep the pillows in place. The top head strap does not even touch my head. I am also a side-sleeper, and rarely, if ever, find my nasal pillows dislodged. I sleep with my head on the very edge of the bed pillow, so the mask or my nose are off the pillow but my head is supported.

Hmmm. I did loosen it back up again but maybe I will try totally loose. Thing is, I plant my the side of my face in my pillow and I'm sure that has a lot to do with dislocating the mask straps, at least on the sides. I tried the hang my head on the very edge routine before and just can't get comfy in that position for some reason. I broke down and ordered a cpap pillow to try out. Looking at the straps on the side of the FX it seems to me that's top strap is the one that maintains the position of the nasal pillows the most so having it loose doesn't quite make sense to me (but that's me), but I'll give it a go. I'll try pretty much anything at this point; I'm in the newbie adjust this-and-that period.

rested gal wrote: We all do crazy things around here ... in the interests of getting good CPAP treatment. There was a time seven years ago that I would not have believed I'd be putting a big piece of tape across my mouth every night. Or buying pantyhose tights just to cut their legs off to put around my head.

Pantyhose?? On your head?

tape ... Ya know, I caught myself breathing through my mouth in the wee hours of this morning and was really surprised by it. Not sure I'd go the tape route, but you never know. Cogitating over a chin strap at this point. Sheesh the money one spends on "accessories" with this gig. Already got the hose buddy after trying to strangle myself twice with the hose (that gadget works great!) and ordered a cpap pillow because I'm a side sleeper and cannot seem to get my face planted just right and keep the mask in position.

kalatraza wrote:I had the same problem with the Swift FX--until I read a post by someone here (sorry, can't find it) suggesting that the cheek cover thingamabobies not be used at all. That, and tucking the backstrap under my hair made big difference for me. Good luck with the velcro!

I met with my work friend who's going to try to rig up something for the top of the strap and I gave her the side covers as a model to work from, so the next couple nights I'll sleep without them on the straps. I was looking at the straps today and wondering about that, if the silicon staps will stay put better without the covers. Seems to me they would. I tried tucking the backstrap under my hair and that was a no go. Hair's too thin and the strap just slid right up and shoved it all out again.

I really hate my hair right now. Thinking of going Yul Brenner/Sinead O'Connor on myself.

BleepingBeauty wrote:
Some people put the looped side (the "grabby" side) of a strip of Velcro on the underside of their mask strap(s) to keep them from moving around at night. The loops have the ability to "grab" the hair and keep the straps in place. Not sure how well it would work with very fine straight hair, though (maybe others here can say).

Bleep! Bleep! It worked!! My jerry-rigged velcro solution actually worked in my {insert epithet of choice here} hair! It stayed in place MOST of the night. Stayed right where I put it, but after some shifting around (and I'm sure it's my side sleeping position that's doing it) it moved it around a bit, but the hair went with it and kinda sorta went back into place after a while. Could NOT believe it. VELCRO!

Sooooo, took my mask to work for show-and-tell and met with my sewing friend and we had this rather long, involved discussion over it. She's going to make a sample of something almost exactly the same as the side strap covers, only adding about a 2.5 inch long loopy velcor strip to the underside so I can wrap the thing around the top strap, seal it with short velcro and have that long loopy part sit on my hair. Clear as mud, eh. She's going for the same type fabric {we called it swimsuit fabric, I guess its lycra?) as the side covers so it molds to the top strap adjustment thingie whoozywhatsit.

Side note: while it's easy getting the mask on with the velcro and getting it seated just so, taking it off is whole other challenge. Working on that part.