Nasal Pillow help please!

I am hoping someone can help me here. I just switched to a nasal pillow (the one below) and I am not sure how to tell if it is on right or I have the right size. It seems like it is fine when I am sitting up or looking in the mirror - pillows just inside the nostrils and the air seems to be going right where it should. But I end up spending half the night adjusting things. It seems like it has either slipped out of my nose and air is leaking all over my face - OR - it is too crammed up there and the pillows collapse so no air gets up my nose.

Can anyone give me any tips on how to fit it so it stays in the right place and the correct amount of air? This is really baffling me. I am a side sleeper - don't know if that makes any difference.

Except for these problems, I really love the pillow so much more than the nasal mask I had before so I really want to make this work.

Being a guy, I don't use the "for her" pillows but I assume they're the same or fairly close. Try this. Hold the mask loosely in both hands in front of your face as if you're going to put it on. Look at the openings on the pillows. They should be pointing downward from upper left to lower right (both sides toward the bridge or your nose). There should also be a notch on one side of the fitting where the mask tabs attach to the head strap. If this looks correct then you should just need a minor fidget or two to get them seated right. If that still doesn't work then you probably need to go up or down a size.

You may need to tighten the strap either at the top or the back. It takes a little practice. I'm a side sleeper, too. I used the pillows for about two years, but I'm back to a nose mask, for the last six months, which was working fine until I posted here that it was working fine. Now I haven't had a decent night's sleep in a week.

I also have the Swift FX.
Air pressure is necessary to get them to 'ride' correctly.
If they are on too tight, the edges will deform and leak.
The pillows need to inflate with air and sit lightly on the inside edge of the nostrils.
Only the middle of the cone will not be seen--you will be able to see the outside edge extending beyond the edge of the nostril.
Withdraw the pillow, and it will not change shape.
The headgear should be loose enough, it will feel like a really comfortable fit--not tight.

I share the experiences and advice given above, and would only add one more thing.

It took me a long time to distinguish between the unwanted leaking air when the nasal pillows weren't set right vs the normal sound of the exhalation vents, which make a similar hissing sound, especially when they bounce off nearby objects like my blanket, pjs etc.

It took me awhile to realize that a lot of the hisses I heard were not pillow leaks but exhaling air.

I finally set my machine to give an audible beep for a true leak. Now I ignore any hissing or rushing air sounds unless the machine also beeps.

If you can set yours to do that, I would recommend it.

Regards, Nate

I think they're easy to get right when you go to sleep, but during the night I sometimes have problems. To double check that I've got them right-side up, I feel for "Resmed", with the roughness on top. The bottom is smooth. Usually I just pull them away from my nose and let them reseat themselves, but sometimes it takes a couple of tries.

I put on my Swift FX and then my Ruby chin strap. The FX doesn't move at all during the night.

Take a look at the Swift FX fitting guide in my signature. The ResMed website has helpful graphics as well.

Thank you all! Hopefully tonight I will get a better fit. I was up until after 3 AM fiddling with it again last night. I still think I had it too tight because I couldn't feel any air pressure. Arrrggghhhh!!

Janknitz - thanks for the link to fitting guide!

I have one more question - is there any kind of adhesive type of stuff that could help hold the pillows in place? Maybe even just gently taping it? I am afraid I am probably between size S & M - the smalls go too far up my nostrils and the mediums don't line up well at all.

ohwhatanight wrote:Thank you all! Hopefully tonight I will get a better fit. I was up until after 3 AM fiddling with it again last night. I still think I had it too tight because I couldn't feel any air pressure. Arrrggghhhh!

I only feel air pressure when there is a leak - once I get a secure fit, I don't feel any air pressure, even when it goes up to 15.

That may sound strange, but that's the way it is - only the green smiley face on my S9 tells me I am getting air and no leak.

Nate

I have used a thin film of Lansinoh to stick my pillows to my nose.
Lanolin is safe to use with silicone. (doesn't even hurt the sheep-- )
It is sold in the baby aisle (Target, Wal Mart, etc.) in the nursing supplies.

ohwhatanight wrote: I have one more question - is there any kind of adhesive type of stuff that could help hold the pillows in place? Maybe even just gently taping it? I am afraid I am probably between size S & M - the smalls go too far up my nostrils and the mediums don't line up well at all.

I agree with Chunkyfrog, lanolin will help you - it is sufficiently sticky that it assists in making the seal, as long as you don't overdo and use too much.

Also, there's a trick I learned from the folks here - you can use dental tape and/or small o-rings to lasso your medium nasal pillows to bring them closer together. I lasso'd mine and it helped a LOT. If I can find that thread back, I'll edit and link it here.

[Edit to add: here is the lasso link. It is shown on an Opus 360, but I would think it would work the same on a Swift.]

I have a different mask but it has pillows on it. My RT gave me small pillows and I kept waking up dealing with leaks and pillows pushed inside or outside my nose. I got the next size up and that has solved my problems. Not sure if your issues are the same. I posted it though because when you said you had them collapse into your nose, it sounded like the same thing I experienced.

Thank you all for the tips. I wound a bit of dental floss around the tips last night to bring them closer together and that did the trick! No more slipping out. I also had bought a Zeo yesterday so the headband from it actually helped hold everything in place wonderfully!

I had my best night's sleep so far on the CPAP! There is hope!