Nasal Pillows Go On Easy, But Hard To Adjust During Night

Anyone have an explanation or solution for this?

I have no problem getting a good seal with my Optilife nasal pillows when I go to sleep, but for some reason when I wake up in the middle of the night and they are leaking, I can't seem to get them back on well.

At first I thought it may be because I ramp when I put them on and the CPAP is on full 11 when I wake up, but hitting the ramp button didn't seem to help?

Maybe I'm just not at the top of my game at 3am?

So far the numbers are great (down to less than 5 AHI from >20), but I don't feel the least bit better because after a week I'm still waking up multiple times per night -- just not from apneas!

I also had the same problem , for months I had a hard time with the face mask and the nasal pillows until I came across the nasal mask witch only covers your nose and leaves the rest of your face uncovered it's less restrictive and much easier to use no leeks.

I don't understand the need to adjust nasal pillow mask during the night or any other time once the initial new mask adjustments are made while awake. There is no need to undo anything to remove or put on the mask.
Some repositioning of the straps on the head may be needed if they slip around a bit but the basic "fit" doesn't change once all the straps are adjusted the first time. Same thing with the nasal pillows..just pull them away from the nose and reseat them.

Once I have adjusted my headgear with initial new mask adjustments then it never changes. I don't undo the velcro at all and any putting on and taking off is done with the elasticity of the headgear. I have used the same headgear this way for up to a year without issues and probably could go longer.

That said...the Optilife just has more "stuff" that needs adjusting and there are better mask alternatives out there.

fredmertz wrote:So far the numbers are great (down to less than 5 AHI from >20), but I don't feel the least bit better because after a week I'm still waking up multiple times per night -- just not from apneas!

Frequent awakenings for any reason will sure mess with how you might feel the next day.

The Optilife...I have used that mask and it is much more aggravating to get adjusted. PITA.
I suggest that you get with your DME and try a different nasal pillow mask.
The new Aloha will fit very similar to the Optilife and is hugely more stable and easier to get a good seal to start with and never needs alteration. The Swift FX is also a good one that is much less aggravating to adjust. It probably is not quite as stable as the Aloha...especially for newbies but it is so minimal that the trade off is worth it for me. Currently trying the new Aloha though and it is quite nice. I highly recommend it especially for newbies.

Just a random observation or two...

xPAP involves pressure. The pressure is very small, but it is pressure nevertheless.

Cartilage and tissue respond to pressure by deforming and moving out if its way.

At 3 am most people are in space time distortion and don't have a clue as to how long something really takes to do.

I wear my mask very loose and expect some moving around resulting in some leaking. I do notice that my mask goes on quickly and forms a good seal, but if I flare my nostrils the seal can break. I can also break the seal if I yawn really big.

Looking in a mirror it seems my nostrils change shape as my face moves around.

Putting this all together I find that if I roll over and bury my head into my pillow, I can break the seal. If my wife latches onto my hose with her knee (don't ask...), my seal breaks. When I yawn the seal breaks. When I flare my nostrils the seal breaks. The seal can also break while "blanket wrestling." I also find the seal breaks when my wife "loans" me her pillow, or tries to "steal" mine (once again, don't ask...).

From here you have to find what works best for you. I have found that I can get a good seal back by grabbing the mask, lifting it slightly from my face, and letting it snap back into place. I then flare my nostrils and "suck" the nasal pillows into place.

Depending upon what stage of dreaming I am in, this action can take anywhere from a very short time to what seems like several years in the torture chamber. When I check it out while awake I find it takes about 1 second.

People perform better in emergencies if there is a plan in place to follow, and if there has been some practice in following those plans. Look at your leak as a "mini" emergency. Develop a plan to deal with it and practice, and when the time comes to act, you will spring to action and deal with the situation with barely an arousal.

Pugsy wrote:I don't understand the need to adjust nasal pillow mask during the night or any other time once the initial new mask adjustments are made while awake. There is no need to undo anything to remove or put on the mask.

I guess I didnt really mean adjust as in changing the head gear -- I meant adjust as in getting it back into my nostrils without leaking!

Swift FX is on its way, as is a change in DME.

fredmertz wrote: Swift FX is on its way, as is a change in DME.

You might want to try the Aiomed Headrest -- old model, sometimes hard to get but works better than Fx or LT for many of us.

I think you will find the Swift FX so much easier to reposition than the Optilife. The Optilife just had too much "stuff" to fiddle with.
I think the worst of it is the back strap..it tends to slide upward a bit but all you have to do is tug it back down or put a piece of velcro on it so the velcro sticks to your hair a bit to keep it from sliding.
I am a fairly active sleeper with lots of tossing and turning and I didn't have enough of a problem with it sliding up to even mess with adding velcro. YMMV though.