No More Ayr Gel?

Using the Swift nasal pillows I had very bothersome irritation in one nare for the last 4 weeks. I was treating this 3 to 4 times daily with Ayr Gel and the irritation was not getting better.

Four days ago I discontinued the use of the Ayr Gel and the irritation has gradually improved until it is completely gone. This is not enough of a trial to claim cause and effect, but I am wondering if the saline in the Ayr Gel was contributing to the irritation?

If the irritation returns, try using Vaseline.

I've used it now for over two years, and in addition to eliminating irritation, it helps provide a better seal.

Amigo, I have no doubt that Vaseline is doing a good job for you. Before I try Vaseline, a few questions for you: How often do you wash the nasal pillows? Do you wash them immediately upon rising in the morning or leave them until you are preparing for bed in the evening? How often do you replace the nasal pillows with new ones? Do the pillows begin to age (yellowing, hardening or otherwise deteriorating)? If they do age, how long before the aging becomes noticeable?

Open question to knowledgeable forum participants:
If Vaseline is used in and around the nostrils nightly, how much does this practice increase the risk for developing aspiration pneumonitis? The risk of aspiration pneumonitis is cited in the Merck manual:
"....use of petroleum-based products (eg, Vaseline) to lubricate nasal passages increases the risk". URL for this page is http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec04/ch050/ch050h.html

There is also a site on the web: "We describe a patient who presented with a history of unexplained exertional dyspnea and pulmonary infiltrates. She was evaluated for interstitial lung disease, presumed to be idiopathic and underwent an open lung biopsy. The pathologic findings were compatible with exogenous lipoid pneumonia and her history revealed longstanding use of intranasal petroleum jelly (Vaseline) at bedtime." The URL is http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... d_Abstract

rooster:

let's not get paranoid. use some common sense here. the disease described in merck is rare. it has symptoms. treatment is to stop doing the triggering practice. so here if you start having trouble swallowing or develop cough at night, stop using vaseline.

you also might want to try generic saline solution. that will clear your nose out. i first rejected it because liquid will not stay on during the night. but that may be its benefit. yes, i am convinced ayr gel has irritants.

you just have to play with this stuff and figure out what works for you.

yes, my swift got a little yellow pretty quickly just around the top edges of tje pillows. but that may not have been from anything chemical. if you're concerned, just wash the thing every day.

rooster wrote:Amigo, I have no doubt that Vaseline is doing a good job for you. Before I try Vaseline, a few questions for you: How often do you wash the nasal pillows? Do you wash them immediately upon rising in the morning or leave them until you are preparing for bed in the evening? How often do you replace the nasal pillows with new ones? Do the pillows begin to age (yellowing, hardening or otherwise deteriorating)? If they do age, how long before the aging becomes noticeable?

This was my response to another question about "ragged pillows," but I felt the answer also applied to your question. As to when do I clean them...I drop the pillows into the dishwashing & warm water mixture immediately upon arising and rinse after a few hours of soaking.

I would also agree with chdurie2 about getting paranoid. I only use a very light coating of Vaseline, and seriously doubt that any is getting into my lungs, but even if it is it hasn't done me any harm in over two years of use.

Amigo wrote:OK, well I'm probably becoming known here as the "Vaseline Man," but I swear to you I don't have any stock in the company.

I have used Vaseline on my nares since day one in October, 2003. I soak the pillows daily in a mild dishwashing detergent for a few hours, and rinse thoroughly under warm water. No rubbing whatsoever is needed.

I have never changed my pillows in all this time, and they still look brand new. I do have backups, but I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever use them.

Anonymous wrote:There is also a site on the web: "We describe a patient who presented with a history of unexplained exertional dyspnea and pulmonary infiltrates. She was evaluated for interstitial lung disease, presumed to be idiopathic and underwent an open lung biopsy. The pathologic findings were compatible with exogenous lipoid pneumonia and her history revealed longstanding use of intranasal petroleum jelly (Vaseline) at bedtime." The URL is http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... d_Abstract

Gee, paranoia must be rampant around here...or perhaps we've just heard from a DME that prefers we use more expensive solutions to what is a very simple problem.

amigo--

i also am a big vaseline fan. but last week some people here expressed concerns that the petroleum jelly aspect of vaseline might either harm the silicone in the pillows or the tissue in your nose. for the former, i'm not sure about that, so i'm glad to hear that your pillows are not aging prematurely. for the latter, vaseline is good enough for a baby's bottom, so i figure it's good enough for the inside of my nose. i just did not want to appear as if i were a vaseline salesperson.

caroline

and as far as the medical report of one patient who had very bizarre symptoms of awfulness from vaseline use, you can always find one patient like that for almost every malady. that's what package inserts refer to as extremely rare side affects. it does not mean you are likely to get them.

caroline

chdurie2 wrote:amigo--

i also am a big vaseline fan. but last week some people here expressed concerns that the petroleum jelly aspect of vaseline might either harm the silicone in the pillows or the tissue in your nose. for the former, i'm not sure about that, so i'm glad to hear that your pillows are not aging prematurely. for the latter, vaseline is good enough for a baby's bottom, so i figure it's good enough for the inside of my nose. i just did not want to appear as if i were a vaseline salesperson.

caroline

LOL...thanks Caroline. I too have been a proponent of Vaseline here, and I am sure many believe I get a royalty payment every time someone buys a jar.

I continue to be amazed by all the concerns, and now this latest business about aspiration pneumonitis, and exogenous lipoid pneumonia...good grief, talk about over-reacting!

As I've stated to anyone who cares, I use only a thin coat, and most of that is on the outer portion of the nares with only the tiniest amount inside the front edge of my nostrils.

It has worked perfectly for me, and as I said I'm still using the same pillows after 2+ years.

Found this on Sleepnet.com:

remember that if your nose is hurting it is likely because you are making the very common error of wearing the headgear way too tight: the pillows should apply very little force to your nostrils, so that the bellows can expand to make the seal. You probably need a different size nasal pillow in one or both nostrils, if you cannot get a good seal without using the headgear to push your nose up your face! A light smear of Ayr gel may also help. You can also use KY or any other water-soluble gel - but don't use petroleum jelly like Vaseline: oils and plastics are not good together over the long term.

sir_cumference wrote:I know this might sound odd, but one of the problems with the nasal inserts is moisture from any humidifier which seems to get between the inserts and your nares and cause sore patches.

The most effective way to stop this is to use the aussie heated hose! By using the hose the moist air reaching your nose is hot enough not to turn to condensation and so avoids the problem of condensing in your nares and causing sores!

Also, by having hotter air, the inserts seems to react well and form a better seal than cold inserts (especially with the breeze medium - the size I use).

I hope this makes sense.
sir_c

the reason MY nose hurts with swift, thus requiring vaseline, is because i have very dry skin, and the more concentrated the air going into my nose, the drier it gets, to the point of irritation. i had the same problem a long time ago with respironics simplicity. ayr gel gets rid of my stuffiness but it has irritants, whereas vaseline is a better moisturizer. sometimes i use both, depending on what i need. but i can't use ayr gel by itself for more than 1-2 nites.

caroline

A lot of people like KY jelly for this. It's water-based so it's not on the DO NOT USE list.

Did you folks know you can get NON PETROLEM jelly - I buy it at local health food store. Another thing good for dryness inside and outside nose is Rosehip Seed Essential Oil - also available at health food store. For mouth dryness, I take 1/2 Tablespoon organic coconut oil and "swish" it to moisten all oral tissue - this will keep tissues moist for 3-4 hours - I drink a minimum of 1 gallon water per day, as entire body is very dehydrated so I am extremely sensitive to the "drying effects" of CPAP. Does anyone out there know if there is anything we can add to the water in humidifier to help keep our nasal passages clearer. I had read of someone using Vicks Vapo Rub, but believe that is in a Vaseline (petroleum product) base so wonder about using several drops of Essenatial Oil of Eucalyptus?? Would love to know what anyone out there has tryed for these two problems.