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cpierc01 wrote:I use the Pilario and love it. It is the only mask I have used since I started my cpap adventure in June 2013. Sometimes I have to re position the air holes to blow up in the nose. If they get lower they will blow against the wall of your nose and feel like you are not getting enough air. Good Luck.

I just finished my 4 week trial yesterday (and had my 4th weekly appointment), so it was time to purchase the machine and mask(s). I had been testing out several masks over the last 4 weeks. I had narrowed it down to the Pilairo or the Wisp. Since the Pilairo had lower/fewer leaks and AHI, I went with that - although both were acceptable. The Pilairo never seems to move out of place when I switch positions and the minimal headgear is great.

I did have a couple of instances when I would wake up and when going back to sleep, the air seemed to be lacking. I'll have to pay attention and see if it is due to the positioning. In fact, last night was the first night with the new Pilairo (this time a Q, the loaner they had me using was not the Q) and I couldn't get enough air - mainly due to a cold and congestion, but maybe it was partially due to the positioning. I ended up switching to a full face mask (Quattro Air) that I am also trying out - in order to have a backup for when my allergies are bad and can't breathe through my nose.

I do find that the positioning can be a little tricky as if you don't have it quite right before the machine turns on, then you have to turn the machine off to re-position. With the auto-on turned on, sometimes it can start before I'm ready - may have to turn that off until I'm more adept at it.

Any tips you have for ensuring the positioning would be helpful.

Well I reexamined the Pilairo pillows and it looks as if I was right. They could easily be trimmed a bit without destroying the pillow. I have been suing the Pilairo the last couple of days and have woke up each day feeling like I wasn't getting air. I immediately switch to my nasal mask and finish my sleep. As cpierc01 said I think it is due to the pillows moving and being pressed against the side of my nostril. Sounds plausible anyway.

I'll let this thread resurrection be my first post in the forum. Hi!

I'm a newbie to CPAP. I've just recently discovered that my wife and kid's complaints about the horrible noises I make were more than just a bit of snoring. My AHI is 20.2.

I've been on the F&P Icon for a week now and have both the Eson nasal mask and Pilario to try out before my trial ends. I'm also waiting for a Simplus mouth / nose mask to try as well (for when the allergies hit).

I did my first 3 nights on the Pilario but the tip of my nostrils (inner portion near the tip of the nose) became extremely sore and raw. Finally I had to abandon it for the Eson which I don't seem to be able to get to seal very well. I have a very narrow bridge on a highly protruding schnoz and while the L size accommodates the height of my nose, I need to use the M for the width and be careful not to cinch it down too much or my nose will hit the hard plastic.

My pressure is set to auto between 4 and 6.

I want to go back to the pillows and did so once while my nose was still raw. On a friend's advice, I smeared some Vaseline on and it seemed to help a little but since it hadn't healed fully, I ended up with open bleeding sores.

Do others suffer from this soreness / irritation? If so, what do you do to eliminate it?

xamdam wrote:Do others suffer from this soreness / irritation? If so, what do you do to eliminate it?

Yes, fairly common but nasal pillows really shouldn't cause more than minor tenderness when they are fitted properly.
Most people make the mistake of making things too tight and they end up with abrasions and wounds around the nostril area.

Lansinoh lanolin ointment/cream is what we normally suggest. Found in the baby aisle of Walmart over with the nipples and stuff.
Used by nursing mom's to help with cracking, sore and painful nipples. Use liberally during the day to promote healing and sparingly at night to protect the skin which really hasn't ever had anything rub up against it.

You may need to let the area heal and not aggravate it with more attempts from the Pilairo at this time unless you can figure out some sort of barrier to keep from re opening the wound.
The Pilairo is a one size fits all nasal pillow mask and it may simply not suit your nose/nostril area no matter how optimal the tension might be. You might do better with a nasal pillow mask that has nasal pillows that have less of a presence on your nostril area....like the ResMed P10 that I use now...see the link in my equipment profile. It doesn't touch the skin nearly as much as the Pilairo does (I have tried the Pilairo).

Thank you! I suppose I should have mentioned I live in Japan so no Walmarts around here. I did find it online at $10 for 10g... A buck a gram! (Amazon US shows it at $0.17/g).

The joys of living in Japan.

A little goes a long way. Some may try K-Y jelly or a saline gel, which might be easier to get.
I would not rule out a very thin smear of coconut oil or cocoa butter.

xamdam wrote:Thank you! I suppose I should have mentioned I live in Japan so no Walmarts around here. I did find it online at $10 for 10g... A buck a gram! (Amazon US shows it at $0.17/g).

The joys of living in Japan.

there's probably some local equivalent over there... just prowl around a chemists in the 'nursing mothers' section for a bit...

Just found it at the local store. Yes, it's a huge markup, but that is the norm here... Thanks for the tip! The my nose is already soothing and I suppose the 10g should last me quite a while if I apply it sparingly.