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Leaks vs pillow size
#1
Leaks vs pillow size
I have a problem that has been ongoing for several weeks and I need help trying to solve said problem. I use the P10 mask for her with size medium pillows or sometimes I use a large size. This morning my leak rate was 24L and last night I had used the large pillow. The obvious solution might be to use a medium pillow, however I've also had that same leak rate with a medium pillow. Since it was not time to order a new mask (thinking maybe the old one was stretched out) I bought a new one online.

The leak rate varies from night to night as does the AHI. I clean the mask and humidifier every morning and let it dry until evening. I use distilled water since we live in a rural area and our water is considered hard and has some lime in it. The reason I switch pillow sizes is that sometimes my nose gets sore inside from having the pillows rub against it. The large pillows seem to give me a break from the nasal irritation.

My AHI used to be .5 on average and now it is running around 1.7. What am I doing wrong to have numbers change like this? Granted they are still under the suggested 5, but a leak rate like 24L doesn't give me a good night's sleep. Thank you for any suggestions you may offer.
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#2
RE: Leaks vs pillow size
(03-12-2015, 08:37 AM)GrammaBear Wrote: I have a problem that has been ongoing for several weeks and I need help trying to solve said problem. I use the P10 mask for her with size medium pillows or sometimes I use a large size. This morning my leak rate was 24L and last night I had used the large pillow. The obvious solution might be to use a medium pillow, however I've also had that same leak rate with a medium pillow. Since it was not time to order a new mask (thinking maybe the old one was stretched out) I bought a new one online.

The leak rate varies from night to night as does the AHI. I clean the mask and humidifier every morning and let it dry until evening. I use distilled water since we live in a rural area and our water is considered hard and has some lime in it. The reason I switch pillow sizes is that sometimes my nose gets sore inside from having the pillows rub against it. The large pillows seem to give me a break from the nasal irritation.

My AHI used to be .5 on average and now it is running around 1.7. What am I doing wrong to have numbers change like this? Granted they are still under the suggested 5, but a leak rate like 24L doesn't give me a good night's sleep. Thank you for any suggestions you may offer.


Hi GrammaBear,
Reading your post with much interest! You see, I could have written that post word for word except I started with X Small nasal pillows and went up to size small.

I use same mask, have same leak rate which varies night to night. I'm not sure if that leak rate is good or just borderline. My AHI has gone from .5 to 1.6 and am wondering why too! Granted, a lot of folk here would love to have those numbers, but when you see .5 for a long time then it creeps up, you do start to wonder.

In my case, I have a lot of nasal congestion, and I notice flow rate goes up too along with higher pressures. I think it all ties in. Dont-know

I will wait along with you for some more knowledgeable folk here to chime in.

OpalRose.

OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE.  ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.  INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#3
RE: Leaks vs pillow size
(03-12-2015, 10:12 AM)OpalRose Wrote:
(03-12-2015, 08:37 AM)GrammaBear Wrote: I have a problem that has been ongoing for several weeks and I need help trying to solve said problem. I use the P10 mask for her with size medium pillows or sometimes I use a large size. This morning my leak rate was 24L and last night I had used the large pillow. The obvious solution might be to use a medium pillow, however I've also had that same leak rate with a medium pillow. Since it was not time to order a new mask (thinking maybe the old one was stretched out) I bought a new one online.

The leak rate varies from night to night as does the AHI. I clean the mask and humidifier every morning and let it dry until evening. I use distilled water since we live in a rural area and our water is considered hard and has some lime in it. The reason I switch pillow sizes is that sometimes my nose gets sore inside from having the pillows rub against it. The large pillows seem to give me a break from the nasal irritation.

My AHI used to be .5 on average and now it is running around 1.7. What am I doing wrong to have numbers change like this? Granted they are still under the suggested 5, but a leak rate like 24L doesn't give me a good night's sleep. Thank you for any suggestions you may offer.


Hi GrammaBear,
Reading your post with much interest! You see, I could have written that post word for word except I started with X Small nasal pillows and went up to size small.

I use same mask, have same leak rate which varies night to night. I'm not sure if that leak rate is good or just borderline. My AHI has gone from .5 to 1.6 and am wondering why too! Granted, a lot of folk here would love to have those numbers, but when you see .5 for a long time then it creeps up, you do start to wonder.

In my case, I have a lot of nasal congestion, and I notice flow rate goes up too along with higher pressures. I think it all ties in. Dont-know

I will wait along with you for some more knowledgeable folk here to chime in.

OpalRose.

OpalRose,

Your response is somewhat comforting. I'm glad to know that I'm not going crazy with my questions, not glad you have the same problem though.

You mentioned nasal congestion. I wonder if the 'time' of the year has something to do with the nasal congestion? Long ago I had a wise ENT (ear, nose & throat) doctor who said "You can tell when Spring is really coming because the Willow trees are the first to start turning green." It was his opinion that Willow trees do bother people with allergies and are responsible for increased nasal congestion. The Willow trees in the locale where I live are indeed turning green whereas most other trees are still waiting for the snow to melt.

I wish when people are prescribed CPAP therapy that there was training to help you with the basic issues. I never had any kind of training. The DME guy delivered the machine, showed me how to plug it into the wall outlet and that was it!

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#4
RE: Leaks vs pillow size
(03-12-2015, 10:39 AM)GrammaBear Wrote: The DME guy delivered the machine, showed me how to plug it into the wall outlet and that was it!

You're supposed to plug it in? Maybe that's what I'm doing wrong..........

As to the pillows, I have an idiot proof method of managing P10 pillows (I know: make something idiot proof and they'll make a better idiot..)

In my experience as I use a pillows set over the course of a few weeks I'll begin to experience more leaks. Never so much as to be "therapeutically" a problem, but a nuisance none the less. So what I do is when they get to that point, I take a pillows set out of my Tupperware container where I keep them, wash the old ones up nicely, dry them out, and put them in the Tupperware container. Then, when the ones I took out of the Tupperware container begin to perform badly, I repeat the process.

Works great.

Also, I make it a point to wash all my stuff rigorously every month or so. One just cannot be to clean, you know.



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#5
RE: Leaks vs pillow size
(03-12-2015, 11:45 AM)retired_guy Wrote:
(03-12-2015, 10:39 AM)GrammaBear Wrote: The DME guy delivered the machine, showed me how to plug it into the wall outlet and that was it!

You're supposed to plug it in? Maybe that's what I'm doing wrong..........

As to the pillows, I have an idiot proof method of managing P10 pillows (I know: make something idiot proof and they'll make a better idiot..)

In my experience as I use a pillows set over the course of a few weeks I'll begin to experience more leaks. Never so much as to be "therapeutically" a problem, but a nuisance none the less. So what I do is when they get to that point, I take a pillows set out of my Tupperware container where I keep them, wash the old ones up nicely, dry them out, and put them in the Tupperware container. Then, when the ones I took out of the Tupperware container begin to perform badly, I repeat the process.

Works great.

Also, I make it a point to wash all my stuff rigorously every month or so. One just cannot be to clean, you know.

My husband works nights, sleeps days - and he just got up and asked me "Why were you snoring last night?, You haven't snored in a long time."

The nasal pillows set I used last night was new, so how do I fix this thing that causes me to have such large leak and AHI one night and little leaks and little AHI the next four or five nights?

I'm not angry at anyone on this board, just really frustrated because I don't know what I'm doing wrong and that the sleep doctor just doesn't have time to 'analyze' this type of problem.
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#6
RE: Leaks vs pillow size
(03-12-2015, 08:37 AM)GrammaBear Wrote: I have a problem that has been ongoing for several weeks and I need help trying to solve said problem. I use the P10 mask for her with size medium pillows or sometimes I use a large size. This morning my leak rate was 24L and last night I had used the large pillow. The obvious solution might be to use a medium pillow, however I've also had that same leak rate with a medium pillow. Since it was not time to order a new mask (thinking maybe the old one was stretched out) I bought a new one online.

The leak rate varies from night to night as does the AHI. I clean the mask and humidifier every morning and let it dry until evening. I use distilled water since we live in a rural area and our water is considered hard and has some lime in it. The reason I switch pillow sizes is that sometimes my nose gets sore inside from having the pillows rub against it. The large pillows seem to give me a break from the nasal irritation.

My AHI used to be .5 on average and now it is running around 1.7. What am I doing wrong to have numbers change like this? Granted they are still under the suggested 5, but a leak rate like 24L doesn't give me a good night's sleep. Thank you for any suggestions you may offer.

The P10 has a pillow within a pillow design. It's very easy, when cleaning them, to have the inner pillow recede into the base. I've also experienced this problem during sleep but it is rare. Either way, if this happens the P10 will leak like a sieve. You will need to remove the pillows from the holder and press each pillow upward from the inside to restore it to its proper location. The leakage and the inner pillow retraction hasn't occurred since I've put o-rings on each pillow base. . . But that's another story.
Crimson Nape
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com
___________________________________
Useful Links -or- When All Else Fails:
The Guide to Understanding OSCAR
OSCAR Chart Organization
Attaching Images and Files on Apnea Board
Apnea Helpful Tips

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#7
RE: Leaks vs pillow size
(03-12-2015, 11:52 AM)GrammaBear Wrote: My husband works nights, sleeps days - and he just got up and asked me "Why were you snoring last night?, You haven't snored in a long time."

The nasal pillows set I used last night was new, so how do I fix this thing that causes me to have such large leak and AHI one night and little leaks and little AHI the next four or five nights?

I'm not angry at anyone on this board, just really frustrated because I don't know what I'm doing wrong and that the sleep doctor just doesn't have time to 'analyze' this type of problem.

Ok... If you're snoring then most likely your mouth is not staying shut correctly. So the answer is not the pillows or pillows size as much as it is why are you losing seal with your mouth?

Go back "to the basics" to understand why the mouth is coming open. It could be you are a little congested, as in having a bit of a head cold. It could be because for some reason you are changing your sleep position and are on your back more...

Do you use a chinstrap? I do. I wish I didn't have to, but I do. If I don't then when I go to sleep my jaw falls naturally back, and I'll lose the seal in my airway.

As to the pillows size and irritation? You can use a little lanolin cream to help this. That also serves to help the pillows stay sealed, if you don't use too much.
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#8
RE: Leaks vs pillow size
Hi GrammaBear,
You might try some HPA Lanolin cream, use it very sparingly, as a "little" gose a "long" way. Put a bit on a cotton swav and rub the inside of your nostriles with it. This might also give you a better seal.
You can find HPA lanolin in most stores, (in the baby isle,)even Amazon has it. When you look at the price, you might think to yourself, OMG, that's expensive; but, it will last a long time if you use a little bit each time as you need it.
Good luck to you with straightening this problem out, so you can get back to better sleep.
trish6hundred
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#9
RE: Leaks vs pillow size
(03-12-2015, 12:02 PM)sgearhart Wrote:
(03-12-2015, 08:37 AM)GrammaBear Wrote:

The P10 has a pillow within a pillow design. It's very easy, when cleaning them, to have the inner pillow recede into the base. I've also experienced this problem during sleep but it is rare. Either way, if this happens the P10 will leak like a sieve. You will need to remove the pillows from the holder and press each pillow upward from the inside to restore it to its proper location. The leakage and the inner pillow retraction hasn't occurred since I've put o-rings on each pillow base. . . But that's another story.

Where do you obtain the O-rings? Thanks in advance!
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#10
RE: Leaks vs pillow size
(03-12-2015, 03:11 PM)Mich Wrote:
(03-12-2015, 12:02 PM)sgearhart Wrote:
(03-12-2015, 08:37 AM)GrammaBear Wrote:

The P10 has a pillow within a pillow design. It's very easy, when cleaning them, to have the inner pillow recede into the base. I've also experienced this problem during sleep but it is rare. Either way, if this happens the P10 will leak like a sieve. You will need to remove the pillows from the holder and press each pillow upward from the inside to restore it to its proper location. The leakage and the inner pillow retraction hasn't occurred since I've put o-rings on each pillow base. . . But that's another story.

Where do you obtain the O-rings? Thanks in advance!

I keep a selection around for various repairs. Hardware, home improvement (plumbing section), and farm and/or tool supply stores have them. I use the large size pillows and found that a 5/8"IDx1/16" thickness(A016) and a 3/4"x1/8" thickness(A210) worked. I understand that the o-rings in plumbing might have a different designator than the numbers I supplied.

Holler if I can be any further help.

Edit: I see that you're a girl. PM me and let me know what size pillows your using and I will try and come up with the pillow base measurements for the proper o-ring size.
Crimson Nape
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com
___________________________________
Useful Links -or- When All Else Fails:
The Guide to Understanding OSCAR
OSCAR Chart Organization
Attaching Images and Files on Apnea Board
Apnea Helpful Tips

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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