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My poor nose
#1
My poor nose
Hi everyone, I just joined the Apnea Board and this is my first post. I have been a CPAP user for about 10 years. I could never use the regular face mask. I have always used the pillows. Never comfortable fit with the face mask, even the nasal mask. But I find that lately the pillows aren't doing the job either. For one thing my nostrils have stretched. Tech said that they will return to regular size. Well they haven't in about a year. I use the smallest sized pillows. And I find that my eyes are puffy in the mornings the last little while. I just can't seem to get comfortable anymore...always adjusting the mask during the night, and I know the strap has cause hair loss (though some of my other health issues have caused it also). I have one of the newer Swift nasal pillows. They have even tried a child sized mask on me. No luck. My head isn't tiny, or at least my hubby says its not. LOL. Any suggestions. I haven't had a good night sleep for so long. By the way, he wears a CPAP too. He sleeps like the dead. Dont-know
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#2
RE: My poor nose
I use the Amara View FFM, not that I need a FFM, but I do need the extra room to exhale into and I do not like anything sitting on my nose
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#3
RE: My poor nose
(03-20-2016, 05:42 PM)Sydney6060 Wrote: Hi everyone, I just joined the Apnea Board and this is my first post. I have been a CPAP user for about 10 years. I could never use the regular face mask. I have always used the pillows. Never comfortable fit with the face mask, even the nasal mask. But I find that lately the pillows aren't doing the job either. For one thing my nostrils have stretched. Tech said that they will return to regular size. Well they haven't in about a year. I use the smallest sized pillows. And I find that my eyes are puffy in the mornings the last little while. I just can't seem to get comfortable anymore...always adjusting the mask during the night, and I know the strap has cause hair loss (though some of my other health issues have caused it also). I have one of the newer Swift nasal pillows. They have even tried a child sized mask on me. No luck. My head isn't tiny, or at least my hubby says its not. LOL. Any suggestions. I haven't had a good night sleep for so long. By the way, he wears a CPAP too. He sleeps like the dead. Dont-know

Hi Sydney6060,
Welcome to the forum!! I can't comment on Nasal pillows type masks, as I don't use them, but I believe there is a product called a "Total Face Mask" that covers mouth, nose and eyes. IIRC it may be called "Fitlife", or something similar. You should be able to search and find some posts discussing these masks. It might be usable to give your nose a break from the pillows.

A.Becker
PAPing in NE Ohio, with a pack of Cairn terriers
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#4
RE: My poor nose
(03-20-2016, 05:42 PM)Sydney6060 Wrote: Hi everyone, I just joined the Apnea Board and this is my first post. I have been a CPAP user for about 10 years. I could never use the regular face mask. I have always used the pillows. Never comfortable fit with the face mask, even the nasal mask. But I find that lately the pillows aren't doing the job either. For one thing my nostrils have stretched. Tech said that they will return to regular size. Well they haven't in about a year. I use the smallest sized pillows. And I find that my eyes are puffy in the mornings the last little while. I just can't seem to get comfortable anymore...always adjusting the mask during the night, and I know the strap has cause hair loss (though some of my other health issues have caused it also). I have one of the newer Swift nasal pillows. They have even tried a child sized mask on me. No luck. My head isn't tiny, or at least my hubby says its not. LOL. Any suggestions. I haven't had a good night sleep for so long. By the way, he wears a CPAP too. He sleeps like the dead. Dont-know
Hi Sydney,
Most folk using nasal pillows will at some time, experience "mouth breathing". I prefer to describe this as "therapy air exhausting via mouth", which defeats the therapy and causes effects such as dry mouth & accelerated tooth decay. Nasal pillows do however provide the most efficient delivery of therapy air, are more comfortable, less intrusive, & better tolerated than many alternatives. After having selected the correct size pillows, (they need to just enter the nostril), the straps have also to be correctly adjusted.
It is important with NP masks not to have the straps too tight as the mask doesn't depend on this to obtain an effective seal. In fact NP's depend on the best seal type known, the taper & seat. Once this understood all the pillows have to do is fit snugly (not tightly) just a little into the nostril, & the straps holding them in there with very little pressure. There's no way a correctly adjusted NP mask would cause your nostrils to stretch.
I feel once you get these tweaks done, you will become more comfortable with your mask & not feel any need to adjust or remove it during the night. PS I changed to FFM because of excessive "mouth breathing", which I was unable to control. Good luck & stick with it.

[Image: signature.png]Keep on breathin'
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#5
RE: My poor nose
Hi Sydney6060,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I switched from a nasal pillows mask to a full face mask, (FFM,) and I really like it, I don't have to use a chinstrap, )YAHOO, Of course, YMMV.)
Hang in there for more responses to your post and much success to you as you continue your CPAP therapy.
trish6hundred
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#6
RE: My poor nose

If you haven't already, going to suggest trying the p10 .... worth a shot, success rate and ratings are very high. No guarantees on mask suggestions Wink
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