[Product Review] Resmed AirFit P10

[beet]

I discovered a failure mode that can cause the P10 to leak after a few months.

Each nostril insert has two concentric cones. I found that the inner cone when it gets worn can retract to a position about 3/16" farther from the nose, leaving the outer cone without sufficient support to make a good seal with the nostril. As a temporary fix I could pop the inner cone back to its normal position.

The inner cone was bi-stable: it was either correct or retracted all the way; it was not stable at any intermediate position. This is good because you don’t have to worry about whether the inner cone is slightly out of position.

I did not experiment with how many days I could keep using the pillow with the temporary fix. I immediately ordered a replacement pillow for $20. (I feel getting a few months use out of a $20 pillow is excellent value.)

[lab rat]

I discovered a failure mode that can cause the P10 to leak after a few months.

Each nostril insert has two concentric cones.  I found that the inner cone when it gets worn can retract to a position about 3/16" farther from the nose, leaving the outer cone without sufficient support to make a good seal with the nostril.  As a temporary fix I could pop the inner cone back to its normal position.  

The inner cone was bi-stable: it was either correct or retracted all the way; it was not stable at any intermediate position.  This is good because you don’t have to worry about whether the inner cone is slightly out of position.

I did not experiment with how many days I could keep using the pillow with the temporary fix.  I immediately ordered a replacement pillow for $20.  (I feel getting a few months use out of a $20 pillow is excellent value.)

The pillows have an effective life of 3-5 months anyway, and won't last forever It's not a "Faliure mode" because they deteriorate over time.

[herbm]

I agree; pillows are only expected to last 3 months so toss any that don't work correction.

However, I might go more than a year with the same pillow now that I don't use water.

It makes no sense to me that HUMIDITY is somehow causing the pillow to deteriorate faster but that's my experience.

I have so many pillows stacked up (paid for by insurance) that I COULD change them every week if needed.

[lab rat]

I agree; pillows are only expected to last 3 months so toss any that don't work correction.

However, I might go more than a year with the same pillow now that I don't use water.

It makes no sense to me that HUMIDITY is somehow causing the pillow to deteriorate faster but that's my experience.

I have so many pillows stacked up (paid for by insurance) that I COULD change them every week if needed.

you could make good money selling the spares on ebay to buyers outside the USA.

I only buy my masks and pillows from US sellers on ebay.

[Walla Walla]

This is my favorite mask because it is simple to put on and take off.

 I don't get any strap marks and it's very quiet even at pressures of 25cm.

Two tricks that helped me were:

-Wearing the Large size pillow even though medium also fits.

- Using the clips to tighten the headgear.

[CrazyDreamer]

I discovered a failure mode that can cause the P10 to leak after a few months.

Each nostril insert has two concentric cones.  I found that the inner cone when it gets worn can retract to a position about 3/16" farther from the nose, leaving the outer cone without sufficient support to make a good seal with the nostril.  As a temporary fix I could pop the inner cone back to its normal position.  

The inner cone was bi-stable: it was either correct or retracted all the way; it was not stable at any intermediate position.  This is good because you don’t have to worry about whether the inner cone is slightly out of position.

I did not experiment with how many days I could keep using the pillow with the temporary fix.  I immediately ordered a replacement pillow for $20.  (I feel getting a few months use out of a $20 pillow is excellent value.)

"beet", your post was very helpful to me personally.  After being off of cpap for 10 years and giving another shot at it in April, I was happy with my P10 gear once my deviated septum got used to it (toughened up) but started having troubles with leaks, etc. and did not understand what was going on.  I had not read anything about the life expectancy of the pillows previously and did not see any wear.  I decided to come here and see if others had reportedly problems and, after reading your post, I noticed that the inner cone on one side was retracted just as you described.  I don't know how I had missed that.  Last night I had the great experience I was previously accustomed to.  A new pillow is on the way and I'll order another replacement soon so that I have one on hand when it's needed.  Thanks!

[kiwii]

Side-by-side Comparison - upon delivery, all testing done sitting up for purposes of comparison only

Nasal Pillow System, AirFit P10 vs. AirFit P10 for Her:
This is the package that comes with headgear and 3 pillow sizes included. They both include size Small and Medium pillows. They both include a set of optional headgear clips to eliminate any excess length in the straps (these may come in handy as the straps lose their elasticity).

The AirFit P10 headgear is grey with a blue inner lining. The straps are one inch longer than the For Her version, which is grey and lavender. Not counting the bend in the frame (which is also enclosed by the fabric strap), the For Her version strap measures about 18-inches. It stretched comfortably to 21.5-inches, which is what I would need if the mask were to be set as tight as possible. Both sets of headgear worked perfectly well for me.

In addition to the Small and Medium pillows, the AirFit P10 comes with size Large (with blue edging), while the For Her comes with size XSmall (with lavender edging). Even though the Large and XSmall appear to be color-coded to the headgear, they fit into either version.

Feeling Air-Starved:
Although the XSmall size fit me, I definitely felt like I could not draw in enough air. The Small was better, and the Medium was perfect; the Large was too large for my nostrils. I should mention that my nostrils rise up on the sides a little bit, they are not flush across the bottom. YMMV.

Leaks:
There was one size Small cushion that had a manufacturing defect. The stem on one side was somewhat shorter than the other, and the cushion part was canted at a slight angle. I could not get this particular Small cushion to stop leaking, no matter what I tried. Since I had two complete Nasal Pillow Systems, I had the good fortune to have two Small pillows; there was no leakage problem with the other Small pillow - only with the defective one. It is probable that the shape of my nostrils was not able to 'play nice' with the defect, and I fully expect that many people would have had no problem.

Perceived Force of Pressure:
What a pleasure! Using the Swift Fx, it is questionable as to whether I would consider using a nasal pillow with my current pressure settings. The AirFit P10 is entirely comfortable. I do have some noticeable ear issues, but I feel certain that is something I will adapt to; with the Swift FX, the ear issues are intolerable. Same with aerophagia. MUCH less air-swallowing with the P10. I could feel a sensation that made me think air 'might' be going down my throat, but with the Swift FX it was clearly going down (while awake and upright too!) and I was suffering with air in my tummy afterwards. Not so with the P10.

Thoughts:
The issue with the defective cushion makes me wonder if some people having leak issues are actually dealing with a defective cushion. What a shame to get a negative impression on such a great mask, if that is the case.

Looking forward to sleeping with these.

[Sheepish]

tricks that helped me were:

-Wearing the Large size pillow even though medium also fits.

After trying it a couple of nights, I would concur. This has also been mentioned by PaulaO2.

Unless my perhaps paranoid delusions are coming true.
                                 

Just as I came to experiment with the BMC Fealite, a large size nasal pillow seems to feel more comfortable, cause less intra-nostril irritation, and provide a slightly more noticeable improved airflow.

The real test will come with time, so I'll update if I go back to the mediums, but for now I'll be continuing with the large.

So, if your P10 is causing discomfort or irritation (Lansinoh helps for that, too), try one size larger. I've read about a few people for whom going one size smaller is what helped, but since in most cases that might increase the likelihood of nasal creep (no, it's not some weirdo with a fetish ; it's a term I'm coining for a nasal pillow gradually inserting itself up into your naris over time -- which come to think of it sounds almost as bad ), going one size larger should be the way to go for most folks.

[speed3914]

After reading the last few posts, I decided to try the large nasal pillow out of my new mask box.  WOW!  I was measured up for a small at my DME supplier for a Dream wear.  Upgraded to a medium with my Swift FX (which was a revelation) and then now a large for the P10.  Lesson learned....try each size when switching masks.  Thank you!

[Doza]

Yep. Regarding pillow size.
I've always fancied myself as having an average sized face. So I started on the XS pillows (no fitting via provider, doing this independently) and all seemed fine so off on my merry way I went.
For laughs, I tried out the small size to find that it was actually more comfortable. Yay.
But reading the posts on various threads recently, particularly Kiwii's, I thought I'd try the medium out too.
Wow. Even better!
I'm thrilled because it means I can work with all six pillows (I have a swift FX as well) and hopefully not have to spend a motza on pillows for quite a while.
Yay.