10-12-2016, 10:06 AM
First timer, gosh my nose hurts.
I'm new to this. Was diagnosed last week after doing my sleep study, preparing for the gastric sleeve surgery. I am at a 10 pressure. I used the nasal pillows and OUCH. All night it felt like my nose was being pushed upwards, like a piggy nose. I woke up this morning to a sore, swollen and red nose. I have a really small nose and tried the XS and S nasal pillows and even switched them out half way through the night... Ya know, because I was half awake all night long. The XS seemed like the holes were too small for me to get enough air, and the small seemed ok, hole wise, but the plugs seemed a little large. I did not get a restful sleep at all, and I'm scared to put it back on tonight. But if I don't... Guess who can't have surgery. Help a sister out? lol.
RE: First timer, gosh my nose hurts.
First, spread the straps apart for a looser fit, together for tighter.
Second, a larger pillow size than you think is usually the right solution.
RE: First timer, gosh my nose hurts.
What sleep rider said, most people wear the pillows to tight and choose a size too small. The pillows should sit on the outside of your nose (normally) and should barely press at all. They are designed to "inflate" to seal them to your nostril, not to have to press them against it.
If you are one of the unlucky ones where your nostrils become irritated at being touched by the pillow, you can get some Lansinoh, a lanolin cream, that is available in most pharmacies and very inexpensive. A small dab will do ya, and will release the discomfort within a day or two.
I am not a Medical professional and I don't play one on the internet.
Started CPAP Therapy April 5, 2016
I'd Rather Be Sleeping
RE: First timer, gosh my nose hurts.
Which mask do you use? You need to loosen the straps to make it not so tight. Unless you have the P10 which has no straps to loosen. In that case, you either need a different mask or you need a different head or you need to stretch the beejeebers out of the headgear to get the thing to fit your head right. I suggest a different mask. It is extremely rare that the first mask we try is the one that works.
If you like the nasal pillows style, there are a lot of others to dry. The Nuance, the Dreamwear, the Swift. The P10 is a good mask for its quiet-ness but it's headgear is beyond stupid, IMO.
PaulaO
Take a deep breath and count to zen.
RE: First timer, gosh my nose hurts.
(10-12-2016, 10:50 AM)PaulaO2 Wrote: Unless you have the P10 which has no straps to loosen.
Actually the P10 can be adjusted over a fairly large range by spreading or not spreading the split strap. I have read complaints that it can not be loosened enough for some people, but it can be adjusted for most.
Frank
I am not a Medical professional and I don't play one on the internet.
Started CPAP Therapy April 5, 2016
I'd Rather Be Sleeping
RE: First timer, gosh my nose hurts.
Unfortunately, it isn't so much of a chafing or rawness, but more like I was punched in the face. I will definitely try the things suggested to me though! Thank you both!
RE: First timer, gosh my nose hurts.
Could be the way you sleep, too. The mask might fit, the pillows might be the right size, and the straps might be tensioned just right. Then, while asleep, you turn your head in such a way there is added pressure somewhere, or the hose gets caught in something, tugs in one direction or another, and mashes the mask into your nose. It happens. Give yourself some time to adjust to the mask itself, and also to finding a sleeping position that works.
RE: First timer, gosh my nose hurts.
(10-12-2016, 10:06 AM)daniemmdee Wrote:
All night it felt like my nose was being pushed upwards, like a piggy nose. I woke up this morning to a sore, swollen and red nose.
hi daniemmdee,
I had a similar experience on my first night. Found out I had put the mask on upside down. If this is the case with you, you will know it immediately once you turn the mask over and put it on again.
The pillows are angled, and when you wear the mask properly, the holes should be angled upward. If you put the mask on upside down, there will be a bar pressing against your septum.
hope it's that easy of a fix for you.
Saldus Miegas
RE: First timer, gosh my nose hurts.
Hi daniemmdee,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
The mask is the hardest part of this therapy, so don't be shy about asking to try different ones.
Hang in there for more responses to your post, good luck to you on your CPAP journey.
trish6hundred
RE: First timer, gosh my nose hurts.
Welcome to the group Dani.
I found the nasal pillows irritate my nasal passages badly with the air blowing directly in to them, I find the Fisher & Paykel Eson nose mask works best for me.
I know my issue is different to yours, but there are a vast range of mask styles/sizes/brands out there to choose from.. finding the right one can be a bit of a chore when you first start on the CPAP journey.
If you have equipment from a sleep clinic or supplier on trial or loan at the moment, ask them if they have different styles of masks you can test to see which one works best for you.
We are all different, what we need for ultimate success is different to others.
Hang in there... for now at least give it a go with some of the suggestions of the others above, adjustments to straps and pillow position or size may be all it takes.
I put up with discomfort and red marks for a few weeks before I got pointed in the right direction of how to adjust and seat my Eson mask by members in this group.
Turned out I needed to have it looser, and positioned a little differently.
Then I found that what was right sitting up actually changed when I laid down to sleep, so a little more fine tuning was needed, and now it is all good. 
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