Nasal pillow masks

[almereian]

Hi all.

I have been trying different masks for more than 6 months now and I am still struggling to find the right one for me.
I am looking for a nasal pillow mask that is comfortable, lightweight, quiet and doesn't blast my wife every night with a jetstream.

I used to have the Mirage Swift FX nasal pillow mask which was great apart from it was very noisy and a strong gust would hit my wife every night.
I since then have tried a Mirage FX nasal mask, which was very quiet with a dispered stream of air, but I find nasal masks leave marks on each side of my nose.

At the moment, I have a Opus nasal pillows mask, made by Fisher & Paykel, but this one is also quite noisy and powerful with the exhaust air and it leaves large impronts on my cheeks which take a long time to go every morning, no matter how I adjust it.

I have seen the Mirage Swift II, which looks like it may the one I am looking for. They say it is quiet with dispersed air. Lightweight and the face straps look quite thin.
Anyone had any experience with this one? Or anyone got any better suggestions?

[Cutter]

I have good luck with the Swift LT. You may need to lay on your side facing away from your wife, if you don't want to blow her out of bed.

[greatunclebill]

welcome to the forum.

you may want to look into the 3B Flex-Lite mask by 3B Products which is like a big tube nasal cannula with pillows that you can wear with or without the headgear like a nasal cannula.

just today my wife ordered an optilife mask which is a hybrid, mouth mask with nasal pillows.

[Sleepster]

At the moment, I have a Opus nasal pillows mask, made by Fisher & Paykel, but this one is also quite noisy and powerful with the exhaust air and it leaves large impronts on my cheeks which take a long time to go every morning, no matter how I adjust it.

I have the same mask and have exactly the same problems.

If you find something that eliminates these problems please let me know.

[Ltmedic66]

At the moment, I have a Opus nasal pillows mask, made by Fisher & Paykel, but this one is also quite noisy and powerful with the exhaust air and it leaves large impronts on my cheeks which take a long time to go every morning, no matter how I adjust it.

I found the same thing with the Opus. I handled the pressure points on the side of the face by using soft cloth covers over the plastic side straps- there are many available commercially.

However, the exhaust noise was just too much. It bothered me, and the wife. Too bad, becuase the Opus was the most comfortable mask I've ever used.

Since then, I went back to teh Mirage Micro nasal mask. Not quite as comfortable, but I have found it to be much more quiet.

[PaulaO2]

I have the Breeze (Puritan Bennette) nasal mask. It is rather quiet, much more than the Swifts.

But the Breeze has the problem nearly all masks make: the racket when the air hits the pillow or sheets. The Breeze has a single hole outlet and all that air comes out in full force.

You and your wife have a set of decisions. Think of it as a flow chart.

1. Do you want to sleep back to back? If yes, proceed to #7.
   
2. Do you want to sleep facing each other (or you facing her)? If so, proceed to question 3.
   
3. Which is worse: noise (go to #4) or the feel of the air (go to #5)?
   
4. If noise is intolerable, then make sure nothing is in the way of the air as it comes out for at least 8" (I've measured and yes, I was that bored). Any closer and the noise starts increasing. Proceed to #7.
   
5. If the feel of the air is intolerable, then pull the sheet up to just a few inches or more away from the mask. Or pull up the pillow case. Or place your hand in the way (which is what I do in the summer as it also helps to keep me cool). You can block the air from getting to her BUT don't block the air completely. That air HAS to come out as a CO2 outlet. Proceed to #7.
   
6. If both are intolerable, then sleep back to back. (return to #1)
   
7. Good night!

[almereian]

Thanks all for all your advice.

[PaulaO2]

So? What have you decided? What are you going to try?

Please let us know how it all works out.

[SuperSleeper]

1. Do you want to sleep back to back? If yes, proceed to #7.
   
2. Do you want to sleep facing each other (or you facing her)? If so, proceed to question 3.
   
3. Which is worse: noise (go to #4) or the feel of the air (go to #5)?
   
4. If noise is intolerable, then make sure nothing is in the way of the air as it comes out for at least 8" (I've measured and yes, I was that bored). Any closer and the noise starts increasing. Proceed to #7.
   
5. If the feel of the air is intolerable, then pull the sheet up to just a few inches or more away from the mask. Or pull up the pillow case. Or place your hand in the way (which is what I do in the summer as it also helps to keep me cool). You can block the air from getting to her BUT don't block the air completely. That air HAS to come out as a CO2 outlet. Proceed to #7.
   
6. If both are intolerable, then sleep back to back. (return to #1)
   
7. Good night!

Your BASIC programming skills are showing through.

[PaulaO2]

Sorry. I try to hide it but sometimes it comes through.

Do they even teach flow charts anymore?