Nasal pillows leaking when on side

[Sleepster]

I use a strip of velcro and a thumb tack. Just cut a piece of velcro strip long enough to wrap around the hose. Put a thumb tack through the middle of it, and then drive the thumb tack into the top of your headboard. If a thumb tack is not strong enough, drill a small hole and use a short wood screw.

I'm also a side-sleeper and don't have a problem with the nasal pillows leaking now that I'm using the Comfortlite2. I have a small CPAP pillow and let the edge of my face hang over the edge of the pillow. I used to use a nasal mask and I hated the way it rubbed against the pillow. I imagine a full face mask would be worse. With the Comfortlite2 I can actually smosh my cheek into the pillow.

It does take a long time to get used to the hose and the mask. But it does get better. I couldn't imagine going back to sleeping without a mask. It was torture!

[johns019]

My headboard has spindles - so I put a piece of velcro around between two.
Holds it pretty well.
But I had my worst night so far last night (7th night). Just felt like I couldn't get air or it would leak.
My wife said it didn't sound right - like she could hear me breathing, but not the machine sound - not sure just what she means.
I actually took the mask off about half an hour before I got up (first time I've removed it) to try to get a little sleep befor my alarm.
When I looked at the pillows one side was" in" instead of sticking "out" - maybe that was the problem all night.
I have to go see the therapist / technician this morning - I'm bringing the small and large pillows along as well - maybe medium isn't right.
Its a BiPAP machine - maybe its just how they work, but it seems like I have to suck the air out of it.

[DCwom]

I use nasal pillows and sleep on my side, no leaks. There is an optimum pressure for the straps to the fit between too loose and too tight. I get a different seal/feel if the hose goes up rather than down. I know that a lot of people go hose up over the head, but I just run it down and out the side of the bed, you could give that a try to see if it helps.

[mjbearit]

My headboard has spindles - so I put a piece of velcro around between two.
Holds it pretty well.
But I had my worst night so far last night (7th night). Just felt like I couldn't get air or it would leak.
My wife said it didn't sound right - like she could hear me breathing, but not the machine sound - not sure just what she means.
I actually took the mask off about half an hour before I got up (first time I've removed it) to try to get a little sleep befor my alarm.
When I looked at the pillows one side was" in" instead of sticking "out" - maybe that was the problem all night.
I have to go see the therapist / technician this morning - I'm bringing the small and large pillows along as well - maybe medium isn't right.
Its a BiPAP machine - maybe its just how they work, but it seems like I have to suck the air out of it.

I have had that happen to me several times while attempting to readjust while half asleep! As soon as you can hear yourself breathing you know it is not right. I gently pinch the "bridge" part that the pillows are affixed to and then "roll" it by moving my fingers and thumb in opposite directions, of course while holding it away from my face. It pops back out every time! It just takes a couple "rolls" then I readjust it on my face and back to that dream again!

[johns019]

It just takes a couple "rolls" then I readjust it on my face and back to that dream again!

Dream ?? what is that
It did pop back out easily, hope that was the problem last night.
The sleep technician ?? adjusted my BiPAP today from 10 - 4 to 10 - 5
He thought it might be too big a jump back up from 4 that makes me feel like I have to inhale hard to get a breath - I'll see how it goes tonight.

[mjbearit]

It just takes a couple "rolls" then I readjust it on my face and back to that dream again!

Dream ?? what is that
It did pop back out easily, hope that was the problem last night.
The sleep technician ?? adjusted my BiPAP today from 10 - 4 to 10 - 5
He thought it might be too big a jump back up from 4 that makes me feel like I have to inhale hard to get a breath - I'll see how it goes tonight.

To risk being cliche:
"Dare to dream"

[Sleepster]

Its a BiPAP machine - maybe its just how they work, but it seems like I have to suck the air out of it.

There are two possible sources of this problem. One may be that your EPAP pressure is too low. That's something you can discuss with your doctor.

The other may be the Bi-Flex feature. I would suggest you turn it off, that is, set it to zero. When that feature is enabled it also makes an attempt to change the shape of the flow rate curve when you're inhaling. You might notice, for example, that if you inhale too rapidly the machine will cut you off. This may be happening to you, especially as you get anxious.

Try turning off the Bi-Flex. If that doesn't work ask your doctor about raising your EPAP pressure.

I know it's hard to believe now, but you will start getting better nights' sleep as you adjust to the machine. Try to not take the mask off thinking it'll get you some better sleep. It won't. Your airway will collapse preventing you from getting any sleep that'll help you. Plus, you're sending the wrong feedback to your brain. It needs to train your body to sleep with the mask on.

[armadas]

My ResMed Elite setting is 13. I've been on a Weinmann Lynda nasal mask for 5 years now. A few weeks ago I replaced it with a ResMed Swift FX pillows and for the first time I now experience no discomfort, no leaks whether I'm on the side or back and am truly delighted with no adverse comments at all. I wish I had changed over to the Swift FX a long time ago but better late than never. I highly commend it to all.

[EyesWideOpen]

I too use the ResMed Swift FX, and it it much better than the Optilife 2 that I used before. If I have a leak at all a quick pull away from my nose and a re-seat, the leak is gone!. I never use the shirt clip as it doesn't move with your head, neck and body. It's too restrictive. My secret is to pass most of the hose under my armpit below my chest. There ends up being a pile of hose available to move with me when I roll over from side to side or on my back. No tugging. No fighting the hose. It works!

[vsheline]

Its a BiPAP machine - maybe its just how they work, but it seems like I have to suck the air out of it.

There are two possible sources of this problem. One may be that your EPAP pressure is too low. That's something you can discuss with your doctor.

The other may be the Bi-Flex feature. I would suggest you turn it off, that is, set it to zero. When that feature is enabled it also makes an attempt to change the shape of the flow rate curve when you're inhaling. You might notice, for example, that if you inhale too rapidly the machine will cut you off. This may be happening to you, especially as you get anxious.

Try turning off the Bi-Flex. If that doesn't work ask your doctor about raising your EPAP pressure.

I had a new sleep Study a couple weeks ago and could not fall asleep until I had the the sleep tech change the Respironics machine to basic CPAP mode, constant pressure. I found the Respironics BiPAP mode was very annoying, in contrast to ResMed EPR mode I was accustomed to on my old S8 AutoSet II.

The ResMed S9 VPAP Auto, when used in BiPAP mode, has many adjustments for how long the maximum inhale period can be, how long or short the exhale period can be, etc, and I suppose Respironics would be the same, having many adjustable parameters. I think the parameters on the Respironics machine were mis-adjusted or out of sync with my breathing pattern.

Perhaps I am a slow breather (I usually take less than 15 breaths per minute when trying to fall asleep) but at the sleep study it seemed as if I had hardly started to breath in, when suddenly the Respironics machine would decide the inhale period was over, and the pressure would drop to help me exhale, so it felt like I was fighting the machine to finish every inhallation. I suspect the machine was simply operating on its default settings, which were not appropriate for me (and maybe not for most people, either). In other words, I suspect this was operator error on the part of the sleep tech, who seemed not to know how to do anything except run the machine using its default parameters for inhallation period or whatever.

Anyway, switching to CPAP mode during the sleep study helped me fall asleep, and after I was asleep the tech switched the machine back to BiPAP mode for my titration. As far as I know, the machine's BiPAP mis-settings did not bother me while I was asleep. But, on the other hand, for all I know, they may have affected the titration results a little.

So you might inform the doctor or tech of your difficulty and ask the doctor to check whether your machine is set to the right inhale/exhale parameters to be in sync with your breathing style.

Take care. Don't give up.