Sudden problems with my Swift LT.

[ChrisC]

Well, I knew the beginning was too good to be true.

Right off the bat, I had absolutely amazing leak rates. Even now, I'm still getting < .4L/S.. but my nasal pillows are easily being pushed out of my nose when I sleep in any position but on my back. I did have to disassemble my headgear to put on the padacheeks I purchased, so I'm concerned that the headgear is now tightened incorrectly. I remember it being snug, but not too tight before.

Now, when I sleep on my side or put any pressure on the sides of my face, it pushes against the nasal pillows and I can hear/feel the leak.

Just very frustrated because I had such great success with this mask originally and could seemingly sleep in any position without any leaking at all.. now, I'm waking up several times a night to check/adjust things.

Is it possible the padacheek pads are creating a greater surface area to push against the nasal pillows? They're very comfortable to wear (especially around my ears), but I don't want to sacrifice the great sleep I was getting before..

[Hawthorne]

In my experience, getting the headgear straps just right is the key to a good fit with this mask. I, eventually put a small piece of Velcro on both sides of the top strap to keep it from slipping. I was finding that, even after I was sure I had it set for the night, I would lie down and it would leak and I couldn't fix it. I'd get up and the top strap would have slipped in that buckle. The little bit of Velcro keeps it from slipping and things are good.

It may help you.

[tattooyu]

In my experience, getting the headgear straps just right is the key to a good fit with this mask. I, eventually put a small piece of Velcro on both sides of the top strap to keep it from slipping. I was finding that, even after I was sure I had it set for the night, I would lie down and it would leak and I couldn't fix it. I'd get up and the top strap would have slipped in that buckle. The little bit of Velcro keeps it from slipping and things are good.

That's a great idea Hawthorne.

I usually have some of that exact issue (side sleeping = leaks) when I first lie down. I then have to just readjust the position of the entire head gear so that the cheek straps are in the right place and it stays good for the night. Strap tension is key to the Swift LT for me, too. Can't be too tight. Can't be too loose. Sometimes I'll loosen both straps until it's WAY too loose, tighten the back so it's just snug, and then tighten the top so it's just looser than snug.

Also, I noticed I was having more leaks when it was time to replace the nasal pillows. They got too soft. Once I replaced them (I get new ones every month), the leaks dropped dramatically.

[feeling_better]

Now, when I sleep on my side or put any pressure on the sides of my face, it pushes against the nasal pillows and I can hear/feel the leak.

Just very frustrated because I had such great success with this mask originally and could seemingly sleep in any position without any leaking at all.. now, I'm waking up several times a night to check/adjust things.

Is it possible the padacheek pads are creating a greater surface area to push against the nasal pillows? They're very comfortable to wear (especially around my ears), but I don't want to sacrifice the great sleep I was getting before..

ChrisC, You may wish to implement this stabilier which I showed here many months ago:
viewtopic/t41119/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36 ... er#p317464

I have not looked back since.

Definitely loosen up the strap to the fit you had before you added the pads.

[tattooyu]

feeling_better,

I'm a little confused as to your modification. Where do those extra straps go when you have the mask on? Could you post a photo either here or in that post showing what it looks like when being worn?

Thanks.

[Hawthorne]

I thought a picture might help. I do not sew! Those are double sided Velcro strips that I cut a little narrower than the strap to not get caught in my hair.

The pads are the custom ones that come with Swift LT for Her. I have both headgears and use them interchangeably. The pads fit both the original Swift LT and the LT for Her.

The picuture is of one side of the top straps "unattached" by the Velcro pieces.

[url][/url]

[feeling_better]

feeling_better,

I'm a little confused as to your modification. Where do those extra straps go when you have the mask on? Could you post a photo either here or in that post showing what it looks like when being worn?

Thanks.

tatooyu, Did you read the pre-req post to the one I posted above? The other post's url is in the first post. After reading the first post, if you still need help, by all means, do ask again.

[JoyD.]

Hawthorne wrote (and included a photo which was so helpful):
The picuture is of one side of the top straps "unattached" by the Velcro pieces.

Thanks so much, Hawthorne. Such a simple yet effective "fix". I'm going to try that too since I have also been having trouble with slippage. So much so that I went back to my ComfortLite 2 mask (which Dreamer also uses and recently supplied us with a photo). I like BOTH masks very much. I have to say, though, that so far the CL2 gives me the best AHI's. Maybe this "fix" will make the two masks equal for me.

The reason I would prefer using the SLT regularly is because I can read in bed with it, and because it doesn't have the bulky "lockbox" on the forehead/head like the CL2.

Joy

[feeling_better]

JoyD, Please note that my stabilizer is somewhat different, see the photos in the original post. The new elastikc straps start from the middle of the back strap, go around the head under the ears, and attach to each of the two 'elbow portion' of the hard plastic gear near the nose pad. This direction keeps the nose pad firmly in place. If you cannot get my original photos, please let me know...Just click on the url I had in the first post in the thread.

[tattooyu]

I think I get it now feeling_better. The straps connect the back strap to the sides of the head gear, but don't rely on tension at all, right?

[Uncle_Bob]

Well, I knew the beginning was too good to be true.

Right off the bat, I had absolutely amazing leak rates. Even now, I'm still getting < .4L/S.. but my nasal pillows are easily being pushed out of my nose when I sleep in any position but on my back. I did have to disassemble my headgear to put on the padacheeks I purchased, so I'm concerned that the headgear is now tightened incorrectly. I remember it being snug, but not too tight before.

Now, when I sleep on my side or put any pressure on the sides of my face, it pushes against the nasal pillows and I can hear/feel the leak.

Just very frustrated because I had such great success with this mask originally and could seemingly sleep in any position without any leaking at all.. now, I'm waking up several times a night to check/adjust things.

Is it possible the padacheek pads are creating a greater surface area to push against the nasal pillows? They're very comfortable to wear (especially around my ears), but I don't want to sacrifice the great sleep I was getting before..

I am in exactly the same situation. At the 3-4 week stage i replaced my first set of pillows and had another couple of great nights after a few bad ones, but now i'm getting bad leaks again (0.50L). I think i have more than one problem. I keep waking up around 2am with a pillow leak and never seem to manage to reposition them good enough so I start leaking again within the hour. I've also wake around 4am sometimes aware that i am mouth breathing and can end up with dry mouth. The resmed chin strap does help a bit but does not eliminate the leaks completely, plus it is warm and makes it harder to get to sleep in the first place.

I've read the posts about the back strap and think the mask adjustments suggested are very good ideas and maybe worth a try. But in the interests of trying one thing at a time I may opt to try a PAPCap first.

Thanks and good luck
UB

[JoyD.]

by feeling_better on Thu Apr 16, 2009 3:00 pm

JoyD, Please note that my stabilizer is somewhat different, see the photos in the original post. The new elastikc straps start from the middle of the back strap, go around the head under the ears, and attach to each of the two 'elbow portion' of the hard plastic gear near the nose pad. This direction keeps the nose pad firmly in place. If you cannot get my original photos, please let me know...Just click on the url I had in the first post in the thread.

Thanks, feeling_better, I will try that.

Joy

[SheZAAM!]

Also, I noticed I was having more leaks when it was time to replace the nasal pillows. They got too soft. Once I replaced them (I get new ones every month), the leaks dropped dramatically.

Me too! Mine start leaking around week 5-6. I get new ones every 30 days. You can get more on Ebay, cheap. I got 2 for $14.

[feeling_better]

I think I get it now feeling_better. The straps connect the back strap to the sides of the head gear, but don't rely on tension at all, right?

tatooyu, Correct, but it connects to the bottom sides of the gear. Yes the straps just very lightly snug (of course you can adjust this easily with the velcro), and when you sleep on the side the force on the bottom side of the strap will prevent the nose pads from getting pushed up; so the whole gear stays put when you go from back sleep to either side.

All straps, including the original ones, need to be adjusted so that the nose pads very very lightly held against the nose. REPEAT: It is not the strap tension that prevents the air leak; the leaks are prevented by the outer wall tips expanding under air pressure against the inside of the nostrils. If the straps are tight it will prevent this auto expansion function!! Start with even lighter than what your first instinct tells you, then try it one night and then adjust it a tad tighter every night until it suits you. For people who have been using another headgear/mask before, it is a somewhat difficult thing to get used to this no pressure at all at the nose or face!!! Yes this is counter intuitive