...but I don't wanna change masks...

[SleepyHound]

I went to my 2 month follow up appt today. The doc was concerned that I'm still a little foggy in the morning, and drowsy on my drive to work. (I've been taking 150mg of Nuvigil every morning along with my usual dose of Welbutrin XL which I've taken for a few years now). We talked about increasing my pressure (it's currently at 11), adjusting the dose of Nuvigil, and settled on changing the type of mask I wear.

I currently wear the Swift FX, and he is suspecting that I'm not getting quality sleep if I wake myself up to leaks. My AHI is 3.8, which I didn't think was horrible... He didn't go over the downloads or talk about the leak issues. I'm still trying to learn to use and interpret Rescan info to better understand my documented leaks. I have an order for a triangular type mask...so we'll see how that goes. The doc initially asked if my husband noticed I had leaks or anything and I said I usually wake myself up when I hear it or when my nasal pillow moves a tiny bit and there's a noise/pressure difference (not the giant gush of air from an obvious leak). Maybe I have to readjust all the straps...

I've not been sleeping solidly since starting the Nuvigil. I still get tired and ready to go to bed, but it just seems like I'm flopping around and tossing/turning around and sleeping too lightly.

At least we were able to definitely say that life is much, much improved since starting therapy. I almost don't know how I got through the last year without it.

[Janknitz]

You can keep leaks from the FX under control:

1. Replace the pillows often. As they wear out they leak more. Medicare and many insurance companies will pay for two sets of pillows per month.

2. Hang your hose. By taking the weight off the slinky hose, the mask is much more stable, and it will not pull away from your nose as easily.

[ozze_dollar]

Yup nasal pillows feel great but not so stable.

[Pugsy]

I've not been sleeping solidly since starting the Nuvigil. I still get tired and ready to go to bed, but it just seems like I'm flopping around and tossing/turning around and sleeping too lightly.

Do you have any idea what the half life of Nuvigil is? Is it possible that enough of the drug is still in your system to mess with sleep? It is a wake promoting drug. Great for daytime, counter productive at bedtime.

BTW the Swift FX can be just as stable as any other mask. None are perfect anyway. I would want to see leak city on my reports before I would change. Triangle type of mask? Sounds like over the nose only mask. Much more surface area to leak. Not necessarily easier to manage or stabilize.

[Slinky]

Did you ask for a copy of the downloaded data? Especially the Summary graph pages? That can tell you what your leak situation is in detail.

[rested gal]

BTW the Swift FX can be just as stable as any other mask. None are perfect anyway. I would want to see leak city on my reports before I would change. Triangle type of mask? Sounds like over the nose only mask. Much more surface area to leak. Not necessarily easier to manage or stabilize.

Right. Nasal pillows masks can stay in place as well as any other mask.

There are ways to help stabilize any mask better.

Things like hanging the main air hose so it doesn't pull on a mask when you turn over:
LINKS to Hose hangers and methods of managing the air hose
viewtopic.php?t=10640

And... things like using a homemade extra strap to cradle the nasal pillows against the nostrils. Doesn't have to be tight at all. Just be "something there" to help steady the nasal pillows in place. The picture below is of a different nasal pillows mask, but the routing of the extra red strap shows what I mean by "cradling" the nasal pillows. Like a little sling:

[SleepyHound]

I downloaded my stuff in Rescan before I gave the SD card to the DME. I'm slightly applications-challenged with the Rescan but as soon as I get a little more time I will put up some of my data on here. I'd be nice to have an explanation from my own peeps, anyway.