Does Vaseline affect the shape of silicon nasal pillows?

Hey all, first time poster.

Does Vaseline affect the shape of silicon nasal pillows? I live in a super dry climate and a little over a month ago I started putting Vaseline in my nose with a cotton swab at night. I have to use a lot of it and there's usually a coating around the bottom of my nose where the pillow sits. Last night I found that my pillow had warped a little and was leaking out the top. Is this a normal thing that indicates the pillow has been worn out, or could the Vaseline have caused it?

Here's more info about my situation for context. It's probably more than you want to know, but maybe it'll help explain the situation:

I have an AirCurve 10 BiPAP. CSA is my main problem, though I have some OSA too. I'm on a lot of sedating psych meds at night (complex PTSD is a *****) and those meds significantly exacerbate the CSA. Unfortunately, these meds are seriously necessary for me psychologically due to my constant low-level flight response, so I don't have a choice but to take them. The BiPAP has largely taken care of the CSA problem.

I live in Salt Lake City, Utah, which has a very dry climate (average 33% humidity during nights in May, lowest is 22% during nights in July). I fill my reservoir with distilled water every night between the 1/4 and 1/2 marks and I have a little (not much) left in the reservoir in the morning. When I set my climate control to auto, the air is too dry and hurts my nose. When I set it manually to 5, the air is too dry. 6 is more comfortable, but then I get rainout. I've put my BiPAP on a shelf that's just a couple inches above the floor to try to alleviate the rainout, but I still get enough rainout that it bothers me.

A little over a month ago I began putting Vaseline in my nose at night to help prevent the pain I get from the dry air. It works, but if I get up in the night my nose is almost completely dry and I have to reapply. I need quite a bit of it to be comfortable, almost to the point that it clogs my nose. There's usually a coating around the bottom of my nose, where the Dreamwear cushion sits.

Last night I began waking up what felt like every couple minutes, which is a sign that my CSA is acting up. Even after I adjusted the pillow I kept waking up. Finally I ended up switching to a spare Dreamwear nasal mask, and by comparing the two I realized that my original pillow was leaking out the top.

Could the Vaseline have warped my nasal pillow? Or have I just worn it out? I haven't worn one out before, so I don't know what to look for.

Use Lansinoh lanolin cream.

JPB

kitan25 wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 2:21 pm

Hey all, first time poster.

Does Vaseline affect the shape of silicon nasal pillows? I live in a super dry climate and a little over a month ago I started putting Vaseline in my nose with a cotton swab at night. I have to use a lot of it and there's usually a coating around the bottom of my nose where the pillow sits. Last night I found that my pillow had warped a little and was leaking out the top. Is this a normal thing that indicates the pillow has been worn out, or could the Vaseline have caused it?

Vaseline is bad for silicone, and extremely bad for your lungs if any gets in there (google "lipid pneumonia"}

kitan25 wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 2:21 pm

I have an AirCurve 10 BiPAP.

There's no such thing, the word "bipap" isn't anywhere on the machine.
There are, however, a number of very different Aircurve 10 bilevel machines.

It's long been accepted that petroleum based products can potentially degrade silicone....and also it's long been accepted that we don't want to risk inhaling petroleum based products because of the risk of lipid pneumonia.
For those reasons we don't advised using petroleum based products in the nose or in conjunction with cpap therapy.

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) is a rare form of pneumonia caused by inhalation or aspiration of a fatty substance. ELP has been reported with inhalation or ingestion of petroleum jelly, mineral oils, “nasal drops,” and even intravenous injection of olive oil.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2219803/

kitan25 wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 2:21 pm

I live in a super dry climate and a little over a month ago I started putting Vaseline in my nose with a cotton swab at night. I have to use a lot of it

It works, but if I get up in the night my nose is almost completely dry and I have to reapply. I need quite a bit of it to be comfortable, almost to the point that it clogs my nose.

In the quantity I am imagining that you use, Lansinoh lanolin, which is a lipoid, could put you at risk for ELP.

kitan25 wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 2:21 pm

I've put my BiPAP on a shelf that's just a couple inches above the floor to try to alleviate the rainout, but I still get enough rainout that it bothers me.

Are you using a heated hose? Can you fill out your equipment profile so we can see which mask and machine you are using?

Welcome to the forum!

palerider wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 3:18 pm

There's no such thing, the word "bipap" isn't anywhere on the machine.
There are, however, a number of very different Aircurve 10 bilevel machines.

My doctor's office called it a BiPAP. Before I wrote this post I went and physically looked at the machine to see what model it is, and it's an AirCurve 10. What's the difference between a BiPAP and a bilevel machine?

jimbud wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 2:42 pm

Use Lansinoh lanolin cream.

I just Googled that and found a Lansinoh is a breastfeeding cream? Did I find the right product?

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 4:48 pm

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) is a rare form of pneumonia caused by inhalation or aspiration of a fatty substance. ELP has been reported with inhalation or ingestion of petroleum jelly, mineral oils, “nasal drops,” and even intravenous injection of olive oil.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2219803/

Oh my god! Thank you for telling me!!

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 4:48 pm

Are you using a heated hose? Can you fill out your equipment profile so we can see which mask and machine you are using?

I'm using a heated hose. Where do I fill out an equipment profile?

kitan25 wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 5:04 am

palerider wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 3:18 pm

There's no such thing, the word "bipap" isn't anywhere on the machine.
There are, however, a number of very different Aircurve 10 bilevel machines.

My doctor's office called it a BiPAP. Before I wrote this post I went and physically looked at the machine to see what model it is, and it's an AirCurve 10. What's the difference between a BiPAP and a bilevel machine?

A BiLevel machine is capable of two very different levels of pressure, one for inhalation and one for exhalation.

A BiPap is a BiLevel machine, but it is a trademarked brandname for Phillips Respironics.

We like to encourage proper terminology so that when asking questions or searching for results, correct, unambiguous results are returned.

All BiPap machines are BiLevel, but all BiLevel machines are not BiPap.

kitan25 wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 5:04 am

I'm using a heated hose. Where do I fill out an equipment profile?

Click on your username in the top right corner. A dropdown will give you the choice of User Control Panel.

Or, use this link - https://www.cpaptalk.com/ucp.php?i=prof ... pment_info

kitan25 wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 5:04 am

palerider wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 3:18 pm

There's no such thing, the word "bipap" isn't anywhere on the machine.
There are, however, a number of very different Aircurve 10 bilevel machines.

My doctor's office called it a BiPAP. Before I wrote this post I went and physically looked at the machine to see what model it is, and it's an AirCurve 10. What's the difference between a BiPAP and a bilevel machine?

A BiPAP™ is a brand of bilevel machines made by Philips Respironics.

As I said, there are many different Aircurve 10™ machines, here's a list wiki/index.php/CPAP_models which specific one did you look at? it's printed on the front of the machine, under "Aircurve 10"

kitan25 wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 5:04 am

jimbud wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 2:42 pm

Use Lansinoh lanolin cream.

I just Googled that and found a Lansinoh is a breastfeeding cream? Did I find the right product?

It's not for breastfeeding, it's for soothing sore nipples after breastfeeding.

kitan25 wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 5:04 am

jimbud wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 2:42 pm

Use Lansinoh lanolin cream.

I just Googled that and found a Lansinoh is a breastfeeding cream? Did I find the right product?

Yes, make sure you put it on your nares. It won't help your sore nose putting it on your nipples.

kitan25 wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 5:04 am

I'm using a heated hose. Where do I fill out an equipment profile?

on the main screen, the one you see when you first log in? up in the right hand corner, you'll see your user name. left click on that. a menu comes down. choose "profile" and follow the directions.

good luck!

added" DERP! doesn't have to be on the main screen. it's up there in the upper right on this screen as well.

palerider wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 8:17 am

As I said, there are many different Aircurve 10™ machines, here's a list wiki/index.php/CPAP_models which specific one did you look at? it's printed on the front of the machine, under "Aircurve 10"

I have the AirCurve 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir Heated Humidifier.

Dog Slobber wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 7:32 am

kitan25 wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 5:04 am

palerider wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 3:18 pm

There's no such thing, the word "bipap" isn't anywhere on the machine.
There are, however, a number of very different Aircurve 10 bilevel machines.

My doctor's office called it a BiPAP. Before I wrote this post I went and physically looked at the machine to see what model it is, and it's an AirCurve 10. What's the difference between a BiPAP and a bilevel machine?

A BiLevel machine is capable of two very different levels of pressure, one for inhalation and one for exhalation.

A BiPap is a BiLevel machine, but it is a trademarked brandname for Phillips Respironics.

We like to encourage proper terminology so that when asking questions or searching for results, correct, unambiguous results are returned.

Gotcha. Thanks!

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 7:53 am

kitan25 wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 5:04 am

I'm using a heated hose. Where do I fill out an equipment profile?

Click on your username in the top right corner. A dropdown will give you the choice of User Control Panel.

Or, use this link - https://www.cpaptalk.com/ucp.php?i=prof ... pment_info

I filled it out, but I didn't know what to answer for the humidifier. I use the standard ResMed heated water chamber. I Googled all the humidifier models listed and none of them looked like what I have.

Please direct me to the appropriate thread if I'm asking this in the wrong place, but I don't know where else to ask since I'm new to the forum:

I don't have allergies, yet most nights when I go to bed one of my sinuses clogs up. I never get any mucous out of it, and I don't have mucous or blockages during the day. The blockage of the sinus migrates over to both sinuses, then only to the opposite one, then it goes away. It takes about two hours to do this, and during that time I can't sleep because I have to sleep with the machine. I have a box of NeilMed nasal rinse, but I haven't used it for fear of drying my nose out even worse with the saline. Plus I don't know if it would do anything since I don't have any clogging during the day and I never get anything out of it when it's blocked. Does anyone have any insight? I'd use a full face mask (and I do have one available to me), but I need to have the pressure so high for my CSA that it blows air into my stomach and makes...bad things happen from there.

kitan25 wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 11:30 am

I filled it out, but I didn't know what to answer for the humidifier. I use the standard ResMed heated water chamber. I Googled all the humidifier models listed and none of them looked like what I have.

Don't worry about humidifier selection. We all know that the humidifier is included in the machine and no longer a separate device on all the AirSense/AirCurve 10 model machines.

kitan25 wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 11:30 am

I don't have allergies, yet most nights when I go to bed one of my sinuses clogs up.

Are you aware that many users report high humidifier settings cause nasal congestion?

As a substitute for petroleum jelly, I like NEILMED NASOGEL DRIP FREE GEL SPRAY - http://shop.neilmed.com/Products/NasoGe ... -Gel-Spray. The active ingredient is sodium hyaluronate which is not a lipoid and should not be a risk for lipoid pneumonia.

However, your problem seems so severe that correcting the root cause would be a better solution.

What are your humidifier settings?

If you want to dive deeper into optimizing your therapy, please look into the Newbie post and posting OSCAR screenshots - viewtopic/t172378/Sticky--Newbies-PLEAS ... STING.html

When people experience one side of the nose becoming congested when they lay down it is possible that the normal nasal cycle thing is going on.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasal_cycle