Ray, I think you mean nose pillows. Your machine seems to set really high at 14. It would be like a wind tunnel! what was your diagnosis like? eg., how many times did you stop breathing per minute and roughly for how long? My diagnosis was stopping breathing 85 times per hr with lengths of time up to 35 seconds. My machine is set at 9, but it needs to be set at a point that keeps your throat open, which varies between individuals. keep trying Ray, you really are having a battle, but you will get there. Regards, Ruth

depending on how long you have had it there is a period of adjusment and fiddling with it. if you think that you might want to try a new mask go for it...

you guys are so right , i thought it was going to be easy but it is not , is there a special way to sleep or what

I went through 6 different masks before I found what worked best for me. It is definitely a process and CPAP takes practice. BUT, once you get it right, you'll never want to be without it!!

Call your DME right away, they will usually allow you to switch masks in the first 30 days of going on CPAP until you find one that is comfortable. Most people have good luck getting comfortable with the Swift FX nasal pillow mask, esp if it is fitted correctly. Good luck, I am sure you will find the right one, just stick with it until you are comfy. You will find that you feel so much better with CPAP, the period necessary to get used to it is well worth it.
Also, go to cpaptalk dot com for more people to answer your questions, there is a lot more traffic over there to be able to help you be successful with your CPAP earlier.

I'm not an expert as I'm going to be on my first night with a nasal cushion system tonight, but the lady who set me up with it all today said it's optimum to sleep on your side. That may be difficult for me as I usually go to sleep on my side but wake up on my back. She said you can re-train yourself to sleep on your side all night. But I didn't ask for details as the whole thing was overwhelming as it was (I have mental illnesses and I get confused with technology - but this system seems "idiot proof". LOL)

But I WILL contact her in the next couple of weeks to ask about this retraining. It may be as simply as getting one of those body cusions or a wedge for the back - that would make sense to me.

Ray:

I had the nose mask also and I felt like I couldn't breathe since you are supposed to only breathe through your nose then. I just switched to a full face mask and it worked great! The first night I used it I felt better the next day! I would encourage this mask as you can breathe through your mouth as well. Good luck!

Kerry