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Have you tried mouth taping? You can use just a few strips of tape vertically. It's just enough to remind you to keep your mouth closed.
Also, you could try a soft cervical collar to keep your jaw from dropping open. I would try tape first.
Start practicing the tongue suck technique. Those that can master this do well. It may take awhile though.
Tongue Suck Technique:
Place your tongue to the roof of your mouth with tip of tongue behind front teeth. (NOT PUSHING ON TEETH).
Gently suck upwards and back.
This places the tongue in a natural position, with the back of tongue sealing the back of the throat so that if your mouth/jaw drops open while sleeping, no air will escape.
If all else fails, you may want to try a full face mask or a hybrid mask (covers nostrils and mouth), but less cumbersome that a full face mask.
Also, try introducing some EPR (set at 2). This will help lower flow limitations and allow you to breathe out against the pressure better.
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(12-08-2023, 09:51 AM)OpalRose Wrote: Have you tried mouth taping? You can use just a few strips of tape vertically. It's just enough to remind you to keep your mouth closed.
Also, you could try a soft cervical collar to keep your jaw from dropping open. I would try tape first.
Start practicing the tongue suck technique. Those that can master this do well. It may take awhile though.
Tongue Suck Technique:
Place your tongue to the roof of your mouth with tip of tongue behind front teeth. (NOT PUSHING ON TEETH).
Gently suck upwards and back.
This places the tongue in a natural position, with the back of tongue sealing the back of the throat so that if your mouth/jaw drops open while sleeping, no air will escape.
If all else fails, you may want to try a full face mask or a hybrid mask (covers nostrils and mouth), but less cumbersome that a full face mask.
Also, try introducing some EPR (set at 2). This will help lower flow limitations and allow you to breathe out against the pressure better.
I have a beard and mustache, so I don't think taping is an option. I do try to keep my tongue in that position, but it obviously doesn't stay there 100% of the time. I had the EPR at 2 the previous night but it was suggested to try 1. Too new to this for me to know which way is correct.
What is the correct procedure to empty your mouth of air when you accidently get a mouthful? I feel like I end up swallowing some when I try to get everything back on track.
Machine: Lowenstein Luisa Mask Type: Full face mask Mask Make & Model: Resmed Quattro FX Humidifier: separate F&P humidifier CPAP Pressure: Epap 4-20 PS 4-20; "auto" rate CPAP Software: Not using software
Other Comments: Using 45 degree angle upper body wedge (36"x36") and 4.5"soft cervical collar; 500 assured tidal vol
You can tell the difference in the leak rate chart. A mask leak is a sharp, pointed line while a mouth leak is longer duration and more of a flat top to it than a single spike. Both can occur also during the night.
Advisory Members serve as an "Advisory Committee" to help shape Apnea Board's rules & policies.
Membership in the Advisory Members group does not imply medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.
Does keeping your tongue in the correct position to stop leaks eventually happen? I feel like even when I'm sleeping I am very consciously aware of where I need to place my tongue. As I completely drift off, my tongue drops out of position and I'm up again. I never feel like my mouth is opening, but it will fill with air.
The leak number in the left hand table only registers leaks > 24 l/min. You are leaking enough to potentially disturb sleep a significant portion of the night. You need any of the following: more practice with tongue placement, soft cervical collar, mouth tape, full-face mask, even a combination of soft cervical collar and full-face mask (this is what I do).
What I see happening is you start getting some flow limitations, which drives up pressure, which then causes what looks to me mouth leaks. Wash, rinse, repeat, all night long. As long as your leaks continue as they show in the chart your sleep quality is likely going to be bloody awful.
I suggest giving a try with a pressure range of 11-14 EPR 2. That should clear up the flow limits, stop the pressure swings, make exhaling a bit more comfortable, and hopefully reduce the mouth leaks. It should hopefully give you a more restful nights sleep.
Most importantly the leaks need to be addressed in some fashion.
Since you have only been using your pap machine for a few days, I don't think you need to buy and add any additional items until you have settled in for a longer period of time. One of the board monitors, more knowledgeable than the rest of us, said he didn't think one usually has to worry about leaks that for the night are under 5.00. Your rate is 0.00, so I would not worry about them at all.
I would suggest that you raise your upper pressure limit to 14 or 15, as you are frequently bumping against the 13 you have set.
You are doing great for a new user! Give yourself time to get used to the big change you have made by using a pap machine. Also,
(12-09-2023, 03:11 PM)Deborah K. Wrote: Since you have only been using your pap machine for a few days, I don't think you need to buy and add any additional items until you have settled in for a longer period of time. One of the board monitors, more knowledgeable than the rest of us, said he didn't think one usually has to worry about leaks that for the night are under 5.00. Your rate is 0.00, so I would not worry about them at all.
I would suggest that you raise your upper pressure limit to 14 or 15, as you are frequently bumping against the 13 you have set.
You are doing great for a new user! Give yourself time to get used to the big change you have made by using a pap machine. Also,
Thanks. My wife has complained about my snoring in her face for years. Now she is complaining about the tornado exiting my mouth.
I'm very hesitant to try a full face mask however I did order one since I had 30 days to try another mask. DME Link RemovedSupplier #1 just gives you a refund for the original mask and you can keep it. So it's worth a shot even if I hate it.
On one hand I should probably figure out how to analyze the OSCAR data myself, but on the other hand I'd rather just have this thing work good enough that I can forget about spending all my free time online reading about CPAP.
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12-10-2023, 11:31 AM (This post was last modified: 12-10-2023, 11:50 AM by Jskier.)
RE: Basic question after night #1
Horrible night. I adjusted pressure from previous night's 9-12 to 11-15 and upped EPR to 2. From the moment I got in bed I just couldn't stop the air from flowing into my mouth. No matter what I tried my tongue just wouldn't stay in place. I had to jump out of bed and lower the pressure back down to 9, but even then my tongue wouldn't stop the airflow so I had to keep opening my mouth to stop puffing up.
Not sure if it's a muscle thing with my tongue. I did take an edible last night instead of the sleeping pill I've used the other nights. Since the edible typically does relax my muscles maybe I just couldn't keep it in place. I tried so many different sleep positions just trying to get my tongue where it belonged with no success. As this went on I felt like I wasn't getting enough air and I was getting somewhat congested. Just felt like my sinuses were shrinking. Not that my Sleepnumber bed is accurate, but it says I stayed in bed and slept a little over 3 hours. By 5AM I just couldn't stand being in bed despite being exhausted.
The night surprised me. This was what I was expecting on night one or two. I thought things were going ok despite the leaks. I do have a full face mask coming, but I'll have to continue dealing with the P10 for another several nights.
Besides taking a sleeping pill tonight, not sure what I'll do differently.
Forgot to mention it felt like my ears were popping early on when I kept trying to fight the airflow.
Spent Sunday trying to practice keeping my tongue in the correct position. Then at night realized that as good as I thought I had it, once the pressure is on it still blows my tongue out of place. I found some 3M bandage tape and put it on my lips. Seemed to let me sleep better, but cheeks are puffing out and air still gets out.
