RE: Breathing Pattern
Note how the volume below zero, exhale, is significantly less than that above zero, inhale. That is the signature of expiratory mouth breathing.
RE: Breathing Pattern
Could be a touch of palatal prolapse.
RE: Breathing Pattern
If the expiratory volume was approximately the same as the inspiratory volume I'd agree, and I thought of that, but that is not the case that was illustrated.
I stand by my mouth breathing suggestion.
RE: Breathing Pattern
Yes but in PP, she would have to exhale through her mouth. Note:
"I wear a nasal mask and tape my mouth. Chipmunk cheeks and air trapped in my throat have been a problem recently."
Dollars and donuts it's occasional PP.
RE: Breathing Pattern
Regardless of cause, I'm not hearing that this is a common occurrence that is disrupting sleep, and therapy is otherwise apparently very effective. I tend to see this as an obstructive termination or shunt of exhale, which would support palatal prolapse, and the sequence ends in a recovery breath with an interesting double exhale. An individual taping against mouth leaks would feel this as a surge of air in the mouth as expired air has nowhere else to go. As long as the events are relatively rare, there is not much we could do with CPAP settings to prevent it.
RE: Breathing Pattern
The expiratory mouth breathing vs palatal prolapse argument comes up every once in a while. Imo it is very hard to differentiate between the two because the mouth breathing that creates this profile requires partial closing of the palate. The only difference is whether this palate obstruction is done on purpose (mouth breathing) or not (palatal prolapse).
Imo the best way to differentiate between the two is by reviewing the leak rate chart which unfortunately was not included here. If there are leaks present at this time (especially if only at this time) it is a good chance it is related to mouth breathing.
If there are no leaks present it would be very difficult to create this with mouth breathing because continuous flow is maintained through the palate (flow rate doesn't go to zero, it is always positive of negative). If both palate and mouth are open there is usually some level of leak present.
