Dry Mouth: FFM vs Nasal Pillows

[st8800]

I find that I am able to control dry mouth on my F20 Airtouch with Biotene and Xylimelts. Once I switch to nasal pillows it comes back big time even with Biotene and Xylimelts. Is it just me? 

I use cervical collar all the time. I hope to be able to control dry mouth on nasal pillow one day with the tongue in roof method but it's not working at the moment. Not even with different type of chin straps which I hate.

[Melman]

What does your leak rate and AHI look like? If your letting a lot air out through your mouth you may not be getting effective therapy.

[st8800]

Hi Melman, here's my sleepyhead screenshot on F20 FFM:




This is on Dreamwear Nasal Pillow:



Think therapy is effective. Only issue is mouth breathing. Somehow it's just easier to manage on a FFM for me. Hoping to change that because I much prefer nasal pillows.

[ajack]

The leak rate line says it all. I'd stick with the f20, you will get use to in in a month.
also if you right click on the name of each chart, you can adjust the y-axis for easy viewing for yourself.

[st8800]

ajack do you mean like this?

Another comparison with closer leak rates:

F20 FFM 



Dreamwear Nasal Pillow

[ajack]

an example that would be dramatic, would be to right click the respiration chart name, which is now 45-10 ..pointer on the y-axis and then on the scaling mode drop down box, select override. then have max 20.00 min 10.00

the flow rate could be -60 +60 and I would leave it at this.

[st8800]

Ok got it.... I indicated 10-30 instead for respiration charge because I see a lot of overshooting 20...

F20 FFM



Dreamwear Nasal Pillow



Edit: Can see leak rate is still much lower with FFM. I already using the F20 FFM more now, just hoping I can go back to using nasal pillow one day.

Is the AHI at 0.95 accurate for Dreamwear with all the leaks going on?

[ajack]

OK, you have the reins now, adjust them as you like now. yes the 10-20 would have been dramatic and why i suggested it.
I find it frustrating in my charts when there was just a skinny line, to work out what is happening. I read here about the y-axis, I don't think anyone reads the full instructions on using sleepyhead, I still havent

getting back to your chart, I'd also try a bit more pressure to see of the min tidal volume does not fall so low. the dreamstation calls flow limit something else.

[pholynyk]

Actually, ajack, just to confuse things, Respironics does use the term 'flow limitation', but flags it as an event, so there is no graph for it, only a row in the Events chart. I have no idea what criteria the machine uses to declare a 'flow limitation'.

[st8800]

Here's with increased pressure to min 12.5. Back to my original question... with nasal masks I have low AHI but high leaks. Does it mean the AHI reading is inaccurate or it is accurate and I can use nasal mask despite the high leaks (which should be from my mouth breathing).