[Equipment] Advice on transitioning from pillows to FFM?

[Strat0caster]

I've been using the Airfit P10 pillows for about a year with an AirSense Autoset 10 machine. Pressure averages 10-11 according to Sleepyhead; AHI's are fairly low; 3-ish or better.

The issue is that my mouth drops open and leaks. It drives my partner crazy and I think it's affecting the quality of the therapy. I've been using a chin strap; which helps a lot but it's a lot of headgear to wear and the chin strap slips off sometimes. She says she holds my lips shut a lot...and has been tempted to use a hairclip on me.

So I ordered the AirFit F20 to try and she tells me I make all kinds of sounds from my mouth with it. (The fit seems fine)

Is this just an acclimation thing? Should I take naps with it to get used to it or something like that? I've gone back to pillows for her sanity but I'd like to be able to use the FFM.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[kwhenrykerr]

vocal sound like you are talking ? Lips flapping ? is your nose plugging up ? Help us understand.

[Strat0caster]

vocal sound like you are talking ? Lips flapping ? is your nose plugging up ? Help us understand.

Lips flapping is the description she gave me

[chill]

Opening your mouth is most certainly affecting your therapy. You might try a soft cervical collar instead of the chin strap, but I think you will have the same problem. Some people resort to using medical tape on their lips. Go to the bottom of the main forum page and search for "taping" to get starting on learning about that.

Having Flappy Horse Lips with a full face mask is puzzling to me. Usually that happens with a nasal mask or pillows when the pressurized air rushes out our lips due to the small pressure differential. With a FFM, there should be no differential. It might be that your nose is blocked and you are simply exhaling through closed lips. Is your nose clear or stuffy? Sprays or changes in your humidifier settings might help with that. Is the FFM pressing on the sides of your nose causing your nostrils to collapse?

[worn_out_in_lebanon]

I've been using the F20 for about a week. First time I've been able to use an ffm for several days in a row.

Sometimes in the early morning, I will get air pressure building in my mouth, and my cheeks start to puff out. I suppose because there is no additional pressure outside the mask, and I must be mouth leaking like I was on the P10 nasal pillows that I used to use. It will make the mask start to lift a little and wake me up. Then I have to let the air escape into the mask and my lips flutter some depending on how puffed up I got...

[PaytonA]

Opening your mouth with a FFM should not affect therapy because the system is able to maintain pressure unless it is combined with large mask leaks .

With a FFm it would seem that the pressure in the mask would be the same as the pressure in one's mouth so there should not be any significant flow out of one's mouth. This is true for a static situation but the mask that one is breathing from is not a static situation and there can be mouth leaks back into the mask. That will not affect the therapeutic pressure but will allow air to flow through your mouth and dry your mouth out.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

[worn_out_in_lebanon]

Agreed.

To further clarify about the pressure differential (mouth vs the air space in the ffm):

On inhalation we create a partial vacuum (compared to the mask pressure) and air comes in to the lungs (preferably through the nose).

Likewise, on exhalation, we pressurize back against the air in the mask. (otherwise the air wouldn't leave our lungs)
Again, preferably through the nose.

But if it's through the mouth, then there is that pressure differential on exhalation, and you still get outward flow. (and possibly flappy lips)

I still get dry mouth on the ffm, similar to on the nasal pillow, just a little lesser degree. But not the extremely dry and sore back of the throat situation that I get after a couple of nights on the nasal pillow

[trish6hundred]

Hi Strat0caster,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Good luck to you as you continue your CPAP therapy and also with finding a mask that works well for you.

[PaulaO2]

All of the equipment is why I switched to a FFM for a while, too. Just hated all that crap every night. I didn't open my mouth, I just lip leaked.

On thing that helped with lip leaks for me is the PAPCap. I had the most success with it but if I slept on my back, it shifted out of place.

I use the Simplus FFM. It sits lower on the face (I get leaks at the top of the nose with all other masks). Because of this, I lip leak less with it. And because of that, I eventually got over that. I had to go back to the Nuance for an extended time period and realized I was not leaking any more.

And yes, it may be you just need to nap with it a few times, wear it during the day while watching TV, and practice the tongue thing. And while you figure it out, ask your partner to wear ear plugs.

[pjfollyfarm]

Do consider trying the Phillips chin/mouth strap that you can use to cover your mouth & lips to stop leakage. It is still extra headgear but it works for me with nasal pillows with minimal headgear........