New user needs help!

[Barbara.Levitan]

Hi! I am new to this forum and new to my CPAP machine.  It has been 3 weeks and I still can’t get to sleep with it. I use an under the nose mask and pressure variable 4-10 and when the pressure goes up it blows out my mouth. Any suggestions for how to adjust to using the device and this problem with high pressure would be greatly appreciated.

[Osiris357]

Welcome to the forum! There are a few ways to go about stopping mouth leak. 

1) use a chinstrap

2) place the tip of your tongue at the back of your top front teeth and let you tongue spread out on the roof of your mouth and gently suck in to create a vacuum. It will take practice and it’s possible you may never get it to work. I could not get it to stay there while sleeping.

3) a soft cervical collar will prevent your mouth from opening also.

4) taping your mouth shut. It seems extreme but it does work well for many members of the forum. 

5) the final option would be to try any combination of the above.

Personally I switched to a ResMed AirFit F30 with a soft cervical collar. I have excellent results with that combination. It keeps my mouth shut mostly throughout the night so I still get the benefits of nose breathing while sleeping and it also keeps my neck straight avoiding positional apneas. I went from averaging an AHI of 2 with some night as high as 6. To now having an average of under 1 over 30 days. 

Just a small piece of my story but I hope it is of help to you.

[Plmnb]

I just figured out the other night, after using my ResMed FF F20 with my newly acquired FOAM (thank heavens), that when my mask leaks I can slip my finger between my skin and the foam and "uncurl" it.  Immediate stop of mask leak!

And Osiris357 always posts good tips.

Good Luck!

Plmnb

EDIT: To clarify, in my case I am using the foam part from the AirTouch, I believe, on my AirFit F20.  This is what I was given by the RT at the DME.

Sorry for any confusion.

Plmnb

[harrywr2]

Similar to Osiris357 #2 tip..practice making a clucking sound with your tongue.

[Osiris357]

Thanks you Plmnb, I appreciate that.

[trish6hundred]

Hi Barbara.Levitan,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Good luck with CPAP therapy.

[Gideon]

Step 1.  Understand what is causing the high pressure.
Step 2.  Correct the condition that is causing the high pressure.

Download OSCAR and post your daily charts, see my signature to see which charts to include.  This will let us see what is going on.
Is your pressure rising because of Snoring?, Flow Limit?, Obstructive Apnea?, or Hyppopneas?  In each case how much pressure was required to respond for the event?  Was this repeatable?

What is your Flex setting?  

Many adults find a pressure of 4 to be too low, how does that feel for you?

Like many on this forum I prefer to offer advice based on data, rather than guesses.

[Barbara.Levitan]

I am trying to get Oscar but so far it won’t copy to applications. Once I get it, how do I have my Mac read the sd  card? Can I use the same device that I use for my photo cards?

---

Thank you Trish

[Gideon]

Yes. Look at the Wiki for help in loading. Ask in the software forum if you continue to have issues installing on your MAC. Be sure to let them know your OS.

[Plmnb]

ODD.

Last night when I went to change the foam on my mask I found that the part I was sent is the entire front piece.  I could not figure out how to change the foam only and then determined that you can't.  I must be really confused on what the DME RT did.  Not only that, but I just discovered that the mask I have recently been using says AirTouch on it, not AirFit even though I have an AirFit box.  I wonder if I missed the part at the DME where the RT switched my entire mask.

So disregard my mention of exactly which mask I am using.  All I know is Yay Foam!

Plmnb