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Another good night with the Dreamports, but there were a couple periods of major leaking. I think it must be coming from my mouth, there is no leaking from the mask and I've checked the hoses. The leaking doesn't happen until I've been asleep for a while and the pressure goes up, so I am going to temporarily set the minimum pressure very high and check the hoses again, and see what's happening with the tape.
Once I've solved the leak problem, I should be in good shape. I'm able to sleep for long periods with the Dreamports. I barely feel the adhesive patches, and I have no sensation of air coming in and out. When I first used them, I checked the display a couple of times to see if it was on. When I woke up this morning, I heard and felt absolutely nothing. So I'm optimistic!
I may have found the source of the leaks. Just after I posted last time, I noticed that the machine was set to "nasal" rather than "pillows." I believe the Dreamports are considered pillows (was not able to confirm this in their instructions), I reset the machine, and my results have been better. Last night my flow limits were lower than they've ever been. I did have some major leaking in the early morning, but I think that was because I had peeled the mouth tape back to drink water and re-attached it.
It is taking me only a minute to attach the Dreamports now.
I'm still not sleeping enough but it has nothing to do with CPAP.
Are there still any problems? I was awake for the last segment with most of the events. During the night they were mostly CA, which I now understand are not of concern.
Yes, Dreamports are considered pillows, though I'm not convinced changing the setting was responsible for a change in leaks.
As far as your therapy goes, your leaks are probably not really hurting. People with a lot of experience have told me that with ResMed machines leaks can go up to around 30 before the machine has trouble compensating.
But even if you're not much aware of it, I have a suspicion that leaks disturb your sleep, so it's well worth continuing to work on them. I'm puzzled how air is escaping from your mouth if you're all taped up. Maybe try a different brand of tape to see whether that helps?
I'm puzzled about the leaks, too. I use kinesiology tape, and it completely covers my mouth. Most nights I don't take it off but I still have leaks. I tried blowing through it, and I could but only with great difficulty, so I don't think that's what's happening. I do get air in my cheeks as I'm drifting off. I'll try a second layer of different tape tonight.
I just got a Somnoseal, so I'll try that soon, and I'll also try the tongue exercises.
I tried a layer of Cover Roll tape over the kinesiology tape the night before last. It seemed to make things worse. My impression was that the combined tape was stiffer than the kinesiology tape alone, compromising the seal with my skin and allowing more air to escape. Last night I used Cover Roll alone and had a terrible night.
Dormeo, I think that you are right that the leaking is disturbing my sleep, and I believe that it's not air escaping the entire system but air getting into my mouth that is the problem. Frequently I half-wake when air gets into my cheeks, causing me to reposition my tongue to stop it. It doesn't have to escape the tape to disturb me. I'm not sure why this is such a problem for me.
I'm also thinking that the SCC or chin strap would not help me at all. My mouth doesn't necessarily open.
It seems that the only way to keep air out of my mouth would be to stop my tongue from moving through the exercises or the SomnoSeal.
I think you already know this, but just in case, here's how to work on tongue position:
Try putting the tip of your tongue behind your upper front teeth. Then position the main part of your tongue up against your upper palate. Finally, give a little suck or swallow to create a bit of suction. You should now be able to open your mouth while breathing entirely through your nose. Practice this during the day, and see if you can get it grooved in deeply enough to help while you are asleep at night.
This is now my go-to tongue position during the day, and it's become second nature at night. I will occasionally get some bubbles of air coming from the sides of my mouth in the back, but resealing my tongue against my palate seems to stop them.
07-17-2024, 04:41 PM (This post was last modified: 07-17-2024, 04:55 PM by oldforumposter.)
RE: NewlyDiagnosed therapy thread
The F&P Brevida is the 3rd mask I've tried in my first month.
It is the best so far with my ethnic nose and skin cancer scarring along the bottom of one nostril.
But trying to lay in a position so that the wimpy head harness won't fall off seems to be causing me to wake up with a painful muscle below the shoulder blade of the side I slept on.
The mask-fitting person says she's seen patients sew an extra strap to sit on the top of the head to prevent it from flopping around.
Does anyone here know of some google search terms to direct me to pictures or instructions for sewing or hot-gluing or otherwise making an extra strap?
I still have the AirFit N20 and AirFit P30i, and thought I might cannibalize parts of their headgear onto the F&P Brevida.
ETA: I now see on the forum this thread: "[Equipment] Brevida mask with Evora headgear."
I might try that if I can't do something with shoelaces. It seems I can get the Evora headgear without breaking my budget.
Also:
Any recommendations for keeping the vent from spinning around and blowing on me instead of away from me? Like tape type and position?
I have a huge roll of "Transparent Waterproof Stretch Clear Adhesive Film Bandage Skin Dressing Tape for Tattoo Aftercare" that I used last summer after a bad fall on cement took off a layer of skin from my bony old knee.
But I'm worried it might gunk up the plastic armature.
Instead I've ordered a Fisher & Paykel Pilairo Q Adjustable & Stretchwise Headgear Combo (Only Headgear) to hopefully fit my Brevida and resolve the mask slippage issues.
