Open mouth and fullmask issues....

[tommyngo]

I just started using the APAP machine for 2 nights and got a few problems which I am not sure if they are common ?

1) On both nights , I woke up twice ( approximately 2 hours apart) due to excess air being pumped into my open mouth.

2) Each time, audible noise was heard as air escaping the mouth area of the mask . I tightened the straps a bit and went back to sleep each time .
( the average pressure during each night was 5. cm H2O . My machine had been setup for 5 to 20 cm H2O range)

3) The baseline AHI = 29.6 ( i.e. AHI at the start of treatment)

The AHIs of the first 2 nights were : 20. and 12. , respectively.


Questions :

a) Do I expect these wake-ups at the beginning of the treatment ?

b) How can I avoid this mouth breathing under the full mask ?

c) Apart from a dry mouth in the morning, is there any harm done if one breathes through the mouth under the full mask ?


Thanks,

[PaytonA]

The wake-ups are not all that unusual at the beginning of treatment.

You might try a chin strap in conjunction with your full face mask.

Apart from dry mouth, there should be no problem with mouth breathing with a Full Face Mask. Dry mouth, however, is not particularly good for your oral health.

The mouth breathing with a FFM will not negatively affect your therapy since it will not reduce your effective pressure. The same is obviously not true for nasal masks or pillows.

The mask leakage can be a problem. Would you please tell us what your leak rates are for the 2 days and also what the breakdown of your apnea events is. What percentage or how many of your events are obstructive apneas, central apneas, and hypopneas. Or what the OAI, CAI, and HAI are.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

[trish6hundred]

Hi tommyngo,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hang in there for more suggestions and answers to your questions and much success to you as you continue your CPAP therapy.

[Beans]

a) When I first started therapy my machine took a few nights to figure out what the maximum pressure needed to be. I think over 15 I'd wake up with my cheeks puffed out by the pressure. You should just be able to hit a "ramp up" button so that the machine goes back to a minimum pressure while you get back to sleep.
b) Some of us can't avoid breathing through our mouths because our nose is pulled up half the night. That's the beauty of a FFM.
c) If your machine has a humidifier you shouldn't be getting a dry mouth. I get a dryer mouth when I take off the mask and try to sleep without it.

[tommyngo]

[quote='PaytonA' pid='124386' dateline='1438288013']

Thanks for your kind responses and precious comments , PaytonA, Beans & trish6hundred ...

PaytonA :

The 2-day average:

leak rate = 9 L/min.

AHI = 16.1
OAI = 7.6
CAI = 6.8
Pressure = 11.1 cm H2O

I wonder if I should try anything else to solve the wake-up incidents ?

Should I expect an uninterrupted night sleep later on ?

Please comment . Thanks.

[Shastzi]

Hi Tommy!


I would suggest turning off the ramp function and
try setting your low pressure to 7cm
Like most beginners you need to develop tolerance for the therapy.

Your high end is too high but we can fix that later.

I suspect the doctor tossed a machine at you and said: "Here. Use this every night"

Well.. there is a just bit more to it than that.

See about getting your humidity turned up so your mouth wont dry out.
( I have the same problem. I had to build a second humidification stage on to my machine just to get the problem solved. )

You're in the right place now so:
Stay tuned!

[tommyngo]

[quote='Shastzi' pid='124421' dateline='1438297792']


Thanks for the head-ups & practical tips ! I will explore the new machine with all its mysterious options ...:grin:

[eseedhouse]

c) If your machine has a humidifier you shouldn't be getting a dry mouth. I get a dryer mouth when I take off the mask and try to sleep without it.

I definitely get a dry mouth if I mouth breath while in my FFM, even with the humidity set to it's highest level. I found that if I push the mask up to where it overlaps my bottom lip I tend to mouth breath a lot less. Mask is a Simplus FFM.

[tommyngo]

[quote='eseedhouse' pid='124425' dateline='1438298581']

Very interesting tip ! I would try this trick before resorting to chin straps & and tapes !

_Please comment on the freeware SleapyHead . Is it easy to use & capaple of producing a comprehensive report ?

[eseedhouse]

_Please comment on the freeware SleapyHead . Is it easy to use & capaple of producing a comprehensive report ?

In a word, yes. In two words H... Yes!