Taping for mouth breathing?

[DaveL]

I taped my lips shut last night.
thought I did a good job.
Nuts.




How do you tape for mouth breathing? My tape was a single piece with maybe just a little bit at each end of my lips that wasn't taped. Maybe 1/4 inch
I used 3M's cloth tape (I worked for 3M Canada for 15 years; left in '88.)

Here's a screen shot.

BTW I had EPR on (3); pressure 14 I've just turned EPR off, and increased pressure to 14.6. Prescribed pressure was 13

[DaveL]

Hidden message....after 30 years I've got a problem ... sometimes mouth breathing. I'm claustrophobic. I don't use a full face mask. I tried the RESMED F20, and it leaked like a sieve. I tried it for 4 nights of awful therapy. I was constantly tired.

[SarcasticDave94]

I haven't taped my mouth. If you'd ask others, they'd say it wouldn't work anyway for me. Regardless, my understanding is that taping should include the whole mouth. Taping indicates mouth is a source of leaks, so it seems that a tape seal should be complete.

On full face masks (FFM): which have you tried other than ResMed F20? My F20 is still my go-to although I'm trying to use the ResMed nasal mask N30i. As with any mask, proper size selection of the cushion and headgear adjustment needs to be practiced to get the best seal. There's a newer FFM, the ResMed F30, also a Dreamware series, others to consider trying. Some of these may be called hybrid type.

[DaveL]

DME's are interesting.
I've tried about 7 full face masks. All loaners.
The F20 was the first on that almost worked. I had it on loan for a week.
I wore it 4 nights. I had great leakage; this was a while ago. I won't be able to pull up sleep records.

The DME and I have had good discussions, but they were a while back. I've had 2 N20's since i tried the F20. One was Large. Turns out that Medium is the right width according to the fit-gauge. The one I have is Medium N20.

The reason I tried Full Face fit...I was scheduled for a sleep study with a new sleep doc. I hadn't had a sleep study in 10 years; I'd been without a sleep doc since I fired mine/he retired. (Doc Inouye thanks for retiring! ) I was concerned I might fail the sleep study, and he would prescribe a full face mask.

[Gideon]

Dave
By turning off your EPR of 3 you effectively raised your EPAP or splinting pressure by 3, then you added more pressure. Is that what you intended to do.?

[DaveL]

Nope. 
13 was prescribed. I've run 14 for a while (trying to improve/lengthen periods of deep sleep. (My sleep doc increased my pressure to 13 for this reason a year ago.) Recently (a week ago? I turned EPR=3 on....now it's off.)

Should I go back to 14 without EPR?

[Sleeprider]

DaveL how about comparing a couple charts with and without EPR and a little bit about how you feel?

[DaveL]

Good morning,
Taping didn't work for me, the way I did it.

First change: I have a pad I made up myself that i wear under my jaw. It's a "face pad" for a baby carrier backpack sold by Mountain Equipment Co-Op. It has a strap I found. I turned the pad upside down...With this change it supports my jaw and is very comfortable.  Home made!

Second change: I'm using my hose reel again.  So when I move, I don't dislodge my mask; that used to wake me up. Big Guy said this made a great change for him. I stuck my hose reel on the wall again soon as I read his comment.

Third change: EPR is off; my setting is 14 (prescription was 13). (I had turned EPR=3 on, setting 14....that's gone now.) 

Result:  I feel better. Checking my Garmin vivoactive HR report daily, I've had 3 days in a row with "deep sleep" over 3 hours. It always used to be 1 hour or so. I had one or two nights in the past when it reached 2 hours...

I can't post screen shots from this computer. I shall post when I can...

I'm happier with my treatment with these changes. My sleep quality is better!

[mesenteria]

I don't know what you have used to date in the way of tape, nor do I understand how you have applied the tape to your mouth.  I have found the 3M NexCare 2.5 cm wide white 'water resistant' tape, that comes in a white plastic spool, to be very effective and easily removed.

What I do:

I hand-tear off a length at least 8 cm long, PLUS another cm that I fold over into a small tab for easy grip and removal.  You might find that you are happier with closer to 10 cm.  The point is that the extremes of the length must extend about a full cm past the 'corners' of the lips. 1.5 cm is better. 

When I apply it, I don't equally situate it over my mouth.  Most of my tape is affixed to the lower lip and only 4 mm is above the upper lip.  When I apply it thusly, I also use my fingertips to firmly press it everywhere, including against both lips and at the corners.

I have had one or two situations where there was the beginnings of some anxiety, but that was when my leading pressure upon donning the mask was only 5 cm.  If I were a bit breathless for some reason, and needing to breath heavily, those scant 5 cm did nothing for me.  I raised my start pressure to 5.6, and have been much happier.

[DaveL]

Thanks mesenteria!
(I'm laughing at myself. I came from a household where "thou shalt not waste tape" and scotch tape lasted a long long time. Later as an adult, I worked for 3M in London Canada for 15 years. They made the darn stuff in 5 foot wide rolls then slit it and packaged it. My friends loaded the cores on cardboard backs, then boxed them.

I still have the roll(s) I bought in the company store. (Repeat. Thou shalt not waste tape..." Clearly lesson learned.)

My piece of tape I used on my lips was too short! And I certainly wasn't going to waste it by throwing it away! It almost covered my lips. Maybe a 1/4" at either end. I bet I found a way to mouth breath through that small opening.

By the way, I am still allergic to the 3M "magic mending tape". They made the adhesive in London, then the tape....my skin crawls when I tear off a piece and use it. And then I have to wash my hands. And I left 3M Canada in 1988.

I think the tape you describe is the tape I have. It's 3M tape, and made of paper. It's about that width.

When I try taping my lips again, I'll tear off a longer piece as you describe. Your description really helped me. Old habits die hard.