12-03-2024, 07:50 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-03-2024, 08:09 PM by 2SleepBetta. Edited 1 time in total.
Edit Reason: Added the word "than" to be clearer...
)
RE: Fun new problem... drool!
My mouth sealing dissertation:
I think the method I came to use would control, if not eliminate, your drool and dry mouth problems and reduce your awakenings.
A mouth breather in sleep, I used and fought my FFM as I saw others' happiness using their P-10 nasal pillows and became jealous of them—thinking I could never use it. To me, still envious of P-10 users after using and hating other FFM's and hybrids, I reverted to my "I will find a way" mode.
The mouth sealing way I found to become a user of the P-10:
Many years ago I became aware of a sheet-gell material and a local "Bone Store" store that stocked it. It turned out the store would cut and sell small pieces out of their larger-sheet thicker inventory. Standing at their counter, I saw a shelf worn box of Silipos Gell-E-Roll in the display case and bought it. Long story short, I used it with great benefit and quit messing with chin straps and FFM's, and began using a P-10, a 4" C-collar and my mouth sealing scheme.
Each mouth seal of GER will last for months if gently and frequently cleaned with a well dampened cotton pad, one not dripping my off the shelf alcohol. When too worn out, I cut another piece from my remaining roll of GER.
But to use the elastic, adhesive free, mineral gell backed, Ace Bandage like GER, one needs to have it pressed to the face and lips. With that pressure applied, the almost tacky gell strip does not easily slip. I needed something more robust than elastic headbands I'd seen others mention for mouth breathing control. Having spare elastic compression stockings, I cut the top off one and made my first GER-to-face compressor—did a lousy job in my only attempt to use a sewing machine. My self-made version is pictured in the attachment. I later had a Sew and Sew shop duplicate it using materials I supplied.
But, still, occasional bouts of dry mouth, came from leaks. I began minimal taping, applied before donning the GER strip and elastic compression device. Those, together, are about 98% effective. But I do release a bit of drool, now—except at the rare times I have dry mouth from large leaks— and I find the mouth tapes are wet when I remove everything when I rise.
Overall, I cannot foresee finding any better way than to stay with the P-10. Go back to an FFM? Cannot imagine doing that nightmare of leakage city again, though I bought the Evora FFM, the same as the one adjusted, mounted and used by the sleep tech for my recent sleep re-test. I got it to have a backup for a plugged nose—which I rarely get anymore with the P10—and have a backup for any possible stay in a hospital where my suiting up for my CPAP sleep in front of a mirror, as I do, could be problematic, physically and for staff.
Others do legitimately differ, but it seems to me that the P-10 is designed best to seal the fewer facial contour surface changes of most persons' nares, as compared to FFM's and hybrids. Those must mate up with and seal the lengthier perimeter of the mask-skin interface over more varied contour changes of nose bridge, cheeks, chin, etc.—do that sealing all the time in all positions. Also, as a side sleeper, the P-10 nasal pillows mask is far less troublesome maintaining sealing than are the larger FFM's that are heavier and push against the side sleeper's pillow more.
https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/attach...?aid=28627
All, just one man's opinion here, of course. The link above will take you to my old picture attachment showing my sealing methods, but not my C-collar.
I think the method I came to use would control, if not eliminate, your drool and dry mouth problems and reduce your awakenings.
A mouth breather in sleep, I used and fought my FFM as I saw others' happiness using their P-10 nasal pillows and became jealous of them—thinking I could never use it. To me, still envious of P-10 users after using and hating other FFM's and hybrids, I reverted to my "I will find a way" mode.
The mouth sealing way I found to become a user of the P-10:
Many years ago I became aware of a sheet-gell material and a local "Bone Store" store that stocked it. It turned out the store would cut and sell small pieces out of their larger-sheet thicker inventory. Standing at their counter, I saw a shelf worn box of Silipos Gell-E-Roll in the display case and bought it. Long story short, I used it with great benefit and quit messing with chin straps and FFM's, and began using a P-10, a 4" C-collar and my mouth sealing scheme.
Each mouth seal of GER will last for months if gently and frequently cleaned with a well dampened cotton pad, one not dripping my off the shelf alcohol. When too worn out, I cut another piece from my remaining roll of GER.
But to use the elastic, adhesive free, mineral gell backed, Ace Bandage like GER, one needs to have it pressed to the face and lips. With that pressure applied, the almost tacky gell strip does not easily slip. I needed something more robust than elastic headbands I'd seen others mention for mouth breathing control. Having spare elastic compression stockings, I cut the top off one and made my first GER-to-face compressor—did a lousy job in my only attempt to use a sewing machine. My self-made version is pictured in the attachment. I later had a Sew and Sew shop duplicate it using materials I supplied.
But, still, occasional bouts of dry mouth, came from leaks. I began minimal taping, applied before donning the GER strip and elastic compression device. Those, together, are about 98% effective. But I do release a bit of drool, now—except at the rare times I have dry mouth from large leaks— and I find the mouth tapes are wet when I remove everything when I rise.
Overall, I cannot foresee finding any better way than to stay with the P-10. Go back to an FFM? Cannot imagine doing that nightmare of leakage city again, though I bought the Evora FFM, the same as the one adjusted, mounted and used by the sleep tech for my recent sleep re-test. I got it to have a backup for a plugged nose—which I rarely get anymore with the P10—and have a backup for any possible stay in a hospital where my suiting up for my CPAP sleep in front of a mirror, as I do, could be problematic, physically and for staff.
Others do legitimately differ, but it seems to me that the P-10 is designed best to seal the fewer facial contour surface changes of most persons' nares, as compared to FFM's and hybrids. Those must mate up with and seal the lengthier perimeter of the mask-skin interface over more varied contour changes of nose bridge, cheeks, chin, etc.—do that sealing all the time in all positions. Also, as a side sleeper, the P-10 nasal pillows mask is far less troublesome maintaining sealing than are the larger FFM's that are heavier and push against the side sleeper's pillow more.
https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/attach...?aid=28627
All, just one man's opinion here, of course. The link above will take you to my old picture attachment showing my sealing methods, but not my C-collar.
I have no particular qualifications or expertise with respect to the apnea/cpap/sleep related content of my posts beyond my own user experiences and what I've learned from others on this site. Each of us bears the burden of evaluating the validity and applicability of what we read here before acting on it.
Of my 3 once-needed, helpful, and adjunctive devices I have listed, only the accelerometer remains operative (but now idle). My second CMS50I died, too, of old age and the so-so Dreem 2 needs head-positioning band repair--if, indeed, Dreem even supports use of it now.
Of my 3 once-needed, helpful, and adjunctive devices I have listed, only the accelerometer remains operative (but now idle). My second CMS50I died, too, of old age and the so-so Dreem 2 needs head-positioning band repair--if, indeed, Dreem even supports use of it now.
