dry mouth
Hi. New to the forum and a quick question. I've been using the Philips Respironics REMstar Auto A-Flex since I began my therapy 7-8 years ago. A few months ago I had my second sleep study and my Remstar was adjusted to pressures of 8-16. I went to the VA for a pulmonary checkup and the PA asked a few questions, read the sleep study, and changed the settings to 8-12. All was fine, but without software and nightly verification, I couldn't really tell. They ordered me a new machine, a Resmed Airsense 10, and the technician who set up the new machine once again set the pressures to 8-16. The first night I used it I could tell the maximum pressure was far too high so I reset it to 13 and a couple of nights later to 11 and the myair numbers really didn't change. That seemed to help but since the first day I began using the Airsense 10, I've been experiencing significant mouth dryness that I rarely experienced with the with the Auto A Flex. I'm using the same Swift FX nasal pillows and the same humidity levels. It seems there's air being forced out, rather than a mouth breathing issue, though I can't be certain since I'm asleep. I'm using the online data from myair.com and my numbers seem to be fairly good with myair nightly average scores of 96%. Any suggestions to improve or fix the dry mouth issue?
RE: dry mouth
Dry mouth can be from either the humidify level is too low, or you are mouth breathing.
One thing to try is a "soft" cervical collar. It will help keep your neck aligned and stop your mouth/jaw from opening while you sleep.
Download the #SleepyHead software. You will get much more information than from my air.
See the tutorials in my signature line to help organize graphs and post here.
RE: dry mouth
MyAir is known for being inaccurate
Download Sleepyhead, its free and extremely usefull
For dry mouth:
use a cervical collar or chinstrap to help keep your mouth closed.
increase the humidifier
try xylimelts (worked for me while I was trying to get a FFM to work)
Sleep study set the pressure to 8-16
VA changed it to 8-12
big question is WHY?
it may be fine, after all my Sleep study set my pressure 16-25 (FFM) but I switched to a nasal pillow and set it 11-22 although could probably go 11-20
get at least a weeks worth of data and open it up in Sleepyhead
Then you can start seeing some trends and make a more informed decision regarding pressure settings.
There is a excellent guide on how to use Sleepyhead and explains what stuff means.
RE: dry mouth
Hi summersolstice,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Good luck to you as you continue CPAP therapy.
trish6hundred
RE: dry mouth
I will second the Xylimelts. They really do help with dry mouth. I found them at my local CVS.
RE: dry mouth
I have the Resmed A10 Autosense as well. I initially had a terrible time with dry mouth. My nose just isn't big enough on the inside.
It was my first machine and the DME had given a plain hose to start with. I tried several things including several dry mouth over the counter products. Nothing worked very well.
I finally received a Climateline Air heated hose. Once I got around to setting the humidity and hose heat level to "auto" in the clinician setting menu, my dry mouth issues just about disappeared.
I try to breathe primarily through my nose but some nights are better than others and I have no idea what I am doing after I am sound asleep, anyway.
The heated hose is simple. Try the auto setting for both humidity and heat for a week or so and see how it goes. It may work. I don't need a chin strap or any dry mouth supplements. I just ensure that my mask is pretty much leak free and I am good to go.
v/r
Jeff
Sleep is worth the effort.
RE: dry mouth
(06-14-2017, 11:07 AM)Whacked Wrote: MyAir is known for being inaccurate
I wouldn't go that far. The info it gives you is simplistic, and not as helpful as it might be, but not inaccurate so far as it goes.
Ed Seedhouse
VA7SDH
Part cow since February 2018.
Trust your mind less and your brain more.
06-27-2017, 10:58 PM
RE: dry mouth
I too am waking several times nightly with a very dry mouth and gums, on my ResMed S-9. I did not have this issue on the loaner machine I used for 2 weeks at the initial diagnosis. The original machine was set at 4, and the S-9 to 4-7 cm. If I lower the max pressure, will I go back to the situation on the loaner?
07-12-2017, 03:50 PM
RE: dry mouth
I'm having the same problem. Totally dry clear back in my throat. My mask is tight and the humidifier was up to 4. Ive gone up one and down one with the pressure and so far nothing helps. It gets scary dry. Can't swallow dry. I orderd the chin strap thing. I'm going to have overlapping head gear. Yuk.
