mouth tape and nose pillow OR full face mask, pros and cons?

[SeePak]

I started on this site with Dreamware pillow mask and then with mouth tape as well,

then,

it was suggested to use full face mask.

What are the pros and cons for each of these methods?

Not sure, looking at my Oscar results and subjective feeling, which is working out better.

What is your experience out there?

[Nightynite]

Full face is for those that just can’t breathe through their nose no matter how hard they try.
Full face mask can be harder to seal due to more contact surface to seal.
Finding the correct mask is one of the hardest task of cpap therapy, you have to stay with the search and you most likely will end up with a box full that didn’t work before you find that golden mask. Stay the course!

[PeaceLoveAndPizza]

I’ve tried most things available. Mouth tape, cervical collar, full-face mask, nasal pillows, neti pots, nasal sprays, and many more. There are many here with far more experience in the nuances of things, but I’ll give my 
£0.02…

I have a full beard and struggled with the mouth tape and full-face mask, even tried trimming my beard to help. Just never could adapt to the bloody tape. 

Full-face masks worked well, but with the beard it slides around. I do use it on occasion and just accept the leaks.

I currently use nasal pillows and a soft cervical collar which seems to work for me. I do get some rare large leaks, but as my sleep is good quality I just ignore them. 

The thing that impacts mask comfort and efficacy most is the fit of the mask and the headgear. We spend far too much time struggling with things that just don’t fit properly. 

I fully understand the frustration with things. One night is horribly bad sleep, feeling like a zombie all day. The next, boom, Bob’s your Uncle and you feel wonderful. Same settings, different results.

[Deborah K.]

My first mask was a full-face mask.  It was okay, but it leaked a lot, and I hated the straps.  Then I switched to a nasal mask.  I liked it better, but before long I started mouth leaking, so I had to start using tape.  I now use Bleep DreamPorts and love them, and I still tape.  I tried various things suggested on this forum over time to stop mouth leaking, but none of them worked for me.  I am much happier now and have the leaks under control.  I thought I would hate mouth-taping, but the tape I use is comfortable enough that I don't even notice it's on.  

[Narcil]

mouth tape seems quite inconvenient to me. did you consider a chin strap?

i lasted 15min with a ffm, then switched back to nasal + chin strap. so much more comfortable.

[SeePak]

Yes chinstrap and nasal mask to start.

35 years of that.

Suggestion from this form was that the chin strap could be pulling my jaw back causing obstructive apnea so I stopped using it but I don't like the most tape either and I'm thinking of getting one of those night Bridge chin straps though they look rather cumbersome as well.

Tried small piece of mouth tape last night with dreamware under nose mask.

Coincidentally I feel as good as I felt in a long time this morning we'll see how it goes during the day and this is the Crux of my post....

What is the difference between using a full face mask and you mouth breathe compared to using the tape and some mouth breathing?

Last night my large leak went way up and I could see the flattening during the leak rate which I assume indicated mouth breathing so the tape didn't stop me but I still feel great this morning?!

Could just be coincidence not sure yet....

[krzysztof]

"Same settings, different results." 

maybe there is something else that changes. Environment, partner, food, stress etc.

[SeePak]

Yes I agree many factors contribute to the same settings different results ....

I am now wondering if the mouth breathing is hidden when using the full face mask in some way maybe not fully hidden but doesn't show the true Result not sure.
I do have a lot of Oscar data to show that not sure if that's helpful or not

[Deborah K.]

I found that I have to use 2-inch wide tape cut to about 5-1/2 inches long.  Narrower or shorter and I still have leaks.  Maybe that is your problem too.

And yes, post a couple of Oscar charts. That makes any problem easier to see and understand.

Also, you are right that you were mouth-breathing with the FF mask too. That's the main point of using a full face mask, to contain the mouth breathing. But like you, I much prefer the nasal pillows and tape and get much lower AHIs this way.

[SevereApnea]

Good question!

My 2c worth:

It intrigued me for a while until I figured out why the full face mask never worked for me: Leaks, Leaks, Leaks! Terrrible dry eyes. Too many pressure fluctuations. No good with slide sleeping. Greasy face, the damn things never stay where you want them to stay once you fall asleep.

My way of looking at it is this. I had to figure out where my obstruction was with respect to my OSA. In my case this is from nasal polyps and nasal congestion, and not so much from the oral airways. This is why the P30i is ideal for me.

With the FFM what happens is you switch between mouth breathing and nasal breathing while you are sleeping, whethere you like it or not or know it or not.

Now, if you are lucky enough to need the same pressures for nasal breathing as mouth breathing, you are good to go.
(I never see sleep lab results titrating for one or the other. Too hard for them.)

Depending the amount of nasal versus oropharyngeal causes of OSA, the pressures will be different when you switch from mouth to nasal breathing and vice versa.

With an APAP the pressures go up and down all night long in delayed fashion, not good, especially if you are hight pressures for nasal pressure and switch to mouth breathing through the FFM, and vice versa. For me, I am perfectly content with my nasal P30i at more constant pressures.

I use a soft cervical collar, an absolute must if part of your problem is chin tucking, as it is with me. This eliminates yet another important variable.

I used to used partial mouth tape for years, but have now simply switched to lip balm. A nice thick tacky one (Jack Black intense therapy lip balm).This keeps my lips together for most of the night, and still allows me to vent pressures and/or pCO2 during the night when needed. And less dry mouth. Whoohoo!

My pressures are lower, more constant, my leaks are less than 10 every night. Finally PAP bliss!

It took around 3 - 4 years to get to this point, so do be determined and stay the course. Absorb everything you learn from this wonderful board and find out what what works for you!

All best and sweet dreams