which setting helps with mouth puffs?

[Help me]

I am not a mouth breather, but puffs of air come out of my mouth and wake me up.  Chin strap solves issue but I absolutely hate it and have resorted to taping mouth shut.  Most times it works, but if I don't tape shut tight enough still happens.  With the bi-pap, is the inhalation or exhalation setting the one that most aligns with the mouth puffs?  Any help is much appreciated.  Thanks in advance!

[Walla Walla]

The higher the pressure used the more chance you have of air escaping your lips. You don't want to adjust your pressure because of mouth leaks. You can try a soft cervical collar to try and keep your jaw closed or you can try a full face mask.

[Help me]

My pressures have never been ideal as yet.  Dr had way too high, and I was having high ahi until it was suggested here to lower.  Reduced AHI to around 1 and took care of bloating, however, I still have these mouth puffs.  I believe they should be reduced further while watching that AHI do not increase.  I just want to know if it is the epap or ipap that is more likely to affect the mouth puffs.  Again, any help is greatly appreciated.

[Sleeprider]

Welcome back! We talked before. http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...k-to-sleep

Glad the lower settings have continued to work for you, and really your pressure is still pretty low. If you were to reduce any pressure setting, it has to be the IPAP, as the EPAP is essential to maintaining your airway. Usually puffs of air in the mouth eventually disappear, but you can try using OpalRose's tongue-suck technique. Basically placing the tongue behind your front teeth and creating some suction against the roof of your mouth.

Many members have learned to control air pressure to the extent they can talk, drink and control their breathing, even if the mouth is open. It can be done, and maybe we could suggest some exercises to help you along.

[DariaVader]

for tongue suck technique --- see my siggy

[Sleep2Snore]

Many members have learned to control air pressure to the extent they can talk, drink and control their breathing, even if the mouth is open. 

It is easier to eat, drink, and talk while controlling breathing than it is to stop puffs of air escaping at times, especially if your mouth gets a little dry.  This still bothers me after more than twenty years using CPAP.  Only way is to stop all chance of air escaping through the mouth, but I don't recommend doing this.  Some tape, someone I know uses an exercise band and tape it behind his head, another uses a boil and bite gum thing (no idea where he got it) and another uses a mouth piece that goes over his lips with a band that goes round his head.  (I got distracted, and I was going to ask where he got it as it was ideal for Nasal Pillows.  It didn't look as if it was made for Sleep Apnea, but it did look promising.  When I looked round again he was gone! 
I so wanted to try that.  If he reads this can he let me now where he got it, or how he made it. (Edi/Sco)

[Help me]

Welcome back!  We talked before. http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...k-to-sleep

Glad the lower settings have continued to work for you, and really your pressure is still pretty low.  If you were to reduce any pressure setting, it has to be the IPAP, as the EPAP is essential to maintaining your airway.  Usually puffs of air in the mouth eventually disappear, but you can try using OpalRose's tongue-suck technique.  Basically placing the tongue behind your front teeth and creating some suction against the roof of your mouth.

Many members have learned to control air pressure to the extent they can talk, drink and control their breathing, even if the mouth is open.  It can be done, and maybe we could suggest some exercises to help you along.

Thank you, and thank you again for your suggestions.  They have helped immensely.  I am familiar with the tongue sucking, however, it doesn't work for me as I have orthodontic aligners I wear at night and it fits a bit behind the teeth on roof of mouth, so I cannot get a good seal. I hope I explained it enough to understand.  I will try reducing the ipap .2 and keep the epap where it is.  Just so I understand- I think dr had told me the epap was associated with the bloating.  Does that sound right?

[Sleeprider]

It's hard to say. EPAP is the lower pressure during exhale, and aerophagia could be sensitive to any pressure that exceeds the seal of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) muscle. IMO pressure is pressure, and it doesn't matter when it occurs. I am reluctant to guess whether the LES is more open to air passage during any phase of the respiratory cycle. There are supposed to be some things you can do to strengthen the LES which should improve your ability to resist air from entering the stomach. I can only suggest you search for those solutions, and if you have GERD, to treat that first.