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+--- Thread: Open mouth and fullmask issues.... (/Thread-Open-mouth-and-fullmask-issues)
RE: Open mouth and fullmask issues.... - PaytonA - 08-03-2015
Yes I do.
RE: Open mouth and fullmask issues.... - SaldusMiegas - 08-03-2015
tommyngo,
I sleep through the night most of the time, but air leaks are still an ongoing issue for me. Sometimes they wake me up, most times they don't.
I have found a few things that might be helpful to you.
If you are having a big enough leak to make the loud flapping sound, then perhaps your mask is either not fitted properly or else just not seated properly.
.. proper fit: first make sure the headgear is properly positioned the way you did when you first fitted it. Be sure you don't have any twists in the straps. Try going through the fitting drill again. Put the machine in mask fit mode, loosen until it leaks and readjust the straps until you don't get the flapping leak. Remember to keep the tension even on both sides. You want to eliminate the leak but not cinch it down so tight that you feel hard plastic against your face. Don't want them too tight, most FFM use air cushion to allow the silicone to expand to the contour of your face. Then lay down in your usual sleep position and if needed adjust straps again. You might have to play with it a few times to find the sweet spot for strap tension. There is good info on youtube if you google your mask name and fitting tips or similar search.
.. not seated properly: here's a tip I got from PaytonA... this is helpful after you have your mask adjusted, just to make sure it is properly seated. You can do this when you first put it on each night, or if you move around and cause a leak. You do it while the machine is on and there is air pressure. Pull the mask completely away from your face so the air flows freely, and then release it gently to let it reseat naturally on your face to allow the air cushion to reform the seal. Sometimes just doing this can make leaks go away.
.. Over time I have also found that if I wake up with an air leak or notice one as I am drifting off, I can either wiggle my jaw back and forth a little or else grip the hard plastic above the nose to slightly adjust the position to allow the mask to reseat just that little spot where it was leaking. Then go back to sleep.
One other thing I have noticed is clean mask and face make a better seal. Just that little bit of face oil that naturally occurs overnight can build up on the silicone so it won't form an air seal with the skin anymore.
.. A quick wipe with some tissue moistened with foaming hand soap, then wipe clean with moist tissue, then dry it with a dry tissue, helps to freshen up the mask and keep a better seal in between full cleanings.
.. I guess best practice is probably to wash the mask every day but I haven't achieved that discipline (and maybe that's a reason why I still struggle with leaks).
hth
Saldus Miegas
RE: Open mouth and fullmask issues.... - tommyngo - 08-04-2015
[quote='SaldusMiegas' pid='124970' dateline='1438618172']
Great tips ! I will try them real soon . Your guides on Face Mask maintenance are very helpful . Thanks..
Best regards,
RE: Open mouth and fullmask issues.... - Hanrahan - 08-04-2015
I am well into the second month of my trial and in spite of approaching the CPAP with a positive attitude and not being unduly uncomfortable, I was having no benefit from using a nasal mask. Last night was the first time with a full face mask and I seem to be presented with a new set of problems.
I'm using a Resmed Airsense 10 Auto and I reset it to "full face". Would that cause it to increase the pressure? That went higher than it had and every time I twitched a muscle or moved, air would flutter noisily past the mask which I think fits quite well. I gave it away @ 4 this morning. I seem to be waking up more often than I used to. Most frustrating.
I know there is a big thread on my CPAP machine somewhere here. Would it explain the algorithm or whatever used to regulate the auto pressure? I think have a need to know this.
RE: Open mouth and fullmask issues.... - tommyngo - 08-05-2015
I am in my first week using Resmed Airsense 10 and have been plagued with multiple wake-ups each night due to open mouth breathing under a full face mask ! My AHI is hovering about the 12 - 20 range ..
However , last night I taped my mouth , put on the full mask, and had only one wakeup and the AHI decreased to 4 !! It's too early to draw any conclusion but this might be the break I am looking for .. Let's wait and see.
RE: Open mouth and fullmask issues.... - eseedhouse - 08-05-2015
Mouth tape is definitely *not* recommended since you can end up smothering if your nasal passage get's blocked. Chin straps are used to help people keep their mouths closed and what we tend to recommend.
RE: Open mouth and fullmask issues.... - tommyngo - 08-06-2015
(08-05-2015, 05:41 PM)eseedhouse Wrote: Mouth tape is definitely *not* recommended since you can end up smothering if your nasal passage get's blocked. Chin straps are used to help people keep their mouths closed and what we tend to recommend.
I used a chin strap last night as you recommended and this morning the AHI shot up to 19.8 from 4. when I used mouth tape !! The chin strap apparently did not do its job ...
RE: Open mouth and fullmask issues.... - eseedhouse - 08-06-2015
(08-06-2015, 07:34 AM)tommyngo Wrote: I used a chin strap last night as you recommended and this morning the AHI shot up to 19.8 from 4. when I used mouth tape !! The chin strap apparently did not do its job ...
Well, it takes a while to figure out how to set it up right, I have heard. I have never used one myself, but I understand that you need a chin strap that pulls your lower jaw forward, not one that forces it back. And it may take awhile to figure out how to get it right.
But your mouth is your backup airway if your nose closes up. Being an old computer tech I believe in backups and going without one seems dangerous to me.
RE: Open mouth and fullmask issues.... - tommyngo - 08-06-2015
[quote='eseedhouse' pid='125391' dateline='1438901342']
Thanks ,eseedhouse, for your kind response . I will adjust and try to find out some way to solve this mouth breathing issue .
I usually have a stuffed nose in the winter months ..so definitely the mouth tape is out of the question for the long run .
RE: Open mouth and fullmask issues.... - Shastzi - 08-07-2015
Another reason I use the FF masks is because of colds / allergies that mess up my nose.
I can keep up with my APAP therapy without a hitch where a nose pillows user may be stymied or need to use a full face mask anyway.
Keep trying out new masks till you find one that doesn't leak so much and you can wear it all night.
Hang in there!