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raised fist - Thank you for your response. I will keep in mind that the Simplus may be a mask worth trying on...

palerider wrote:

raisedfist wrote: another benefit I find is that the diffuser seems stronger on the simplus, and I feel more "clear headed" when I wake up. this could be because of more effective therapy from a reduction in leaking, but I also wonder if the simplus allows more clearance of CO2 (the flow of air is definitely stronger coming out the front of the mask).

that's an excellent example of perception vs reality.

the vent rates between the p10 and simplus are very similar.
for the p10: @8cm, 29lpm, @12, 37lpm.
for the simplus: @8cm, 31lpm, @12, 38lpm

but because the p10 has a diffused vent, that sends air in all directions so it's hard to feel, it feels like very little. vs the simplus and it's traditional hard non-diffused vent, which feels like much more air.

http://www.resmed.com/us/dam/documents/ ... er_eng.pdf
http://www.directhomemedical.com/masks- ... or-use.pdf

nice response - very informative. that makes sense. I find the simplus to still be quiet - probably the most well made ffm I've ever used.

raisedfist wrote:nice response - very informative. that makes sense. I find the simplus to still be quiet - probably the most well made ffm I've ever used.

there's no doubt that a well engineered traditional vent can be quiet, my mirage quattro has a plain vent, and I can't hear any sound at all from the venting air, unless something gets into the airstream within about a foot of the mask... then.. WHOOOOOSH.

If you can - try the Amara View mask, combo mouth and nasal pillow. Only full face I can stand...

englandsf wrote:If you can - try the Amara View mask, combo mouth and nasal pillow. Only full face I can stand...

I agree. I tried out an Amara View mask in a cpap store awhile back then bought one on sale at cpap.com, just to have it on standby. It's the lightest and smallest full face mask available. This mask covers only your mouth and nostrils. The one I have does not have nasal pillows.

I started on cpap last April and haven't woken with bone dry mouth in more than a month now. I do wake up at least twice during the night and take a sip of water and take alittle Biotene spray. But I think for me the mouth leaking has finally resolved on it's own. My sleep doctor told me it would. During the day, I try to keep my tongue sealed to the roof of my mouth whenever I think of it and try to breathe mostly through my nose. Maybe that's what helped.

I will definitely look at the Amara View mask as well. Thank you.

Sylvia... did it take from last April - about 4 months then - for the dry mouth to go away? I am very torn about whether I should put up with this for a couple of more months or just move to a full face mask now. I am going to try out the one Pugsy is going to send me. Hopefully that will give me a little idea of whether the full face mask would even make a difference. I have read here other posts where people have said the mouth dryness issue goes away in time. I would so like to stay with the P10 - but now I am worried about the dental issue as well as just the discomfort of it.

sleepychar wrote:I will definitely look at the Amara View mask as well. Thank you.

Sylvia... did it take from last April - about 4 months then - for the dry mouth to go away? I am very torn about whether I should put up with this for a couple of more months or just move to a full face mask now. I am going to try out the one Pugsy is going to send me. Hopefully that will give me a little idea of whether the full face mask would even make a difference. I have read here other posts where people have said the mouth dryness issue goes away in time. I would so like to stay with the P10 - but now I am worried about the dental issue as well as just the discomfort of it.

Char, As we all know, we are all different. Since starting cpap, I woke with the bone dry mouth only on some nights. My sleep is fragmented and probably shorter than it is for most posting on here, made it easier to keep a handle on the dry mouth issue. No 8 hr nights for me! So for you, maybe it will resolve on its own and maybe not. I think you should go ahead and try out a FF mask from Pugsy if she has one in your size. The feel is quite different from nasal pillows but if you're a good sleeper, it won't be so challenging. It's just a matter of figuring out (before you're ready to sleep) how to fit it comfortably to your face with the machine on.

Also, regarding your teeth, I have the same problem with tarter buildup, even prior to cpap (I cringe to think of my next cleaning). Maybe you'll have to see your hygienist more often. I know someone else on cpap who goes quarterly.

sleepychar wrote:I will definitely look at the Amara View mask as well. Thank you.

Sylvia... did it take from last April - about 4 months then - for the dry mouth to go away? I am very torn about whether I should put up with this for a couple of more months or just move to a full face mask now. I am going to try out the one Pugsy is going to send me. Hopefully that will give me a little idea of whether the full face mask would even make a difference. I have read here other posts where people have said the mouth dryness issue goes away in time. I would so like to stay with the P10 - but now I am worried about the dental issue as well as just the discomfort of it.

Char, try the FFM, you've been afraid of one since you started, but It's not the end of the world to wear one, lots of people do. Just make sure you practice with it and get it fitted before you go to bed (as someone above suggested). The Simplus that Pugsy is sending is preferred by a lot of people. It was one of my favorites, too. Remember, you can always switch back to pillows when you want.
You may need just a little more pressure with the Simplus, but I wouldn't change anything just yet. See what kind of results you get first.

Thanks, Sylvia. I will be seeing the dental hygienist quarterly from now on. I already rescheduled my appointments to accommodate that. I will try the full face mask. I also don't sleep the whole night - frequent wakeups, alot of which are due to air rushing out my mouth, dry mouth discomfort. If I only wake up one time in a night, that is like a miracle and I have had that happen maybe twice since I started CPAP. It is usually at least 3 times, often 4 times, and sometimes more often than that.

Jay - I am going to try the mask Pugsy sends. Thank you. I know I have to try it for myself in the end to see how it will feel for me. I think Pugsy is sending a Quattro Air mask. If it helps even a little, I will try some different full face masks to see which I like best. Ones that have been suggested so far are the F10 (by you, way back at the beginning of my posts), the Amara View, and the Simplus. So those are the first ones on my list I will try.

To be clear...I am not sending the Simplus. It's a ResMed Quattro Air that I am sending.
I don't have a Simplus. It was someone else who was recommending the Simplus.
If I was going to recommend a full face mask it would be the Amara View since that's the only one I have had success with which of course doesn't mean much but that's what we do here...recommend what we have used or use now.

The box of donated masks contained mainly nasal cushion mask stuff but there was a Comfort Gel Blue FFM but it was huge.
When I have time I will make a list of all the stuff available and offer it out for freebies.
There's a lot of nasal cushions still sealed in original ResMed bags for I think the Active LT.
I will make a list later.

Oh...There is also the mask of last resort...the really full face mask from Respironics (I think) that covers to whole face.
I don't remember the size but it's huge too...or seems huge to me.

Pugsy wrote:To be clear...I am not sending the Simplus. It's a ResMed Quattro Air that I am sending.

Sorry I got confused about mask types. The Quattro Air is also a good mask, very similar to the Simplus. The Airfit F10 shares the same cushion with the Quattro Air, basically the same mask without a forehead piece. All among my favorites
Good luck with it, Char.

One thing to keep in mind...... (dry mouth aside) if you mouth-breathe with nasal masks or pillows, you're not being treated for your apnea while it's happening. Secondly, nose or mouth breathing with a FFM will maintain correct airway pressure and it's therapy effects. Third, while not really sufficient, mouth breathing in a FFM is supplying humidified air and dryness will be less severe than while wearing a nasal setup. I use Orajel every night and very seldom wake with a really dry, leathery mouth and tongue. Might be a good idea to try a Sonicare elec. toothbrush also, they really work well for me in plaque removal. Good luck. >> http://www.drugstore.com/orajel-dry-mou ... /qxp153412 I buy six tubes at a time and get free shipping.

This Amara View is an interesting one... Anyone uses mouth taping with it to reduce mouth breathing, by chance? The oral interface is a good pressure equalizer, the main airflow goes through the nasal one.

I like my Mirage Quattro Pro a lot... but I have to buy nasal strips BreatheRite in addition (I can't help but wonder how much skin regeneration resource is remaining on my nose). Another issue is I have two marks on my forehead every morning. So, switching to Amara View mask could be a win-win.

UPDATE: rather need something like Mirage Liberty™ Full Face CPAP Mask with Nasal Pillows With Headgear

The idea is to keep main airflow through the nose and keep mouth under the same pressure and partially tape it to minimize oral airflow, which prevents mouth dryness without orajel-shmorajel and the like. Anyone?

tan wrote:The idea is to keep main airflow through the nose and keep mouth under the same pressure and partially tape it to minimize oral airflow, which prevents mouth dryness without orajel-shmorajel and the like. Anyone?

That's the idea behind the cloth mouth cover: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=112758&st=0&sk=t&sd ... i#p1086296

Jay Aitchsee wrote:

palerider wrote:...

Right, I think a method for dealing with mouth leaks should restrict and quiet expiratory mouth flow, but not prevent it completely (chipmunk cheeks and respiratory dead space), while discouraging mouth inhale, yet at the same time, be comfortable, easy to apply and not create additional problems - Pretty tall order and definitely removes tape from the possible contenders, at least IMHO.

A cloth mouth cover should be adaptable to a FFM as well as a NM.

I do think it is important to allow some expiratory mouth flow, whether using a NM or a FFM.