Taping Mouth Shut Question

[lucynethel1998]

I am still in a struggle with claustrophobia & panic attacks (USMC Combat related) after just completing my 1st 4 weeks on APAP. I have 4 Full face masks and just got a used Hybrid I have yet to try as I can't seem to get it adjusted right yet when tinkering during the daytime hours. I keep reading of folks taping their mouth shut. How is this done and with what kind of tape? Since surgical tape and every other type I have tried causes me to nearly bleed from my bodies reaction (WAY too many surgeries of late!) I wonder if there is some way to stop my mouth breathing EFFECTIVELY and in a way that also will not promote further panic attacks. Then I could possibly witch to a nasal only mask like the Mirage SoftGel Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear? I am only guessing but it seems maybe it would be less claustrophobic? Or at the very least have less leaks since there is less surface area to fight getting a good seal. I am just lost as to what way to go. My used Innomed may or may not work but in 2 days I have yet to get it dialed in to the point I will try it at night.

[chrisp]

Lucy,
I have a friend that said he was gonna do that a few weeks back. Haven't heard from him since.

I use tape ocasionally. So do others. Just make sure you can open your mouth if you need to puke or have reflux.


I

[chunkyfrog]

Some have had luck with the cheap 'boil and bite' sports mouthpiece.
I've used blue painters tape and Poli-grip strips.
I settled on the full face mask. It's less trouble.
--and I was able to convert after using a swift FX for several months-while taping, etc..

[lucynethel1998]

Anyone try this chinstrap with any luck? Tape idea REALLY freaks me out....But at age 62m what doesn't? I am considering trying:


https://www.cpap.com/productpage/premiu ... hleak.html

[Pugsy]

Taping really isn't that bad. It is better than polygrip. That stuff is nasty.....

Try it while awake, not even in bed. See how easily it will "open" should the need arise. It doesn't stick like cement. The tape is there as a security blanket, prop sort of like.

Chin strap didn't help me, so I taped for about 3 months and quit. Didn't open mouth so much anymore. Haven't taped since. You might get lucky and find out you cured that open mouth habit also.

[LinkC]

I taped with blue painter's tape for a couple of years. worked well, but was a hassle. (Be sure you "double over" a safety tab on one end (or both) so you can easily peel it off if you need to.)

I now use a Hybrid and don't need to tape. If you can get it to work for you, that is the way to go, IMHO.

[OutaSync]

Anyone try this chinstrap with any luck? Tape idea REALLY freaks me out....But at age 62m what doesn't? I am considering trying:


https://www.cpap.com/productpage/premiu ... hleak.html

That is the one I use. But it doesn't stop the air from escaping from my lips, it only holds my jaw up so it doesn't lower and snap shut with my tongue or lips in between.

I also tape with 3M Medipore H Soft Cloth Surgical Tape - 2" wide, 4 inches horizontally across my lips. I am allergic to many tapes and glues (The ones they use for EKGs leave welts on my skin that take 4 weeks to heal), but not this one. This kind is perforated every 2 inches, making it easier to tear.

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Medipore-Soft- ... _sbs_hpc_4


Bev

[rested gal]

For new readers who may be wondering, "TAPE?" "Taping the mouth??"

LINKS to: Mouth leaks - Air Leaks - Tape - DIY Guard
viewtopic.php?t=8011

[Bright Choice]

My MD suggested 2" wide 3M Microfoam surgical tape (not micropore). I found it on Amazon. It's very cool stuff and works really well.

[chunkyfrog]

Good point, Rested Gal; I know when I was confronted with the possibility of taping, it FREAKED ME OUT;
and it took me several days to get up the courage to give it a try.
My guess; a lot of folks are shocked by the idea--I know many professionals are.

[StevenXXXX]

Anyone try this chinstrap with any luck? Tape idea REALLY freaks me out....But at age 62m what doesn't? I am considering trying:


https://www.cpap.com/productpage/premiu ... hleak.html

I have been using this chinstrap for about 3 years now & it works for me.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/deluxe ... hleak.html

I know that some people do have to use a FFM (full faced mask) but it is better if you only breathe through your nose like nature intended. A chinstrap lets you do that.

[napmaster]

Like you, I had trouble with my mouth falling open when I was REALLY asleep. I tried a normal chin strap and it didn't work. I bought a Mirage Liberty (similar to your hibrid) mask. My mouth got so dry I couldn't take it. Plus the mask would leak around my chin when my mouth fell open.

So, I went to the taping method that Rooster posted here in our forum. It's a 2" wide tape from 3M called Nexcare Gentle Paper Tape. I got it at Walgreens for I think $6. It worked great for me. In short, put some chapstick on your lips. Roll your lips slightly inward. With the tape cut so it's about an inch longer than the ends of your mouth, with a tab rolled into one end, put it on. I decided that I was not going to worry about puking in my sleep since the only time I did that I was drunk out of my mind.

I decided that less to seal would be better. So, I tried the Swift FX nasal pillow. That worked great.

I was still not a fan of taping. So, I started researching chinstraps. I got this one http://www.pur-sleep.com/products/prodD ... rch=&page=. That is what I use now. It really works. My AHI has continued to improve using the Swift FX and the PAPcap chinstrap. It might be worth a try.

[happysleeper]

Hi lucynethel1998,

I also have a bit of claustrophobia, and couldn't solve the mouth leaking with chin strap, so I must tape. I had a sleep study to prove that it was mouth breathing through loose lips with the chin strap on that was causing my AHI to remain >10, and me to remain exhausted. SO, to help me know that I can get the tape off quickly, I:

1) fold over the ends of the tape for easy grabbing to pull off,
2) have a PowerOut alarm, which alarms and wakes me up immediately if the electricity goes out so I can pull my mask off, and
3) my OptiLife mask allows me to gently pull it an inch or so off of my nose if I want to, so that I can grab a quick breath of room air through my nose at any time.

All of these precautions have allowed me to relax and not worry about suffocation. I am becoming more alert and rested.

Good luck to you,

Happy Sleeper

[JimDB]

I have read the post by a RT that says that taping is EXTREMELY dangerous. If so then why when I had my last titration sleep study (Jan 2011), my mouth was taped shut. The tape was on corner of lips and just below lower lip going across. I couldn’t open my mouth. My centrals didn’t show on this study
Try it-It works.

[Kahfree]

Anyone try this chinstrap with any luck? Tape idea REALLY freaks me out....But at age 62m what doesn't? I am considering trying:


https://www.cpap.com/productpage/premiu ... hleak.html

I have this chin strap, and at first I thought I would be choking to death (Cant handle things on my neck, like turtle neck shirts, scarfs, etc) from the pressure right under my chin near my throat. However, I use it every night with my swift fx for woman. It works, to some degree. I do not have a lot of apneas when wearing it, but...I am battling the "Rip the mask off your face" demon each night. When I finally combat that part of my therapy, I hope to say that I wont need to move on to mouth taping. To me, taping the mouth shut scares me. What if I have to cough, or sneeze, or need to get a drink of water? I cant handle the feeling of suffocating, as that is a life long issue I have.