F u ll face mask users

Barnaby · Post by **Barnaby** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 1:41 pm

Do people using a full face mask with heated humidifier experience dry mouth and dry throats in the morning?
I have been using nasal pillow from swift and i cant stand the sensation when waking. Does covering the nose and the mouth help??[/b]

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 5:03 pm

Hi Barnaby,

Using a full face mask won't necessarily prevent a dry mouth. I often got a somewhat dry mouth using two different full face masks -- even with heated humidifier turned up so high that I needed the Aussie heated hose to prevent rainout. I guess everyone's mileage would vary, though, as to whether their mouth got dry breathing humidified air through the mouth, with a FF mask.

Sure sounds like you have treatment air escaping through your mouth (or are breathing through your mouth) while wearing your Swift. If you really like your Swift otherwise, I think I'd be looking for ways to stop the mouth breathing/leaking so I could continue wearing the mask I liked.

jayvee · Post by **jayvee** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 11:08 pm

Hi Barnaby,

I have woken up with a dry mouth and throat for as long as I can remember because I have always been a mouth breather. When I started cpap I was on a nasal mask but needless to say it did not work. I was hoping tha with the humidifier and full face mask I may have got some relief in this regard but so far it hasn't happened. I am currently in the process of turning up the temp. on the humidifier and seeing if this helps.

Keep at it

Jayvee

Barnaby · Post by **Barnaby** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:04 am

the ff mask last nite was a disaster

Barnaby · Post by **Barnaby** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:29 am

all nite the mask was making loud noises..Each time I shifted my head a new leak would start. You cant keep tightening the straps..they eventually cause too much pressure on the face. My mouth was still exceptionally dry.I will try tape on the mouth next.

Barnaby · Post by **Barnaby** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:29 am

all nite the mask was making loud noises..Each time I shifted my head a new leak would start. You cant keep tightening the straps..they eventually cause too much pressure on the face. My mouth was still exceptionally dry.I will try tape on the mouth next.

tater pie · Post by **tater pie** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 9:55 am

I get dry mouth and throat a lot worse with a full face mask even with a heated humidifer turned up all the way. Needless to say, I'm not impressed with the full face masks! I'll stick with keeping my mouth taped and useing the Breeze. It works better for me.

pemoha · Post by **pemoha** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 11:11 am

Quite the opposite. I have just about learned to keep my mouth closed while using the fullface mask. It didn't work with a nasal mask. Very seldom do I get dry mouth.

Barnaby · Post by **Barnaby** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 12:15 pm

I have tried everything folks have told me about...i am ready to throw in the towel !!!!
I have tried the small captiva over the nose/the full face mask/ and have now gone back to the swift nasal. I have taken the hint to tape the mouth shut for two nites. Yes, I have bought the paper tape and really kept my mouth shut tight. At 4:30 i woke up after 4 hrs and my mouth was like a mouth full of sandpaper.
What more can I do ?? to help with the dry mouth and throat each morning
I am the end of my rope

Barnaby · Post by **Barnaby** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 12:16 pm

I have tried everything folks have told me about...i am ready to throw in the towel !!!!
I have tried the small captiva over the nose/the full face mask/ and have now gone back to the swift nasal. I have taken the hint to tape the mouth shut for two nites. Yes, I have bought the paper tape and really kept my mouth shut tight. At 4:30 i woke up after 4 hrs and my mouth was like a mouth full of sandpaper.
What more can I do ?? to help with the dry mouth and throat each morning
I am the end of my rope

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 1:09 pm

Barnaby,

I feel for you. You're really going through a bad time trying to get good treatment. Two suggestions, but wait until you can do both at the same time:

1. Getting more humidification

Get another brand of humidifier. I used a Spirit autopap and the integrated Humidaire 2i heated humidifier for two or three weeks. All the time, the Humidaire 2i was doing a lousy job (in my humble, very subjective opinion) at warming the water. I had it turned up as high as it would go, yet felt very little warmth from it. And that was with using my Aussie heated hose, too!! If the humidifier itself can't get the water very warm, the flow of air passing over the water in the chamber is not going to pick up much humidity in the first place.

I never had that problem with either of two other brands of humidifiers - the Fisher and Paykel HC150 or the integrated humidifier that you can get with the Respironics machines. With either of those, I didn't have to turn the heat up anywhere near halfway, to get as much or more heated humidification than the Humidaire 2i was putting out on its highest heat setting.

Seems also I've read that the older model integrated humidifier for the Spirit heats better than the 2i. Perhaps you could get your DME to let you try the older one...the "Humidaire" (without "2i" in its name.) I think the older Humidaire uses a short sensor tube, so if you do switch Humidaires for the older model, be sure they give you a sensor tube for it and show you where to connect it.

Get the Aussie heated hose from sleepzone.com.au. That will allow you to crank the humidity wayyyy up on your "new" humidifier, without getting rainout. The heated hose will also assist more humidity to actually reach you, even if you don't get rainout with heat turned up high.

2. Different Tape

When you've got a more effective heated humidifier, then try taping your mouth again. You said the paper tape held, but if it works loose at an edge, you might want to think about stronger tape. The Micropore paper tape didn't do the job for me. I use Johnson & Johnson waterproof adhesive tape. Can't use just one strip over the center of the lips. I have to use two strips of the 2" wide -- overlapping them somewhat to form a really big patch completely over my closed lips, extending well beyond the corners of the mouth and well above and below the lips. The only other thing I found that holds even better is a Tegaderm patch over the mouth.

Those things may sound expensive and drastic...and no guarantee they'll solve your problem. But stopping treatment for OSA altogether is THE most drastic thing you can do...and could be enormously expensive to health and pocketbook in the long run. I don't mean that to sound harsh, and I really do sympathize with where you're "at" right now.

An alternative you might want to look into, if cpap treatment just never does get optimized for you are the dental appliances, with the thought of adding the Pillar Procedure if a dental appliance like the TAP II doesn't take care of everything. A number of people have been reporting very good success with that combo. Whatever you do, I'd steer away from UPPP surgery.

Check out the discussions about Tap and Pillar from this link:

LINKS to surgery, turbinates, Pillar, TAP experiences

Wolvy · Post by **Wolvy** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 6:51 am

I had the dry mouth problem for a couple of years. I tried the tape thing, but its a royale pain, and costs money on a constant basis. I finally procured a chinstrap (respronics I think). It's just basically a large wide elastic band. Granted its a little bit of a pain, but it keeps my mouth closed and I no longer have the great morning dry mouth.

Barb (Seattle) · Post by **Barb (Seattle)** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 7:53 am

It has worked to keep my mouth dry. I have the opposite problem I think I get a LOT of saliva that I can sometimes feel under the mask cushion. What type of FF mask are you wearing? I had to try the ComfortFull becuase the Ultra Mirage FF mask leaked like a sieve. Our faces are all different, becuase I hear that most people can't stand the mask I'm using. Have you tried an ace bandage cut to fit over your head and mask (AND mouth?) When I did the nasal mask, that's what I did. It was tight enough to keep my mouth shut, but loose enough to feel alright. Hang in there, I've been as frustrated as you are right now..I know how you feel!

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): humidifier, nasal pillow, swift

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 1:55 pm

I did the tape and chin strap thing for a while - now I have been only using the chin strap. I started out with using Hytape - it's an expensive tape - but it was the most gentle on my skin. I also used the chin strap. After a month or so, I only needed to use my chin strap now. I do occasionally use a FF when I am congested though - I have to - can't go without cpap - makes for a miserable person. I use the Ultra Mirage - it's OK - but definitely not like the comfort of the Activa. When I use my FF, I have to increase the level of the the heater - from 2 with the nasal mask to 3-4 with the FF.

catlutz · Post by **catlutz** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 8:41 pm

Anonymous wrote:I did the tape and chin strap thing for a while - now I have been only using the chin strap. I started out with using Hytape - it's an expensive tape - but it was the most gentle on my skin. I also used the chin strap. After a month or so, I only needed to use my chin strap now. I do occasionally use a FF when I am congested though - I have to - can't go without cpap - makes for a miserable person. I use the Ultra Mirage - it's OK - but definitely not like the comfort of the Activa. When I use my FF, I have to increase the level of the the heater - from 2 with the nasal mask to 3-4 with the FF.

I found a great solution for keeping the humidity warmer. I took an old all cotton bath towel and sewed it together just wide enough to slip it over the 6 foot cpap hose. A cpap hose cover! It works great and keeps the heat in and the cold out, also helps to eliminate condensation in the tube.

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): mirage, activa, CPAP

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Re: F u ll face mask users

increasing temps on humidifiers