My answer to mouth leak

I had battled with mouth leak for more than a year. I tried a full face mask but anything that made contact with the bridge of my nose would, within a few days, result in a sore on the bridge of my nose. Nasal pillows worked the best for me as far as consistent AHI below 5 but there was the mouth leak despite which type of chin strap I used. Then one day I had the idea to use my Ruby chinstrap ( http://www.allcpap.com/media/catalog/pr ... ss500_.jpg ) for under my chin and an athletic sweat band across my mouth ( http://www.finishline.com/images/produc ... 003001.jpg ). This worked better than with just the chin strap but in the morning the sweatband was wet from saliva which was not appealing. Then one day I was getting ready to dispose of an old neoprene wetsuit hood when I had the idea to cut part of it up into a rectangle and place it between the sweatband and my mouth. It worked perfect to first put the sweatband across my mouth then place the rectangle of the neoprene between the sweatband and my mouth then put on the Ruby chinstrap over that then put on my Swift FX nasal pillow CPAP mask. With this set up I don't get paranoid about quickly pulling it away should I start to choke or aspirate from reflux, etc. as I would with tape. The neoprene by itself worked very well but then I cup a rectangle out of the face seal ("smoothskin") material ( see the part around the face in this photo http://www.ndiver.com/product_images/v/ ... 7_zoom.jpg ) with the smooth part against my lips it worked even better. The smoothskin neoprene is impervious and cushiony soft so it is very comfortable. I will send of photo of this on me upon request.

Scariest thing I ever saw! Are you serious? What might happen if someone in deep sleep bends their head down - they'll be choked by the rubber! Not to mention the heat factor. Or hairdos (people do have to get to work the next day). Horrible!

I know you mean well and if it works for you, terrific, but I can't see very many people here going for that under any circumstances.

Any thing for a good night's sleep.

There is nothing around my neck. There is the Ruby CPAP chinstrap. There is the sweatband around my mouth and the back of my head so no matter what position my head is in in any way restricts or constricts my trachea. The sweatband cannot slide down so it is around my neck because the chinstrap is below and over the sweatband.

And I thought I had a lot of gear strapped, enveloping or taped to my face. <chuckle> Good for you... whatever gets you thru the night, I say

I'm guessing someone thinks you are wearing the original wetsuit hood, rather than a part of the seal.