Help! Air pressure buildup in mouth

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
Nahelia
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2010 8:07 am

Help! Air pressure buildup in mouth

Post by Nahelia » Fri Feb 19, 2010 8:29 am

I have just "completed," or attempted, 4 nights with my cpap. I'm using the nasal pillows and I seem to be getting the hang of it. Unfortunately, when the apnea occurs, the air doesn't seem to be going down my throat but builds up in my mouth and forces my mouth open. I called the respiratory people who told me I would still have the apnea ...but I thought the air was supposed to be forced down my throat to keep it open! If I'm going to wake up every single time it happens because my mouth opens, I would just as soon not be using the cpap! At least before, I had the illusion I was sleeping.

It seems to me, but I don't know a thing, that my pressure might need to be higher. Currently set at 8. I did call the dr, left a message with a nurse, who returned my call telling me they were going to change my pressure to 6. She seemed to think that was increasing my pressure...is it? Doesn't make sense to me. Thoughts from any of you? If I were to tape my mouth shut, would that make the pressure go down my throat or would I wake up feeling like I'm suffocating because the air won't move down my throat?

I'm really hoping this cpap thing works out - I have had horrendous headaches many mornings and generally felt awful. I'm glad I'm trying this this week since I"m on vacation but I have hardly slept. Lack of sleep is triggering a migraine now. This isn't fun. But I am going to try hard to persevere.

Also, I know I'm supposed to add my machine info etc somewhere, but can't find that area....

Thank you for any and all help and encouragement!

User avatar
ozij
Posts: 10120
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2005 11:52 pm

Re: Help! Air pressure buildup in mouth

Post by ozij » Fri Feb 19, 2010 9:36 am

Pressure forcing your mouth open has nothing to do with having apneas - despite what some of the professionals say.

You mouth may open because your muscles relax and the your jaw drops.
Air may pour out of your mouth because your ability to seal the palate with the tongue has gone.

There are a number of solutions,dropping your pressure is one of them.

However if you do indeed have an Escape as appears in your profile right now, the doctor and his nurse have now way of monitoring the effect of the therapy on your breathing. Other, slightly more expensive machine do have that capacity. The Escape and bottom of the line one does not. Insist on having it changed to an Elite II, in order to let you see your Apnea and Hypopnea Index.

Mouth leaks:
Some find a chinstrap helps
Some find a full face mask helps
Some seal their lips with tape or denture paste.

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Machine: Resmed AirSense10 for Her with Climateline heated hose ; alternating masks.
And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Good advice is compromised by missing data
Forum member Dog Slobber Nov. 2023

ryderc
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2010 1:01 pm

Re: Help! Air pressure buildup in mouth

Post by ryderc » Fri Feb 19, 2010 1:25 pm

I have similar issues. I've been on the CPAP a week or so, using a nasal mask. The sensation is like a exhale only 90% of
my breath, and after a few minutes, I'm forced to exhale through my mouth.

So, is the pressure too high, too low? Wrong mask? Or is this normal early on and you fight through it?

User avatar
ozij
Posts: 10120
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2005 11:52 pm

Re: Help! Air pressure buildup in mouth

Post by ozij » Fri Feb 19, 2010 2:45 pm

Ryderc, it would help us to know which type of mask you're using, which machine, and the pressure settings.

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Machine: Resmed AirSense10 for Her with Climateline heated hose ; alternating masks.
And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Good advice is compromised by missing data
Forum member Dog Slobber Nov. 2023

User avatar
Madalot
Posts: 4285
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2010 7:47 am

Re: Help! Air pressure buildup in mouth

Post by Madalot » Fri Feb 19, 2010 2:50 pm

This was a huge problem for me when I used the nasal mask. The air would almost "bubble up" inside my mouth and gums until I finally had to open my mouth to let it out.

For me, this resolved completely when I switched to a full face mask.

_________________
Mask: FlexiFit HC431 Full Face CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: HC150 Heated Humidifier With Hose, 2 Chambers and Stand
Additional Comments: Trilogy 100. S/T AVAPS, IPAP 18-23, EPAP 10, BPM 7

Snorkler
Posts: 62
Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2009 11:58 am

Re: Help! Air pressure buildup in mouth

Post by Snorkler » Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:02 pm

CPAP therapy takes some getting used to. So, keep at it and don't get discouraged.

You are correct that changing the pressure from 8 to 6 actually lowers the amount of pressure.

I started CPAP therapy only in October of 2009, so I am fairly new. At first I found it a little difficult but I am now used to it. Now when I put my nasal mask on, after a few minutes and I do not notice the CPAP pressure at all. Sometimes I find that I check the relief port to see if air is coming out because I get used to the pressure and cannot even feel that it is on.

Good luck with your therapy.

User avatar
Muse-Inc
Posts: 4382
Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2009 8:44 pm
Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: Help! Air pressure buildup in mouth

Post by Muse-Inc » Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:38 pm

Nahelia, therapy air isn't forced down to open a collapsed airway, instead the entire airway contains pressurized therapy air to prevent it from collapsing in the first place. We create a seal in our mouth that prevents the air from escaping through our lips. I wore a pillow mask for 18 months while losing a lot of wt, then I could no longer create a seal that prevented air from escaping thru my lips, small puffs of air that made my lips slightly open to release air and then close until the pressure built up again (because I couldn't make a good seal) and was released and repeat over and over again. Then, it was either start taping my mouth shut or go to a FFM; I chose the RespCare Hybrid that has pillows (very comfortable) and covers my mouth so if air escapes, it goes into the mask and does not reduce my airway pressure. Some people's jaw drops and their mouths open letting therapy air escape. Any time therapy air escapes, it's not doing what it's supposed to do...maintain pressure to stent open your airway (sorta like air inside a closed balloon). A pillow mask is not a good choice for someone who breathes thru their mouth or someone losing therapy air thru dropped jaw or poor seal and loose lips!

Your description sounds like the airway collapsed because you were losing therapy air, your airway collapsed, and then air escaped so loudly that it and the apnea event you were experiencing woke up up.

_________________
Mask: Hybrid Full Face CPAP Mask with Nasal Pillows and Headgear
Humidifier: HumidAire H4i™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Started Aug '07 CPAP Escape at 11 then 9, S9 APAP range 9.8-16, now 10-17
ResMed S9 range 9.8-17, RespCare Hybrid FFM
Never, never, never, never say never.

Nahelia
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2010 8:07 am

Re: Help! Air pressure buildup in mouth

Post by Nahelia » Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:42 am

Thank you, Muse. That was a great description of what happens in cpap therapy. I taped my mouth shut (to the great delight of my children) and the feeling of breathing through the nose was actually different. It seemed more focused. I changed my ramp to 15 to give myself time to get used to it. I managed to sleep with it for over 3 hours with only a few awakenings due to the air trying to get out of my mouth. I'm more hopeful than I was yesterday. I'm so glad I found this site. The professional people have not given me nearly as much information as I have received here! Thank you everyone!

DreamOn
Posts: 1920
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 10:13 am

Re: Help! Air pressure buildup in mouth

Post by DreamOn » Sat Feb 20, 2010 6:35 pm

Nahelia wrote:I'm so glad I found this site. The professional people have not given me nearly as much information as I have received here! Thank you everyone!
Welcome to the forum, Nahelia! A lot of us feel the same way. If I'd depended on the "professionals," I don't know where I'd be in my CPAP journey now! This is a wonderful place for information and support.

~ DreamOn

nell4him
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 11:24 am

Re: Help! Air pressure buildup in mouth

Post by nell4him » Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:35 am

I had the same problem on night 2. Yesterday I picked up a ResMed AirFit Quattro Air for her for night 3 last night. So, I am in between Medium and Small, and they sent me home with Medium. I had difficulties cause it felt too big. But, in addition to the incorrect fit... the mask filled with air and built up pressure and then suddenly released all over the seals like a balloon popping. WTH? I'm glad I didn't chipmunk cheek up last night, but the mask is now filling up instead of my cheeks?? WHY?? I called the office and she is confused by this. She (not the doc, btw, just the person who hooks you up with the goods) wants me to bring the machine in to set it to "auto" so it only is at the level I need (8) when I actually apnea.

The fact that she seemed to have never heard of such an issue (and I can't find anything about it with google searches) concerns me, so I left a message at the pulminary doc's office. I am waiting to hear back from them.

Info: I have a PR Respironics System One REMstar Plus with C-Flex & Heated Tube Humidifier. My pressure is 8, I use ramp from 4-8 in 45 minutes. I have a ResMed AirFit Quattro Air, a ResMed AirFit Swift FX Nano for her Small (which is too small) and nasal pillows for same mask system (which bruised my nose by pushing nostrils up painfully). I side sleep mostly, and that is when the buildup happens.

Thanks.

User avatar
LSAT
Posts: 13229
Joined: Sun Nov 16, 2008 10:11 am
Location: SE Wisconsin

Re: Help! Air pressure buildup in mouth

Post by LSAT » Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:54 am

Nahelia wrote:Thank you, Muse. That was a great description of what happens in cpap therapy. I taped my mouth shut (to the great delight of my children) and the feeling of breathing through the nose was actually different. It seemed more focused. I changed my ramp to 15 to give myself time to get used to it. I managed to sleep with it for over 3 hours with only a few awakenings due to the air trying to get out of my mouth. I'm more hopeful than I was yesterday. I'm so glad I found this site. The professional people have not given me nearly as much information as I have received here! Thank you everyone!
You also might try keeping your tongue pressed to the roof of your mouth behind your front teeth. If you keep working on it your tongue will learn that position. Looking at the humidifier you listed in your profile , I'm guessing you have a ResMed S8 Auto Machine (Which is an old model CPAP).

_________________
Machine: ResMed AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: Fisher & Paykel Vitera Full Face Mask with Headgear (S, M, or L Cushion)
Additional Comments: Back up is S9 Autoset...... Buckwheat hull pillow