Bubbles on my back!

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
klutzo
Posts: 68
Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2008 1:06 pm
Location: Florida

Bubbles on my back!

Post by klutzo » Tue May 05, 2015 8:45 am

Hi all,
I recently started sleeping on my back for the first time in my life, after finding that it relieved my severe early morning back pain. The problem is that I can't seem to exhale normally on my back. The exhaled air does not come out of the head gear, but out of my closed mouth in little bursts of bubbles......I sound like a neighing horse, lol. I don't know if this negates my therapy or not, but I wonder if anyone has any idea if it does or what I'm doing wrong.

Info: My pillow is medium thickness, and a special pillow for side sleepers. I bend my neck down just as much when I sleep on my side with no problems. I've been using the same Breeze nasal pillow system for the entire 8 yrs. I've used CPAP, since it is the only one that doesn't cause an allergic reaction or dig grooves into my high cheekbones, or hurt my nose because the nasal pillows are not moveable. It's been discontinued, so I've stocked up on them at my own expense. Without the Breeze, I could not be a CPAP user and would have to take my chances. I love it and can't even feel it when it's on. I have to use a Respironics chin strap, worn very tightly with it, and that I do not love, but full face masks cause instant swelling, redness, prickling and burning skin that lasts for days. My AHI is always excellent.

Anyone else have this problem or have any ideas? Thank you.

User avatar
BlackSpinner
Posts: 9745
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:44 pm
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Contact:

Re: Bubbles on my back!

Post by BlackSpinner » Tue May 05, 2015 9:12 am

You may need a full face mask on your back. Gravity may be pulling your jaws open when you sleep and an open mouth means giant leaks and bad therapy. Try a chin strap first.

_________________
Machine: PR System One REMStar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine
Mask: Hybrid Full Face CPAP Mask with Nasal Pillows and Headgear
Additional Comments: Quatro mask for colds & flus S8 elite for back up
71. The lame can ride on horseback, the one-handed drive cattle. The deaf, fight and be useful. To be blind is better than to be burnt on the pyre. No one gets good from a corpse. The Havamal

Sleeprider
Posts: 1562
Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 5:57 pm
Location: Murrysville, PA

Re: Bubbles on my back!

Post by Sleeprider » Tue May 05, 2015 9:14 am

You're leaking pressurized air through your mouth. You will need to exclude the air from your mouth using your tongue against the roof of your mouth behind your teeth. If sleeping on your back makes this worse, then maybe don't do that. It sounds like you have successfully used your nasal pillow system for a long time. I suspect that sleeping on your back makes your apnea worse and your machine is increasing pressure above what you're used to.

The answer might be to investigate why you're being bothered with back pain now. Your mattress may be aging and not providing proper support, you may have a health change or injury. Address the back pain so you can sleep on your side again, and this new problem can go away.

What are your pressure settings? Have you checked data to see if pressure is higher since you started sleeping on your back? Could you limit maximum pressure and reduce the mouth leak without unacceptably raising AHI?

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Sleepyhead software. Just changed from PRS1 BiPAP Auto DS760TS

User avatar
Pugsy
Posts: 63941
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 9:31 am
Location: Missouri, USA

Re: Bubbles on my back!

Post by Pugsy » Tue May 05, 2015 9:19 am

To find out for sure if the leaking mouth bubbles is really much of a problem in terms of losing therapy pressure...check your software reports and pay special attention to the leak graph.
Not all air leaking equals massive loss of therapy pressure that require other measures.
Find out exactly what is happening or going on and then decide if it warrants doing anything about.
The machine can compensate for a good bit of leaking no matter what the source so before worrying about it...find out if it really is bad enough to worry about.

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

User avatar
OkyDoky
Posts: 2870
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2014 5:18 pm

Re: Bubbles on my back!

Post by OkyDoky » Tue May 05, 2015 9:22 am

If you decide you need to try a full face mask again, the PadaCheek liners might prevent the face irritation and be more comfortable for you. http://www.padacheek.com/
ResMed Aircurve 10 VAUTO EPAP 11 IPAP 15 / P10 pillows mask / Sleepyhead Software / Back up & travel machine Respironics 760

yaconsult
Posts: 1099
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2014 10:43 pm
Location: "Silicon Valley", CA

Re: Bubbles on my back!

Post by yaconsult » Tue May 05, 2015 10:53 am

You could try taping - it seems to work well for a bunch of people. Just search the forum for "taping". This would confirm if mouth breathing is the issue or not.

Some people use a chinstrap. The Ruby Red seems to be a popular choice - I recommend the adjustable model.

I did a related poll here recently: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=105183&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=poll

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: January 2015 Sleep Study Results: Apnea/Hypopnea Index (AHI): 80.2, Sleepyhead

JimP
Posts: 181
Joined: Thu Oct 02, 2014 2:49 pm

Re: Bubbles on my back!

Post by JimP » Tue May 05, 2015 1:55 pm

.................
Last edited by JimP on Tue May 05, 2015 9:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

klutzo
Posts: 68
Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2008 1:06 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Bubbles on my back!

Post by klutzo » Tue May 05, 2015 9:26 pm

Thank you everyone for your answers.

As I said in my post, I do use a tight chin strap and it's the only one that works for me. It is also listed under equipment at the bottom of my posts.That ruby one is way too hot for me.

I am allergic to the squishy material in full face masks and the reaction is life threatening. The Breeze is hard plastic.

Our mattress cost a fortune and is almost new. It is a special latex one with great support and a topper for comfort. I cannot sleep on normal beds due to formaldehyde shock from chemical reaction.

The back problem is from severe Lyme Disease arthritis. I have to use a cane to get up and down when it's bad and sometimes can't get dressed. Doctors won't do anything for me. I should be dead by now, so they treat me like I already am, but I still have to see them or I don't get the pills that are keeping me alive.

I am sorry I offended you Jim, I did not realize I sounded like a stripper. It never even occurred to me at all and I was shocked to read it.

I did not know my machine pressure could change on it's own. I was told by my useless DME that only they could change it and only with a prescription. I cannot change DMEs because I am on Medicare, and thanks to the ACA they know I can't change, and do not return phone calls ever. I have had to buy my supplies at full retail online, since I can no longer place orders with my Medicare. They do not answer the phone or return voice mail calls and if I get a ride down there, they say I can't show up but must call and make an appt. They were really good before the ACA passed, but now that they have captive customers, they provide zero service.

My pressure has always been 7 and my AHI about 0.1. Very low. I have hypopnea, not apnea.

I think sleeprider, who said I have more breathing trouble on my back is correct....I think my whole airway is collapsing, where probably only the side of the airway on the bottom collapses when I sleep on my side. I do make sure I keep my tongue on the roof of my mouth against my teeth.

Thank you Pugsy for the encouraging info.

I will just have to wait and ask my heart doctor and my sleep doctor about this when I see them next.