Mouth Taping--Consequences?

[OwlCreekObserver]

I was a mouth breather but have started mouth taping since reading about it on here. And between that and the cpap I have been forced to nose breathe and I think I'm adapting quiet well. I wake up every once in a while with my cheeks puffed out with air that's trying to get out and can't but it's rare.

Though I don't think I've ever seen anyone mention it here, I have come to prefer the blowfish effect. I find that it seems to apply just enough extra pressure to help prevent minor leaks.

Oddly enough, when I temporarily remove the air from my mouth (it never stays that way after I fall asleep), I get the feeling that I have to struggle to breathe properly. Now, of course I know that's ridiculous, but that's the sensation.

Embrace the blowfish!

OCO

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

[Regie]

The subject of mouth taping keeps being reported on this forum as a practice to be avoided. The folks recommending this avoidance are usually RT's or sleep docs.

I posted earlier today on this subject but have just seen this thread.

Suppose someone (like me last night) has taped their mouth shut and enjoying success it seems, has a complete blockage in their nose. This is what happened to me. Just wake up one time like that from your breath being completely cut off and it suddenly makes you think that mouth taping is not the route to go for some of us. It's not the way for me. AND it looked so good and was promising to be the solution I needed so badly.

Thanks,
Regie

[6PtStar]

Thats why when you tape you put little fold over tabs on each end. Easy to find and remove. I have had a case of power outage with taped mouth and it was not a big deal. Just woke me up. I do perfer using Polygrip strips because the tape bothers me some. With Polygrip strips just say Ah and they will open.

Jerry

[birdshell]

Wow, someone actually revived this thread!

Thank you so very much, Regie, for your input and sharing of your mouth-taping experience. You certainly make an excellent point in that NOTHING we do on this forum can ever be the BEST practice for EVERY ONE of us. Each of us must make our own decisions about effective treatment for ourselves, based on our best judgment of what works for us.


That said, here is my : mouth taping has been extremely successful for many of us, and whatever it takes to make xPAP a success is OK by me. This is especially true, IMHO, in that there really and truly is no seeming proof that anyone who has been conscious (even if asleep) in good health has aspirated body fluids and/or died from such taping.

Now, there are those who point out that there will be no medical study of mouth taping undertaken. However, there are a number of hospital records and an awful lot of patients DO have respirators and other tubing taped in place. It just makes sense to me that a records review could reveal this type of problem. This type of analysis would be in keeping with Medicare and Medicaid inspections of hospital records and similar treatments.

We need to think out of the box on some xPAP issues, don't we?

Next, on to the question of YOU!!!

May I point out that you quickly awoke when you could not breathe, and I hope that you had the corner of your mouth tape turned over on itself such that there was a fingerhold for fast removal. This actually SUPPORTS the idea that one who is able-bodied would remove that tape in a hurry if unable to breathe.*

I mean, as a former lifeguard, I have seen some representations of pretty desperate people in the water clawing on anything they can reach in the attempt to breathe. Thankfully, I never had to save anyone in such peril, but was adequately trained in what to do if I did have to do so.

Next, the issue of nasal congestion:

There are reasons aplenty for nasal congestion. Here is another thread which addresses this issue, and there are quite a few more.

Click her for Ideas on Nasal Congestion

I hope that this is of some use to someone! I am certainly NOT an expert in any way, and urge ALL of us to conduct our own due diligence in protecting our own health. Best wishes to all!

Karen



*(BTW, smearing a bit of milk of magnesia or skim milk on the skin and allowing it to dry before adhering the tape is one way to avoid skin irritation, while still allowing the tape to perform its job. It also aids in avoiding the pain in case of quick removal.)


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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): tubing, medicare

[oceanpearl]

When I awaken in the middle of the night for any reason I am lucky if I have have enough sense to disconnect my hose, much less to figure out how to get tape off my mouth.
It's a matter of playing the odds, which I for one am not willing to do.

[birdshell]

Well said, oceanpearl!

[rested gal]

This is an old thread that I had occasion to look at a few minutes ago...the starving wolverine thing...

Now that I've looked at the thread again, this might be the right time to add some great links ozij found a year or so ago:

ozij posts excerpts from a research study where tape was used to prevent mouth air leaks:
viewtopic.php?p=415838#p415838

Direct link to the study she mentions:
http://erj.ersjournals.com/cgi/content/ ... /14/6/1251

Effect of mouth leak on effectiveness of nasal bilevel ventilatory assistance and sleep architecture
H Teschler, J Stampa, R Ragette, N Konietzko, and M Berthon-Jones

ozij's note: Teschler and Bethon-Jones are MD's, and central figures in ResMed's research and development of algorithms.
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ozij's link to a white paper about taping:
viewtopic.php?p=368541#p368541

Direct link to the study she mentions:
http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/conte ... /154/1/182

Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., Vol 154, No. 1, Jul 1996, 182-186.
GN Richards, PA Cistulli, RG Ungar, M Berthon-Jones and CE Sullivan

My note: CE Sullivan (Dr. Colin Sullivan) was the inventor of "CPAP."

[roster]

Is it correct that a study has not been done comparing breathing and sleep architecture using

1) nasal CPAP plus taping

versus

2) FFM?

I suspect some people will do better with FFM due to chronic congestion or narrow nasal airway.

[plr66]

Is it correct that a study has not been done comparing breathing and sleep architecture using
1) nasal CPAP plus taping
versus
2) FFM?
I suspect some people will do better with FFM due to chronic congestion or narrow nasal airway.

And I suspect that others will do better with nasal pillows/taping due to a FFM pressing the lower jaw back and thereby further restricting the throat airway (which I believe has been a big issue for me). I would love to see a study of these factors.

[socknitster]

A certain percentage of users are not going to be able to compare nasal interface use + taping vs. full face masks. That is because despite the fact that an overbite is a significant contributing factor to the development of OSA, there are not any full face masks on the market that are designed for this shape of face. This leaves the poor patient with very few choices for treatment.

If you are a sufferer with this type of face, as I am, your choices are to: a.) use a nasal only interface with tape b.) get the mma/ga surgery which is a very big, invasive surgery c.) try one of the tongue tether surgeries like aspire which are in trials and hope it works c.) try to use a dental device and hope it works d.) fail at cpap and have terrible health consequences.

Given the choices, does a little tape really seem like such a big freakin' deal?

BTW, given my current health problems, I'm not going for any kind of surgery any time soon. Probably not ever. I can't take the stress. I've tried the dental devices and I just can't sleep with a big hung of metal in my mouth. I paid about $800 for something I cannot use. Option D is not an option for me!

[TerryB]

I have been using denture strips to stick my lips for most of my treatment time now. Since Feb 2006, I have had one episode of aspirating stomach acid. I awoke very much concerned with the burning in my chest and was concerned with complications which never materialized. Thinking on the whole process, I think that the lip adhesive is a minimal factor. The airflow in the airway could instantly move stomach fluid across from the throat to the esophagus without going up into the mouth. I shall continue with my proceedures.

TerryB

[OwlCreekObserver]

It's been quite a while since I got tired of taping and went back to using a full-face mask. My experience has been that my numbers were actually much better with the nasal mask and taping than with the full-face mask. The leak rate is about the same so I don't see any obvious reason for it, but I doubt that I'll return to taping.

[Regie]

[quote="birdshell"]Wow, someone actually revived this thread!

May I point out that you quickly awoke when you could not breathe, and I hope that you had the corner of your mouth tape turned over on itself such that there was a fingerhold for fast removal. This actually SUPPORTS the idea that one who is able-bodied would remove that tape in a hurry if unable to breathe.*
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- you can bet your bottom dollar that I'd have gotten that tape off if it had been stapled to my jaw.

I'm glad I am not like one person who mentioned that they came around slowly (or something like that) for when I woke up that time I was faster than Speedy Gonzales getting that tape off. I mean - no time flat. But I'll never try it again for I hate that suffocation feeling.

Thanks very much for your reply though.

Regie