New APAP User with Lots of questions

Hi,

I am an old man trying to make sense of this. I was using CPAP for 20 years, and have recently switched to an APAP and am trying to get it to work.

• I have problems with the mouth drying up, although I'm using the humidifier. Is there a cure?
  
  I also have problems with leaking. Apparently my mouth is open when I sleep and breathe. Is there a chin strap or something to prevent that? Or some other remedy?
  
  How do I prevent the mask from slipping up? And the bottom ending up in my mouth?

I'm looking forward to anybody's answer. Below is my sleepyhead data, which I don't know how to interpret, if anyone can help with that I'd be grateful.

newcpapuser145 wrote:Hi,

I am an old man trying to make sense of this. I was using CPAP for 20 years, and have recently switched to an APAP and am trying to get it to work.

• I have problems with the mouth drying up, although I'm using the humidifier. Is there a cure?
  
  I also have problems with leaking. Apparently my mouth is open when I sleep and breathe. Is there a chin strap or something to prevent that? Or some other remedy?
  
  How do I prevent the mask from slipping up? And the bottom ending up in my mouth?

I'm looking forward to anybody's answer. Below is my sleepyhead data, which I don't know how to interpret, if anyone can help with that I'd be grateful.

What pressure were you using for all those years?
Did you have a data-capable machine and did you monitor your therapy with software?

If you're just beginning with this machine, I'd recommend setting it up as close to how your previous machine was configured. Then, look at your reports to see how you WERE doing with those settings.

As I posted to someone in the last few nights with a similar set of circumstances.......
"If you don't know where you're starting from, how are you going to know where you're going to?"

If you need the clinical manual for that machine (to understand it and make changes), here's a link:

https://sleep.tnet.com/home/files/resme ... -guide.pdf

Dry mouth is a clue to mouth-breathing or mouth-leaking.......even with a full face mask. Too much humidity can exacerbate nasal congestion and you may need to try nasal cleansing before bedtime and turning your HH setting down.


Den

.

A couple of housekeeping things.

1) Use the "User Control Panel" on the upper left to post your equipment in text mode as that will help to get answers from folks using the same of similar equipment. From the SleepyHead report it looks as if your current machine is a ResMed AirSense 10 Autoset, a fully data capable machine.

Please post which mask you are using. That will help with advice on the dry mouth issue.

2) If you know, can you post what your pressures were for the old machine and for the new machine.
The SleepyHead graphs gives the impression that your pressure range is 4-14 or so, kind of like a wide open, let the machine work it out setting. It appears that you might do better with an EPAP setting nearer to 10 cmH2O rather than the 4 CmH2O you currently have.

BUT: don't just make such a dramatic change unless the old machine had a similar setting.

3) Do you have any data from the earlier machine? Can you post some for comparison? For example, if the previous machine was a straight CPAP and now you have an auto CPAP, the difference can be quite dramatic until the settings are adjusted correctly.

Hang in there, folks here will help you figure it all out.

newcpapuser145,

If you were compliant all those years congradulations.

When I have problems keeping FFM seal, I switch to the RespCARE Hybrid FFM. It's a combination mouth seal/nose pillow FFM. Has a much smaller mouth area to seal. Also, has a chin flap built in, so no chin strap is required to keep the mouth closed. Might want to take a look at it.

Cheers,
otrpu