Mouth Breathing for Non-Mouth Breathers

[JuanBoy]

Hi All
I would like to get some suggestions from the group on breathing through your mouth.
I normally breathe though my nose when asleep and almost never through my mouth - never snore. If I am congested I just don't sleep since I cannot breathe through my mouth. This is due to the structural nature of my tongue, jaw, soft palate, etc.
Last month I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and titrated during a period where my nose was severely congested (vasomotor rhinitis) with an ongoing minor sinus infection using a nasal and full face mask. Since I hadn't slept in days, I was able to sleep about 6 hours during the sleep study titration, with both masks. I used the nasal and full face mask for about a week but became so congested that I had to quit. I started to look for options, like learning to breathe through my mouth.

First, I bought the Oracle oral mask but had problems with air flow pressure and comfort level with the mouth piece.
Second, I bought the Mirage Liberty™ Full Face CPAP Mask with Nasal Pillows and modified it so that the pillows are inverted into the mask and stuffed with cotton balls to eliminate leaks. I then tried the Oracle Nose plugs for prevent nose leaks and that didn't work. So I then stuffed cotton balls into my nose and taped it across the nostrils, which works (I noticed this has been a problem for a number of people). So the system fits comfortably over my mouth with my nostrils closed, relatively well.

I have been performing self titration to figure out the best pressure. So far, I have not been able to sleep at night but breathe for hours in bed. Typically, the second that I doze off I wake up because something relaxes and the flow changes (Jaw, tongue, nose).

Some of the problems that I have are:
1. Burping -- This has been addressed on the forum with suggestions that the pressure is too high. Is this the general consensus? Dose body and head position have more to do with this or just another potential cause? Does post nasal drip have any relation to this? What about body position? Seems to be worse on my side.

2. When supine, I relax my jaw just at the onset of sleep and then awaken. Again the air flow changes dramatically which startles me a bit. Should the pressure be higher?

I was titrated at 15 cm with a nasal mask at the time of almost complete nasal obstruction. I am now at 10-11 cm using only a mouth mask, albeit modified.
I have an auto BiPAP (Respironics PR One System with humidifier).

[ww]

CPAP works on the principal that you are primarily breathing through your nose. The pressure can dislodge your tongue much better through your nose breathing than through mouth breathing. You would be much better off to visit a good ENT (nose doctor) and get his recommendation. Your body will take care of breathing through your mouth if your nose is completely plugged, but have you tried the obvious things like using a pint plastic jar that is fitted to rinse your sinuses and nasal passage before bedtime? Please list your exact equipment as it doesn't seem like you are actually using a bi-pap for your therapy. Go back to a full face mask and continue to work on being able to breathe through your nose while you sleep.

[Julie]

Many newbies get congested because the humidifier is set too high (if used at all - an unnecessary thing therapy-wise) so try turning yours down or even off.