Dry mouth with full face quattro mask

[stubones99]

Has anyone else had the problem waking up with a dry mouth when using a full face Quattro mask?

I am not usually a mouth breather, but the face mask pushes my jaw down and before you know it, I look like a large mouth bass getting into the boat...

I rigged up a way to sip water while I'm thirsty, without taking the mask off, by using a length of silicone aquarium tubing and a check valve, drilling a hole into the mask next to the air hose swivel. The tubing acts as a flexible straw, with one in sticking through the top of a water bottle, and the length of the tubing running up my air hose to the mask. The tubing sticks through the mask and lets me slurp a little water whenever I get thirsty. the check valve keeps the air pressure from the CPAP from blowing bubbles in the water bottle and keeps the water right at the top of the tubing, also, prevents any "backwash" or saliva from contaminating the water bottle.

So far, it seems to work perfectly. I drink between 8-10 oz of water per night and wake up hydrated.

If anyone else wants to do this, let me know. For some reason, it wouldn't let me attach a PDF document...

[tyrone747]

If you're not a mouth breather what's the reason for using a full face mask? If you used a nose mask it wouldn't push your jaw back.
That drinking system sounds amazing btw. Can you post a picture?

[stubones99]

My nose isn't shaped right for nasal pillows and they hooked me up on the Quattro 10 years ago, so been doing it all this time.
Here are some photos, can't seem to upload PDF's here on my how-to...

[tyrone747]

What about something like the Dreamwear Nasal Cushion mask or Resmed N30i? Might be worth a try. I can't believe you just dealt with it for 10 years. Yeah, pushing your jaw back is a known issue with FFM's. Your ingenuity with the water bottle solution is amazing.

[FoxNewsFan]

Two suggestions- #1 Order a mask liner from https://www.padacheek.com/product-page/ ... ull-face-a
I find that the liner cuts way down on leaks and therefore you don't have to have your mask so tight and maybe it won't push your jaw down.
#2 Have you tried experimenting with the other sizes that the Quattro comes in?

[Janknitz]

Ingenious idea, but couldn't you have just used one of the oxygen port holes instead of drilling a hole?

Have you tried other FF masks??? If you've been doing the same for 10 years, there are some new designs out there, not just in FF masks, but nasal and nasal pillow masks.

I second trying the Dreamwear, it's pretty forgiving for nose shapes because it just lies under the nose. Or the Nano might be worth a try.

[LSAT]

I used the Quattro for 8 years and about a year ago I tried the F&P Simplus. It's similar to the Quattro but lighter in weight.

[stubones99]

I've tried quite a few masks but apparently I have the face that only works halfway with the Quattro.

I was in a beta trial of a cloth mask but my cheeks have a groove along my nose and nothing seals properly.

About the oxy holes in the bottom? No, they won't work but were considered early on. Back years ago, the oxy holes were in the cheek area and last 4-5 years moved below the air hose inlet.

An interesting side effect is when I sleep with the hose in my mouth (between my lips) I keep my jaw shut, which fixes the problem to a degree, but I still tend to breath air through my mouth. I tend to keep my mouth shut when I have gum in my mouth too, but I prefer not to sleep with gum in my mouth.

I think someday soon, there will be a custom mask option that uses a 3D model of the patient's face and builds a silicone seal between the standard hard plastic shell and the patient's face. Maybe someone will invent it soon.

I had a bunch of weird sleep studies early on and prefer not to go through that again. One place was located under the airport approach... Who gets a good night's sleep with aircraft landing and taking off at all hours? Another one had way too soft a bed and I felt like it swallowed me whole. Another one had the TV bolted to the wall off kilter and I kept thinking how it ought to be straight on the wall. Makes it too easy to justify a bad night's sleep if you stack the deck against us....

[LSAT]

I've tried quite a few masks but apparently I have the face that only works halfway with the Quattro.

I was in a beta trial of a cloth mask but my cheeks have a groove along my nose and nothing seals properly.

About the oxy holes in the bottom? No, they won't work but were considered early on. Back years ago, the oxy holes were in the cheek area and last 4-5 years moved below the air hose inlet.

An interesting side effect is when I sleep with the hose in my mouth (between my lips) I keep my jaw shut, which fixes the problem to a degree, but I still tend to breath air through my mouth. I tend to keep my mouth shut when I have gum in my mouth too, but I prefer not to sleep with gum in my mouth.

I think someday soon, there will be a custom mask option that uses a 3D model of the patient's face and builds a silicone seal between the standard hard plastic shell and the patient's face. Maybe someone will invent it soon.

I had a bunch of weird sleep studies early on and prefer not to go through that again. One place was located under the airport approach... Who gets a good night's sleep with aircraft landing and taking off at all hours? Another one had way too soft a bed and I felt like it swallowed me whole. Another one had the TV bolted to the wall off kilter and I kept thinking how it ought to be straight on the wall. Makes it too easy to justify a bad night's sleep if you stack the deck against us....

I would love to see a picture of that

[stubones99]

Getting a photo of me sleeping with the water tube in my mouth will be hard since it will be dark...

Plus, I'll be asleep.

[palerider]

Getting a photo of me sleeping with the water tube in my mouth will be hard since it will be dark...

Plus, I'll be asleep.

They invented this thing a few years back called 'flash'.

Not to mention IR photography.

[katestyles]

An interesting side effect is when I sleep with the hose in my mouth (between my lips) I keep my jaw shut.

I thought you meant the cpap hose.