No help from Dr or DME

My mouth breathing has become worse. Since trying the chin strap, I have been doing ok until about 3 or 4am. Night before last it was 11pm and I couldn't stop. Called DME yesterday as I want to try a full face mask. They told me I should have it today. Called today and they said I need a prescription. Called the Dr's office and they are closed until Monday. Asked for Dr. on call, they called back and said I have to wait until Monday! (The answering service suggested that I go to the pharmacy and ask for a few pills to last me until next week, LOL!)

I guess all I can do is try taping/gluing (which I am very reluctant to do) or wait and suspend my therapy until next week. Any suggestions are very much appreciated.

Try using 3M Gentle Release Blue Painter's tape. It's the only tape I can tolerate. It's not great, but due to the holidays, you're just in a bind. I can only get it to work for me if I use two strips, crossed in a shallow X pattern. Use plenty so that it extends quite a ways past your mouth, for best results.

Also, call back your doctor's office, and ask them to fax your PREVIOUS prescription to the DME. Then call the DME and ask them if they'll accept that.

Good luck!!!!!
Barbara

brenkco wrote: (The answering service suggested that I go to the pharmacy and ask for a few pills to last me until next week, LOL!)

I guess all I can do is try taping/gluing (which I am very reluctant to do) or wait and suspend my therapy until next week. Any suggestions are very much appreciated.

....ahhhh...is that pills for mouth breathing or OSA???
Let me know......if I knew you just needed pills I
wouldn't be fooling w/all the air blowing business.

Do the tape or gluing. It will give you the full cpap
experience and then when you get your ffm, you will
really appreciate it.

brenkco wrote:My mouth breathing has become worse. Since trying the chin strap, I have been doing ok until about 3 or 4am. Night before last it was 11pm and I couldn't stop. Called DME yesterday as I want to try a full face mask. They told me I should have it today. Called today and they said I need a prescription. Called the Dr's office and they are closed until Monday. Asked for Dr. on call, they called back and said I have to wait until Monday! (The answering service suggested that I go to the pharmacy and ask for a few pills to last me until next week, LOL!)

I guess all I can do is try taping/gluing (which I am very reluctant to do) or wait and suspend my therapy until next week. Any suggestions are very much appreciated.

Any idea why?
How much humidity do you use? (how high do you have it turned up?)
Do you do a nasal rinse before going to bed?


Den

Oh, good catch there, Den!!!

YES!!!! It's WINTER! You may need to raise your humidity! DOPE SLAP!!!!

This happened to me, too. Definitely experiment with this.

Cheers,
B.

3M blue Painters tape, or Nexcare Paper tape (2 inch wide) -- either one works well for me. Be sure to turn the ends down on themselves to make little tabs. Easier to get hold of for removal.

Babette wrote:Oh, good catch there, Den!!!

YES!!!! It's WINTER! You may need to raise your humidity! DOPE SLAP!!!!

This happened to me, too. Definitely experiment with this.

Cheers,
B.

Or LOWER it. Too much humidity can close up the nasal passages.
Mouth-breathing can have a multitude of origins......enlarged turbinates.....deviated septums.....allergies, etc., etc., etc.

Just trying to get some more information for any of us to work with.

Den

Thanks all and thank goodness for this forum!!!!

My humidity is set @ 3. I don't use a nose rinse but have been using breathe rite nasal strips. Perhaps the nasal rinse might help? The Dr said I had a very small nasal passage and may be problematic.

Perhaps a silly question, when taping do you close your lips 1st? I tried it a week ago with blue painters tape and had difficutly removing the tape from the lips.

brenkco wrote:Thanks all and thank goodness for this forum!!!!

My humidity is set @ 3. I don't use a nose rinse but have been using breathe rite nasal strips. Perhaps the nasal rinse might help? The Dr said I had a very small nasal passage and may be problematic.

Perhaps a silly question, when taping do you close your lips 1st? I tried it a week ago with blue painters tape and had difficutly removing the tape from the lips.

In order to open up my nasal passages at night (and keep them open), I have to make sure my nasal passages are as "clear" as I can get them and I also use COLD water in my humidifier tank with no heat.....called "pass-over". The cool temps shrink the tissues in my nasal passages and it's pretty good from then on.

Den

Perhaps a silly question, when taping do you close your lips 1st? I tried it a week ago with blue painters tape and had difficutly removing the tape from the lips.

Yes. I put chapstick on my lips, then fold them in, then put the tape on so that the adhesive actually only ever touches the skin around my mouth.

O.

brenkco wrote:when taping do you close your lips 1st?

Yes. I not only close my lips, but I purse them inwardly (as if biting as much of both lips as possible) and put the tape on. After tape is on, I relax my lips. The trick to removal is to not pull the tape off fast, or in an outward direction.

Once you get an end loose in the morning, slowly roll the tape backwards along your mouth, keeping it down close to your mouth. I use the fingers of my left hand to roll it back, while using my right fingers to follow closely behind, pressing the skin down as the tape is being removed -- working the tape off gradually.

Birdshell suggests putting a very light film of Milk of Magnesia around the mouth and lips, let it dry, and then apply the tape. Tape still holds, and the Milk of Magnesia helps prevent irritation or rash when you remove the tape next day.

excuse my ignorance here, i thought you needed a presciption for the machine, and any accessories or masks you could buy without one.

boston wrote:excuse my ignorance here, i thought you needed a presciption for the machine, and any accessories or masks you could buy without one.

That's true if you're purchasing from an Internet supplier. Many (most?) brick & mortar DMEs require an Rx. (and particularly if it's a DIFFERENT mask than the one originally issued)

Den