taping mouth shut?

[TamraOH]

i've read somewhere on this sight about people using tape on their mouth at night to keep their mouth shut. i'm gonna try this, has anyone else out there tried it? does it work? why did you try it?

[rested gal]

Tamra, I tried it (and still do) because its the only way I can reliably and consistently keep air leaks from puffing out my mouth when I sleep with a nasal mask - my Breeze with nasal pillows or my Activa. If my lips are not taped shut, air puffs out from between my closed lips even if my jaw and mouth are in closed position. Takes three strips of waterproof tape to do it for me... each end folded down on itself for a grab-tab, all of them placed slightly overlapping each other, horizontally over my lips. I'm using Johnson and Johnson waterproof adhesive tape - the one inch wide size. It's not a perfect solution, for a number of reasons. Usually by morning at least one spot has sprung a tiny air leak, but nothing like the air that gushes out from between my lips if I don't tape them shut.

Most doctors, respiratory therapists and many other people would probably be horrified at the thought, and would warn of possible suffocation, aspiration of vomit, etc. All I can say is, they are not the ones trying to control their own lip puffs and they are probably also thinking of very ill, very weak people on respirators. It works fine for me. I can't even remember the last time I threw up...it was years and years ago, long before I was on cpap. I do clearly recall, however, waking up to that distinct feeling of nausea back then, and lying there thinking, "If I jusssst stay reallllllly still.... maybe it won't happen." hah! Knowing full well that it was going to happen - would it be five more minutes, two minutes...? Putting it off as long as possible hoping, hoping, "maybe not this time...maybe." But finally jumping up to head for the bathroom in time.

At any rate, I'm confident I'd have plenty of wake-up warning myself. I don't know about anyone else. One of the big reasons I feel comfortable taping is that I'm not on any medications of any kind. And I've already experienced the wake-up that happened to me on cpap when there was a power outage. Probably same kind of wake-up that I'd have gotten had I not been on cpap and had an apnea. Besides, a semi-strong cough will knock the tape loose.

[hoser]

Taping your mouth shut is DANGEROUS. Don't do it!!

[wading thru the muck!]

Taping your mouth shut is DANGEROUS. Don't do it!!

hoser,

As we've found out ala Reggie White, "apneas are dangerous." Those who use an oral interface and plug their nose are running the same risk aren't they?

[SleepyGuy]

Wouldn't a full face mask be safer? Also, aren't there chin straps that keep your mouth closed but allow you to open your mouth if you try hard enough? This latter one wouldn't help if you have leaks even when your jaw is closed, but might be a good solution for others.

My doc (who is a sleep apnea researcher at a major university) tells me that reflux or regurgitation can be caused by sleep apnea. When the stronger muscles of the lungs engage to help you breathe again, they put pressure on the stomach and even the bladder. Meanwhile the muscles of these organs are relaxed and not in a mode to resist the pressure. This causes reflux and frequent night time urination.

The first doctor to suspect I had sleep apnea was a gastroenterologist that I had gone to for my reflux. Based on that and my fatigue, he suspected apnea even before he asked if I snored.

Before the CPAP, I had quite a bit of reflux to the point where it qualified as regurgitation. In the middle of the night, I'd find myself throwing up. I kept a bucket beside my bed.

Since starting the CPAP, this has happened only once.

[hoser]

It may be that there is increased risk of aspiration with an oral mask but it is very small compared to taping the mouth shut. The act of vomiting is almost always going to blow an oral mask out of the mouth. Using tape without a tearaway tab, or using an aggressive adhesive, is something a reader might do.

Let us all remember that these posts are read by very smart and not so smart cpap patients. Let us NOT post suggestions that can put not so smart readers at risk.

Wading, I am just following this thread and am in no way suggesting that you are in any way off base. You do a great service to us all. I just want to emphasis safety.

[TirednPhoenix]

During my sleep study the tech put a stretchy material about 2 inches wide on me that went over the top of my head and under / over my chin. I think it had velcro on the top. It seemed to work fine.

[wading thru the muck!]

Hoser,

Thanks for providing the safety warning for my "risky behavior". The silicone patch I use comes off very easily and actually does not completely seal my mouth. It just keeps my lips together so that I don't "puff" air out of my mouth during the night. The corners of my mouth are unsealed and my guess is if I woke up vomiting ( which I don't recall ever doing in my 44 years) it would blow the silicone patch off. These are just small "puffs" of air that myself (and others) are trying to prevent.

I hope I don't have to include some kind of disclaimer in my post signature so that browsers don't hurt themselves.

All of the advice given here in the form of related personal experiences is techically not legal as medical advice. But we still do it because the medical profesion doesn't. This reminds me of a recent post by a new forum browser with a couple questions. When the response to the questions was phased in such a way that it suggested the questioner was a newbie, she responded saying she had been using cpap for seven years, but she had learned more browsing this forum than from her medical professionals in that seven years.

If I try something and it works for me I'm going to post it. It's up to others to determin if it is "safe" for them. And there will always be those (thanks again hoser) that will provide an alternative point of view.

[PopsRus]

Using tape is the ONLY way I've found to prevent mouth breathing, even with a chin strap. When I don't use the tape, it allows air to escape and reverses the benefit of the Bi-Pap. Thus, being tired draggy and headache for lack of oxygen. Don't knock it until your've tried it. And I use a surgical type tape that adheres well yet will come off quickly if needed. My wife likes it so much she wants me to use it all day too.

[nanwilson]

Please do a search on taping in the top banner on the page ....you will get TONS of info on taping and I think we have all decided that taping is not dangerous. You will wake up immediaetly if you barf ...I certainly did, had no problem just went quickly to the bathroom and cleaned up. If you use a paper tape like micropore or painters tape it will come off pretty darn fast if it gets over wet. I don't tape anymore because I am allergic to ANY tape, even micropore, but when I was using it I DID throw up, woke up immediately.

[SMenasco]

Just mention tape and out come all the Chicken Littles. No one can offer any examples that taping is in fact a danger. If you think that dangerous outcomes will result, give specific examples of occurrances, not just what you might think may happen. I have only heard hypothetical possibilities on this site. Taping is an individual choice, so take all these "end of your life" warnings for what they are; situations that some people think might happen. There is nothing available on the medical scene for those of us that puff cheeks or recirculate, which results in extreme dry mouth. If you cannot stop puffing or recirculation with any of the available remedies, such as a chin strap, taping is probably your only hope. And it's okay if you believe those that think it's not safe. May those that don't want none, have memories of not gittin' any.

[Pugsy]

This thread originally died in 2004. Brought to life by PopsRus.
The risks of taping have been discussed ad nauseam more times than I care to count with more fighting than I want to count.
How about letting this thread go back to the archives without a 3 to 5 page pissing contest on the dangers of taping vs the non dangers?
I can hope can't I?

[chunkyfrog]

Where's the smilie face for a taped mouth?

[VikingGnome]

ResMed makes Full Face Masks WITHOUT vents. Check out their site. So is it dangerous to use a unvented FFM?

[ems]

ResMed makes Full Face Masks WITHOUT vents. Check out their site. So is it dangerous to use a unvented FFM?

Well, maybe it isn't dangerous in the way some people think it is. However, I wouldn't use tape not b/c I'm afraid to use it, but b/c the thought of taping my mouth while I sleep gives me the heebies. Not sure what is worse... tape on mouth or hose hanging over my head. The white coats would be at my door in no time!

*Sorry Pugsy~ now you can hope some more.