Mouth blowing open

[MaxINTJ]

I had never heard of that syndrome before but it sounds nasty. Not sure why it was cured by changing position though - it's not like there is enough height difference for gravity to have an effect (like veins in the legs being so far below the heart). I'm glad it's cured, just curious about why...

Sleeping on your face forces your eyelids open and rubs your eyeball and the inside of the lid against your pillow. As you would expect, none of those parts react well to that. Not everyone with OSA has FES, but most everyone with FES has OSA.

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FES has been associated with keratoconus, which also suggests mechanical irritation from eye rubbing as a contributing factor.

as soon as minintj gets it he will blame the cpap not rubbing his eyes on his pillow from sleeping on his stomach.

Sleeping on my stomach has not caused any problems so far - barring external influences, so you may as well stop beating the dead horse. It just all drones into one long, boring noise...

[Okie bipap]

[quote="MaxINTJ]On top of that, I'm dreading the ENT appointment this week - I just have a bad feeling that they're going to find I have a naturally small airway (I have always snored) and that age is now letting it collapse further and more easily. The cure for that is UPPP surgery, and unless they are going to induce a coma for 2-3 weeks (morphine drip might also work), I can't see doing it. I just don't have enough body fat to not eat anything for 2+ weeks.[/quote]

I went through UPPP surgery several years ago. I had a deviated septum corrected and turbinate reduction at the same time. My throat was sore, but I managed to eat soft foods after the surgery. Cloroseptic spray will be your best friend for about two weeks after your surgery. It does a good job of numbing the back of the mouth and top of the throat. My doctor gave me a liquid paid medicine to take. The only problem was the liquid used in the medicine was alcohol. I learned real fast to spray my throat before taking the medicine. It took about three or four years before I could eat spicy foods.

[TedVPAP]

I always called that Ultimate Chin strap the "Mummy wrap".
To repeat what I have seen said..."ain't no way in hell"....
But to be fair some people use it and like it and that's why everything has that big YMMV sticker on it.
I have seen one...someone sent it along with a box of other donated/unwanted cpap stuff. Not sure if I still have it or if I passed it along to some poor unsuspecting soul.

On my "to do" list is "go through the donations box and get rid of crap"...but that is way down on the to do list.
Now that I am feeling better I have more things to do that will give me immediate gratification and I am all about immediate gratification right now. Right now I am fixing up an old but beautiful door that someone in the past buggered up and I am finally getting around to making it pretty again.

If the mouth blowing open didn't disturb your sleep (which is already fragile) and your wife's...I would say don't worry about it right now. It's the least of your problems. There's a good chance with time and training your tongue will earn to keep that back door shut and problem solved.

Gotta go back outside...need to put a coat of poly on some wood I just stained.

I recently through away all that did not work for me including FF masks, hybrid masks, nasal masks, tape, and an assortment of chin straps. I kept the nasal pillows and Ultimate Chin Strap. It works best for me - been using it for 7 years.

I tried to take a nap the other day without it. The rush of leaking air awoke me as soon as I started dozing. Looks like my tongue has still not learned to perform the trick.

When it comes to medical treatments, appearances are low on my list of concerns. You got to do what you got to do.

[Pugsy]

When it comes to medical treatments, appearances are low on my list of concerns. You got to do what you got to do.

Very true...you gotta do what you gotta do.

We all have different preferences and needs and while I make fun of the mummy wrap...the reason I won't use it isn't looks or anything like that. I have this "thing" about "stuff" on my face and head. I would have a huge problem trying to sleep with the mummy wrap due to my own personal preferences about anything on my face or head. It would simply bug me too much to get any decent sleep.
My sleep is already fragile enough without adding something that I know would bug the crap out of me. I have learned over the years what are deal breakers for me and I see no sense in trying something that I know would be a deal breaker from the start.

Fortunately I don't need to go to those extremes. Thank goodness for that.
My leak graphs are sometimes to die for pretty and sometimes pretty ugly but I get more decent leak reports than really ugly and I am sleeping quite well and for me that is the most important thing. I am not about to add something that will mess with my sleep. I already have enough stuff unrelated to cpap or sleep apnea doing that to me.

[TedVPAP]

Another new guy here, starting week 6 of therapy. I was a lifetime stomach sleeper too. I switched from a full mask to the Dreamwear nasal pillows (against the doc and DME's recommendation because of the 17/21 pressures) with one of the Ruby chin straps to keep my mouth closed and it works great. I had to go from the medium frame to the large to account for the thickness of the strap.

I started using a body pillow to help me sleep on my side. After a couple of weeks of that I noticed that I was waking up more and more on my back, which I've never done before. Not sleeping on my stomach has solved eye issues, shoulder issues, neck issues, mask leak issues, and my AHI is typically less than 2. MyAir gives me gold stars pretty much every day. I haven't slept this well in . . . well, ever, it seems like. It is possible to transition away from being a stomach sleeper.

My DME also was against trying the pillows. Fortunately I am an engineer and could see the advantage of pillows since they are the only mask type that have a positive seal (pressure helps sealing).
Then you have tackle mouth leaking. Glad to see your chin strap works for you.

[TedVPAP]

On top of that, I'm dreading the ENT appointment this week - I just have a bad feeling that they're going to find I have a naturally small airway (I have always snored) and that age is now letting it collapse further and more easily. The cure for that is UPPP surgery, and unless they are going to induce a coma for 2-3 weeks (morphine drip might also work), I can't see doing it. I just don't have enough body fat to not eat anything for 2+ weeks.

You are getting far ahead of real medical advice. Wait for information. In addition UPPP is often not a cure.

[TedVPAP]

One option would be to try the Ultimate Chin Strap by Russ McMillan. Just google Utlimate Chin Strap. That one keeps your lips fairly closed as well as your chin. They do have a money back guarantee. Another option is to try one of the thinner chin straps, google the "Halo Chin Strap." It's what I use and it has stopped my mouth breathing for the most part. Occasionally I will get some air escaping from my lips but it's very rare and not enough to bother with.

I used to always sleep on my stomach but have since adapted to sleeping on my back. To be honest it has worked out much better for me and I feel much better overall sleeping this way than on my stomach as I used to do.

I have been very successful using the UCS for 7 years. Which halo do you recommend? Thanks

[TedVPAP]

[

I investigated having the surgery if it would reduce my pressure. My surgeon said that he had no confidence; it could make it worse.
Did the surgery help you?

[MaxINTJ]

On top of that, I'm dreading the ENT appointment this week - I just have a bad feeling that they're going to find I have a naturally small airway (I have always snored) and that age is now letting it collapse further and more easily. The cure for that is UPPP surgery, and unless they are going to induce a coma for 2-3 weeks (morphine drip might also work), I can't see doing it. I just don't have enough body fat to not eat anything for 2+ weeks.

You are getting far ahead of real medical advice. Wait for information. In addition UPPP is often not a cure.

Yeah, I know, but so far, I am not having any health issues that are "fixable" or "normal". The issues I have always seem to be the more "rare" or "odd" form, so I expect my sleep/breathing issues to be the same - and so far they are - absolutely nothing clear cut, just really crappy sleep. Yes, I am being a bit pessimistic about this, but at least that matches my experiences...

[Pugsy]

I have said this before....no way in hell would I have a UPPP done for UARS.

Now I might consider a oral device trial but a good one and not a cheap WalMart mouth guard but one made for me specially that could be adjusted in small increments to move the jaw a bit to widen the airway.

[MaxINTJ]

I have said this before....no way in hell would I have a UPPP done for UARS.

Now I might consider a oral device trial but a good one and not a cheap WalMart mouth guard but one made for me specially that could be adjusted in small increments to move the jaw a bit to widen the airway.

I don't want one either, but if it's that or never sleeping, it's a tough call

[Pugsy]

I don't want one either, but if it's that or never sleeping, it's a tough call

Yeah, but there's no guarantee that a UPPP would let you sleep any better than you are now.
It's iffy at best for OSA and even iffier for UARS which isn't so much about the stuff that get cut out with a UPPP.
UARS is more about the airway tissues down below those things that the UPPP removes.
And once you cut something out...there is no putting it back.
Now if your tonsils are huge..yeah, cut those suckers out but I wouldn't go removing the uvula or cutting chunks out of tongue or the palate. That's not the airway issue that seems to be mainly where UARS flow reductions happen.

Remember what I said about swapping one problem for another problem??

[Attila]

One option would be to try the Ultimate Chin Strap by Russ McMillan. Just google Utlimate Chin Strap. That one keeps your lips fairly closed as well as your chin. They do have a money back guarantee. Another option is to try one of the thinner chin straps, google the "Halo Chin Strap." It's what I use and it has stopped my mouth breathing for the most part. Occasionally I will get some air escaping from my lips but it's very rare and not enough to bother with.

I used to always sleep on my stomach but have since adapted to sleeping on my back. To be honest it has worked out much better for me and I feel much better overall sleeping this way than on my stomach as I used to do.

I have been very successful using the UCS for 7 years. Which halo do you recommend? Thanks

If the UCS works for you...you might just want to stick with it. However, if you want to try the halo chinstrap just google Halo Chinstrap by Breathe Right (I think that is the company that makes it.)

[Okie bipap]

[quote="TedVPAPI investigated having the surgery if it would reduce my pressure. My surgeon said that he had no confidence; it could make it worse.
Did the surgery help you?[/quote]

I can't really say one way or another. My symptoms got better after the surgery, but about 18 years later I ended up on a bi-level machine. When I first started treatment two years ago, I was running 20 - 25 cm pressure. Now, using a soft cervical collar, my pressure stays under 15. The reason I tried the surgery was because of my job. I was doing a lot of air travel all over the country, and the machines then were not as small as they are today. It would have been difficult to carry the cpap machine and a nebulizer I carried to treat my asthma. When I would get a severe asthma attack, the nebulizer was the only thing that would stop it. There was no way I would ever leave my nebulizer at home. Now, I feel the same way about the bi-level machine.I don't go any where without it.

[MaxINTJ]

[quote="TedVPAPI investigated having the surgery if it would reduce my pressure. My surgeon said that he had no confidence; it could make it worse.
Did the surgery help you?

I can't really say one way or another. My symptoms got better after the surgery, but about 18 years later I ended up on a bi-level machine. When I first started treatment two years ago, I was running 20 - 25 cm pressure. Now, using a soft cervical collar, my pressure stays under 15. The reason I tried the surgery was because of my job. I was doing a lot of air travel all over the country, and the machines then were not as small as they are today. It would have been difficult to carry the cpap machine and a nebulizer I carried to treat my asthma. When I would get a severe asthma attack, the nebulizer was the only thing that would stop it. There was no way I would ever leave my nebulizer at home. Now, I feel the same way about the bi-level machine.I don't go any where without it.[/quote]

I have yet to hear anything really positive about the surgery, so I am definitely not going to rush into it. I have a lot more to try before that with xPAP and time to get used to the changes. However, I am going on so little sleep that I am going to get desperate if things don't start to change - even a little bit would help - it needn't be a cure (although that would be nice!).

I just filed for a change of PCP so hopefully at least any future injury can be treated instead of ignored. When a doctor suggests going to the ER instead offering any treatment, I'm done with them. One issue dealt with, now on to the underlying problem - may progress be forthcoming!!!!!