Drooling Newbie

Well I've almost made it through two weeks with my CPAP. I feel like overall I'm having a fairly easy time with it, despite fighting a summer cold for the last few weeks. There was just one night where my coughing was so bad I had to go without. Otherwise I'm wearing it for all of my sleeping.

I really am grateful to have found this forum. I appreciate the wealth of information, and everyone's shared experience is really encouraging. But can I just say that ever since I started this, I have been appalled to discover how much I drool at night? As if it wasn't enough to learn my husband wasn't lying about the snoring. Any other droolers out there?

Quite a few from all I have read. I am not one of them, at least so far but no doubt they will all chime in at some point. In the meantime, you are not alone

Most nights I don't. But some nights, I drool a lot and wake up several times needing to wipe the drool off my mask. No idea why it seems to come and go.

I was before I started CPAP but using a nasal pillow means I have to keep my mouth shut so a side effect of that is no more drooling.

I think I drool less now than I did before CPAP.

Congratulations on getting off to a great start!!

It might not be you; it might be condensation forming in your mask. And I'd rather have drool than a dry mouth.

gdgiles wrote:I was before I started CPAP but using a nasal pillow means I have to keep my mouth shut so a side effect of that is no more drooling.

This has been my experience as well. I had begun drooling more in the months leading up to my apnea diagnosis. But I use nasal pillows, and because of this I also wear a chin strap to prevent my mouth opening (and affecting the therapy with the pillows). No more mouth opening means no more drooling.

I am a drooler as well. I sometimes go weeks without drooling, then have several nights where I drool enough that like a previous poster, I have to wipe my mask (and my chin!) once or twice during the night.

You're definitely not the only one!

Semily wrote: I really am grateful to have found this forum. I appreciate the wealth of information, and everyone's shared experience is really encouraging. But can I just say that ever since I started this, I have been appalled to discover how much I drool at night? As if it wasn't enough to learn my husband wasn't lying about the snoring. Any other droolers out there?

I don't much drool before CPAP: unknown to me, I would turn over and sleep on my side. also, I probably would wipe the drool off easily.

After CPAP: I forced myself to sleep on my left side, and with a full face mask, its hard to wipe off the drool. The wet feeling is quite obvious and I would stick my fingers underneath my mask to wipe it, but apparently, I don't produce a lot of drool, just enough to feel it.

Not sure what I can do about it though. My dental bite is off however, so might improve after orthodonics (planning to get braces).

Thanks for the encouragement! I knew that pre-CPAP I occasionally would wake up with a wet pillow, but it was the exception, not the rule. I guess I'm just aware of it more now since I have this handy mask on my face to catch it all. I'm hoping as I adjust more maybe that will decrease.

I have more questions, and I hate to start new threads. So I figured I'd just tag onto this one. I've heard that some people find weight loss easier once they begin therapy (fingers crossed I have that side effect). No changes yet, except that the last few weeks it seems like I am starving all the time. I wondered if it's possible improved oxygen is raising metabolism and causing this. Anyone else ever notice this?

Also, I have been getting the runaround like nobody's business from sleep lab/DME/insurance company. I'm not really looking for help per se, but a couple of times I've really just wanted to vent/rant, and this seems like the most logical place for me to get some (even feined) sympathy. Is there a thread somewhere here already in existence where I can do this?

Semily wrote:I have more questions, and I hate to start new threads. So I figured I'd just tag onto this one.

well, hijacking your own thread to post off topic stuff is new... but, you won't get as many responses to your changed questions with the old title.

just a bit of food for thought.

palerider wrote:well, hijacking your own thread to post off topic stuff is new... but, you won't get as many responses to your changed questions with the old title.

just a bit of food for thought.

Thank you for that, and please excuse my forum ignorance! Guess I'll make a new post after all.