DRY MOUTH, UNABLE TO USE BIPAP

Was diagnosed with mild OSA (AHI: 12). Got a BIPAP machine and cannot adapt to it. I am using a full face mask. Have no problems getting asleep and sleeping but awake because extreme mouth dryness which is because of a deviated septum/inability to breathe clearly through nasal passages. I notice that sometimes the humidifier tank is half empty and other times, fully empty.

I have tried all sorts of nasal sprays, etc. to no avail. I plan on getting surgery to correct the deviated septum this year. My ENT doc and I feel that once I can breathe clearer through my nose, I may not even need a CPAP/BIPAP and will do a follow-up sleep study. I do notice I sleep soundly (because I dream) when my nasal passages are clear.

In the meantime, what can I do? Dental appliance?

I had my deviated septum fixed it didn't help my apnea but I have severe apnea.
I found it is hard to keep the month shut during sleep. Sometime the desert would be wetter.

Keep Dreaming, it's good practice. You can always come back to xpap, after everything else fails. Maybe during your journey, you will decide to make xpap work. Jim

Hopefully there will still be enough parts left in your airway, xpap will still be a good solution.

Ask your pharmacist for a mouth spray - they do make them... Biotene was recommended all the time, but apparently they changed the formulation recently and it doesn't seem as popular now.

Are you using your humidifier at a high enough setting? I use mine at 5.5 out of 6. Any higher, and my face gets sweaty. Also, if you sleep with your mouth open far, try a chine strap to keep it open only a little. I have to sleep with my mouth open since I can't breathe well through my nose. My mouth is barely open, so that keeps the air flow to a minimum there. I did get dry some nights, but it isn't too bad. It does get easier with time.

MCS2014 wrote:Was diagnosed with mild OSA (AHI: 12). Got a BIPAP machine and cannot adapt to it. I am using a full face mask. Have no problems getting asleep and sleeping but awake because extreme mouth dryness which is because of a deviated septum/inability to breathe clearly through nasal passages. I notice that sometimes the humidifier tank is half empty and other times, fully empty.

I have tried all sorts of nasal sprays, etc. to no avail. I plan on getting surgery to correct the deviated septum this year. My ENT doc and I feel that once I can breathe clearer through my nose, I may not even need a CPAP/BIPAP and will do a follow-up sleep study. I do notice I sleep soundly (because I dream) when my nasal passages are clear.

In the meantime, what can I do? Dental appliance?

Hi MCS2014,

As an FYI, Steven Park, an ENT and sleep medicine specialist, has said that correcting a deviated septum has about a 10% chance of curing sleep apnea. However, chances are having the surgery will greatly increase your chances of breathing entirely through your nose and enabling you to eliminate the problem of the dry mouth.

Getting a dental appliance would cause the same problems with bad nasal potency. As a result, I would follow the advice to optimize the humidifier settings and also to ask the pharmacist for a mouth spray.

Best of luck.

49er

49er wrote:As an FYI, Steven Park, an ENT and sleep medicine specialist, has said that correcting a deviated septum has about a 10% chance of curing sleep apnea.49er

Makes sense.... A deviated septum (and curing it - thru surgery) would allow air thru the nasal passages, but really have nothing to due with collapse of the airway... IE: OSA.

Sheriff

Mouth breathing simply will dry out the mouth and for some people a lot more than others.
Can you post your equipment used (brand and model) and tell us what humidifier setting you are using?
There may be some adjustments that could be made to maybe (stress maybe) help not dry the mouth out so much.
Wouldn't hurt to at least try adjustments if they are available to you...all depends on the machine.

Oh...what pressures are you using?

And you should have software available with a bipap machine...leaks..might explain when all the water in humidifier gets used up. Big leaks will use up more water.

Dry mouth is my #1 complaint. I use a Bipap. Here is what works best for me - YMMV.

1. Biotene rinse + 2. Biotene gel + 3. Tape + 4. Chinup strip

So far, it is the only thing that has kept me from a guaranteed sahara-mouth. Sometimes I get one anyways, which means I un-tape during the night and drink water. I have a cycling water bottle with a hose and bite valve by the bed so I don't have to sit up. Then, untaped, I'm guaranteed to drink water for the rest of the night, which disrupts my sleep, but less than if I sat up or went into the bathroom to get it. As Pugsy would say, anything that disrupts your sleep is unwanted.

Keep at it - one issue at a time. While I might look like a freak while I sleep, I feel better and I dream. It's worth it.

I have dry "cotton mouth" too, with FF mask. I bought, at Target, a double-walled mug with a cover and a straw that doesn't come out when the covered is secured, to keep by the bod. If I wake in the night I pop the hose and connector off the mask and take a big swallow of water... it's a little awkward, but doable. If I use my smaller mask I can't use the straw that came with it, and I insert a regular plastic straw that has a bendable portion so I can bend the straw and get it up to where my mouth can get to it. It also came in handy once when I forgot to take my meds before I masked up.

OraMoist did not work. Wondering if going to a oral appliance would eliminate the issues since it's the air being force into my mouth that exacerbates the dryness.

Same problem. Mouth breather. Bilevel.

Set the humidity up.

COnsider a humidifier for the room.

Drink plenty of fluid.

Power ade zero swigs.

Antihistamines: learn the low antihistamine diet

I have always used Biotene mouthwash but just discovered Biotene spray. It is great and is very helpful if I wake up with a dry mouth during the night - quick spray and back to sleep!

I still use the mouthwash but this spray is very handy. A FF mask would make it a little difficult I suppose.