Time for some taping and tech PAP questions...

[Sparchitect]

'Been at 'er for with this taping and whatnot for a couple of weeks now... not seeing noticeable difference. I can appreciate that it may take even a couple of months before crawling out of the whole of long-term sleep deprivation, but I'd still expect to be experiencing a noticeable difference after even one good night with my mouth sealed. Am I batting over the plate guys, or off by a mile so far?

Here's the more technical side of the questioning - it's definitely apparent that there are a few different dominant schools of thought on just how taping needs to perform, but for me it's becoming absoludicrous.

1) Poligrip strips alone don't have the adherent potential to keep small holes from developing and bleeding air. Are even small leaks out from under tape/through lips going to void treatment's capacity to work, or would it not be so bad if they didn't lead eventually to increased orifice size?

2) Tape alone doesn't seem to have any problem allowing the air from my lips to slowly peel it away from my face. Given that I'm using the stickiest, most powerful stuff on this side of the planet [industrial, totally non-medical as none of the med tapes I've tried could hold a candle to it] I'm getting to feel that taping either isn't the solution, or I'm doing something horribly wrong.

3) The only way I can get it all to stay sealed is by first gluing my lips shut with polistrips, then taping the full bottom half of my face carefully and very particularly, which includes wrapping it all the way down and under my chin. Only then can I keep myself from being able to blow an airhole free [as long as my lips aren't able to develope a small airhole, at which point even then everything quickly goes to hell.
I know from my own training that 8 cm of water column shouldn't be able to force that kind of tape free, but alas I've still no results and most mornings either wake up with a clear leak or the potential for one... not that I'm ever concious enough first thing in the morning to do any sort of analysis [my only thought when I wake up is "must. not. trust. urge... to sleep... must keep moving... coffee...perk...is. near."].

4) Am I crazy or something or what? Some people mention taping and poli-strips simply 'remind' them to keep their mouths closed and re-route air properly... de da de da. That doesn't seem to by flying for me. Next I'll be going the route of the FF mask, but in the next couple of nights I'm going to try to find out how to increase my pressure and give it a good .5 or 1 cm crank and think happy thoughts...

I'm going out to do something productive with this beautiful summer day. If anyone can throw me a line I'd appreciate whatever size of string they have to offer. Most thanks, as always.

[Piggles]

Hi, I'm new and this is my first post.

I'm also a mouth breather and could not use a nasal pillow mask - it felt as though I was drowning. Resmed kitted me out with an Auto CPAP and full face vented mask from day one (29/05/07) and I have only minor leak problems. I had read about the problems with nasal masks and chinstraps/gaffer tape contraptions so I bit the bullet and went for the full mask job. Sorry I cannot give you any advice re. sealing as I only have experience of the full mask.

I hope you get the answer you're looking for.

Best wishes

Piggles

[snoregirl]

Do you have any kind of a chin strap in addition to the tape?

I cannot use just tape or just chinstrap, but the combination works for me.

I use a 3 inch ace bandage over the crown of my head and under the chin.
Not too very tight. But it is enough to keep the jaw up and then the tape keeps the lips sealed. Make sure the lips are really together or even rolled in a bit before taping and make sure the tape goes all the way across the mouth opening.

If that doesn't work, you may be a true ff mask candidate.

[bdp522]

I tape everynight with no problems at all. Try these instructions for taping;

viewtopic.php?t=9653&start=0


Brenda

[meister]

plus a lot of trial and error. I screwed around six months, until I
became a true lab rat. Now I screw around with things out of curiosity,
not because I am desperate and feeling lously, like I was initially.

[Sparchitect]

I've had a good chinstrap method in place for awhile. It's definitely a contraption and a half to see, but it does the trick better than that abomination of a neoprene POS joke for the Adam circuit they sold me.

Rooster's thread was an excellent introduction to how to do this thing right, but these follies are what I consider the first wave of unanswered variables in the 'experiment'.

I take it from the mediocre amount of responses that the amount of people who've had these problems keeping themselves taped up is less than I'd expected, or have I simply scared off too many with my inability to write concise, short posts?

[Snoredog]

try and keep your tongue planted in your hard palate, it needs to make some kind of seal at the soft palate to base of the tongue to prevent mouth leaking.

If you had your tonsils removed when younger and they trimmed part of your palate during that procedure it could be why you are having problems with mouth leaks.

8cm is not very much pressure but everyone's anatomy is different.

[TerryB]

sparchitect
I have had good luck using the elastic bandage plus a Polident strip torn in half. I place the two pieces to form three small gaps across the width of my lips. Every once in a while the small gaps at the corners have to "pass wind" but the software tells me I'm doing great. I haven't had a major leak in months.

Note those leaks you describe in section 1 sound like small leaks that do not inhibit the treatment.

TerryB

[sleepyred]

I tried the polident strips last night - woo hooo! Amazing! Truly amazing - I am going to cut as you describe tonight - I used it with my Quattro FF because my jaw kept slipping open, dry mouth, blow fish, etc. NONE OF THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Am going to try it with my activa nasal tonight. What a grand idea using these strips! I have the most sensitive skin, but no effort whatsoever to get the strip off in the a.m. And no skin distress which I was worried about!!!!!!

Sleepyred

sparchitect
I have had good luck using the elastic bandage plus a Polident strip torn in half. I place the two pieces to form three small gaps across the width of my lips. Every once in a while the small gaps at the corners have to "pass wind" but the software tells me I'm doing great. I haven't had a major leak in months.

TerryB

[TerryB]

I have tried to take naps on the weekend (What else are long rainy weekend days for?) without the strips and have vowed not to do that anymore, too much disturbance from leaking lips. The strap alone is just not enough for me.

TerryB