chipmunk/puffer cheeks/flutter lips SOLUTION

Pam · Post by **Pam** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 4:26 am

Hi All,

A week ago I went to my follow up with my sleep doc and told him about the chimpmunk/puffer cheeks and flutter lips he told me to turn up the humidifier.

I had mine set on 3 so I turned to it up 4 (was prepared to go higher if need be) well it worked.

I have had it set now at 4 for over a week and it works I totally have no more chimpmunk cheeks or flutter lips.

Give it a try it might work for you.

God bless
Pam

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): humidifier

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): humidifier

RosemaryB · Post by **RosemaryB** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:55 am

Wow, Pam, that's great! I wonder why it works and if it will work for me. It's worth a try. I'll report back on this thread.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:56 am

An interesting solution that certainly never occurred to me! The next time I encounter the "lip flutters" I'll have to try that, tho, thank heavens, I haven't encountered it in a while. Thanks.

Well, that's not quite true. A week or so ago, I did wake myself up. I actually whistled out of the corner of my mouth! 1 loud, sharp whistle that woke me and two smaller, quieter whistles. I moistened my lips w/my tongue and that was the end of it.

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 6:06 am

hmmm, i don't think i have much of a problem with this, but if the weather around here ever starts to behave like fall weather, i might try turning my hh back on...i also completely slather my lips with chapstick right before i hose up, which seems to help me keep my mouth closed

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 6:47 am

I never thought of trying Chapstick, Sharon. Thanks, sounds like it might be worth a try as well. I'll have to remember that one too when and if I run into the "lip flutters" again. Thanks.

RosemaryB · Post by **RosemaryB** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 5:48 am

I tried it last night, but alas, my cheeks were puffing out as much as ever. I'm having trouble with my Aussie heated hose, so it increased my rainout, too. If I can get the heated hose problem resolved, I may try for 5 or higher. If that changes things, I'll be sure to let everyone know.

It does work for me to wear a band around my mouth that goes over my cheeks and keeps them from puffing out so much. Luckily, there's a solution to for me. Just goes to show, everyone's different when it comes to their treatment.

I don't think chapstick will work for me either, since I mouth tape and then put the mouthband over my mouth. But once I get the rainout issue solved, I may try that, too. I'm just not sure of the theory behind either the increased humidity or the chhapstick. Any thoughts on how they work?

I've tried to train my tongue to stay pressed to the top of my mouth. I start out good, but once I drift into sleep, I can feel the air puff into my cheeks. I'm going to keep working at that one, though, because it does work while I'm awake.

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): hose, rainout

Pam · Post by **Pam** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 6:39 am

Rosemary,

Good luck with getting your rainout solved. Give it a try on 5 like you said after you get the rain out solved.

Everyone,

Hope it works for you. It sure did for me. But then again everyone is different and some things work for 50% and others don't work for the other 50% of us.

Report back if it works for you.

Thanks Pam

RosemaryB · Post by **RosemaryB** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 6:42 am

[quote="Pam"]Rosemary,

Good luck with getting your rainout solved. Give it a try on 5 like you said after you get the rain out solved.

Everyone,

Hope it works for you. It sure did for me. But then again everyone is different and some things work for 50% and others don't work for the other 50% of us.

Report back if it works for you.

Thanks Pam

echo · Post by **echo** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 7:06 pm

My sleep doc said that it's from a pressure that's too high.. though I'm not completely sure I buy that.

I'd like to try this trick but I've already got rainout at a setting of 1...

GeneS · Post by **GeneS** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 8:49 pm

I am not sure what causes Chipmunk cheeks etc. but I would suspect that air is coming out of or going to your mouth when it should be coming in and out of your nose only. My understanding is that certain tissue in your mouth and throat is supposed to act as a valve and close off your mouth when you close your mouth and breath thru your nose. For some reason your valve may not be working. Did you have surgery? Are you partially opening your mouth? I assume that higher pressure would tend to leak more. Humidity might help make a better valve seal. Just some things to investigate.

GeneS

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:26 pm

I'm just not sure of the theory behind either the increased humidity or the chhapstick. Any thoughts on how they work?

i think the chapstick just helps me in terms of lip flutters because it kind of keeps my lips gummed together...when i say i slather it on, i'm not kidding

i can't comment much on the humidity aspect, except to suggest that the added moisture might keep everything from drying out, which is why i think the chapstick works for me...if my lips were dry, they might be more likely to open and flutter

don't really know, just a theory

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:34 pm

The thing that has always concerned me about mouth taping or even the PoliGrip (which I prefer when I've needed it) was the risk of that air in the mouth causing the "lip flutters", if "locked" in by taping or PoliGripping, causing some mild aerophagia that eventually weakens the LES and silent reflux.

Thus, for the most part, I've relied on my data and as long as my AI is good (0.0 or 0.1, even 0.2) and my HI isn't too outta sight I won't bother w/the possible or even known "lip flutters". Since I have a slight sliding hiatal hernia (which most of us do have by 50) I prefer to not take that risk except and as needed.

Of course, having Crohn's disease I am more concerned than most about digestive problems and bloating, gas (expelling air from either end) are not unusual w/Crohn's and can be symptoms of increasing Crohn's activity.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 10:26 pm

RosemaryB wrote:I tried it last night, but alas, my cheeks were puffing out as much as ever. I'm having trouble with my Aussie heated hose, so it increased my rainout, too. If I can get the heated hose problem resolved, I may try for 5 or higher. If that changes things, I'll be sure to let everyone know.

Well, not because of raising humidifier temp, but I've had a drastic change. Beginning this past summer I've finally been able to dispense with taping my mouth. A chin strap is all it takes now for me to have almost no mouth leaks at all.

At various times during the past three years of taping every night I tried going with just a chin strap. No joy. Chin straps (several types) did not stop my mouth air leaks. Tape was required for me.

A post by blarg (fellow mouth-taper) this year about how he was now able to use a chin strap caused me to try a chin strap again. Miracle of miracles, it worked this time around. I think it may be because three years of taping finally let my tongue acquire the habit of staying in a leakproof position -- probably because it eventually began staying in a position to prevent cpap air from detouring into my mouth from back of throat.

Rosemary, I'd have never, ever, EVER believed that I'd be able to stop taping. Or that a chin strap alone (and not particularly tight) would finally work for me. I'd taken time out from taping to try a chin strap too many times before with no success.

Might take more months or even years, but every few months do try a chin strap for a night. Might surprise you by suddenly working someday, same way it surprised me.

RosemaryB wrote:It does work for me to wear a band around my mouth that goes over my cheeks and keeps them from puffing out so much.

That might also be why I'm having unexpected success now with just a chin strap. When I was using tape for so long, the homemade straps that hold my "Headrest" mask on were also keeping my cheeks from ballooning out. In addition to my taped lips, the couple of years that my cheeks were not able to fill with air might also have made it easier for my tongue to become accustomed to staying in the necessary sealing from inside.

RosemaryB wrote:Just goes to show, everyone's different when it comes to their treatment.

Yep. My success with chin strap alone also goes to show that as time goes on, revisiting methods that didn't work in the past might eventually surprise us. Thanks to blarg's post for reminding me to try a chin strap yet again.

blarg · Post by **blarg** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:30 pm

rested gal wrote:A post by blarg (fellow mouth-taper) this year about how he was now able to use a chin strap caused me to try a chin strap again. Miracle of miracles, it worked this time around. I think it may be because three years of taping finally let my tongue acquire the habit of staying in a leakproof position -- probably because it eventually began staying in a position to prevent cpap air from detouring into my mouth from back of throat.

That's great RG!

I'm really happy to hear that the chin strap is working for you.

The biggest tip I can give to other people about chin straps is that the point is NOT to hold your mouth together in a steel like grip. The point of a chin strap is to support your jaw and keep it up gently so that the TONGUE can stop the flow of air coming out of your mouth. Some people can train themselves to do this without a chin strap. You should still be able to yawn comfortably, and if it's slipping off, in the majority of cases, you have it adjusted too tightly.

TWolf · Post by **TWolf** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:18 am

RG or Blarg,

Do you have a recommendation for a particular chinstrap? I use a Breeze and tape. I do really well with the Breeze but sometimes I puff and leak through or around the tape (I think I'm drooling and it comes unstuck sometimes) and it's enough to disturb my sleep. I'd love to get off the tape.

Thanks,

TW