Side Sleeper Mask Advice

curtcurt46 · Post by **curtcurt46** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:41 pm

The Mirage Activa nasal mask and the Optilife nasal pillows have been the best for me. I have tried at least 12 different masks. Also have found the Hybrid to be a great full face mask.
The recommendations for you to consider the Respironics Auto Bipap are soild with alot of merit. The prtessure relief is fantastic. Good luck in your quest.

MartiniLover · Post by **MartiniLover** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:29 pm

I am a side sleeper, and roller. First on my left side, roll to right, and then make the complete circle. Many times I wake up with the hose wrapped around my neck.

1. Quattro

2. Nasal Aire II

I have tried seven other masks, and these two are the ones I keep.

I was very happy with the NA II until I got the Quattro. I have used it every night since, and love it. I will probably get another when my insurance company buys me another.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 9:03 am

Thanks all for your input. I have an appointment the the doctor on November 6th. I have started a spiral notebook to write down things so I don't forget to ask him. I would like to find out about getting a different machine that allows a lower pressure to exhale and also to record info that I could use my computer to track how effective it is at stopping my apnea occurances. I have learned that a pressure of 15 which is what was prescribed is high and don't know for sure but think the reason he prescribed a cpap maching is because that is what the insurance would pay for. I would be willing to buy the machine myself if the insurance won't pay if it gives me better results and I like the idea of being able to actually use my computer to check to see what's going on short of having another sleep study done.

One other thing I"m trying to figure out is the dry mouth and throat thing I'm experiencing. I just read another thread about this so know I'm not the only one......my main concern more than the discomfort and waking up is how it effects my treatment. I got a cheap chin strap from the sleep study place and used that last night when I first went to sleep at around 10pm. I woke up around 2am with dry mouth and the chin strap was still on ok....I had it as tight as I could make it and still be comfortable which should have been tight enough. I think my problem is my lips open slightly. The night before I used the chin strap I got up in the middle of the night and taped my mouth shut and woke up a few hours later and mouth didn't seem to be as dry so I do think this is the reason. I'm thinking that a mask that covers both my mouth and nose might be worth a try. If I can find one that is comfortable enough. I was also thinking that if would be a good idea to have a mask like this because I will eventualy get a cold and won't be able to use my current nasal mask plus I'd be able to grow my mustache back which would make my wife happy as she doesn't like it that I shaved it off to get a better seal with the nasal mask.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 10:20 am

I'm a side sleeper, I use a Soyala nasal mask it works great, been using it a year now. Without a doubt the quietest mask you'll find.

tangents · Post by **tangents** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 6:56 am

dpeel, sometimes a boil-n-bite mouthguard takes up enough room in the mouth to prevent air from sneaking out. Look up DIY Mouthguard under the yellow light bulb. I don't need any modifications for myself, and use the "Best Fit Dental Preferred mouthguard", but it's about $16 on eBay, but many others here use the $1 version available at KMart and Walmart.

Good luck,
Cathy

PS. Here's the eBay link if you're interested. http://cgi.ebay.com/BEST-FIT-DENTAL-PRE ... dZViewItem

dpeel · Post by **dpeel** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:50 am

Thanks for the info tangents! I never thought that having my tongue lay back and flat would stop the mouth air leak problem. I did a search and found this on the apnea support forum form a person going by the name of "rested gal" on 10-24-07 (today).:

"Keeping the jaw up, mouth closed, lips shut won't do diddly squat if the tongue isn't able to maintain an airtight seal inside the mouth.

Some people may find that a chin strap's little bit of reminder to keep the mouth closed is enough and may become a habit that allows them to finally toss the chin strap.

But for the rest of us, air leaking into the mouth can escape from between closed lips even if the jaw is clamped so shut that the teeth are clenched. People who have the problem you describe ... same problem I have....tongue not able to keep a seal inside the mouth are plagued with air escaping out the mouth as blurpy lip puffs or air gushing out from between the lips even with jaw and mouth closed. Doesn't matter how tight we cinch up a chin strap. It just will happen. The tongue, not the jaw, mouth, or lips, is the culprit for many of us.

I put a stop to the air escaping from my lips by taping my lips closed at night. Did that for months and months so that I could wear more comfortable nasal pillows interfaces and the Activa, rather than have to wear a full face mask every night. I used Johnson & Johnson waterproof adhesive tape, turning down a a bit of each end as "grab tabs". Two strips of 1" wide tape, overlapping slightly, placed horizontally across my lips. Like a big patch extending well above and below the lips and well beyond the corners of my mouth. An expensive alternative that held even better was Tegaderm.

Lately, for the past month or two, instead of tape I've been using a neat little homemade contraption that a smart lady on the TAS message board came up with, using just some cheap athletic boil-and-bite mouthguards easily found at WalMart and other places. Takes some doing...some trial and error...to get it fashioned just right, but when you get it "built" right, it keeps the tongue pushed back to form a natural air tight seal back at the entrance to the throat. And can do that quite comfortably.

Oh, but they say that tongue dropping back can be a cause of apneas. No worries... the cpap pressure is there to keep the throat open anyway. The DIY mouthguard pushing the tongue back to make the tongue widen back there to dam the air simply keeps the air going where it's supposed to go...down into the throat instead of detouring out the mouth.

Some have also gotten started with a more expensive (but not bad -- under $100, I've read) dentist made device called Nose Breathe than works on the same principle as frequenseekers "DIY" mouthguard thingy. Either way, the idea is to make the tongue itself form the airtight seal.

With the "Do It Yourself mouthguard I made, I can let my jaw and mouth relax comfortably open all night and not a bit of air escapes. I have software for my autopap, so can see that nice rock bottom leak line and the better AHI I get when mouth air leaks are controlled so effectively and comfortably. "

I plan to go to Walmart and see if I can make a DIY mouthguard from a athletic boil and bit mouthguard and give that a try tonight. I have tried both a chin strap and tape and was thinking about the denture sealing idea but even that I can see problems with.....expensive over time plus what if you have to talk or drink some water during the night? Might have to use more of the stuff.

I called and changed my appointment with the doctor to next Thursday, the 1st from the 6th and plan to talk to him about a LOT of things.

Now that I know so much more I would like to see about getting a Remstar M Series Auto CPAP with A-Flex instead of the Goodnight 420G. The reason is the problem exhaling as my pressure is 15 which I've discovered causes me and many others with pressure that high to exhale with a regular CPAP machine. This machine sounds like a good one as it accomplishes all that plus it might not have to use soo much pressure and I would like to have the ability to use my computer to see how effective my treatment is short of having another sleep study done.

I also plan to get a full face mask as I see the eventual need for one when I get a cold which I always do around this time of the year besides if the DIY mouthpiece doesn't work I might have to go this route to stop the dry mouth problem that causes me to get up multiple times each night.

dpeel · Post by **dpeel** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 9:05 am

Here is a better link with instructions on making it.....don't know if it will work, but I plan to try!:

http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/message-b ... php?t=4750

tangents · Post by **tangents** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 11:04 am

Let us know how you make out!

Cathy

dpeel · Post by **dpeel** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 2:38 pm

Well, I made one today......not sure if I made it just right, but I will try it tonight. I had some leftover material that I can use if I need to. I also bought two more as they were only .99 each.....I'll let you know tomorrow how it went and if I need to make anymore modifications.

dpeel · Post by **dpeel** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:24 am

Well, it seems to be working!......It wasn't the most comfortable thing, but not bad enough to keep me from sleeping. I am planning to leave the one I made alone and make another one and make it slightly different to see if it still works and is a bit more comfortable. I will keep everyone posted on my results.

dpeel · Post by **dpeel** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 5:21 am

Success!!!!

I made another DIY Boil and Bit Mouthpiece and added that center piece and formed it to where it looks more like a retainer....got it to hold onto my upper teeth nice and snug and the extra piece I added in the center conforms to the roof of my mouth. It is much more comfortable than the first one I made and wore it ALL night last night with no problem. Slept all night without waking up with dry mouth!!!!!! I think this is going to work for me as the chin strap didn't and don't want to use tape or denture material to keep my mouth sealed.

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 5:55 am

Great! Success is a wonderful thing! Maybe you could post pix of both so we can see just how they look? I'm sure this might help others.

Brenda