Taping Your Chin or Mouth: STOP

[valvestem]

I recently told my wife, after reading of many people here using tape to keep the mouth shut during sleep, her response was OMG, that's dangerous. Reason? If one were to vomit, it could be aspirated into the lungs because it has no where to go. Causing many serious issues to arise, up to and including respiratory arrest. She is a registered respiratory therapist & a registered polysomnographist tech (21 years).

Suggestion: Get a "chin strap". The mouth can still be open if neccessary as they are made with a type of elastic cloth.

[sleepycarol]

For many a chin strap simply does not work. When a chin strap doesn't work you look for alternatives. Mouth taping is one of them.

[6PtStar]

Chin straps don't work. All they do is keep my teeth clenched and make them hurt. Lips still leak. I actually like glueing my lips together with polygrip denture strips better.

Show me one documented case of this happening and I will consider it.

Jerry

[alnhwrd]

That would be true if one slept with hands tied behind the back. Those who tape double over a piece at one or both ends to use as a pull tab. So if I were to wake up having to puke (15 plus years since that has happened) I would just rip it off. Also, if I felt queasy the night before, I probably would forego the tape. I think the benefit of being able to use a mask that is comfortable and gives good therapy every night far outweighs the minimal risk. And, I'm not meaning to be flippant or rude, but where are the stories about people actually dying from this if it is such a big issue?

But if it bothers you, just on't do it.

[SleepGuy]

Uh...I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer but isn't it just as dangerous to have a Neoprene-Velcro Monster Chinstrap holding your jaw closed as some tape on the mouth?? Especially where there's a big ol' piece of Velcro at the back of the head??

Am I missing something here?

If I were to vomit in my sleep I think it would take me longer to undo the Neoprene-Velcro Monster than to take some tape off my mouth.

But then again I'm just a dumb lawyer. If I could count i'd have been a Doctor.

[Panhandler]

My guess is that formally trained RTs have a lot of in-hospital experience, and a lot of the safety issues evolve from incapacitated patients. In that context, great care is warranted and I'd never suggest anyone tape someone else's mouth, but I've NEVER awakened mid-vomit. I've awakened ready to vomit, but have always had a moment or two to find the bucket, etc. so I'm not too worried about taping my own mouth.

On the other hand, I've climbed on a chair on top of a table to change a light bulb, so maybe my sense of self-preservation is flawed. <G>

[Hawthorne]

Several have mentioned chin staps here and the fact that they are still a problem if one were to vomit. We are told a full face mask is the way to go--What if you vomit with one of those on???? I just don't see any difference. If you are a mouth breather you need to control that to get therapy. Several have said you can train yourself to keep you mouth closed but something has to be done in the meantime.
When I went for a sleep study last month, I mentioned to the Therapist that I had been taping my mouth. I had my tape with me. She said she didn't want me to do that. She said she would raise the pressure high enough to deal with that! How high would it have to be to overcome mouth breathing?????

[snoregirl]

Hawthorne. HA HA HA. That is funny. Raise your pressure high enough to deal with your mouth breathing. Would just make it worse. What a nitwit.

As to the original poster. I think it has all been said.

I also wake up ready to vomit (when this happens once every 15 years.

I can get tape off quickly

I do not go to bead queazy and tape

A full face mask is far more difficult to rip off than mouth tape if one had to vomit.

And on and on.

Just not an issue. They need to teach RT's to be more practical rather than just brainwash them with CYA information.

[Snoredog]

I recently told my wife, after reading of many people here using tape to keep the mouth shut during sleep, her response was OMG, that's dangerous. Reason? If one were to vomit, it could be aspirated into the lungs because it has no where to go. Causing many serious issues to arise, up to and including respiratory arrest. She is a registered respiratory therapist & a registered polysomnographist tech (21 years).

Suggestion: Get a "chin strap". The mouth can still be open if neccessary as they are made with a type of elastic cloth.

what a bunch of horse poop!! When was the last time one vomited in the sleep? Me NEVER, all my brothers, NEVER.

I don't care if she is an RT, that don't mean squat to me, if everyone followed the advice coming from them types there would be even fewer people being compliant with therapy, take your sky is falling theory elsewere, people coming here come to hear advise on maintaining their therapy not the sky is falling BS from a bunch of quacks.

[GumbyCT]

The problem is most RT's are not using CPAP period - so have no experience using CPAP.

The only people who recommend chin straps are those who don't have to use them - such as RT's, Nurse's, Doctor's, and Ins. Co's.

I recommend YOU don't drive over 55 - now STOP.

My father's a brain surgeon - what does that make me? Or more to the point - Why isn't she posting here?

[roster]

There are plenty of cases every year of people dying from vomiting in their sleep. My buddy died two years ago from this. But guess what: none of these people had their mouth taped or their chin strapped. Most of them, including my buddy, were already deathly ill.

As a crude college student, I once vomited violently over the side of the bed. I was too drunk to get up and make it to the toilet. Had I been a mouth-taping cpap patient at the time, I would have been too drunk to tape. Heck, I was too drunk to put on a mask or even find the power button on the machine.

[Snoredog]

[quote="rooster"]There are plenty of cases every year of people dying from vomiting in their sleep. My buddy died two years ago from this. But guess what: none of these people had their mouth taped or their chin strapped. Most of them, including my buddy, were already deathly ill.

As a crude college student, I once vomited violently over the side of the bed. I was too drunk to get up and make it to the toilet. Had I been a mouth-taping cpap patient at the time, I would have been too drunk to tape. Heck, I was too drunk to put on a mask or even find the power button on the machine.

[roster]

........

had to go to the bathroom went in there and guess where I found all the sheets and blankets? Stuffed in the toilet,

......

Whoa! Did you also room with Ryan Ashburn in the late sixties? I roomed with that sob in school year 68/69.

On the positive side, he was a good guy to run around with chasing trashy women. We always caught our limit.

[TerryB]

Well, I have to tell you it is possible to aspirate vomit during a taped mouth CPAP session. I scared myself pretty badly, but I assume I didn't do any real harm. I suppose I had eaten too much or the wrong combination earlier in the evening or went to bed too soon after snaking too much. Anyway, I woke up with burning pain in my upper chest and a mouth full of chunks. It wasn't hard to get the Polident strips to release once I was awake, but it didn't happen while I was asleep. I debated going to the ER but didn't. Gross, I know, but I had to let you know it's not a fairy tale, it can happen, so be careful out there.

TerryB

[yardbird]

Ok I'm just going to pop in and dole out a dose of compassion.

The original poster (and his wife) offered a bit of information based on their belief. Clinically trained people normally don't want you to tape your mouth shut. But the information was posted sincerely.

So while in PRACTICAL terms we may disagree with the advice because of our OWN experience, I don't begrudge anyone their honesty.



that's all.

Gotta go glue my lips together for the night.