Newbie frustrated with new mask!

[rise&shiner]

I am a true mouth breather. When I had my sleep study test done and they tried a nasal mask on me first without a chin strap and then with a chin strap. I started choking and gasping for air. I do have a deviated semptom? and also enlarge adnoids. I should of had septum worked ln while I as little as well as my adenoids but I have always been highly allergic to anesthesia medicine so my pediatrician did not think it was worth the risk of my dying on the table but then again who knew anything about OSA fifty years ago.

I find that the forma fit full mask does the job for me but as you can tell I went through a lot to get to that one. Since you are a newbie ask you DME how many masks can you try before you get charged for one. My DME would let me try out as many as I had to in the first 30 days to find the one that would work and that is the only one of have a had to pay for.

For the skeptics out there about the mouth breathing some of it is physical some of its is habit but they are many ways to achieve great results and isn't that all that really matters.

[DreamOn]

A chin strap isn't designed to stop you from mouth breathing. It does encourage you to try and breath through your nose by holding your mouth open [I know you mean "closed"].

Hi Gerry,

I agree. That's why I said in an earlier post on this thread regarding use of the chin strap: "I can still breathe through my mouth if I need to, but it seems to hold the tongue in place enough to keep any air from escaping." Perhaps I should have been more choice in my words. By "air" I meant "substantial therapy air" -- like the hurricane or puffs of air. I realize that you may not have been addressing me, but I just wanted to clarify that.

[GaryG]

I'm still curious as to why some people have trouble with mouth breathing while others, myself included, have no problem keeping their mouth shut, even during deepest sleep.

First of all, I don't consider it trouble. I just consider it requiring a FF mask, which isn't such a big deal. I know I'm a mouth breather. See, some of us have deviated septums, so have challenges getting enough air up thru the nostrils.

Consider yourself lucky if you can get by with a nasal mask and/or pillows. But don't consider mouth breathing "trouble"some. It is what is it, and those of us mouth breathers don't let it stop us from using a FF mask for CPAP.

[sronsen]

DreamOn wrote:
. . .if you stretch out your tongue more, or lay it down flat, is it then easier for you to automatically switch from nose to mouth breathing?

DreamOn - I hope you understand that I won't be able to do any such thing for the next month without thinking far too much about it! With my luck, I'll be mouth-breathing for the first time in my life tonight.

I was really hoping that we would be joined by someone with some anatomical expertise, because I think looking at this thread tomorrow is going to be very entertaining, but useless in explaining why some have a hard time with mouth breathing and others . . .

[Kate1958]

I appreciate all your posts tonight! It really helps to hear from all sides on the pros and cons of the different masks, etc. I will keep you posted on which one that will work for me.

[Scarlet834]

DreamOn wrote:
. . .if you stretch out your tongue more, or lay it down flat, is it then easier for you to automatically switch from nose to mouth breathing?

DreamOn - I hope you understand that I won't be able to do any such thing for the next month without thinking far too much about it! With my luck, I'll be mouth-breathing for the first time in my life tonight.

I was really hoping that we would be joined by someone with some anatomical expertise, because I think looking at this thread tomorrow is going to be very entertaining, but useless in explaining why some have a hard time with mouth breathing and others . . .

I'm entertained already! I don't understand the anatomy, particularly the way air can take an end run around my clenched teeth. A chin strap and small bit of tape seems to discourage that most of the time.

The bit of fun I'd like to add--my RT suggested I try a simple mouth guard to see if that would prevent air from leaking out the mouth. Well, it did that all right--nothing out the mouth. With my jaw cocked slightly open air absolutely gushed through the back of my jaw and right into my stomach. That undoubtedly indicates something else about my particular anatomy. Anyway, luckily my strap/tape method works for me, for now. I have not ruled out a FFM in the future.

[Muse-Inc]

I am a mouth breather, so the nasal pillows are not working for me...

I wear the RespCare Hybrid (the orginal hybrid-style mask) and love it. After losing about 45#s, I was no longer able to maintain the velolingual seal (airways had less fat, changed shape) and started losing therapy air via lip puffs -- I hadda give up my beloved OptiLife pillow mask that I'd worn since starting CPAP Aug 07. I hope you have good luck finding a great fit.

[DreamOn]

With my jaw cocked slightly open air absolutely gushed through the back of my jaw and right into my stomach.

Oh, that's awful, Scarlet! That must've been very uncomfortable. I purchased a mouth guard before I decided to try the chin strap. It's still in the box unopened. After hearing your experience, I don't think I even want to try it! I don't seem to clench my jaw or grind anymore anyway.

~ DreamOn

[DreamOn]

I hope you understand that I won't be able to do any such thing for the next month without thinking far too much about it!

Yes, I understand, sronsen!

With my luck, I'll be mouth-breathing for the first time in my life tonight.

I certainly hope not!

I hope that someone comes along who can answer your question.

~ DreamOn

[rested gal]

sronsen, I think it has to do with the geometry of the inside of the mouth, size of tongue, (and probably a bunch of other factors! )

Believe me, I've tried my best over the past 6 years to "train" myself to not mouth-breathe during sleep. I don't mouth breathe during the day. But my software printouts show massive mouth breathing leaks during sleep.

I have to use tape AND a chin strap to fully control it.

There are more discussions in the links below than anyone would want to read but that will give you an idea of the lengths some of us die hard mouth-breathers-during-sleep have to go to, if we want to wear masks that are more comfortable to us than Full Face masks. No offense to those who have found a FF mask that suits them. I just find my particular nasal pillows mask far more comfortable than any FF mask I've tried, and tape/chin strap don't bother me.

LINKS to: Mouth leaks - Air Leaks - Tape - DIY Guard
viewtopic.php?t=8011

[Scarlet834]

With my jaw cocked slightly open air absolutely gushed through the back of my jaw and right into my stomach.

Oh, that's awful, Scarlet! That must've been very uncomfortable. I purchased a mouth guard before I decided to try the chin strap. It's still in the box unopened. After hearing your experience, I don't think I even want to try it! I don't seem to clench my jaw or grind anymore anyway.

~ DreamOn

I didn't have the contraption on more than two minutes. I was awake and couldn't stop it. Sigh. We all have our individual peculiarities.