Question re mouth breathing, nasal mask and therapy help

[jojojta]

I'm trying to help my husband out who is having a hard time with cpap treatment. I doubt that he would use a full face mask. He's used to sleeping on his stomach with his face in the pillow but of course he can't do that anymore. Currently uses a nasal mask and sometimes the nasal pillows, but I see and hear that he's got his mouth open quite a bit of the time. Is he getting any therapy at all this way or is he just wasting his time and being uncomfortable with no results? I am thinking about getting him the software for the respironics system 1 but read somewhere that it won't work with 64 bits? How do you find out if your computer is 64 or 32? Thanks in advance.

[Irene P.]

Some recommend using tape to keep the mouth shut, either painter's easy release tape or medical tape. He could try a chin strap. They work for some people. You do lose a lot of air through the mouth, so it affects the therapy.

I don't know about the computer stuff, but I'm sure someone else will answer.

Good luck,

Irene

[sunnyway]

I just started a topic on Chin-Up Strips, tape to keep one's mouth closed. See viewtopic/t53306/Tape-for-mouth-leaks.html

[Julie]

Hi - I'm PM'ing you about stomach sleeping - look for it in 10 mins.

[brazospearl]

Jojojta,
Welcome to the forum! Kudos to you for taking part in improving your husband's health. I can't answer your computer question as my knowledge about them is pretty limited, but I'm sure someone will be along shortly to help you with that issue. As for the masks, your husband might feel comfortable with the Hybrid mask. It has nasal pillows like he's using now, but also fits over the mouth so that if mouth breathing happens he won't lose his therapy air. Might be worth a try.

[rested gal]

Julie, not to be nosy about the PM you said you were sending jojojta... but you know me... I'm curious.
Plus, your advice or suggestion could help others who are used to sleeping on their stomachs but are struggling with how to do that and be able to accomodate their CPAP mask.

Almost a year ago, you wrote about a very creative way you had come up with to handle your tummy sleeping/mask issue. Does what you wrote back then still work for you?

In this topic from August 2009:
Re: Stomach sleeper and mask advice?
viewtopic.php?p=397923#p397923

Hi, a few years ago I ordered a 4" high slab of foam to go on my mattress. It was a good quality one (it's rated in terms of lbs (2,3,4) rather than just 'density') so it would last and be comfortable - can't remember which one I have now. Anyway, I cut out (with an electric turkey knife) a 3" wide trough starting at the top middle and extending towards the bottom by about 10 inches. It has since gotten somewhat wider and I also played with shaving the sharp edges, etc. (something you have to do on your own of course - just don't cut til you're sure!).. It's worked great so far, especially as I use an UltraMirage FF mask that vents not from the right angle of the elbow (as so many do), but from somewhere else where the vent isn't blocked by covers, or the mattress. Mostly the left side of my face is on the mattress (slab) but tilted into the trough (in other words, not straight up and down). I did it because when I tried sleeping without it, I couldn't - the mask, if it didn't break someplace, just dug into my face (beyond the usual and/or the hand I tried to use to help things, and I knew I needed a 'hole' somewhere. Anyway, that's it. Hope you find the right way for you! PS - the slab covers the whole mattress (and does slide around over time - need to rearrange it every few days, no big deal.

jojojta, how good that you're taking an interest in helping your husband get as good CPAP therapy as possible. Finding a way to control the mouth breathing problem will be very important if he can't wear a Full Face mask. Perhaps with Julie's tip he will be able to use an FF mask, and be able to sleep on his stomach. Or go the route of chin strap and/or tape if he just can't use any FF mask comfortably.

The Hybrid FF mask that brazospearl mentioned might be the ticket for him. It's designed quite differently from the usual FF masks. Could be worth a try.

There can be a lot of pieces to the puzzle to "get right" in order to get truly effective CPAP treatment and, at the same time, be able to sleep in the position a person finds most comfortable. Your support for your husband's therapy efforts is to be applauded. Good for you!

[Julie]

Hi, I'm actually now using a great big fat memory foam mattress (5.2 lb 'weight') - not Tempur-Pedic which would have put me in the poor house, but another version which is every bit (if not more) as good. And yes, I cut a trench right into it for the mask, and it still works as well as can be expected. ! These mattresses don't need to be turned, but if the time comes when the cut-out has fallen apart, I can do an end over end flip and make a new one. I horrify people when they see my nice new mattress with a big hole in it, but who cares? And yes, that's what I PM'd Jojita about. You're so nosy!

[johngron]

Last night was my first successful night with the hpme machine and nasal pillows. I woke up with a dry mouth which tells me I was sleeping with mouth open. Does this imply that I was breathing through my mouth and bypassing the machine? If so, when I order my unit from the insurance company should I opt to go with a "full face mask"? Will a full face mask work despite my opne mouth?

Thanks!

[Janknitz]

You probably were breathing through your mouth and that limits the benefit of the therapy. Leak data would tell you for sure.

BUT, that doesn't mean you have to go to a FF mask. FF masks are not often very comfortable, they tend to leak a lot, and many people find them harder to sleep in because they take up so much real estate on your face.

You should try other remedies before giving up on the nasal mask, if they don't work you can always try a ff mask later (being mindful of the 30 day return policy most DME's have):

1. Taping--search mouth taping on this forum for suggestions how to tape your mouth shut so that air doesn't escape.

2. A chin strap--this works well for some people.

3. Some people put a line of denture adhesive on their lips to keep them sealed shut.

4. My favorite works only in side sleeping--push a pillow up under your chin so your mouth can't open. I use a little Chap Stick on my lips to very lightly stick them closed, too.

[johngron]

Thanks, I have a chin strap I will try that tonight

[greyjuice]

I was a mouth-breathing-stomach-sleeper, too, before cpap. Tried a lot of masks, and finally determined that I needed a full-face mask. The Ultra Mirage FFM by ResMed works best for me, and I gradually learned to sleep on my side. CPAP treatment works, and takes time to find the right combination of mask, machine--and sleeping position. Stick with it, though, it will make a great difference in your life.

[johngron]

Thanks for the encouragement grey. I slept well last night and once I get the insurance machine with the reduced pressure on exhale, data management, dual overhead cam with headers and four on the floor...I am sure it will be even better.

I wake in the night and have to make sure the machine is still on because I have already become accustom to breathing through it. I did a a bit of dry mouth last night but nothing nearly as bad as without the chin strap.