Drymouth

Fenway · Post by **Fenway** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:17 pm

OK here's my situation. I use a Remstar Pro2 CPAP with heated humidifier with fairly low pressure @12.5CM2 My mask is an Activa. I like a cool bedroom and we set our heat at about 59 degrees at nite to save on heating oil costs as well. I am very warm blooded and sweat buckets all the time (not a medical condition, it runs in the family)

I did experiment with the heater settings a bit, I was getting rainout with higher temps so I purchased a fleece hose jacket, rainout solved.

I now have the heater set at 5, however, I still wake up with extreme drymouth. I thought I may be mouthbreathing (I woke up my wife several times with air gushing from my mouth) so I tried tape- still drymouth.

Now I have a beard and moustache for the winter so tape is out. I made an educated guess that I wasn't actually mouthbreathing as much as the pressure was forcing my mouth open late at night when I was my most relaxed (between 3-4AM) so I purchased a chin strap and still I have drymouth.

I don't really want to go to a FF if I don't have to.

Just wondering if anyone has had similar experiences and how they solved it. I have been on CPAP since early May 2005, I have lost and kept off almost 50 Lbs. and am exercising daily and eating right. CPAP has made a huge difference in my life, I have more energy later into the day and can stay up later at nite. The drymouth is more of a nuicance than anything, I do keep a bottle of water bedside and usually have to have a few swigs in the middle of the night.

Thanks for all of the support this board has provided me!!!!!

Steve @ Fenway

TerryB · Post by **TerryB** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:45 pm

I have a 'stache and have used an ACE type bandage between chin and top/back of my head, I'm only getting started at this so it's not foolproofed yet. It keeps my mouth shut, but gave me some jaw joint discomfort next morning.

Good Luck,
]
TerryB

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:47 pm

It sure sounds like you are mouthbreathing, The only sure sure stop is FF Masks or taping. I use FF Masks, always have, not because I like it, but to get the best treatment. Even doing that, I've been congested bad this week and had to mouth breath with my mask on, had dry mouth bad even then, I like the cold air in the mask so I run the HH off or on 1. there wasn't enough moisture for my throat.

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:57 pm

I run a pressure of 10-18.5, Normal range is 12-15.5 depending upon which side I sleep.

I adapted to the APAP from night one last June.

I've tried a couple of masks, but keep using the Activa.

I have really only had one problem of any large concern and a minor problem of occasional mouth breathing.

My biggest problem was injuring my tongue on sharp surfaces of my teeth. Thanks to this board, I found out about mouth pieces and chose one from my local Rite Aide that I heated and molded to my teeth.

I modified it by using only the portion between my molars and cutting away most of the front portion leaving only a band/joining the left/right portion covering my molars.

This solved BOTH my problems as I seemingly bite down while asleep and have had NO instances of mouth breathing since using the bite wing described above.

Hope this long round about version helps.

Craig
(Signed as I will probably get 'guested'.)

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): activa, APAP

snork1 · Post by **snork1** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:48 pm

i agree that it sounds like mouthbreathing.
Chin straps rarely do much good under the chin.
I like the DIY tongue guide made from boil and bite mouthguards myself.

Try this experiment right now.

Push up under you jaw and blow out through your lips.
Pretty easy, eh?

Now place your forefinger just under your lower lip and press, THEN try blowing out. A lot tougher to blow out, eh?

This is the problem with most chin straps, the pressure is on the wrong location. IF you are going the chin strap route it MUST be putting the pressure just below your lower lip.

I still prefer the home made dental device for myself though.

clanrat · Post by **clanrat** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 2:07 am

I wake up 2 -3 times a night with dry mouth too.

What I've done is to keep a large Rubbermaid water bottle with an integrated straw beside the bed. So now when I wake up, I just take a big drink, hit the ramp key, and go back to sleep.

regards,

-Cam.

sleepyred · Post by **sleepyred** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:51 am

snork1 wrote:i agree that it sounds like mouthbreathing.
Chin straps rarely do much good under the chin.
I like the DIY tongue guide made from boil and bite mouthguards myself.

Try this experiment right now.

Push up under you jaw and blow out through your lips.
Pretty easy, eh?

Now place your forefinger just under your lower lip and press, THEN try blowing out. A lot tougher to blow out, eh?

I must have a small chin - I have one of those "cheapy" chin straps that my DME tossed at me when he was leaving. I like your experiment. I read it and then put on my chin strap. It fits right under my chin and goes up to my bottom lip and puts pressure right under my lower lip. Maybe that is why this chin strap works for me. I do not open my mouth when I use this particular chin strap. When I don't use it, my hubby complains of the noise! Just my 2 cents worth and I like your experiment!

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... hleak.html

luvmykatz · Post by **luvmykatz** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 2:52 pm

I like the Tiara Topaz adjustable chin strap. It has more to it than the cheap little ones the DMEs usually give you at first. This one is substantial and stays in place with 2 straps (one at top of head, one behind head) and is comfortable. It would save your stache! You might want to try it. I think it's $21 on cpap.com. It's on several cpap sites. There are 2 others by Tiara, same style but not adjustable. Good luck.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 6:11 pm

[quote="clanrat"]I wake up 2 -3 times a night with dry mouth too.

What I've done is to keep a large Rubbermaid water bottle with an integrated straw beside the bed. So now when I wake up, I just take a big drink, hit the ramp key, and go back to sleep.

regards,

-Cam.

Fenway · Post by **Fenway** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 11:29 am

Ok it's been a week since I last posted on the drymouth subject. I have considered purchasing a FF mask, mouthgards, etc. Last nite I changed my normal pillow setup (I have slept with 2 pillows since I was a kid) to one of those temper-pedic type pillows and my wife said that I didn't wake her up once, and I awoke with no drymouth symptoms. I know it's only one nite but I may be onto something? Coiuld the position of my head as I sleep ce a contributing factor to my mouth breathing? ANyone else have similar results?

Steve @ Fenway

15 days, 0 hours and 38 minutes till Opening Day!!!!

Sleepless in St. Louis · Post by **Sleepless in St. Louis** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 11:52 am

I also switched to that type of pillow and it really helped with the sealing issues I had with the Swift. That and changing my hose from free-floating to attaching to my headgear. Now I don't lose seal quite as often. I've also been experimenting with different nasa pillow sizes. The DME gave me large but the medium seems to work a little better. This whole thing (still first month) has been an experiment with many variables.

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 12:04 pm

Sleepless in St. Louis wrote:This whole thing (still first month) has been an experiment with many variables.

Don't you just love it? If you think of it as win-win it's not so bad. You get to have fun playing around with things and you get healthier too.

Regards,
Bill

Sleepless in St. Louis · Post by **Sleepless in St. Louis** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 12:15 pm

That's a healthy attitude Nighthawkeye, I'm not quite there yet. I feel better but I think that I can be even better if I can get my equipment right. I'm going to take things into my own hands and adjust things myself (now that I know how to access the clinician's menu).

After I make an adjustment, how long would I normally give the new settings before making a decision? I would assume that it takes more than one night for things to stabalize?

I do like gadgets, so that should help, and am curious by nature, so that's good. Just want to make sure I'm actually solving a problem instead of just tinkering for the sake of tinkering. My father tends to do that. I kid him and say, "you like to fix things till they break!"

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 2:30 pm

Sleepless in St. Louis wrote:After I make an adjustment, how long would I normally give the new settings before making a decision? I would assume that it takes more than one night for things to stabalize?

For me it does take more than one night for just about everything (except for the dental device I tried for just a portion of a night). Most things take from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. Rarely is there conclusive evidence after one night. Like you said, too many variables and they all seem to have some sort of normal fluctuation associated with them.

Sounds like you should do fine with things, Sleepless. When you have questions, there usually somebody here who's encountered something similar and who will be willing to tell you what worked for them.

Regards,
Bill

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 2:46 pm

Sleepless, I couldn't figure out what that picture of a "waffle-looking" thing was in your equipment section. I clicked on it and it's a "passover humidifier". Good grief - I thought those went out with the dinosaur age. If that what your DME pawned off on you?

If you have any sort of dry mouth, or sore nostrils, you need to try a heated humidifier. Respironics makes one that fits right onto your cpap machine.

Tell me you just selected the wrong picture, please.

Mask

Additional Comments: Aussie Heated hose for rain out/PapCap Headgear and chin strap