How do you know what type you are?

[baprater]

I have an appointment to get a cpap machine. A friend of mine asked me if I am a mouth or nose breather? I dont know - I am asleep at the time!!! How do I know which I am - she said they will ask me this when I go to get fitted for a mask and machine! YIKES!

[Otter]

Pay attention to how you breathe during the day. If your nose remains clear enough to breathe through all day, you're a nose breather. If you you frequently have to open your mouth because your schnoz is blocked, you're a mouth breather.

[xenablue]

Did this not come up in your sleep study (presuming you had one)?

If you snore, wake up with a dry and/or raspy throat - chances are you mouth-breathe, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to use nasal pillows as long as you work on keeping your mouth closed.

What machine are you getting?

The mask is more important than the machine, however you MUST have a machine which is fully data capable if you have any intention of monitoring and controlling your own therapy.

The mask is what makes therapy tolerable every single night.

Don't worry - spend time here before you get your machine and mask - trust me, it's well worth it, and don't let your DME railroad you into a "brick" (look it up in a search here) or a mask you aren't happy with. You should have a 30-day exchange policy, so if for any reason the mask they give you isn't in any way comfortable, keep trying new ones in different types until you do.

Hang in there - knowledge is a good night's sleep

Cheers,
xena

[baprater]

No, I wasnt told which type of breather I am. My husband just knows that I snore -I cant really ask him because if there is any light AT ALL on while I am trying to sleep it wakes me up or keeps me awake. I dont know what kind of mask or machine I am getting. I dont know much about this stuff - well honestly I know NOTHING about this topic! I did see a really coool looking mask I dont know who makes it but it fits behind your ears instead of the full head gear that goes over your head, chin strap, or behind your head. Thats my limit of knowledge

[chunkyfrog]

They would not tell me, either.
It should be required to put that on the report.
They are right there watching you sleep, for Pete's sake!
Edit: get what's comfortable--they should give you 30 days to swap--the mask makers pay for it.
If you start with nasal or pillows, and get dry mouth--you're a mouth breather.

[nanwilson]

Start reading...and then rread some more here on the forum. You will get a wealth of information. I have been on cpap therapy for almost two years, & when I sstarted I must have read for a week solid to teach myself what I needed to know.
If you have a question, firstly type the question into the search field above, if you don't get any results then ask, we are here to help. Regarding your question about nose or mouth breather......think about which way do you breath during the day most of the time, if you only breath through your nose then you are a nose breather if you sometimes breath through you mouth, then you are better off with a mask that covers both......that is your answer.

[baprater]

I am guessing that I must be a mouth breather. While reading other posts I tried breathing thru my nose and realized that it was much more effort to take a deep breath than it was thru my mouth. That or I am obsessing

[archangle]

Do not let them give you a full face mask (FFM) that covers your mouth unless you're sure you're a mouth breather. Nose only masks usually work better unless you can't keep your mouth shut, or can't breathe through your nose.

If you have mouth leak problems try getting a chin strap. Only go to a FFM if you can't make a nasal mask work. You usually have 30 days to change masks.

[greatunclebill]

i don't see where anybody asked the most important question. when you did your sleep study did you wear a full face or a nasal mask? whatever it was, were you comfortable with it? if it was full face and you were comfortable, by all means get a full face to begin with to get used to wearing it and using the machine every single night. in 3 or 6 months when you're comfortable with the machine and when insurance pays for a second mask, get a nasal mask or nasal pillow mask to try if you want. if it don't work, exchange it for another full face. people that can wear nasal and are comfortable with it, tend to be obsessed with everybody using nasal first. get what is comfortable first. then experiment after you're comfortable. on the other hand if you were not comfortable with what you had and think you would do better with the other, by all means get the other.

breathing thru your nose during the day is not the only test. your nose has to be able to handle all the pressure when the machine starts blowing. some noses like mine can't handle it. i can sit here typing this and breathe thru my nose, but when the machine starts blowing i can't take it, thanks to a deviated septum. i can breath ok normally thru one side but the other side can't take the pressure. with one side that can't take pressure, the other side gets overloaded and can't take it with the mask on. i,m new to the forum but not new to cpap. i've been doing this since 2001. i was originally diagnosed in 1990, but that's another story for another day.

[Guest]

Oh, I forgot I have a deviated septum! I had a problem with allergies several years ago and the allergist said I have a deviated septum but didnt need surgery. They didnt put a mask on me during my sleep study. They hooked up electrodes or something to my head and something around my chest (going by memories that are 3-4 years old) I went in a couple of hours before bedtime. The room was set up like a bedroom. When I got ready to go to sleep they came in and hooked me up and told me lay on my back and not my side or stomach and not to get up unless I absolutely had to. I told them I wouldnt get much sleep because I have always slept on my side and my stomach; I also told them that the green light on their machine would make it difficult for me to sleep because any lights at all in the room would keep me awake; also told them that being in a strange place I would probably need a sleeping pill but they couldnt give me one because they said I waited too late to ask for one.

[greatunclebill]

they only did the first half of the test. tell them you want a proper titration test with a mask on. if they refuse, find a new doctor. using an automatic machine at home and reading the data is not the same because the cpap is only one dimensional. it doesn't read all the other data while using a mask in the lab.