If you wear a full face mask - Why??

clarenceh9 · Post by **clarenceh9** » Wed May 10, 2006 8:06 pm

I have tried a full face mask because every one say to get one if you some times breath through your mouth and have a dry mouth. Well I still have a dry mouth with the ff mask. So why use the ff mask vs the nose mask?

idahogal · Post by **idahogal** » Wed May 10, 2006 8:16 pm

I use a full face mask when I am sick and can't breathe through my nose. I just turn up the humidifier a little. I use a nasal mask all other times which requires a lower humidifier setting. I have found that with each different mask, even different nasal masks, the humidifier requirements differ.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Wed May 10, 2006 8:26 pm

I suffer with congestion. I wear a FF Mask because I want the treatment to be as effective as it can. As you can see by my numbers it's working. I switched back to the ComfortFull last night as my numbers have been climbing this month due to added stress. Jim Life isn't always fair.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Wed May 10, 2006 8:27 pm

I've never used any other type of mask (interface) and probably never will.
Mine is very comfortable to me and it keeps my nasal passages open through the night.

Den

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 10, 2006 9:28 pm

i use a full-face mask because i have a deviated septum and have lost the battle to keep my nose clear and hydrated for any longer than two hours with ayr gel/saline solution and vaseline and breathe rite strip and use a facial mask. swift makes my nose too sore. so i am relegated to full-face mask because it seems that i must mouthe-breathe. i wish this were not so.

in terms of your problem, your mouth is probably dry because you are mouth-breathing. that would be the case whether you were using a full-face or nasal mask unless you can go the taping route.

the only consolation a full-face mask gives is that it allows you to mouthe-breathe and still get cpap benefits if you figure out that you either cannot or will not stop mouth-breathing.

but a full-face mask is no solution to dry mouth. the only solution to that is to stop mouth-breathing.

caroline

chdurie2 · Post by **chdurie2** » Wed May 10, 2006 9:41 pm

that was my post above--i have given in to full-face mask usage because i am sick of fighting and losing the mouth-breathing war. now i can just mouth-breathe and not be concerned about it.

caroline

Gidgie · Post by **Gidgie** » Wed May 10, 2006 10:20 pm

I wear a full face mask.......it fits.....it's comfortable....So, as the saying goes.....if the mask fits.....wear it.

chdurie2 · Post by **chdurie2** » Wed May 10, 2006 11:14 pm

common, gidgie, wouldn't you use a nasal mask if you could? you can admit it...

caroline

meister · Post by **meister** » Thu May 11, 2006 8:36 am

Yes, you can still get a dry mouth with a FF mask. The trick is to
reduce mouth breathing any way possible, or reduce the air flow
through the mouth. There are a bunch of things to try to keep your
nose holes open (especially using a nasal irrigator!!). I ended up
using a Dental Device to keep my mouth closed. It really cuts
down on my dry mouth, even though I still do a little breathing
through there. I had nasal surgery. I do allergy shots. I take
decongestants and anti-histamines. I use a nasal irrigator, and
breathe right strips. What ever it takes!! Don't use mouthwash
containing alcohol right before you go to bed. That will dry out
your mouth. So will a number of different medicines. I got so
desperate, I started shoving a wet wash cloth in my mouth!!
My mother tried sticking straws up her nose!!

Rich · Post by **Rich** » Thu May 11, 2006 10:38 am

I tried the Nasal Pillows. They were uncomfortable and made my nose sore as hell.

During my sleep study I used the full face and slept well. I remembered that a got one in exchange from my doctor. I have problems every now and then but since I'm a mouth breather I have the best of both worlds with the full face mask.

Sure it makes me look like Darth Vader but now I'm rested, working more efficiently, and feeling better.

Ellen · Post by **Ellen** » Thu May 11, 2006 11:49 am

There also is this great oral gel made by Biotene that I used to keep my mouth moist when I was using full face mask - it helped and was much easier than a wet washrag in the mouth (which I also tried).

wetware1967 · Post by **wetware1967** » Thu May 11, 2006 1:12 pm

Had to pipe in on this one. I wear a full face mask. It's the only mask I use. During my first sleep study I went to the full face mask almost immediatly because of:
1. When the nasal mask first 'powered up' I felt like I had to force a breath to speak with the technician. Not that I expect to speak alot while using my cpap, but it was a VERY uncomfortable feeling.
2. Turns out, during the study. I'm a mouth breather.
3. I'd heard here and there from users dealing with irritation from pillow style and nasal mask interfaces. My thought: larger surface area = less irritation due to pressure/rubbing of the mask.
4. With a full face mask on. I'm comfortable enough to close my mouth and breathe through my nose as I fall asleep. With the nasal mask, I feel...almost claustrophobic (see point 1)
5. Between allergies and colds most nasl mask users will end up needing a full face mask once in awhile due to congestion. I figured I'd bypass the issue.

Cotton mouth/dry mouth : For me, my snoring/mouth breathing was causing a far drier mouth than the CPAP does, though I still wake up in the AM with dry mouth it is less severe than without the CPAP.

Tonight I take a second sleep study. Though the CPAP has helped. My doc wants to try to cut down further on the number of episodes I have in a night. Adjust/test/adjust/test - Try a BiPap/test/adjust. I may try the smaller full face mask. the RT thought I looked to be borderline between the medium I'm using, and a small.....

hoyle · Post by **hoyle** » Thu May 11, 2006 7:19 pm

i wear a full face mask because i am a mouth breather and have been for years. i found this out years ago while in the hospital and on oxygen, i was placed on oxygen by nasal cannula but when i fell asleep, my jaw relaxes and my mouth opens. so i was placed on oxygen with a mask.
During my sleep study, the nurse insisted i first try a nasal mask, which i did but felt like i was suffocating because i could not breath for long periods through my nose.
i since have thought about using a chin strap but i am more relaxed and comfortable with a full face mask.

OwlCreekObserver · Post by **OwlCreekObserver** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 8:28 am

I've been on CPAP with a full-face mask for about three weeks. At my second sleep study they first tried a nasal mask but after a couple of hours they switched me to a full-face mask due to my mouth breathing. At some point I'd like to try nasal pillows because I'd like to be able to read (while wearing glasses) before going to sleep as I've always done over the years. Now I have to put down the book, strap on the mask, and turn on the machine. But for now I'm okay with the extra steps.

I suspect that full-face masks are more prone to leakage due to more contact area as well as jaw movement during the night. Last night I tried a suggestion that I read on this forum, placing a very thin layer of Vaseline on the mask. Based on one night's experience, it made a huge difference, with almost no (noticeable) leaks during the night. I have been waking up several times during the night to adjust the mask but that didn't happen last night. The downside is that the bridge of my nose was sore this morning, probably because I hadn't been moving the mask around as much during the night.

Learning as I go....

Don

Barb (Seattle) · Post by **Barb (Seattle)** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 9:33 am

Goofproof wrote:I suffer with congestion. I wear a FF Mask because I want the treatment to be as effective as it can. As you can see by my numbers it's working. I switched back to the ComfortFull last night as my numbers have been climbing this month due to added stress. Jim Life isn't always fair.

I'm using the comfortfull too, and I will tell you I haven't had such good luck with a mask till now! I'm thrilled. The DME gave me a small one, and it fits great. I've always had medium before, and have had leak problems keeping me awake. Most of the time, no leaking air blowing in my face It's really strange too. Even when my nose is congested, my mouth tends to stay closed with the full face mask.

If you wear a full face mask - Why??