Mouth Coming Open Question

[~Q~]

I just started CPAP therapy and have a question about ones mouth coming open during sleep. During my titration test, I told the tech that I tend to sleep on my side and I also tend to breath through my mouth. He set me up with a nasal pillow mouth piece (the one in my signature block below) and said it is no problem with side sleeping (I can confirm that) and once on CPAP people tend to stop breathing through their mouth. Well, this didn't happen with me. I think I opened my mouth alot last night.

My question is this: If I tended to breath through my mouth alot before, should I just jump into using a full face mask or should I try all the chin straps and stuff and other tricks and stick with the nasal one? I'm the kind of person that will just tough stuff out and try to "Make" the nasal one work, suffering in the mean time. SO, I'm trying to be a little proactive about this so I can start sleeping better.

Thanks!

[nanwilson]

If you are a mouth breather then a ffm is best. I tried all the tricks, chinstrap, tape.........nothing worked. I'm a stubborn old lady and wish I could accept the inevitable and just go with what I need...but no.. I have to experiment and get it right. WRONG!!!!!!!! I now use my first mask the Quattro with a padacheek liner and leak strap or my Respcare hybrid with a padacheek liner..........enough of the wishful thinking that I don't mouth breathe..............................

[cosmo]

I never had a hard time with chinstraps. After a while now, I don't need it tighten down so much. But I still need it and it helps keep the nasal pillows in place even better.

I drool every time I use a full face mask so I am lucky that a setup that works for me. But I had to go through a bunch before I found the perfect one for my situation.

[Pugsy]

If you are questioning things and you know that you can't breathe through your nose easily....try the full face mask.
If there is a physical need to breathe through the mouth then you are going to breathe through the mouth.

If it is just a seriously ingrained habit that you don't want to work on changing right now....try the full face mask.
For some people a full face mask is the preferred alternative that works just great for them.

No one should "suffer" with any mask. Do what you want to do.
You can always revisit a nasal mask later if you decide you want to.

[STL Mark]

If you enjoy playing and have a DME that let's you try things, look at total face and oral only (hc452). Many choices out there if you have time and interest.

That being said I use FFM as suggested above. But found it entertaining to play with options.

[cosmo]

Since you don't have any discomforts with the nasal pillows, I would try tape and chinstrap before going the full face route.

[Tino2You]

I thought I could only breathe through my mouth. My sinuses were always clogged. When I started CPAP I tried the Swift FX nasal pillow. What I found is that with the humidity set comfortable high, my sinuses would magically open! And as a side bonus, stay open for much of the day. I still had to train my brain to keep my trap shut so I used the Ruby Adjustable Chin Strap and the tongue behind the front teeth on the roof of the mouth trick.
After 4 months of strapping in every night, I forgot to pack my chin strap on a trip and found out, you can teach and old brain new tricks. I now only use the swift FX with bella loops. Almost like having nothing on! but that said....ymmv!
Cheers,
-tino

[xenablue]

I WAS a mouth breather pre-XPAP due to sinus issues.

I now happily use a nasal pillow mask after weaning myself off a chinstrap (this took over a year), but I LOVE LOVE LOVE not having something clamped across my sinuses. This was counter-productive in the strap across my forehead and the pressure of a nasal mask on my nose just made my sinus problems worse.

Now that I breathe through my nose all the time (I consciously do it during the day to keep my brain 'trained), my sinuses stay clear.

I'm sure this won't be successful for everyone, but I wanted to minimise what I have on my face so was prepared to do whatever it took to achieve this. Btw - the chinstrap didn't bother my sinuses at all.

Cheers,
xena

[StuUnderPressure]

I use my chinstrap with a Nasal Mask & it works perfectly for me.

Some people who use a FFM still have to use a chinstrap to keep their mouth closed to prevent the mouth from drying out by still breathing through it.

[chunkyfrog]

If you are concerned about covering your mouth with tape, these might work:
http://www.chinupstrip.com/
Being incredibly cheap, I make my own from 1-1/2" blue tape, using a cut-up card for a pattern.
(I pull my lower lip up like a bulldog)

[~Q~]

Chunkyfrog,

You are quite industrious!

Q

[rosacer]

Q

The answer depends on how much wrinkles do you already have.

A FFM will make mark on your face that long term IMHO will become permanent. Chin straps will make marks on your face, in my case it last a good 4 to 5 hours to fade away even if I put quite cold water over my face just after I wake up.

The best I have found is taping, but still it has its disadvantages.

Some time ago I was able to train my brain (warning:this is a subject of debate that I will not debate) to keep the mouth closed. The bad news is that since I have lost a lot of weight my mouth doesn't stop opening each night. Is is a little better now but man each night I need to talk to myself and tell me to keep the mouth shut No joke, there is several here that had succeeded to train their brain.

It's not easy to find the good FFM that will not leak or that you will be able to sleep in the side; sleep on the belly forget it.

Good luck in your quest.

Rosie

[Julie]

WHOA! I've been using a FF mask for close to 10 years and smush it into my face because of how I sleep and have NO permanent marks at all! That's just not true (at least for me).

[rosacer]

I'm very happy for you Julie. For sure there is always an exception to everything and you have a good one.

All I can tell is I have seen that problem on my face, I know a man whom you can see his Quattro designed on his face. Let's just say there is a risk ? Or we could even make a pool to find the true

[jzap]

I was a mouth breather and suffered from raging dry mouth for years. At my titration, I was quite skeptical when the tech handed me a nasal mask. He explained that it doesn't matter whether or not your mouth is open. The important thing is to keep your airway separated from your mouth. He taught me to put my tongue against the roof of my mouth, pull it back into the hollow and suck a little air from above the tongue to "suction cup" it to the roof of the mouth. If you do that, it takes very little effort to keep it there.

I do loose the separation a few times a week, and it wakes me up enough to let me know I need to get it back. It takes a second, and its right back to sleep. No big deal.

The dry mouth problem was cured that first night on CPAP.