Oldtimer needs newbie kind of help

[Catnapper]

So, I have been around here for over 10 years and thought I had solved all my cpap issues long ago. I recently had surgery and need to sleep on my back. I always sleep on my stomach using nasal pillows for my cpap and never have air leaks from my mouth. However, on my back I have lots of leaks and desert mouth. I went to the sleep lab to be fitted for a full face mask, doc signed the order and sent it to the local DME. I experienced the usual hassle and bad service, but eventually went home with my new f20. Nifty mask. Started off just fine, but then I had the desert mouth again. I thought the mask would take care of that. Obviously the mask leaks or my mouth escapes somehow. i have adjusted my bed to various recliner type positions to help.

What do I need to do now? I can borrow a chin strap from hubby. That seems like a lot of stuff to war after using the tiny p10 mask.

I guess I need to adjust the mask somehow, but with no experience at that, I turn to the experts here for help. Any suggestions? I really would prefer not to tape.

Catnapper - Joanie

[Julie]

Soft cervical collar? Taping (keeps your lips closed where straps or even collars don't)? FFMs are hard to fit if on your back... have you tried any of the hybrid types?

[chronic]

I don't know if raising the humidity would help or not.

[grayghost4]

I use a mouth guard and a cervical collar .... I have to use both ...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bruxism-Grindin ... SwSypY-26n

https://www.amazon.com/TOROS-GROUP-Ergo ... cal+collar

[kteague]

Well hello old friend. Good to see your name pop up. I'll be reading to see if anyone has any advice I could use too. Do your leak numbers indicate you are mouth leaking? I have my own theory about dry mouth. I don't think it is always due to air leaking out the mouth or mouth breathing. I don't have mouth leaks yet my mouth gets parched. It is movement (like chewing) that stimulates saliva. When we perfect the tongue seal on the roof of the mouth, things don't move around much in there. I think one can have a dry mouth with no issues with treatment, and that even after making sure there are no treatment issues, for some there may be dryness issues that are just a hazard of this cpap life. I have to think your dryness might be resolvable though since you've been at this all these years and only recently had a problem. I tried the OraGel for dry mouth and it messed up the lining of my mouth between the gums and lips. The mucosa became roughened and even after stopping use, the mucosa has remained rough. Good luck with things.

[Duff]

Oldtimer to Oldtimer - I've tried several masks. Could not find one that worked well for air leaking out of my mouth. The ff masks pushed my chin down and I believe it made apnea worse. A few years back I read about using blue painter's tape. Now I use a nasal cap. I use the wide blue tape to tape my mouth closed. And, I use an elastic sports wrap that looks like an ace bandage to keep it pressed against my skin. My breath would make the tape wet and not stick. The wrap keeps the tape against my skin and helps it sticks well. I got the sports wrap at Wallgreens. Cut a length long enough so you can twist it together behind you head. The wrap is made so it will adhere to itself. I put the tape on first. Roll your lips in when applying the tape. You don't want it on your lips. Then I put on my mask without connecting the straps. Then put the wrap on over the straps behind my head. Then connect the straps. Connecting the straps last holds the wrap up helping the wrap from sliding down the back of my neck.

[Catnapper]

Thanks for the suggestions. Last night I used a chin trap under the mask and increased the humidifier. I had moderate success, certainly better than the previous night.

The strap and mask together made me feel like the man in the iron mask. I couldn't move. I had a few leaks around eyes and chin. I do like the quick release where it attaches to the tubing so I could get up without having to undo both those things. I considered taping the edge of the mask, and I may do that tonight. I have to be careful with tape as it will blister my skin pretty fast.

Thanks again.

Pretty cool mask. F20 with magnetic clasps and velcro adjustments too.

Catnapper - Joanie

[Pugsy]

Full face masks don't always fix the dry mouth issues even with the humidifier cranked up to maximum output.
Humidifiers were really designed to help with the hydration in the nasal mucosa which that nasal cavity is simply a lot smaller than the oral cavity. For some people the mouth breathing just dries out the oral mucosa a lot more than other people for any number of reasons.

As you found out...you have to reduce the mouth breathing to really make much of an impact on the dry mouth when the dry mouth is from mouth breathing.
Now some people do find that a full face mask and cranking that humidifier up will help reduce the dry mouth but it's not guaranteed.
That's why we have so many full face mask users here using some sort of adding moisturizing agent before bedtime to help reduce dry mouth issues.