poligrip question

buckeyered · Post by **buckeyered** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:20 pm

I never had any luck at getting the poligrip to keep my lips together but I noticed there are several types, I have tried the strips and they don't stick at all and the poligrip I have been using is poligrip extra care with poliseal, it's in a gold tube.
http://www.poligrip.com/products.aspx
Is this what others are using or is there something stronger?

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:49 pm

I'm not one who uses that stuff, but it's been my understanding that most of the folks who do, use the Poligrip adhesive strips (pads?).

Den

pikacat · Post by **pikacat** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:52 pm

i have a noob question about this. how do you know if you're doing it? i guess i was the sort who woke up constantly from choking but i never REMEMBERED it. i only knew i had apnea because everyone told me i was choking and i was tired and depressed all the time. how do you know then that you're breathing with your mouth and ought to try doing this? thanks for the help. now i'm all worried i'm doing that!

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:58 pm

pikacat wrote:i have a noob question about this. how do you know if you're doing it? i guess i was the sort who woke up constantly from choking but i never REMEMBERED it. i only knew i had apnea because everyone told me i was choking and i was tired and depressed all the time. how do you know then that you're breathing with your mouth and ought to try doing this? thanks for the help. now i'm all worried i'm doing that!

One of the big clues is if you're wearing a nasal-type mask and you wake up with a dry mouth. You can still get a dry mouth with a full face mask, but the therapy is still working because there's nowhere for the air to go.
If you're mouth "leaking", your therapy air is exiting your mouth and is not helping. You won't be feeling better if this is happening.

Den

pikacat · Post by **pikacat** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 12:07 am

yes, i use a nasal mask. so i guess the day i wake up with a dry mouth i will know the problem? i'm afraid sometimes i'm so out of touch with my body that i won't even realise i'm feeling bad again until it's REALLY bad. so it is nice to look for a sign that doesn't have to do with me feeling sick. i guess i always feel sick to some degree so i try not to acknowledge it and just plug through the day. this causes me to be able to get my work done, but it also causes me to be very out of touch with what being sick really feels like. so it's good for me to have concrete signs to look for like dry mouth. i will keep that in mind. thank you.

bsil · Post by **bsil** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 6:56 am

Buckeyered-
I use the Poligrip strips. I wonder if it's not working for you b/c the strip isn't wet enough. The adhesive needs enough water to activate. Here's what I do: I wet the strip by momentarily passing it in and out of the faucet stream, I make sure that the area that is covered by my finger, also gets wet. Then I use the water to wet my lips. Then I place the strip and close my lips and it takes about 2 minutes or so to really set.

I have been successful with this method. Also, you must start with clean lips: no blistex/carmex/lipgloss (which may or may not apply to you personally!). These will prevent the Poligrip from really sticking.

Good Luck,
Barb

linda b · Post by **linda b** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:52 pm

I've been using the Poligrip Strips for 5 months and only had the seal let go three - maybe four times. One was when my husband asked several questions that a "grunt" as an answer didn't satisfy! Another was when I started talking in my sleep. The other one or two times they just came loose.

I started out passing them under the faucet while holding a tiny bit of the edge with tweezers. Then I got a small tupperware type container and filled it with distilled water to dip the strips into. Lately I've been licking my lips very thoroughly before placing the strips. This is working pretty well. I think it is possible to get them TOO wet before applying and that, too, can interfere with the seal. The "licking lips" method seems to be getting them wet enough, but not too wet. They also come off a little easier this way.

As to knowing if you mouth breathe: The two times I KNOW I mouth breathed after starting APAP I woke myself up with air gushing out of my mouth but feeling like I couldn't get any air into my lungs. It was a horrible feeling and if mouth breathing affects others this way, I don't see how you could NOT know when it happens!!!!!

buckeyered · Post by **buckeyered** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 11:05 pm

I tried the strips again two nites ago and woke up with my mouth open and passing air so again last nite I tried the paste again with the same results.
I think I sneeze in my sleep causing the seal to break because when I go to sleep the bond seems good.

bsil · Post by **bsil** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 8:07 am

Buckeyered-
I can see that the Poligrip seal would not survive the power of a sneeze!
I would want to know why are you sneezing in your sleep? If this is happening to you on a regular basis, then it's probably not just a cold.
I would want to check into this b/c sneezing is disruptive to your sleep...cpap or no cpap.
Have you considered a nasal allergy? There are so many interventions for allergies. First, is there something in your sleep environment that is making you sneeze? Do have a pet that sleeps in your room? Perhaps, feather pillows or dust mites ( those microscopic critters that take up residence in all of our bedding). Avoidance is the first line of defense; the second, is medication. Most people on this forum use several forms of a nasal rinse system. This will not only clean out any nasal irritants but also help to keep nasal passages and sinuses open. The easiest is using OCEAN spray (saline rinse) to break up sticky mucus so that we can swallow it away or expectorate it. The next medication to consider is an antihistamine, of course many are sold over the counter. Another medication that many of us use is a steroid nasal spray to decrease inflammatiion in the nasal passages. This of course will require a prescription.
Good Luck and I hope you can get rid of the sneezes so that you can use the Poligrip strips.
Barb

buckeyered · Post by **buckeyered** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 10:43 am

I have been sneezing and having a runny nose for several years and I am sure it is allergies but none of the prescriptions work so I just live with it.
It has been worse since I had surgery on my nose (septoplasty and turbinectomies) three weeks ago my ENT Doc says it will get better in a couple of months. The good part is that it's not as bad when I am on the CPAP.

supersleepy · Post by **supersleepy** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 9:12 pm

I've been using Johnson and Johnson medical tape that you buy in a roll in the bandage section. just a large enough piece to cover my mouth. Works great and no adverse reactions. Only thing is. Its one time only. If you have to answer the phone or something makes you have to remove it even for a second you gotta get a new piece to replace. But its cost effective and useful. Hope this helps

greyhound · Post by **greyhound** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:55 am

Seriously, if you use poligrip strips, how do you open your mouth in the morning and remove them?

needingu · Post by **needingu** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:04 am

My problem with tape is if, I sneeze and I don't get the tape off , the pressure sends fluid into my ears. Resulting in a couple days dizziness.
The Poligrip cream in a tube gives under the pressure of a sneeze or cough without any complications.

Mask

Additional Comments: 16 cm x 14 cm

Mask

Mask

Mask

Additional Comments: 16 cm x 14 cm