How much improvement from mouth-taping?

[Guest]

In terms of apneas, what can a person expect who mouth-breathes during APAP therapy?

I know I do have apneas and these are said to be responsive to my machine but I also know I am mouth-breathing a good deal. Will I see a big difference when I tape my mouth shut?

In other words do people who tape-up see a major improvement in their sleep quality? I say this because I have been disappointed with my APAP thus far and still wake up feeling quite lousy - I plan to try taping tonight.

Spotty

[Goofproof]

It depends on the size of the hole you are taping. If your treatment pressure is coming out of your mouth, you aren't getting treatment. Jim

[TerryB]

Mouth taping made all the difference for me. I use adhesive strips and my machine anytime I sleep now. The other serious component to a good night is having sufficient sleep time. I go to sleep with sufficient time before I need to get up so that I awake naturally after eight hours. How many hours do you sleep on a quiet weekend or vacation. That may indicate how many hours you need.

Good luck,
TerryB

[salmon]

Hi,
I tape with a full face mask to prevent dryness, was given the full face as a result of mouth breathing, but they don't tell you how dry you will get. Have a post recently on this.
Anyway, I use 3M Transpore tape, stays in place with a humidity setting of 3.5, and works beautifully. The only negative is a little residue from the tape afterwords, but washes off. Keeps your mouth closed, without any real discomfort.
Definitely get a better quality of sleep, no dryness, no leaks.

[ozij]

The major difference is in how you feel. The machine doesn't record apneas when the air take the easy way out and pours out of your mouth, instead of fighting the obstruction.

I feel much better when I tape.

O.

[sharon1965]

The machine doesn't record apneas when the air take the easy way out and pours out of your mouth, instead of fighting the obstruction

o.,
this will show up as a large leak on your data though, right?
(feels like a dumb question )

[Goofproof]

The machine doesn't record apneas when the air take the easy way out and pours out of your mouth, instead of fighting the obstruction

o.,
this will show up as a large leak on your data though, right?
(feels like a dumb question )

It could, but your treatment will suffer, even if it not big enough to show a large leak. I have never had a large leak show up in Encore Pro, but I don't remove the mask without the machine off. Any leak rate past 36 LPM, and my AHI is going too high. Jim

[Dgrendahl]

[quote="Anonymous"]In terms of apneas, what can a person expect who mouth-breathes during APAP therapy?

I know I do have apneas and these are said to be responsive to my machine but I also know I am mouth-breathing a good deal. Will I see a big difference when I tape my mouth shut?

In other words do people who tape-up see a major improvement in their sleep quality? I say this because I have been disappointed with my APAP thus far and still wake up feeling quite lousy - I plan to try taping tonight.

Spotty

[kornazoo]

Hi All!
At one time I was mouth breathing and freaking out. Got amazing help from this group. I taped my mouth (the polident strips grossed me out) and everything was great. Then after about 4 months I just got sick of it and stopped taping. My skin was very sore. I guess I had trained myself, but I haven't mouth breathed (?)since.
That's only ONE of the amazing tips I've received from this group. I really don't think I would be using my CPAP every night if it wasn't for you.
Love from Shelley

[Gerald]

Spotty......

Taping has helped me a bunch......Now when my data shows leaks, I know it isn't from my mouth.,,,,,and that leaves only the seal between the mask and my nares.

I'm using 3M Blue "Delicate Release" masking tape....available at Lowe's in the paint department. It works better for me than medical tape.

I'm wearing a panty hose tights band (made out of a leg) over my mouth tape....to help prevent "blow outs". The gentle adhesive releases nicely....and the tights augment the adhesive by putting a little pressure on the outside of the tape.

Gerald

[ozij]

The machine doesn't record apneas when the air take the easy way out and pours out of your mouth, instead of fighting the obstruction

o.,
this will show up as a large leak on your data though, right?
(feels like a dumb question )

On my data - on a PB 420e - it shows as a sudden rise in the leak rate, and a plateau, never higher than the maximum leak rate, and never accompanied by any breathing events.

Not a dumb question at all.

O.

[MartyR]

sorry if this i dumb question...what about yawning or having to cough after you tape you mouth....

[ozij]

Yawning with your mouth shut can be done - some of us have perfected the habit for professional reasons....

Coughing: I can catch my rare coughs in time to pull off (of inf necessary tear off the tape). When my throat feels scratchy to start with I don't tape.

O.

[RosemaryB]

Yawning with your mouth shut can be done - some of us have perfected the habit for professional reasons....

Coughing: I can catch my rare coughs in time to pull off (of inf necessary tear off the tape). When my throat feels scratchy to start with I don't tape.

O.

I came up with the "alternative to mouth taping" that is linked under my signature when I had a cough and couldn't tape. The summary is that I use a "wrap" that you can cough through, since it's cloth and wrapped around like a "mouthband". It can be used with or without the chin strap, depending.

To answer the OP. I do find a big difference with and without taping.

[sharon1965]

I have never had a large leak show up in Encore Pro, but I don't remove the mask without the machine off

same here

Any leak rate past 36 LPM, and my AHI is going too high

are you talking max leak, avg. leak or 90 % leak? my avg. leak is always around 26; does that sound ok? (one of these days, i WILL get the leak stuff down )