Any ideas please - I need some sleep !

[TrueBlue]

Although I haven't been one of the lucky ones who has taken to CPAP quickly and easily, I have found that using nasal pillows plus mouth taping has been working quite well for me over the last few months - that is up to a couple of nights ago ! I have no idea what's changed but suddenly now, each and every time I fall asleep I am woken suddenly by a loud torrent of air bubbling out of my mouth trying to escape through the tape and I have ended up having to remove the nasal pillows. I had this problem ages ago and the sleep tech turned the EPR right down which instantly fixed the problem. So, last night I switched the EPR off (it was only on 1 in any case) but it didn't make any difference at all so I don't know what else to do. I don't think it's got anything to do with the humidifier because there's no rain out etc., and the humidifier is set low. It's as if there's just too much air build up which has to be suddenly released - but I haven't changed the pressure settings on the machine so I can't figure it out. My APAP is set from 9 to 14 (pescribed pressure is 9). I'm a mouth breather so have to mouth tape and I can't handle a full face mask.

[BlackSpinner]

You may want to look at the hybrid
https://www.cpap.com/productpage.php?PNum=2204&PAID=301

I use a full face mask but it is irritating my eyes so I am in the process to switching to this.

If you can handle taping your mouth shut you should be able to handle this.

[DoninOrlando]

True, I am having a similar problem. I started a few months ago with Swift LT nasal pillows. After tiring of taping, straps, Afrin, caps, and other issues, I recently decided to try FFM. My numbers on the pillows were down to avg of <5 AHI. I have not been able to get as good numbers on a FFM so I went back to Swift LT and now it does not work for me. I have bad leaks and poor results, and trouble sleeping. It's like I am starting from scratch. I am now sorry I switched. Now I get poor results with both and am having trouble getting accustomed to the nasal pillows again. Next time I get one to work, I am going to stay with it and not try new masks. The Swift LT was my first and also used it in titration so I was getting used to it. But i had to jump through hoops to stop mouth breathing. I did get the Lansinoh and it does seal well with that. You might try something to support the tape, such as a chinstrap or Vetwrap. Good Luck
Don

[JPO]

I also use nasal pillows and tape my mouth. After starting back on the BiPap a few weeks ago I spent a lot of time experimenting with tape. I wound up using my 3M Microtape again and it was very comfortable. One night I woke up like you did with leaking and feeling very uncomfortable. I thought about what was happening and in my case, the tape had gotten very wet from my mouth. A really rare thing, it's probably happened before but I didn't recognize the cause, I used to just yank off the tape and the mask. The reason I stopped the last time was because the tape was uncomfortable.

This time I decided I wasn't going to give in and I got up and replaced the tape with fresh tape and went back to sleep. I've had no problems since. I try to create a tight seal by inverting my lips and I think the tape wasn't as tight as it should have been.

[rested gal]

TrueBlue, I have to use tape AND use a chin strap. The chin strap keeps my jaw up enough that extra downward pressure isn't put on the tape which might cause it to work loose. The chin strap also keeps my cheeks flat so that the amount of air that fills my mouth during sleep doesn't balloon my cheeks out so much (which can also make the tape work loose.)

Thanks to a suggestion by Gerald, all this year I've been using the 3M blue "painters tape" available at Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. It's quite wide so forms a nice BIG patch over my lips, holds well, and is cheaper than "medical" types of tape. I just have to be careful to roll it backwards while pressing down against my mouth when I remove it. But that is a good "removal" technique with any type of tape. Better than pulling the tape outwards, which can irritate the skin more easily.

Inverting your lips as you apply your tape, as JPO suggested, is also a good thing to do.

Good luck!

[Gerald]

Trueblue.....

The blue painter's tape Rested Gal is referring to is 2" wide.....3M part #2080.

If your tape is too narrow, "blow-outs" happen more easily. Fortunately, I don't need a chin strap.....and I rarely have air leaks.

One more thing.....I use a strip measuring about 8" long....so that there's about 3" of tape on either side of my lips. This extra amount of tape on either side also helps prevent blow-outs.

Gerald