air in my mouth, Parastino49

[parastino49]

When I first started cpap I was dong fine but now I find that when I use a nasal mask after a short while my cheeks puff out. This is very annoying because there is a lot of pressure in my mouth and it keeps me from getting any decent sleep. I don't know if my throat is closing up and the air is by- passing into my mouth. I have tried using a chin strap only to have the same effect. When I use a full facial mask my cheeks puff out and my mouth is so dry it wakes me up. Also with the full mask the noise of me breathing is unbearable. My machine is set on 10cm of h2o. It ramps up from 4cm to 10cm over a ten minute period. That's when I seem to have my problem. Also I have an oxygen concentrator that is set at 3 liters per minute. I miss the 6 hours of sleep I got at first. Now I'm just frustrated with the whole thing. My insurance would not cover any of my equipment at the start of the new year. We spent all of our savings buying the exact same equipment I was renting. I thought this was going to make my life wonderful once again but instead It's worse than ever. Can any one help? Parastino49 My machinery is a Remstar Auto/ A Flex model M. With Humidifier. Also a Everflo Q oxygen concentrator. Resmed nasal mask with head gear.

[SleepingUgly]

When I first started cpap I was dong fine but now I find that when I use a nasal mask after a short while my cheeks puff out. This is very annoying because there is a lot of pressure in my mouth and it keeps me from getting any decent sleep. I don't know if my throat is closing up and the air is by- passing into my mouth. I have tried using a chin strap only to have the same effect. When I use a full facial mask my cheeks puff out and my mouth is so dry it wakes me up. Also with the full mask the noise of me breathing is unbearable. My machine is set on 10cm of h2o. It ramps up from 4cm to 10cm over a ten minute period. That's when I seem to have my problem. Also I have an oxygen concentrator that is set at 3 liters per minute. I miss the 6 hours of sleep I got at first. Now I'm just frustrated with the whole thing. My insurance would not cover any of my equipment at the start of the new year. We spent all of our savings buying the exact same equipment I was renting. I thought this was going to make my life wonderful once again but instead It's worse than ever. Can any one help? Parastino49

Check out this discussion on another forum:

http://www.sleepguide.com/forum/topics/chipmunk-cheeks

It says:

The head RRT at my DME provider's called me today. Their "mask man" suggested that he contact me since I had been talking to the "mask man" about mask issues and mentioned that I was scheduled for a bi-level re-titration.

We discussed the various masks I've tried and which I've liked, what I didn't like about some, etc. One thing we discussed was the pressure sometimes causing what some call "chipmunk cheeks" where the air builds up in our mouth and then escapes thru our lips.

He said that is almost always caused by not being able to exhale all the air. That is not a pressure setting so much as it is the need for pressure relief only on exhalation. Rather than adjusting pressure we should FIRST increase our EPR or C-Flex expiration pressure relief so that there is LESS PRESSURE TO BREATHE OUT AGAINST.

Also, I don't know which machine you have, but I find that the noise of my PR System One Auto is worse with no C-flex+. But yes, there is the Darth Vader sound of my breathing, which drives me nuts. White noise machines will help with that.

[Wulfman]

When I first started cpap I was dong fine but now I find that when I use a nasal mask after a short while my cheeks puff out. This is very annoying because there is a lot of pressure in my mouth and it keeps me from getting any decent sleep. I don't know if my throat is closing up and the air is by- passing into my mouth. I have tried using a chin strap only to have the same effect. When I use a full facial mask my cheeks puff out and my mouth is so dry it wakes me up. Also with the full mask the noise of me breathing is unbearable. My machine is set on 10cm of h2o. It ramps up from 4cm to 10cm over a ten minute period. That's when I seem to have my problem. Also I have an oxygen concentrator that is set at 3 liters per minute. I miss the 6 hours of sleep I got at first. Now I'm just frustrated with the whole thing. My insurance would not cover any of my equipment at the start of the new year. We spent all of our savings buying the exact same equipment I was renting. I thought this was going to make my life wonderful once again but instead It's worse than ever. Can any one help? Parastino49

Turn off the Ramp feature (or don't use it). You shouldn't need it with 10 cm.
Also, try to train yourself to keep your tongue firmly pressed to the roof of your mouth. That's where the air is leaking into and puffing your mouth.


Den