tape over mouth and cheeks blow up?

[elena88]

Im sure this has happened to a lot of people, but can someone explain to me what happened?

Two nights ago, I was in bed, Im pretty sure I was sleeping, and the next thing I know my cheeks are blowing up as big as
balloons.. I had tape over my mouth, so of course the air couldnt get out of my mouth.. I was went back to sleep, and it
happened again..
So was that my apap trying to stop an apnea event, and failing so all the air went into my mouth, or was it something
else? If I didnt have the tape on my mouth, I guess it just would have all come out with no resistance.
I KNOW i cant wear my nose pillows without tape, as the second week, I learned how to mouth breath the whole night through.

Im still working on this every night, and I will have a good night, then a bad night, etc... but Im sticking with it.

It just was a very strange sensation to have my cheeks blow up like that! Proably looked pretty darn funny too!
Maybe I was dreaming I was a fishy?

[nobody]

That happens to me when my jaw falls down during sleep. The tape doesn't stop your jaw from dropping down so then the air can rush into your mouth but can't escape because of the tape. I bet a chin strap would stop it if it really bugs you.

[Gerald]

Elena.....

Work on training your tongue to park itself at the roof of your mouth....tongue tip just behind your upper front teeth.

[elena88]

" That happens to me when my jaw falls down during sleep."

SO this is happening from the apap's pressure, is it stopping an apnea event when this happens?
I tried a chin strap, and then I tried using an ace bandage, then I went to the tape over my mouth.
This is the first time I noticed it, so maybe I will just get used to it, thanks, glad you knew what it was!


" Work on training your tongue to park itself at the roof of your mouth....tongue tip just behind your upper front teeth. "

THANKS, I have been doing this since I read a thread about your teeth getting pushed out by your tongue.. I have
such a big tongue, I was trying to fold it in half in the roof of my mouth so it wouldnt push my teeth out.
Perhaps I am related to Gene Simmons?

THANKS FOR YOUR TIPS!

[echo]

Hee hee been there done that, funny isn't it!? Thank goodness for the tape

I'm not sure if it's related to an event.. i tend to think it's more because the jaw is just relaxing a little bit extra for some reason. I wonder if it's tied to certain sleep stages? I only notice it anymore in the early morning hours, if at all.

The chinstrap should help if it bothers you. Otherwise I don't think there's any negative side-effects (except for blowing out your tape, which happens!).

Soooo glad you're finally getting "it all" to work, at least some of the time! Baby steps Soon you're gonna be a pro!

[elena88]

"Hee hee been there done that, funny isn't it!? Thank goodness for the tape "

GLAD to see Im not alone! The night that happened, later on I guess I had a huge leak, and the nose pillows were out, and my husband
reached around to try to stick them back in, he touched my shoulder, and the next thing I know, Im jumping out of bed screaming, and gasping,
and yanking the mask off, I dont know if he "caught" me in an apnea event, but I would guess thats what might have happened..
Gosh, its amazing how freaked out your body gets while you are sleeping, and you dont have a clue what goes on!

Yes, baby steps, no leaps and bounds here!

[nobody]

Hi, no I don't think it's related to an apnea necessarily. When you enter REM sleep you lose muscle tone and your jaw just naturally drops down. This is the reason most apnea events happen during REM sleep (losing muscle tone, tongue falls back and throat closes shut). I've found that training the tongue doesn't work because, again, once you get into REM sleep you lose muscle tone and tongue falls. For people who claim that works, I wonder how well they're really sleeping??? I know when I have a good sleep my tongue and jaw just fall right down.

Also you are right about it pushing on teeth. I'm thinking of getting a chin strap for just this reason. My jaw drops just enough that the lower bit pushes my bottom teeth against the upper teeth...or my tongue gets pushed against the lower teeth, or both and my teeth are sore all the time and they are moving apart.

[Ms.Snuffleupagus]

Hi Elena. As mentioned by others, you may have to use a chin strap at first to prevent those chipmunk cheeks, but as long as the air cannot escape, you are not losing therapy pressure. Back when I was taping my mouth, I had to use a chin strap at first. But this stopped happening after a while and I was okay with just the taping alone.

[elena88]

" My jaw drops just enough that the lower bit pushes my bottom teeth against the upper teeth...or my tongue gets pushed against the lower teeth, or both and my teeth are sore all the time and they are moving apart. "

THAT is something I was concerned about too, and I hope nothing happens to my teeth, I lke them just where they are..
I bought a foam pillow to cut out a face space, so I could sleep on my tummy, I suppose that is when your tongue is really landing
on your front teeth?

"Back when I was taping my mouth, I had to use a chin strap at first. But this stopped happening after a while and I was okay with just the taping alone. "

THANKS for the tip, love the "chipmonk cheeks" reference.. so this is another cpap adventure! chipmonk cheeks!

[Gerald]

Elena.....

I was wondering what width tape you're using?

I get great results with 2" wide 3M Blue #2080 Painter's Masking Tape from Lowe's.

Also, I wear a band....made from panty-hose tights....over the tape. The band goes over the tape and around the back of my neck. It adds a little more insurance against "blow-outs". Works great.

[Janknitz]

Sheesh, if not one thing it's another!

I think you can seal off your airway to some degree by tongue position and a somewhat volitional move in the back of your throat. It's hard to describe, but imagine swimming in a pool. You can open your mouth underwater without water going down your throat. When I was a kid we would have "tea parties" (NOT the Sarah Palin kind!) and try to talk underwater. You know that feeling in the back of your throat when you do that . . . ?

I experienced that last night--I wasn't sure if my nasal pillows were leaking like crazy (the air blasting was the exhaust valve) or if I just couldn't perceive the air in my nose, so I decided to open my mouth which usually causes that weird rush of air out of my mouth and that awful pulling sensation in my throat. But NOTHING came out--I think because between tongue position on the roof of my mouth and that little "underwater" manouver, my nasopharynx was sealed off, even if my lips were open.

Positioning your tongue on the roof of your mouth helps, but I don't think you can keep the airway sealed off this way when you fall asleep and relax.

[elena88]

"I was wondering what width tape you're using? I get great results with 2" wide 3M Blue #2080 Painter's Masking Tape from Lowe's. "

I found some tape in our sports med drawer, its pretty old, but its been working great! Thanks for the tip!
Its LATEX FREE SUPER BAND ALL PURPOSE SPORTS TAPE 1.5 inches.. fits just dandy on me


"When I was a kid we would have "tea parties" (NOT the Sarah Palin kind!) and try to talk underwater. You know that feeling in the back of your throat when you do that . . . ?"

Oh, you had tea parties too? OMG, youre kidding? Did everyone do that who grew up with a pool? I learned to swim underwater before I could swim on
top.. it was so much easier to hold your breath and glide, then do all that nasty breathing on the top! I wonder how many cpapers preferred
underwater "shark" swimming?

[JeffH]

A Respronics supreme chin strap and a terry cloth headband around my taped or polident sealed mouth pretty much stops what you are talking about.

Good luck

JeffH

[Marietjie]

If I didnt have the tape on my mouth, I guess it just would have all come out with no resistance.

Elena - I will tell you how I stopped the air in my mouth. (Other members might say it is wrong to do this but
I also had to try and get rid of the balloons) I decreased the pressure and I changed the way I put the tape
over my mouth. I used to have the tape right across my whole mouth but for a long time now I've got the
tape (¾" wide) vertically over my lips. From the tip of my nose and under my chin. (about 2")
In other words the corners of my lips are not taped. So, if it happens that I get some air in my mouth
I can let it out when I open one corner of my lips. Another reason why I have a
smaller tape over my lips is to have an open space for drooling. I soon develop sores if the drooling
comes in contact with the tape. Keep on trying, Elena and good luck!

[elena88]

"A Respronics supreme chin strap and a terry cloth headband around my taped or polident sealed mouth pretty much stops what you are talking about."

WAIT, wait, wait.. I get the chin strap and headband, that but the polident sealed mouth, I have not heard of that???? Is that
another trick? Wow!


"In other words the corners of my lips are not taped. So, if it happens that I get some air in my mouth
I can let it out when I open one corner of my lips "

YOU know, that thought had crossed my mind too! Love the tip about drooling.. cuz sometimes my tape is WET in the morning..
ewww!
I can only imagine what I must look like to my husband, with a "pepples" pony tail, the nose pillows, and sports tape over my mouth..

KINKY aint it?