Mouth breather with a swift fx nasal mask

[lorraineg57]

The nausea may be due to swallowed air.
(search "aerophagia" for solutions)
A too small nasal pillow may restrict airflow; and different companies' masks may yield different results.
For side-sleeping, you may need to experiment with different bed pillows, as I like a really soft pillow with the FX.
CPAP bed pillows are another possibility.

I move my pillow off to the side so that it's under my ear but not under the nasal pillows.

[jzap]

Maybe I'm just lucky, but I use a nasal mask without tape or chin straps. My sleep tech taught me that it takes only a slight effort to keep your nasal airway separated from your mouth.

Just where you are sitting now, start inhaling through your mouth, and then lightly put your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Your breath will shut off immediately, and you will find that you can only breathe through your nose with the tongue in that position. Relax! It only takes a very light touch. Don't clench your jaw. It really isn't necessary to keep your mouth shut.

A few times a week, I loose the separation, and when I do it wakes me up, but the feeling is now familiar enough that I recognize it regain the separation and go back to sleep almost immediately.

Good luck. I hope things work out for you.

[Komadori]

Good advice jzap

I was originally advised to use full face mask, and after trying several settled to reasonable success with Quattro, but was not satisfied with AHI around 16 - 20 (59 with no CPAP), also didn't like restrictive mask, so gambled on purchasing a Sleepweaver Advance, and was amazed. Even with high(ish) mouth leakage AHI dropped below 5, and I found I needed less pressure (8 -> 10 rather than 14+ with full face mask). I tried the tongue trick which reduced mouth leakage most nights, and now have AHI less than 2 most of the time.

The drop in pressures defies logic, but I have seen similar comments on several forums, so for me and some others it is real.

Summary, if your present setup doesn't work, try something else. Sleep Apnea is an odd problem, and different solutions work for different users, but somewhere there is a solution for everyone.

[nangiggles]

second night on the comfortgel and had to take it off, weird how despite being a mouth breather I do better on the nasal, I do obssess over the least leak of the comfortgel, is it possible to have a leak and still sleep well/get enough air?

Also, How do I view my data info? I have my SD card but no idea what software to use... Apria doesnt want to help me, they told me just to take itto them and they'll download it but I dont want to constantly go there.

[Pugsy]

Also, How do I view my data info? I have my SD card but no idea what software to use..

The humidifier you have chosen in your equipment profile doesn't work with any machine that uses a SD card.
I looked back in your old posts and saw where you mentioned that you were given a Remstar Auto with AFlex.
To have a SD card that would mean a PR System One Auto CPAP (might be model 550 or 560) and you can use SleepyHead or Encore software with it. If you have the heated hose machine that would be the model 560.
The correct humidifier would be the PR System One Heated Humidifier if you have the model 550 or the PR System One Heated Hose 60 series humidifier if model 560.
To figure out which model you have turn the machine over and look for a 3 digit model number sticker.
Be sure to remove the water tank first if there is water in it.

SleepyHead needs the patch if you have model 560.
I have SleepyHead links in my signature.
Here is the thread for the patch for the 60 series
viewtopic/t83551/SleepyHead-Series-60-Patch-Avail.html

Might want to correct your equipment in your profile to avoid confusion.
Are you still waiting on the S9 AutoSet?

[nangiggles]

I took the equip off, am still waiting for the S9 but am not eevn sure if that's better than what i have, will check my model when i get home

[nangiggles]

It says 550P

[GeneS]

Hello
Cpap does not work when you breath thru your mouth. You lose your pressure, have large pressure swings and your airway pressure goes negative. Cpap only works when the airway pressure stays positive. (above atmospheric pressure.)
You need to eliminate mouth breathing or leaking or use a full face mask to be successful with cpap.
GeneS

[Pugsy]

It says 550P

That would be the PR System One Remstar Auto CPAP with AFlex.
Humidifier would be the PR System One Heated Humidifier.

SleepyHead will work just fine with this machine.
If your computer is Vista or Win 7 when you go to install the setup files don't double click on the files to get the install started. Instead right click the mouse and from the menu that pops up choose "run as administrator". This will save you a bit of an annoyance later with the update.
Links in my signature line. Be sure to read the User Guide also.

If you are using a Mac there is a version for Macs...just look for Jimbo's Mac build.

[nangiggles]

is the 550P better than the S9 autoset?

[Pugsy]

is the 550P better than the S9 autoset?

Not really better except for the ClimateLine heated hose option that is available on the S9 Autoset.
The Respironics 550 doesn't have a heated hose...the 560 has a heated hose option.
Should the heated hose be needed and you have the 550..it isn't a deal breaker...we have been using machines without heated hose feature for years. There are ways to manage the rain out or cold air problems.
Both have APAP modes and both have cpap modes available.
Exhale relief is different...neither better than the other really...just different.
The S9 has more data available on the LCD screen than the 550 but both have easily obtained and used software so that sort of is a wash.
The 550 will actually flag the number of flow limitations and snores where the S9 shows them only on a bar graph.
The S9 will give event duration...the 550 doesn't.
The 550 will flag RERAs Respiratory Event Related Arousals...the S9 doesn't but the jury is still out on just how critical this piece of data is anyway. It might be useful if someone suspected UARS Upper Airway Respiratory Syndrome.
The 550 has a swivel adapter on top of the humidifier which allows more movement of the hose and the S9 has the hose coming off the back of the machine. Not a deal breaker difference though.

So minor pros and cons with either machine. Each brand has a different algorithm and there may be a few people who feel like they do better with one algorithm over the other but most people don't have a chance to try both machines and I suspect that for most people either machine will do a good job.

I happen to own both brands in the bilevel model. I can't say that one is superior over the other.
I don't see enough difference to justify the difference in price though. Of course if your insurance is paying then the cost to you is likely the same.

So it really is pretty much a toss up. Both are excellent machines.

[Pugsy]

The difference in software might be important.
SleepyHead will work with both machines and I have links for the User Guide in my signature line so take a look at what SleepyHead reports look like.

ResScan tutorial to give you and idea what the S9 ResScan reports look like.
http://montfordhouse.com/cpap/resscan_tutorial/

Here is a link for what the Respironics official Encore report looks like.
For a different machine than yours but the basics are the same.
http://www.healthcare.philips.com/pwc_h ... _Guide.pdf