New User Problems

[bmktown]

I have had the cpap machine for two nights. I cannot seem to get it right. I am waking up after an hour with a mouth so dry that my tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth. Is there a way to prevent this? Also, I can hear the full face mask constantly leaking. I have it adjusted as tight as I can stand it, but when I lay down, it leaks. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

[jencat824]

Welcome to the forum!

To help us help you best, could you please register & under the User Control Panel put the name of your machine, humidifier & mask. That way we know what you are using and those of us with experience in those can best help you.

To start, getting used to CPAP is hard for some. Sounds like you have a mask that may not fit or you may be wearing it too tight. I dion't know which mask you have get, but I'm posting you a link to a method of using a popular mask, the Mirage Quattro. Something in this may help you in fitting your Full Face mask.

http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/taming ... e-quattro/


Most all FF masks are designed to set on the face, but not tightened to be pushed into it. Others will probably post you some suggestions too, but please know it is a learning process. I've used CPAP for 12 yrs, and only found this Forum in mid October of this year. I've learned more about my treatment since I've found this forum than in all 12 yrs combined. This is an awesome group of people here & you will get some suggestions to try & help you as you adapt to this change in your life.

Again, welcome & please register,
Jen

[gomer]

I have had the cpap machine for two nights. I cannot seem to get it right. I am waking up after an hour with a mouth so dry that my tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth. Is there a way to prevent this? Also, I can hear the full face mask constantly leaking. I have it adjusted as tight as I can stand it, but when I lay down, it leaks. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

I use a Quatro full-face mask. Note I am also a newbie with about 8 days experience.
For the Quatro I read that you do NOT want the straps fully tight. That the cushion needs some airspace to function. When the straps are as tight as you can get them there is NO cushion left to adjust to your face. I also had to return/exchange my Quatro small for a medium size. MY DME was in a bums-rush hurry to get me out the door w/APAP in hand, so was not properly fitted, nor instructed on HOW to adjust the mask for leaks. I learned what I know from others on here and my very limited experience.

Dry mouth..I have it some/minor when I awaken in the morning. So far I have used my humidifier EVERY night to help minimize the dry mouth. Did you get a humidifier with your xPAP unit or if you did, are you using it?

I hope this helps

[bmktown]

Thank you for the replies. It is a quatro full face mask. I will try it lose tonight. I have a humidifier. It is set on 3. Is it okay to increase it to max? I think part of the problem is that I am use to sleeping on two/three pillows for comfort and that is not working well with the mask. I will keep trying since I was told it would help me to feel better. My pressure is set at 16 and that is hard to get used to as well. I use the feature to have it increase gradually, but I feel it when it kicks in!

[gomer]

I was Rx'd a PR S1 560 auto or APAP unit. it's set for 10-14 and working well, after a horrible LEAKY LEAKY first nite. I started with a 5 minute ramp, but soon did not bother with the ramp.

With a better fitting mask size and more info on adjusting it its been much better.

Humidity settings? you will just have to try find out (trial & err) which setting works best for YOU. One nice thing about the Quatro is once you get the straps fitting well, you can take it off/& on w/o changing the adjustments.

I sleep with 2 pillows. The pillow my head is on is a true feather/down pillow. that allows me to shape/adjust my pillow as needed for best comfort even when side sleeping w/mask.

I have been on my APAP for over a week (barely) now and I still find myself making minor tweaks here and there.

[jweeks]

Thank you for the replies. It is a quatro full face mask. I will try it lose tonight. I have a humidifier. It is set on 3. Is it okay to increase it to max? I think part of the problem is that I am use to sleeping on two/three pillows for comfort and that is not working well with the mask. I will keep trying since I was told it would help me to feel better. My pressure is set at 16 and that is hard to get used to as well. I use the feature to have it increase gradually, but I feel it when it kicks in!

Hi,

What machine do you have? If that is a straight pressure of 16, then that will be kind of difficult for most people to handle. Once you get to 15 or above, that is typically where you want a BiPAP unit rather than a CPAP or APAP. In the mean time, check and see if your machine has CFLEX or AFLEX feature (also called exhale pressure relief). If so, turn up that setting to its maximum value. That will help make it a little easier to breathe out against the pressure.

If you were given a CPAP or APAP rather than a BiPAP, you might want to start doing some complaining. Insurance companies sometimes play this game where people have to fail on CPAP or APAP before they will pay for a BiPAP unit. Failure can be arranged if that is what they need.

-john-

[bmktown]

jweeks,

I have a REMstar Pro 2 C-Flex CPAP machine. I turned up the humidifier to 5 last night (as high as it would go) and I still woke up after 2 hours with a dry mouth. This is a problem for me. I have been a mouth breather my entire life due to asthma. The machine is no good if I keep waking up due to dry mouth.

I tried readjusting my mask. I still could hear leaks. The pressure at 16 makes me feel like a dog with my head stuck out the window going down the highway at 65 mph. I was ordered this machine by my primary doctor. I see the sleep doctor on Wednesday and will ask about a different machine.

Thank you for the information!!

[Slartybartfast]

The machine's not your problem. Your mask is not fitting right and you're leaking like a newborn. The air that's being pumped into the mask in order to maintain pressure is drying out your mouth. The machine's doing what it's supposed to; the mask isn't. It's leaking. THAT'S what you need to run by the sleep doc; it's not the machine's fault.

Controlling mask leaks is the most challenging problem for PAPers who are just starting out. It's going to take persistence and the help of your sleep doc and/or the DME (durable medical equipment supplier). If you're not getting help, give us a shout and someone will be along to help you.

If you can find any way to work on learning to breathe with your mouth closed a LOT of problems will disappear. However that's not something you can do in a single night.

[jencat824]

You may want to contact your DME & return that mask for another brand of Full Face mask. My hubby got a PR Amara that seems to be a little easier to fit, BUT, he is having some leaks. I'm not sure if its the mask, or if it is him geting used to it. It does seem to fit him well, but in his sleep he is having leaks, depending on the position he rolls into.

I have limited exposure to FF masks, but my experience with the Quattro FX for Her has not been good. I can get it to not leak ONLY if I stay perfectly still. If I move so much as a finger - face farts.

I agree with Slartybartfast, it would be better for you to have a nasal, or nasal pillow mask & not breathe thru your mouth. That is a dream for some folks, so getting used to the FF may be what you want to do. I personally am struggling with leaks, so I'm using a chinstrrap. After several weeks with the chinstrap, when I slept without it, my leaks were still down, my mouth not dry, so I assume I'm keeping my mouth closed better. The accepted trick to keep you mouth closed is to put your tongue on the roof of your mouth. That helps with keeping the air from escaping at night.

One thing to keep in mind is that faces are individual, so finding the right mask for each of us can be a chore. Some folks get lucky & the first mask works fine. Some of us have to try several to find the right one. Keep trying, its worth it to get the benefit of your therapy.

Jen

[Denial Dave]

+1 on the recommendation on the link to "taming the mirage quattro".

I keep a printed copy of it next to my machine.

I'm now as leak free as you can get at my higher pressures.

[jzap]

I don't use a full face mask, so I may not be much help.

You said, "I have it adjusted as tight as I can stand it, but when I lay down, it leaks."

If you put the mask on and adjust it, then lay down, it will leak. When you lay down, your face shape changes. It also changes when you relax and fall asleep. I find is that it is best to put the mask on, then lie down, then relax all your facial muscles as they would be during sleep, then adjust the straps (as someone else suggested not too tightly).

Hope this helps.

I can't help much with the dry mouth situation, as my experience was exactly the opposite of yours. I had raging dry mouth before CPAP. The sleep tech gave me a nasal mask for my titration study, showed me how to use it properly, and my dry mouth was cured that first night.

[Denial Dave]

Follow the guidance on taming the mirage quattro. It will lead you through adjusting your mask while laying down. Anything you do while sitting up will degrade once you put your head on the pillow.

[DoriC]

http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/taming ... e-quattro/

[Todd Swanson]

I've been using mine for about 8 months and have been lurking on the forums for awhile now. I had to respond as and I had the same problem as you with my full face mask and I think I have your solution. Early on I had tried nasal masks but found that they would not work for me even with a chin strap because my lips would purse open and I would still let out all of my pressure ruining my therapy.

So I ultimately had to use a full face mask but like you my mouth was still dry even though I had resolved the leak issue. I knew leaks were not the problem but I could not figure out what was happening until one night I woke up with my mouth wide open inside the mask. This was causing my mouth to dry out from the airflow inside the mask. Try as I might I could not resolve this issue no matter what humidity setting I had my machine on. My sleep Dr prescribed me Flonaise to help keep my sinisus open and hopefully stop the mouth drop issue.

One night I woke up with my mouth wide open again parched as the Sahara desert. Out of frustration I put my old chin strap on hoping this would keep my mouth closed. BINGO! It worked. I had stumbled onto a solution not commonly motioned here. I know that sounds inconvenient and almost wrong using a chin strap with a FFM. But it did the trick. No more waking up in the middle of the night with dry mouth. That’s what worked for me. If you've got a chinstrap you may want to give it a try to see if it works.

Oh BTW I use Remed FX Quatro FFM , PR System One REMstar Pro CPAP Machine with AutoIQ, and Premium Chinstrap by Philips Respironics

[bmktown]

I will have to try the chin strap.

I did come up with a trick last night. I laid on my side and had another pillow there. I shoved my face against the pillow to keep the mask against my face. I got about 2 hours of sleep before I woke up. This is the most sleep I have had since starting the machine. (Probably not the best solution)

Is it normal to wake up during the night once adjusted to cpap machine? I have not gotten more than 2 hours sleep without waking up. This is actually worse than before I started using the machine. I don't know which is worse, no sleep or sleep apnea!