Beard and a mouth breather - mask suggestions please?

[adelaideasleep]

My son needs cpap but has a beard and at this stage is a definate mouth breather. Can someone suggest a mask that may work for him?

[Julie]

Possibly a Fisher Paykel Forma? I know someone else with a beard who used it.

[stage0]

The Comfort-Gel fullface...it has a firmer gell insert that presses into the hairs firmer.

I think best is the Comfort--Gel nasal type, the smallers he can tolerate...along with a Chinstrap for mouth breathing. Usually in the studies, I see ppl that mouth breathe stop as the body adapts to cpap.

[123.Shawn T.W.]

I tried the chin strap (pap cap) ... Finely gave up on it!

I use the Res Med Mirage Quattro FFM, I keep my beard 3/8" - 3/4"

[SleepyToo2]

Aloha nasal pillows at the moment because of some recent dental work, but my mask of choice is the Tap Lap. New version on it's way. Both used with a Puresom chinstrap. AHI around 1 or less most nights.

[PST]

I've worn the Resmed Mirage Quattro over a full beard before. It's a full face mask that covers the mouth. The cushion hits below the lower lip and follows a line up the cheek close to the the top of the beard. With a short beard, I experienced no trouble. I thought there would be leaks, but the seal was good. By short, I mean Ulysses Grant style, not mere stubble.

[Guest]

I, too, have a beard/mouth issues and I'm having troubles. I've used the CPAP for several years but nobody is monitoring it and I just learned how to understand the various numbers reported. (I though that the only way to know if it was working was to get a new sleep-study or to decide if I was sleepy in the day time.) Now I know how really poorly it has been working.

Large Leak is about 40% and AHI is 17. Pressure is 11 to 12. Periodic Breathing is 11-12.

Early on, I tried the a nasal pillow+ChinStrap combination but that didn't work well and I went to a full-face mask. I did stop being so sleepy in the daytime. My supplier recently sent me a different brand full-face mask (I don't know why) but I'm not happy with it.

Has anybody tried the mouth-mask and nose plugs? Does that solve the beard+mouth_breather combination? What experiences did you have?

[NateS]

I, too, have a beard/mouth issues and I'm having troubles. I've used the CPAP for several years but nobody is monitoring it and I just learned how to understand the various numbers reported. (I though that the only way to know if it was working was to get a new sleep-study or to decide if I was sleepy in the day time.) Now I know how really poorly it has been working.

Large Leak is about 40% and AHI is 17. Pressure is 11 to 12. Periodic Breathing is 11-12.

Early on, I tried the a nasal pillow+ChinStrap combination but that didn't work well and I went to a full-face mask. I did stop being so sleepy in the daytime. My supplier recently sent me a different brand full-face mask (I don't know why) but I'm not happy with it.

Has anybody tried the mouth-mask and nose plugs? Does that solve the beard+mouth_breather combination? What experiences did you have?

What is the name of your mask?

What is the same of your machine?

What is the name of "the mouth-mask and nose plugs" you are asking about?

Could you please register and/or sign in and list your equipment in your profile so it will appear at the bottom of your posts? Adds a lot for comprehension.

Regards, Nate

[Papit]

My son needs cpap but has a beard and at this stage is a definate mouth breather. Can someone suggest a mask that may work for him?

Check out and compare the reviews of both the Respironics and ResMed 'hybrid' mouth-and-nasal-pillows mask. I understand the former seals lower on the user's chin whileh the latter seals just below the lower lip. I just ordered Respironics' as I think it will be more comfortable for me having tried the other in a recent lab titration test. And it received significantly more 'stars' in the reviews.

What attracts my interest is that these hybrid designs make no contact with either my forehead or the bridge of my nose, which gets sore and red for some reason. I've been using the Swift FX for over a year with good results and comfort, but sometimes the pillows dislodge when I turn to my sides. These hybrids seem to have a design that make them more stable for me. It sure sealed and held well during my lab test.

[sawinglogz]

Check out and compare the reviews of both the Respironics and ResMed 'hybrid' mouth-and-nasal-pillows mask. ... I just ordered Respironics' as I think it will be more comfortable for me having tried the other in a recent lab titration test. And it received significantly more 'stars' in the reviews.

I think you mean the InnoMed mask? I don't think Respironics makes a hybrid.

What attracts my interest is that these hybrid designs make no contact with either my forehead or the bridge of my nose, which gets sore and red for some reason. I've been using the Swift FX for over a year with good results and comfort, but sometimes the pillows dislodge when I turn to my sides. These hybrids seem to have a design that make them more stable for me. It sure sealed and held well during my lab test.

Interesting that you find the hybrid stable. I've been trying to adjust to the ResMed Mirage Liberty (a hybrid), and the nasal pillows seal great, but I keep having issues with mouth leaks.

Ironically, it may be that a beard makes leaks less of an issue, presumably making them simply more consistent (always mild) as opposed to varying between perfect seal and leaking slightly, which wakes me up. I have a PAC mask liner on order to see if that helps; I imagine it would have a similar effect.

Let us know how it goes!

[JDS74]

IHas anybody tried the mouth-mask and nose plugs? Does that solve the beard+mouth_breather combination? What experiences did you have?

The mask in question is the Fisher-Paykel Oracle 2 oral mask.
It might be possible to adjust it so that facial hair wouldn't interfere.
I have some leak issues when I don't shave but that's at the stubble level.

The mask has an inner flap that is between the teeth and the lips and an outer flap that presses on the outside of the lips.
The inner flap does almost all of the sealing while the outer flap contributes mostly to positioning.

If you do try one, try really hard to learn how to use it without the nasal plugs by learning to not breath through you nose while wearing the mask. It's a lot more comfortable that way.

BTW - it is really important to never use a chin strap with this mask; your obstructive event will shoot through the roof.
F-P specifically states no chin strap.

[NateS]

IHas anybody tried the mouth-mask and nose plugs? Does that solve the beard+mouth_breather combination? What experiences did you have?

The mask in question is the Fisher-Paykel Oracle 2 oral mask.
It might be possible to adjust it so that facial hair wouldn't interfere.
I have some leak issues when I don't shave but that's at the stubble level.

The mask has an inner flap that is between the teeth and the lips and an outer flap that presses on the outside of the lips.
The inner flap does almost all of the sealing while the outer flap contributes mostly to positioning.

If you do try one, try really hard to learn how to use it without the nasal plugs by learning to not breath through you nose while wearing the mask. It's a lot more comfortable that way.

BTW - it is really important to never use a chin strap with this mask; your obstructive event will shoot through the roof.
F-P specifically states no chin strap.

Sounds really awful. How does one train oneself to go back to breathing through their nose during the daytime? Doesn't it cause you to go around all day with your mouth open?

Nate

[Guest]

I, too, have a beard/mouth issues and I'm having troubles. I've used the CPAP for several years but nobody is monitoring it and I just learned how to understand the various numbers reported. (I though that the only way to know if it was working was to get a new sleep-study or to decide if I was sleepy in the day time.) Now I know how really poorly it has been working.

Large Leak is about 40% and AHI is 17. Pressure is 11 to 12. Periodic Breathing is 11-12.

Early on, I tried the a nasal pillow+ChinStrap combination but that didn't work well and I went to a full-face mask. I did stop being so sleepy in the daytime. My supplier recently sent me a different brand full-face mask (I don't know why) but I'm not happy with it.

Has anybody tried the mouth-mask and nose plugs? Does that solve the beard+mouth_breather combination? What experiences did you have?

What is the name of your mask?

What is the same of your machine?

What is the name of "the mouth-mask and nose plugs" you are asking about?

Could you please register and/or sign in and list your equipment in your profile so it will appear at the bottom of your posts? Adds a lot for comprehension.

Regards, Nate

Sorry.

The CPAP is a System One. The mask that has been working moderately well is ad Mirage Quattro but the supplier said the don't supply them any more and they sent me an Amara which doubled my Large Leak percentages.

[Pugsy]

The CPAP is a System One. The mask that has been working moderately well is ad Mirage Quattro but the supplier said the don't supply them any more and they sent me an Amara which doubled my Large Leak percentages.

Well 20 % time in large leak doubled to 40 % time in large leak is pretty bad leak.
20 % of the time in large leak is pretty bad itself. That means for 20% of the night your leaks were really, really big. The PR S1 has a pretty generous leak allowance where they say they can compensate for leaks up to large leak territory which is somewhere between 80 and 90 L/min depending on which System One machine. In other words it has be be pretty bad to register a large leak flag.

Do you have the software? You can use SleepyHead ..see my signature.

AHI 17 is way too high. With leaks that bad the machine isn't able to do a good job preventing the apnea events.
That Periodic Breathing is too high also... You need to use the software to see if those events are obstructive or clear airway.

If no one is monitoring you...then you need to learn how to do it yourself. It can be done.

Please register here at the forum and post your equipment so it will be easier to follow who you are and what you are using.

[enghelp]

ResMed Quattro is the best on the market and you dont get that way if you don't seal over beards. Men are much more likely to have OSA than wemen so beards shoul be common.