New user.... trying to solve tiredness - graph added

[Dan_McD]

My name is Dan, I'm 76 years old, fairly active, and have recently been diagnosed with OSA (Sept). I have been using a cpap machine for 32 days and 100% compliant. The 2 issues that have plagued me the most is 'Jaw Drop' (Mask goes in my mouth) and excessive tiredness. I have tried 2 different size Quattro FX masks. Dentures in and dentures out. I bought a small ResMed chin strap, but it seemed to be the cause of more snoring. I shaved my beard and improved seal considerable. I am going to try the full Quattro Mirage tonight. That mask appears to have better coverage around the mouth, so we will see.

My first sleep study showed 16+ AHI on my side.... +26 supine and 44+ in REM. Since I've been on the dream machine I have not exceeded 0.28 AHI and some nights at 0.00. The worst oxygen saturation during that study was 73%, Hence the 1L of oxygen through the concentrator.

The continued waking up tired and falling asleep or needing naps is discouraging. I don't see my sleep doctor until February 4th. The pressure is set at 13 on the cpap. I was wondering if too much pressure could make my lungs work to hard. Some mornings I get up and feel like I just ran a couple miles, especially in my legs. Any ideas? ..... And thanks for all the info here and to those that have sacrificed so much time to help others.

Dan

[Okie bipap]

My wife and I both had the same problems with the jaw dropping and the mask slipping into the mouth. We solved that problem by using a firm foam cervical collar. I purchase them at Amazon. We change them out about every two months because they get too soft and we start having a lot of mask leaks. After I started treatment, they took me off of the supplemental oxygen. My oxygen dropped to 63% during my sleep study before they put me on oxygen to complete the study. Once they put me on a bi-level machine, my oxygen levels returned to normal and I was able to stop the supplemental oxygen.

[Julie]

Google 'sof† cervical collar' for Cpap. It's nothing like the thing worn for whiplash (much smaller and softer) but does keep your head up, and therefore your airway more open, and helps to keep your jaws (if not lips) closed. You could also do a forum search on it too. The collars are available in many places but being in Canada here others there may be able to direc† you better (maybe Amazon?).

[realshelby]

Is there a reason you cannot use or try a nasal mask? Sounds like you have tried very hard to make the full face work.

[Dan_McD]

Okie and Julie, thanks for the tip on the collars. I will look into that.

realshelby..... from what I understand the nasal mask does not cover the mouth. During sleep I also breath through my mouth and that's where my snoring comes from. I'm new to all of this, but I think I have to have both my mouth and nose covered.

[klm49]

My name is Dan, I'm 76 years old, fairly active, and have recently been diagnosed with OSA (Sept). I have been using a cpap machine for 32 days and 100% compliant. The 2 issues that have plagued me the most is 'Jaw Drop' (Mask goes in my mouth) and excessive tiredness. I have tried 2 different size Quattro FX masks. Dentures in and dentures out. I bought a small ResMed chin strap, but it seemed to be the cause of more snoring. I shaved my beard and improved seal considerable. I am going to try the full Quattro Mirage tonight. That mask appears to have better coverage around the mouth, so we will see.

My first sleep study showed 16+ AHI on my side.... +26 supine and 44+ in REM. Since I've been on the dream machine I have not exceeded 0.28 AHI and some nights at 0.00. The worst oxygen saturation during that study was 73%, Hence the 1L of oxygen through the concentrator.

The continued waking up tired and falling asleep or needing naps is discouraging. I don't see my sleep doctor until February 4th. The pressure is set at 13 on the cpap. I was wondering if too much pressure could make my lungs work to hard. Some mornings I get up and feel like I just ran a couple miles, especially in my legs. Any ideas? ..... And thanks for all the info here and to those that have sacrificed so much time to help others.

Dan

What helped me the most is taping my mouth shut. Without it I will wake up several times a night with the bottom of the mask in my mouth. The cervical collar helps but for e tape was the main thing. I tried a chin strap and it didn't help, could still mouth breathe. I don't think nasal pillows would work in your situation since you obviously are mouth breathing. I've been on CPAP for nearly 3 years and I still find myself taking naps daily. My regular Dr. said that my daily nap taking is just a habit however they did tell me to take D3 daily. Sleep Dr. really doesn't have much comment. My current Sleep Dr. didn't like the idea of the cervical collar and tape but she will just have to accept it because it works and it greatly diminishes my dry mouth/throat. I use one strip of tape horizontally across my lips and one on each side of the nose at an angle to the center of my chin. The 1" 3M clear (micropore I think) or the Curad/Dollar store variety work fine although I find the 3M adhesive to be a little to sticky and hard to get off. If you don't have problems breathing through your nose maybe this will help.

[LSAT]

Okie and Julie, thanks for the tip on the collars. I will look into that.

realshelby..... from what I understand the nasal mask does not cover the mouth. During sleep I also breath through my mouth and that's where my snoring comes from. I'm new to all of this, but I think I have to have both my mouth and nose covered.

Try this...https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dr-Dakota-An ... op&veh=sem

[Dan_McD]

Thanks for the additional tips. My equipment / dealer is to send the the data from the SD card to my DR on 1/2/19. It will be interesting to see what feedback she gives back. They did do an Oximetry one night about 2 weeks ago, but they would not give me the numbers from that test until I see her on February 4th.

I guess there is a magic number in all of this. If I raise the pressure it increases the leaks and if I lower it I have more snoring or a small obstruction. I think they call it fine tuning. I hope it fine tunes this tiredness after all of this........ Funny how almost everything in medicine has a downside. I guess it is better than a dirt nap.

[realshelby]

I was told I was a mouth breather too.
Glad I didn't think that was the only thing I could use.
Never needed to tape my lips. But I would gladly do that to be able to use a nasal pillows/cushion style of mask over a full face.

Nice Cobra II in the avatar! Yes, I know what those are!

[Dan_McD]

I was told I was a mouth breather too.
Glad I didn't think that was the only thing I could use.
Never needed to tape my lips. But I would gladly do that to be able to use a nasal pillows/cushion style of mask over a full face.

Nice Cobra II in the avatar! Yes, I know what those are!

My wife has been very patient with the snoring through the years, but is now thankful for the quiet.

Thanks for the 'Like' on the Cobra II.

[ChicagoGranny]

Google 'sof† cervical collar' for Cpap.

I've told you before, it's foam cervical collar not soft cervical collar.

[zonker]

Google 'sof† cervical collar' for Cpap.

I've told you before, it's foam cervical collar not soft cervical collar.

why?

i seem to get pretty much the same results without regard to whether i google "soft" or "foam".

what are we missing here?

[Julie]

Granny likes to give me a hard time - any excuse.

[ChicagoGranny]

what are we missing here?

Here is what you are missing:

We solved that problem by using a firm foam cervical collar.

Foam cervical collars come in varying indentation force deflections (IFDs) (https://www.testresources.net/applicati ... stm-d3574/). The marketers of the collars typically describe the two most common IFDs as "soft" or "firm".

So, when Julie is telling someone to use a "soft cervical collar", she has not clearly described the type collar to use. I usually tell people to try a foam cervical collar while noting that the firm works best and lasts longest for me. At the same time, others may prefer a soft foam cervical collar.

(I do believe Julie thinks a firm cervical collar is one of those made of rigid plastic.)

[Julie]

Not at all.