Tape worked great!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 2:55 pm

I have a little bit of 2 inch tape left over from my surgery and i'm going to try that asap! Thanks country4ever SNM

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 3:56 pm

LOL...you lab rats are great!

For new readers who are wondering... "TAPE??? They've GOT to be kidding!!!" --

LINKS to: Mouth leaks - Air Leaks - Tape - DIY Guard
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jomac30 · Post by **jomac30** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 9:07 pm

My sleep doc and the pharmacist do not recommend taping your mouth shut. They said it can be very dangerous. You could suffocate.

lking · Post by **lking** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 9:16 pm

My husband would not let me tape my mouth for fear if I (or we) died during the night he could be suspect for my death if my mouth had been taped. LOL, I thought he had a valid point so I didn't try it.

FreeLancer74 · Post by **FreeLancer74** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 10:38 pm

I'm not worried because the Mirage Swift II has that large vent on the front. If the machine goes off, I can get air through the vent.

Gerald · Post by **Gerald** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 10:55 pm

Jomac......

Did your sleep doc or your pharmacist make any suggestions as to how to conquer mouth leaks? We'd all be very interested to hear their solution(s) to the problem.

Last night, I decided to go against my better judgement......and experiment with tape only.....no tights. My score was good....0.4 AHI....but, I consider the idea a failure....because I had mouth leaks most of the night. I ran the experiment to confirm my opinion that it wouldn't work. I just wanted to be sure I wasn't wrong.

The pressure inside my mouth pushed the tape away from my skin.....and, in effect.....I had a "blowout". The tape won't work by depending on adhesive alone. There has to be something that pushes (and holds) the tape in place against the skin....and helps prevent it from coming loose.

This evening, my soul-mate and I sewed up a new "panty-hose tights" creation.......and it seems to have the potential to be a "winner". Tonight, I'll tape my mouth with 2" Blue 3M Delicate Release masking tape......and pull on the tights.

The creation is very simple......and very easy to put on....or take off.

Because I have already lived through many, many apnea caused arousals.... when my body realized I was going to die of suffocation if I didn't breathe, I'm certainly not concerned with "suffocation". Been there, done that.

About the only danger I can see that might (remotely) be a possible problem, would be an unexpected upset stomach with vomiting. However, I've never vomited without being fully awake, so I figure that I should have enough sense to remove the tape and panty-hose tights....before I "let 'er go". And surely I must be smart enough not to use tape if I'm not feeling well.

So.........the experiment will continue.......using observation, good common sense, intellectual honesty, and data gathering.......all the components of the scientific method......which happens to be the only way the good stuff we all enjoy was innovated.

After all, what do you think the doctor or the pharmacist would have said when presented with the idea of using the rear end of a vacuum cleaner to prevent sleep apnea?

I'm quite sure their warning against use of a blower would have had a similarity to something I saw in one of my favorite Harry Potter movies.

Gerald

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:04 pm

lking wrote:My husband would not let me tape my mouth for fear if I (or we) died during the night he could be suspect for my death if my mouth had been taped. LOL, I thought he had a valid point so I didn't try it.

I printed out a note stating I tape my mouth of my own free will, that I've been doing it since Dec. 2005 and that it has added to the quality of my life, etc. I think it was originally Rested Gal's idea. I have also told many extended family members about it. I have a signed copy of that in my cpap bag.

I did it to make sure nobody would be suspected should I be found dead or unconscious (and without any signs of violence...).

O.

lking · Post by **lking** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:32 pm

LOL...so I guess my husband's thought/fear were not crazy after all, especially if RG previously addressed a solution. What my husband doesn't know is that one night out of desperation I tried taping my mouth. Within a few hours I had blown right through it and I had tape residue to contend with on my lips.

I solved my mouth breathing by using a chinstrap, so I thought. After about a week of wearing the chinstrap I blew through it. I then turned to wearing a Tiara Ruby chinstrap but blew through it after 5 nights of use. As luck would have it, I saw my sleep doc the next day after blowing through the Ruby. He changed my machine from a CPAP to a BiPAP. I have now been on the BiPAP for 10 days without any break through mouth breathing.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:52 pm

I've been using denture adhesive strips to my lips and "yukoban" (a sort of paper tape but easy release and specially for delicate skin), just one piece vertically from the underneath of my nose to under my chin.

Seems to work most of the time, still getting leaks but I think it is the Swift when I turn on my side.

Di

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:53 pm

PS
I found the denture adhesive on its own or the paper tape on its own made my lips tender, but in a combo they work fine, no lip problem.

Di

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:59 pm

[quote="lking"]LOL...so I guess my husband's thought/fear were not crazy after all, especially if RG previously addressed a solution. What my husband doesn't know is that one night out of desperation I tried taping my mouth. Within a few hours I had blown right through it and I had tape residue to contend with on my lips.

I solved my mouth breathing by using a chinstrap, so I thought. After about a week of wearing the chinstrap I blew through it. I then turned to wearing a Tiara Ruby chinstrap but blew through it after 5 nights of use. As luck would have it, I saw my sleep doc the next day after blowing through the Ruby. He changed my machine from a CPAP to a BiPAP. I have now been on the BiPAP for 10 days without any break through mouth breathing.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 12:29 am

ozij wrote:
lking wrote:As luck would have it, I saw my sleep doc the next day after blowing through the Ruby. He changed my machine from a CPAP to a BiPAP. I have now been on the BiPAP for 10 days without any break through mouth breathing.
Which makes me wonder: RG, could you new found ability to sleep with a chinstrap and without taping be as much a result of your switching to a Bi-Pap as it is of all that training?

O.

That's a thought that I never would have thunk.

In true lab rat tradition, I'll try some of my other types of machines with just the chin strap that's working for me now sans tape. Will let you know.

I do know that I still have massive mouth air leaks if I don't use the chin strap. Have tried that a few times over the past month or two in hopes that the tongue would stay put in a sealing position even then, but it didn't.

FreeLancer74 · Post by **FreeLancer74** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 2:38 am

Another solution, especially for you woment (because you've had training), is to sew a button in your upper lip and but a hole in your bottom lip so you can button your mouth closed at night. Also good when you are talking to much and your spouse asks you to be quiet.

LOL

j/k

Gerald · Post by **Gerald** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 7:25 am

Success!

Last night, I had the fewest mouth leaks I've experienced since I became a hose-head September a year ago.

My leak-line was almost "straight" for the whole night. AHI was 0.6 and average pressure was 10.2 cm. My 90% pressure was 11 cm. I have the machine set for 9.5 cm on the low end....to 13 cm on the upper end.

The tape adhesive held all night without failure......and the tights stayed in position without any slippage. I slept in every position.

I'll continue to report what I'm learning.......and I'll ask Rested Gal to help me post a picture....once I've finalized the sewing design of the tights.

We will be home two more nights.....and then, we hit the road for a week. The stress of travel will be the best test of our "tape-n-tights" design.

Right now, I'm very hopeful....and VERY pleased with the progress we've made.

Gerald

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): hose, AHI, Travel

Country4ever · Post by **Country4ever** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 4:05 pm

Glad to hear its going so well for you Gerald! Good luck on your road trip!

Machine	Mask

Additional Comments: Resmed HumidAir 11 for humidifier

Tape worked great!

Country4Ever :)