Newbie's Wife - need ideas

[PLBS]

I am a supportive newbie's (5 nights now) wife and trying to help my husband adjust to his S8Elite II machine and Swift mask. Obviously, I know several of these issues may work themselves out in time, but I've read many of the posts on here and was hoping for some collective wisdom on 3 main ones now.

1) My husband tosses & turns a LOT and thus gets leaks. He also has been removing his mask, sometimes 5-6 times/night. When I hear the air change, I generally wake up and get him to adjust the mask (he's always been a super heavy sleeper), but any other ideas/tips to help with this? (or is this one of the 'he'll get used to its')

2) He's had pretty bad condensation in the hose (2M length) & rainouts. We've turned down the humidifier temp., wrapped the hose, and have it rigged to come from overhead...still happening. Other suggestions?

3) He's a mouth breather & hates the chinstrap they gave him as it doesn't stay in place...we're buying a new one based on comments here, but should he consider a face mask instead (pros/cons)?

Thanks so much, all!!

[Yoda]

Dear PLBS,
You are good to support your spouse. There is a great deal of good information here.

I started with the swift, but had a lot of condensation.(rain). Switched to a nasal mask and had no more problems. There is a thread here about putting a wick inside the pillow to absorb the moisture. That might help if he wants to keep the pillows.

I have the cardinal chinstrap and its stays in place pretty well (but I still have leak problems, so I tape, too.). I also think the chinstrap helps stabilize the mask.

Taking the mask off is quite normal. Just help him keep at it. But, don't sacrifice all your sleep. You need sleep, too. You may need a break while he is learning....

Good luck - It got better for me.

Cecile

[drubin007]

good job of being so supportive!

My wife has said she has slept the best she ever has since we have been married since I went on cpap (no more snoring).

the rainout takes some adjustments to get right. I started off with a setting of 1 on my humidifier, then went to 2, and then 3. In my case, at 3 I got rainout, so dropped back to 2 and been there since. What setting does he keep it at?

It is an optional component, you can also detach the humidifier and use the machine without it. I think it helps with the moisture, so I have not tried without as of yet...

Cannot offer much about the chin straps... taping is also an adjustment. I tried the other night (to try and improve my numbers, not sure if I mouth leak or not). Did not work for me. You need to learn to yawn with your mouth closed, and that is another challenge... after a few minutes and the feelings of a panic attack coming on, I took the tape off. I have never had a panic attack before, but felt if I slept like that I could have one...

I am also a toss and turner... just thru the short time I have been doing this, I have adjusted to tossing a lot less. you do get used to it.

hang in there and keep supporting him!

[SleepyInIndy]

1. I can't say much about the tossing and turning. If you notice him without his mask, get him to put it back on. This sensation supposedly will lessen over time.

2. Rainout. The humidification setting is a comfort thing. If you have the humidity turned down now, try turning off the heater and run the unit in "pass-over' mode. That will lessen the amount of moisture in the air. If that doesn't solve the issue, how cold is the room? A cool room and moist air yields water droplets. Make sure you have wrapped the hose with some good instulating material. There are hose cozy's available is you want, or it can be a DIY. Finally, if all else fails, you can go to a heated hose. There is one out of Australia that is supposedly pretty good, and some folks have had good results with a reptile tank heater.

3. Chin straps - work for some and not for others. My homemade one slid all over my head at night and I went to a pap-cap. It stays in place for me. A chinstap will not prevent you from opening your mouth if so determined, but acts as a reminder to keep it shut. If the reminder doesn't work the the best option is a full-face mask. Many people like them. I have one and will use it when necessary, but I am more comfortable with my nose pillows and strap. Again, it is what works, doesn't leak excessively, and you are comfortable with.

But congratulations on wanting to be supportive and proactive in your husbands therapy. He is one lucky fellow as not all spouses are so understanding and supportive. Keep up the encouragement, both verbally and with a few sharp elbows (like by better half does when I don't get the hint)....

[harry33]

can you put the mask back on him?
try making a chinstrap from pantyhose, tie it together

heating the bedroom should stop rainout

[DoriC]

I'm a wife too. I can't advise on the mask being used. My hubby is a mouth breather and wears a FF mask. You may want to consider a bed pillow made especially for cpap use especially if he's a side sleeper. We've been at this for 9mos now so I might be of some help, you can PM too. Dori

[Gerald]

Dear Wife.....

You're to be commended for doing all you can to keep your man alive.

Here are some things to do.

1. Both of you should read the "wisdom" section of this forum....located under the yellow lightbulb at the top of this page.

2. Fill out a profile so that we'll know what equipment he has.

3. Consider experimenting with an Aeiomed (Aura) Headrest type mask. It's great for side sleepers....and it's easy to prevent mask leaks using this mask.

4. If your CPAP machine is not FULLY data capable....and usable with reporting software, change it now. Don't wait. Using software is the key to successful therapy.

Good therapy that is comfortable and effective is possible if you work at it. There are many good people on this forum who will help you.

Gerald

[JRI]

I think the simple solution to the mouth breathing might be a full face mask. I have the same problem, mostly due to sinus congestion, and the FF has worked well for me.

The tossing might be related to his apneas as he readjusts his body to better breathe. It can be a vicious circle between the tossing and mask removal. People adapt differently and some not at all so it may pay to try different masks. The major thing is not to give up.

The rain , like others have stated, is related to the temperature differential between the hose air and room air. The solution is to narrow the difference.

[LoneStar]

Another solution for rainout is the Aussie Heated Hose. http://www.sleepzone.com.au/. I believe there is a US supplier for these, but I ordered mine directly from Australia online with a credit card and it got here in less than two weeks.

It was the only thing that solved the rainout problem for me. I tried everything from hose covers to tweaking my humidifier.

Lisa

[lumina]

It,s Really Nice To See You Are So Supportive To Your Husband And I Know How Frustrated You Must Feel As My Wife Went Through The Same Thing . Some Of The Issues You Came Up With Did Apply To Me I Use A CFLEX Machine That Took Away The Discomfort Of Exhaling Against The Pressure Of The Machine And I Use A Nasal Air 11 Nasal Mask These Two Things Change Every Thing For Me As It It Limited Leaks And Therefore A Much More Comfortable Night. I Was A Mouth Breather But I Did Manage To Train My Self To Keep My Mouth Shut, My Wife Also Say's I Hardly Move At Night Any More And I Feel Really Good Hang In There It Can Only Get Better