Controlling mouth leaks w/o tape or glue

[echo]

I keep looking at all of these ideas and thinking to myself....Why don't they just try a Full Face Mask?

I'll tell you WHY! They don't make one that fits my face! I've tried every brand. At considerable personal expense. And none of them are made to fit my facial geometry. If the choice is between a full face mask that hurts and leaks and just plain doesn't work OR nasal pillows and some other kind of modification to keep your lips closed, what would you do?

What makes me angry about this? My facial geometry is a MAJOR CONTRIBUTING CAUSE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF OSA. Overbite. Weak chin. Whatever you want to call it. I heard a prominent New York sleep medicine doctor talking about OSA on Doctor Radio (a Sirius satelite channel) and he specifically said that it is documented that this type of face structure is a cause of OSA. So, you tell, me--why don't the manufacturers get a clue?

Things aren't always as simple as you might think.

I totally and completely agree. Many FFMs I've tried don't work because my jaw is receded and chin is small, and no amount of adjusting will help keep it sealed!!

Jen, did you ever try the ComfortGel Full? That's the most recent one I've tried and it almost mostly works. Leaks are fairly under control, and I'm getting some bruising on my nose bridge but that's because it's one size too small, i think, so I've ordered the medium size. Just wonderin'...

[socknitster]

Ha! You may have got me! That may be the one I haven't tried. I did try some of the more obscure ones like Hans Rudolph, etc. I also tried at least 2 resmed, a fisher and paykel, and two different respironics. Most of each of these, multiple sizes were given a good try too--sometimes as many as three sizes were tried. Oh, yes and I can't forget the hybrid and the resmed version of the hybrid (name escapes me.) After ALL THAT, I tried nasal pillows. OMG--the comfort was amazing. What a difference. I could fall asleep and stay asleep and not have my mask farting all night waking me up. My chin is just too small, too receded in the plane of my face for them to fit. Period.

[echo]

I understand Jen! The Quattro and UMFF And Liberty (the other hybrid) & 2 F&P masks didn't work for me, exactly the problem you describe. Somehow the comfortgel full seems to work, but I got a small and I think I need a medium. Worth trying it on at the DME if you can! I could never get the pillows to work for me, but I only tried the breeze.

[Kiralynx]

I keep looking at all of these ideas and thinking to myself....Why don't they just try a Full Face Mask?

LSAT,

Because just looking at a full face mask freaks me out. I have one, which I use only when I have a respiratory infection. And then I go back to my nasal pillows and "brandy keg" chin strap with profound gratitude.

Full face masks are hot and miserable and they leak like sieves, in my opinion. Mask designers have no concept of a female face. By the time I get enough straps on the thing to make it seal, I'm sweating like a pig and panicking from being closed in.

Obviously, they work for you. But everyone is different. The method described in this thread wouldn't work for me, either. Between the PapCap and the ace bandage, I'd suffocate. My method probably wouldn't work for many people. However, it does the trick for me, and that's what counts.

[tattooyu]

Damn, Damn, DAMN!

Now, I'm in the same boat as DreamStalker. It started just after the birth of my son, after which I lost some weight; like 5-7 pounds. All of a sudden, I'm mouth breathing! Why is my PAPcap not working? I have it on good and tight. I have the marks on my chin to prove it.

The leaks I'm having now aren't horrible (~0.15), but they aren't great. This morning I had a 0.24 L/s. It's getting too close to the point where the machine may not be able to compensate. My numbers this morning:

AHI: 2.9
AI: 0.3
HI: 2.6
Leak: 0.24 L/s

My leaks have been 0.0 - 0.06 for a long time. Granted, my numbers look pretty good, but I feel awful today. Could events slip by even with leaks well under the 0.4 L/s mark? I guess I should try DreamStalker's idea, but honestly I am very protective of my mouth (and neck). It's extremely difficult for me to have anything over my mouth.

[echo]

Uh oh, sowwy to heaw it. I didn't have a data capable machine yet when i solved the mouth breathing, so I don't really how it registers on the SW. However, sounds like you need to take the plunge & fix it. Perhaps a FFM is in order? I can leak through a chinstrap tied so tight I can't move my teeth, but my lips will still leak air. I don't think that a bandage, like DS's method, would help me either. You might want to try taping instead, or really, get a FFM! Good luck, love your sig

[tattooyu]

Uh oh, sowwy to heaw it. I didn't have a data capable machine yet when i solved the mouth breathing, so I don't really how it registers on the SW. However, sounds like you need to take the plunge & fix it. Perhaps a FFM is in order? I can leak through a chinstrap tied so tight I can't move my teeth, but my lips will still leak air. I don't think that a bandage, like DS's method, would help me either. You might want to try taping instead, or really, get a FFM! Good luck, love your sig

Like many, I just cannot get any full face mask to seal -- FULL STOP

The best one I've tried, and the one I own, is the Respironics FullLife. Perhaps it's time to try it again. Who knows, now that I've lost weight, maybe that will seal better now!

First thing this evening is I'm going to do a serious neti pot session, as I think my nose might be getting congested in the middle of the night (and yes, I've adjusted my humidifier up and down). If that fixes it, then I would be SO glad.

[nanwilson]

Tattooyu you are no longer allowed to swear..... the word damn may reach tiny ears Do you want his first word to be Dad or DAMN...
Kidding.... congrats and boy does he have his dad's eyes..love his pics.
Cheers
Nan

[tattooyu]

Tattooyu you are no longer allowed to swear..... the word damn may reach tiny ears Do you want his first word to be Dad or DAMN...
Kidding.... congrats and boy does he have his dad's eyes..love his pics.
Cheers
Nan

It's funny, at home, whenever we want to swear, we substitute "trashcan" and a wave of our fist.

[chunkyfrog]

Socky has the right idea: Why don't the manufacturers base their mask designs on people with OSA instead of these friggin' MODELS they do use: Obviously somebody needs to get a G.D. CLUE! The wretched Quattro they sold me thinks my face is a teeter-totter. I need my sleep; and I don't have time to fiddle with some idiotic TOY|!

[FatiguedMe]

Chunky I hear ya! I felt like I had a jellyfish suctioning to my face, then the marks made it even more real! LOL

[nadlemgarcia]

May I ask what mouth leaks are you referring to? Thank you very much and have a good day!

[LoQ]

May I ask what mouth leaks are you referring to? Thank you very much and have a good day!

When people wear a nasal-only style of mask (one that does not cover their mouth, only their nose), sometimes when they sleep, they breathe through their mouth. When that happens during therapy, air under pressure goes out the mouth instead of keeping the airway open. This is known as a mouth leak.

[CollegeGirl]

I keep looking at all of these ideas and thinking to myself....Why don't they just try a Full Face Mask?

I can't believe no one's answered this way yet -

I tried a full face mask for months and could never comfortably sleep on my stomach with it. I've slept that way for all my life.

Nasal pillows are far and away the most comfortable type of interface for me.

[torontoCPAPguy]

Thanks for the pix. Looks very interesting indeed; and my wife will be happy that she doesn't have to awaken every time I start whistling to squeeze my lips back together. I do so love my Quattro FFM as it permits me to mouth breathe if my nose stuffs up.... but there is much to be said for the pillow masks if I can get them working for me. Beats having that Octopus on my face all night, even though I am getting used to it.