Do you tape your mouth or use a chin strap?

DougVK · Post by **DougVK** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 2:12 pm

I see so many people who on here who say they use chin straps and tape, just wondered what percent of nasal users need this.

porkchop6 · Post by **porkchop6** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 2:46 pm

I use both, but got my Ultimate Chin Strap in the mail today!! Hopefully I won't have to use all three!

sleeping beauty guy · Post by **sleeping beauty guy** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 3:43 pm

porkchop6 wrote:I use both, but got my Ultimate Chin Strap in the mail today!! Hopefully I won't have to use all three!

Hi there

I have been reading the occasional writeup here and I've seen where people actually tape their mouth closed so that they can breath through their nose.

My concern is what if a person sneezes and blows out their eardrums or vomits and chokes to death because their mouth is taped closed.

I haven't any information about that issue but i was recently thinking of a headband that my older daughter used with her braces,

which coud have a light elastic band adapted to hold up the chin and still allowing the mouth to open in case of an emergency.

Just a thought for today.

Vern from Vancouver

archangle · Post by **archangle** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 4:09 pm

Medical professionals are usually horrified at the idea of mouth taping. If your machine stops blowing due to mechanical failure or power failure and you don't wake up, you could die of asphyxiation if you don't wake up.

Lots of people here tape anyway and are hostile to suggestions that it's dangerous. If any of them have died from it, their survivors haven't figured out the tape caused their deaths, known about this board, and reported it.

If you vomit with your mouth taped, you could suffer serious long term problems from getting your stomach contents into your lungs, even if you get the tape off before you suffocate. Look up "asphyxiation pneumonia."

chunkyfrog · Post by **chunkyfrog** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 5:32 pm

I mentioned taping to a DME; he nearly freaked out.
Same idea to my PCP, He's like-'-whatever works'.
I must add, though, that cutting the 1.5" blue tape to make an angled U-shape is much more comfy than having to peel it off my upper lip in the morning.
Still works darn good; and lets me burp, even.

Scoutt · Post by **Scoutt** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 5:44 pm

I find it hard to open my mouth when I have the machine on. So I don't use anything extra.

DougVK · Post by **DougVK** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 5:46 pm

archangle wrote:Medical professionals are usually horrified at the idea of mouth taping. If your machine stops blowing due to mechanical failure or power failure and you don't wake up, you could die of asphyxiation if you don't wake up.

Lots of people here tape anyway and are hostile to suggestions that it's dangerous. If any of them have died from it, their survivors haven't figured out the tape caused their deaths, known about this board, and reported it.

If you vomit with your mouth taped, you could suffer serious long term problems from getting your stomach contents into your lungs, even if you get the tape off before you suffocate. Look up "asphyxiation pneumonia."

Yes that is something that does concern me about the idea of taping, when the machine off I would never be able to breath through the Swift FX mask. I would suffocate if I didn't wake up in time to remove the tape.

Bright Choice · Post by **Bright Choice** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:10 pm

archangle wrote:Look up "asphyxiation pneumonia."

Don't you mean "aspiration pneumonia"...

My sleep doc (board certified) recommended trying microfoam tape to tape my mouth shut.

sister · Post by **sister** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:15 pm

Yes you would be able to breathe.Lots of times I get up to the bathroom in the early morning and so sleepy I forget to turn the machine back on. I can still breathe,after a few minutes I usually realize that the machine is not on but I'm not having a hard time breathing at all.

chunkyfrog · Post by **chunkyfrog** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:18 pm

--Microfoam tape?
The only foam tape I've ever seen is double-stick carpet tape; and there is NO WAY I'll put that anywhere on my face!
I have used Poli-grip strips with a chin strap with excellent results, but my subconscious eventually figures a way around it.

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:20 pm

DougVK wrote: Yes that is something that does concern me about the idea of taping, when the machine off I would never be able to breath through the Swift FX mask. I would suffocate if I didn't wake up in time to remove the tape.

First night I ever taped we had a power outage. I was using the Swift LT. Obviously I woke up. I was not suffocating. There was no panic. There is some air transfer via the vent. No, not a lot but there is some. I woke up thinking "it's too quiet" but it was not scary at all. There was no distress at all. The tape is not like cement. I practiced opening my mouth by force just to see if it would break the tape seal, it was not difficult at all to open my mouth without using my hands to remove the tape.

If you aren't comfortable trying tape, then just don't try it. Or play around with various scenarios while awake which was what I did when I first realized my mouth was opening while asleep. I used the blue painters tape, it is easily dislodged with just a minimum of mouth opening force. Same thing with using polygrip. This stuff isn't like cement.

You ask a lot of questions about doing it but if you are this terrified of taping, then just don't do it. There are those of us where full face masks were not an option so those people do what they have to do.

archangle · Post by **archangle** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 7:08 pm

Bright Choice wrote:
archangle wrote:Look up "asphyxiation pneumonia."
Don't you mean "aspiration pneumonia"...

My sleep doc (board certified) recommended trying microfoam tape to tape my mouth shut.

Probably a better term, thanks. Googling either term will get you lots of scary info.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:15 pm

I use both -- chinstrap and tape.

If I ever forget to pack one or the other, I'd hope it was the chinstrap I forgot. Taping my mouth is a necessity for me if I want to wear my usual nasal pillows mask that lets me actually sleep comfortably.

Lizistired · Post by **Lizistired** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:30 pm

I tried the tape last night and managed to keep it on all night, but I still had leaks.

Bright Choice · Post by **Bright Choice** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:31 pm

chunkyfrog wrote:--Microfoam tape?
The only foam tape I've ever seen is double-stick carpet tape; and there is NO WAY I'll put that anywhere on my face!

Nope, not carpet tape. It is a surgical tape used on wounds. It's really pretty neat - it holds securely but comes off really easily - absolutely no skin problems. I am currently not needing to use it but I really liked it when I did. I bought a whole box of it and am not using it so if anyone wants to try a roll, pm me and we can strike up a cool deal.

Do you tape your mouth or use a chin strap?

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