Dry Mouth Experience

[NightHawkeye]

Here's the question: Is it possible to have dry mouth on xPAP treatment without mouth leaks or mouth breathing?

For the past three nights, since switching to BiPAP with fixed pressures, I've awakened a few times during the night with a really dry mouth. OK, it wasn't dry enough to compel me to get a drink of water, but really dry, nonetheless. Before this morning, I'd just assumed that I'd been mouth breathing, although I'd not awakened with my mouth open at all. The strange thing is that I feel great, and there's no obvious indication of mouth breathing in Encore Pro or MyEncore data, although the leak rate did gradually climb up to a LargeLeak a few times last night. Oximeter data has also been really good with minimum O2 saturations of 95, 94, and 95 percent for these past three nights.

In the past, I've been able to see obvious indications of mouth leaks in Encore Pro data and oximeter data, but not this time.

I'm thinking that it may be possible to have dry mouth even without having mouth leaks. Although the heated-humidifier saturates the incoming air with moisture, that doesn't help the mouth, so long as that moisture-laden air goes straight down to the lungs as it's supposed to.

Anybody else experience dry mouth with effective xPAP treatment, or do I just have a mouth leak, only not enough to affect treatment? I've felt good the past few days, especially today.

Regards,
Bill

[Amigo]

Here's the question: Is it possible to have dry mouth on xPAP treatment without mouth leaks or mouth breathing?

Well, I do, Bill, although it has lessened by bumping my humidifier setting up to '3.'

I tape, and have ZERO leaks.

I've decided to just ignore it because, like you, my stats are so good, and I feel terrific.

[rdjw]

Hi Amigo,

How can you tell that you have ZERO leaks? Do leaks wake you, or do you see them on Encore Pro report?

I think I may have to get the software after all.

Cheers,
Robin

[Yoga]

NightHawkeye,

Have you added any medications? Some of them can cause your mouth to be dry.

[rested gal]

How can you tell that you have ZERO leaks? Do leaks wake you, or do you see them on Encore Pro report?

I think I may have to get the software after all.

Cheers,
Robin

Leaks show up on the data, however the data can't tell you which it is...mouth leaks or mask leaks. You have to figure out what's causing the leak.

Yeah, get the software. You'll like seeing the overnight data from your Pro 2 on your own computer. Pretty cool.

Yoga, good thought: "Have you added any medications? Some of them can cause your mouth to be dry."

NightHawkeye, if it's not something like Yoga mentioned, my bet is that you simply are leaking air out your mouth; but, as you said, not affecting your treatment since you still feel good.

To me, a large leak showing up on the graph is a strong indication of mask or mouth leak. If you're not waking up to have to adjust the mask, then probably you are mouth breathing at times and haven't been aware of it. You've just been sleeping blissfully through it.

[NightHawkeye]

Have you added any medications?

Good heavens, no! Although, now that you mention it, the Protonix I take for GERD seems to make my skin drier, so maybe that could account for my mouth being somewhat dry, even if I'm not mouth breathing.

To me, a large leak showing up on the graph is a strong indication of mask or mouth leak. If you're not waking up to have to adjust the mask, then probably you are mouth breathing at times and haven't been aware of it. You've just been sleeping blissfully through it.

My first thought exactly, RG. Only thing is, the data seems inconsistent with this. That's what's so puzzling, and why I'm entertaining other possibilities. Last night I experienced the dry mouth again. So now it has happened each of the four nights I've used the BiPAP at fixed pressures. This time though there were no "Large Leaks" at all indicated in the Encore Pro data. I did find myself readjusting constantly for small leaks with the CL2 though scattered through the night, so I don't know how much sleeping through anything I did. Last night was definitely not a blissful night's sleep.

Before switching from auto-mode to fixed pressures, mouth leaks used to wake me up from the noise, although it sometimes took a few minutes, and there were usually some other indications of a leak, either in the Encore Pro data or oximeter data.

Sure seems like a mouth leak would wake me up, so I'm inclined to go with Amigo's explanation. Being experimentally inclined by nature, I'm also tempted to try the denture adhesive mouth gluing trick to prove or disprove this hypothesis.

Thanks all, for your comments.

Regards,
Bill

[Amigo]

Hi Amigo,

How can you tell that you have ZERO leaks? Do leaks wake you, or do you see them on Encore Pro report?

I think I may have to get the software after all.

Cheers,
Robin

It's the software, Robin.

My original machine only kept compliance statistics, and after being on this Forum for awhile, I realized I was missing out on really taking control of my treatment. In addition, RestedGal chided me awhile back that given my background in computers and software, I really should monitor my statistics despite my wanting to leave the memories of that far behind in my retirement...lol.

Quite frankly, however, I cannot say that it has markedly improved anything other than knowing that I have no leaks, my pressure is correct, and all the statistics are well within "normal" ranges.

Of course, there's always the chance that something will change in the future, so I'm still glad I made the switch.