new user-is mouth breathing a problem?

Last night was my first use. I lasted about 3 hrs in several shorter time periods. I read and re-read the materials. They say nothing about mouth breathing. I have always been a mouth breather and told my dr. this.
So is it ok if I breath in and out with my mouth. Will the air going into my nose keep whatever it is that needs to be kept open-open. This is very confusing and I feel like I cannot call the provider of equipment with
good results. I had such long wait times on the phone just trying to order the equipment 1/2 hr, then later another hour. I am almost 80 years old and cannot handle the stress. Am in tears today.
My machine is ResMed Mirage FX nasal mask.

Hopefully I just need encouragement. I know it takes time but I'd like to know if it will work under these circumstances. I don't think I could handle a full face mask.
Thanks for any help/.

Hi - you've just started, so no reason to feel so bad! Obviously your doctor (like so many) may be smart about the science of apnea, but very lacking in knowledge of equipment and how it works. If you mouth breathe, the Cpap air will be lost that way, so a lot of us don't wear nasal (only) masks. You're someone who needs to try on what's called full face masks (tho' they're only just like nasal masks which are extended lower to also cover your mouth, not your whole face ) that let you mouth breathe without losing Cpap air. You can see a whole slew of them on Cpap.com under 'masks', then 'full face', and hopefully your DME will let you try some on - lying down, because your face changes a lot then - but if not, Cpap.com will let you try them for 30 days if you can pay a small fee. You'd also have to scan/e-mail a copy of your mask prescription to them. You'll be able to see the newest ones with lots of pix, reviews, ratings, etc.

Another tip is that FFMs can develop small leaks around the cushions (but don't overtighten as it won't allow the cushion to inflate) so lots also use 'liners' under them from Padacheek.com (designer is a member here).

Many people who otherwise use nasal masks most of the time also have FFMs on hand for when they get colds as the congestion makes it impossible not to mouth breathe (and lose therapy air that way, of course, which is what's happening to you).

pinehollowgal wrote:Last night was my first use. I lasted about 3 hrs in several shorter time periods. I read and re-read the materials. They say nothing about mouth breathing. I have always been a mouth breather and told my dr. this.
So is it ok if I breath in and out with my mouth. Will the air going into my nose keep whatever it is that needs to be kept open-open. This is very confusing and I feel like I cannot call the provider of equipment with
good results. I had such long wait times on the phone just trying to order the equipment 1/2 hr, then later another hour. I am almost 80 years old and cannot handle the stress. Am in tears today.
My machine is ResMed Mirage FX nasal mask.

Hopefully I just need encouragement. I know it takes time but I'd like to know if it will work under these circumstances. I don't think I could handle a full face mask.
Thanks for any help/.

Hi, and welcome to the forum! I have to say congrats on getting into this therapy at your age; that's awesome! (As a personal aside, I recently got my dad - who's 86 - on a machine. That was a tough years-long battle.)

Now to your questions:

Mouth-breathing with a nasal (or nasal pillows) mask IS a problem you have to deal with. I saw that you don't think you can handle a full-face mask (FFM), but your doctor was remiss in not hearing that you're a mouth-breather and arranging for you to have a nasal mask. For what it's worth, my dad is claustrophobic and didn't think he could handle a FFM, either, but he did it. There are solutions to mouth-breathing with a nasal mask (such as taping your mouth closed every night so you can't mouth-breathe) or training yourself to keep your tongue against the roof of your mouth so that air can't escape through your mouth. There are also solutions re: getting used to a FFM. (There are solutions to just about every problem one might have.)

Breathing through your nose is preferred, no matter what type of mask you're using; but exhaling through the mouth when you're inhaling from a nasal mask is basically negating your therapy. Many apneas can happen while we're exhaling, and if you're not experiencing exhaling against the air pressure, then you're not getting good therapy.

Most DMEs (Durable Medical Equipment dealers who provide machines and masks and other supplies) have a return policy on masks within the first 30 days of you getting setup with the equipment, where you can return a mask that isn't working for you and try another one. There are hundreds of masks on the market; not saying your particular DME maintains this policy or can provide you with every mask out there, but they should have a decent selection to choose from. DMEs are reluctant to tell users about the usual return policy because it means more paperwork for them to be reimbursed by the mask manufacturer for a returned mask; but that's flimsy, and if you push them, you should get somewhere in that regard.

Feel free to participate here and ask all the questions you have. And do as much reading here as you can; this forum's been in existence for over ten years now and contains a wealth of information on all aspects of treatment.

I'm glad you found us, and we'll help you as much as possible. If you can, please go up to the top left of the main page, click on User Control Panel, and from there you can Edit your Profile to list the exact equipment you're using. That info will show up underneath every post you make and will help the members here tailor their responses to your problems. And please choose the "Text" option for listing the equipment, as the "Icon" option shows machines that look very similar; Text will give the exact names of the equipment you're using. Once you're done editing the Profile, click on Submit to keep the options you've selected. (It may sound like a complicated process, but it's not.)

Again, welcome, and I hope you find all the help you need here.

Thanks for the information. I think I need to try to talk to dr. again. Probably won't do any good to keep using machine if the mouth breathing negates the usefulness.

I tried getting to User Control Panel but cannot find it. Even typed it in search but that didn't work either.

It makes me wonder if I even need a machine. I did a home test which used a little thing that went in my nose like when you are getting oxygen but certainly allowed for mouth breathing. Is it possible that
the reading of that was not accurate due to mouth breathing? Then when dr prescribed the machine for me I reminded him about not being able to breathe through my nose and he said no problem, this machine
is just like the one you had for your test. But it is not. Just questions in my mind.

User Ctl Panel (in tiny blue writing) is on the left just below the main logo.

And please don't give up so easily! OSA is a serious business and while you may be young (?) and don't want to use Cpap, your body will know and eventually your family will pay - hate to be so blunt but it matters and we can certainly help you... but you must be a little bit patient like we've all had to do. I do think you should give the very experienced and knowledgable people here a chance to get you going properly however... we've all had similar issues (some a lot worse) and the help here has changed lives for the better many times.

pinehollowgal wrote:Thanks for the information. I think I need to try to talk to dr. again. Probably won't do any good to keep using machine if the mouth breathing negates the usefulness.

I tried getting to User Control Panel but cannot find it. Even typed it in search but that didn't work either.

It makes me wonder if I even need a machine. I did a home test which used a little thing that went in my nose like when you are getting oxygen but certainly allowed for mouth breathing. Is it possible that
the reading of that was not accurate due to mouth breathing? Then when dr prescribed the machine for me I reminded him about not being able to breathe through my nose and he said no problem, this machine
is just like the one you had for your test. But it is not. Just questions in my mind.

When you're logged in, it's right under the "Search" line. "User Control Panel"
There are also some instructions posted somewhere and also in some of the users' profiles as how to edit the information once you get in there. Give it a go and see how you do. If you need any further help, ask away.


Den

.

It depends on how much mouth breathing you are doing as to how detrimental it is to the therapy.
I mouth breath some...I know it because I wake up and my mouth is open and dry...but when I look at the leak graphs it shows maybe 10 minutes of larger leak that might be enough to cause a problem and sometimes it isn't even big enough leak to be a problem the machine can't handle.

What machine are you using? Hopefully it has full data so that you can check out the leak for sure and not be second guessing things.

And...if someone simply cannot deal with a full face mask and they have to use a nasal mask and they mouth breath for part of the night and get some therapy time that is good and some that is not so good...that's still better than no therapy at all.

How about we at least try to check out your leak data to see if the mouth breathing is a big problem or a little problem or maybe not really a problem at all?

OK, I did find the user control panel. I entered what information I could find about my machine. Thanks.

I'm not sure how to find that info on my machine. I'm always afraid Ill screw up something. Can you tell me exactly what to be looking for. What info do I want?

Read the manual...it explains how to at least get the information that is available on the machine's LCD screen.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=106598&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

And read this about the software that is free and fairly easy to use
https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead

Take one step at a time and don't let it overwhelm you. Start with the machine's LCD data...it shows a 95% leak number which means where the leak was at OR below for 95% of the night.

And when up to it...take a stroll through my Pugsy's SleepyHead tutorial post (top post in the announcement section of the main page of the forum) as it will explain what the software shows.
Don't try to absorb everything all at once. Start with the basics first...leaks and AHI.

I don't know if your DME told you or not, but Resmed automatically tracks your usage. You can set up your MY AIR account at Resmed web site. This site will give you minimal information every day on your cpap usage. Your DME provider will use this web site to track your usage to satisfy medicare requirements. My DME contacted me after I had the machine for almost a month and said I wasn't using my machine. I assured them I was using it, and had the sore on my nose to prove it. It turned out my machine would not report to Resmed. They issued me a different machine and a different face mask. I use a full face mask since I too am a mouth breather. I have had no problems since then.

'm back asking for more information. I appreciate the help already. I have increased the usage time each night but end up taking the mask off because i can't seem to go to sleep and after a couple of hours I get anxious. Last night was better, I lasted 2 1/2 hours, then just took it off so I could sleep. Today I found the Resmed site where it is suppose to read my date. I got signed in ok but my data never came through. I think it says somewhere that the little "bars" on the CPAP machine that indicate wireless should be green if it is connected. They are not green. I have no idea how to make the connection. I cannot find anything in the literature. I thought if I could see what was happening when I had machine on I would have a better idea of what I needed to do.
The other problem continues to be poor communication between the DME and me. They are almost impossible to reach by phone, then want to call me back. I am trying to get an appt with the respiratory therapist to see if I'm getting a good fit and everything is working ok. Also to talk with her about whether the machine I have is the appropriate one for me. So right now that is my goal. To increase the time i can wear the machine, to go to sleep with it on.
I guess I didn't really have a specific question tonight. Just need reassurance that this will work out. I so tired of being tired and seems like I hardly have the energy to keep fussing about it. I will read more of the info in your library. Thanks for being there.

I'm wondering about discussing this with your GP... the possibility of trying, for a very short time, something like Ambien that would help you stay sleeping for a reasonable length of time if only a week or two, just long enough so that your body gets used to using the equipment and gets into the rhythm of longer hours with the mask. It's used all the time for sleep studies... and there is always Melatonin, but it reacts differently for different people, and I find I'm ok for a night or two, then start waking up in the middle of the night at times and have to nap the next day, so it depends on your experience with it.

pinehollowgal wrote:'m back asking for more information. I appreciate the help already. I have increased the usage time each night but end up taking the mask off because i can't seem to go to sleep and after a couple of hours I get anxious. Last night was better, I lasted 2 1/2 hours, then just took it off so I could sleep. Today I found the Resmed site where it is suppose to read my date. I got signed in ok but my data never came through. I think it says somewhere that the little "bars" on the CPAP machine that indicate wireless should be green if it is connected. They are not green. I have no idea how to make the connection. I cannot find anything in the literature. I thought if I could see what was happening when I had machine on I would have a better idea of what I needed to do.
The other problem continues to be poor communication between the DME and me. They are almost impossible to reach by phone, then want to call me back. I am trying to get an appt with the respiratory therapist to see if I'm getting a good fit and everything is working ok. Also to talk with her about whether the machine I have is the appropriate one for me. So right now that is my goal. To increase the time i can wear the machine, to go to sleep with it on.
I guess I didn't really have a specific question tonight. Just need reassurance that this will work out. I so tired of being tired and seems like I hardly have the energy to keep fussing about it. I will read more of the info in your library. Thanks for being there.

Hi again. One thing most new users do is wear the mask (with the machine turned on) during the day, while sitting at the computer or watching tv or reading. That helps us to get used to the feeling of the machine and mask. It also makes it easier to fall asleep when it's bedtime. It takes time to get this all going, so don't be too hard on yourself; just use it when you can. Those daytime hours of use will also help you to meet the "compliance" requirements of the insurance company - they want proof that you're using the machine enough to have them keep paying for it. You should shoot for four hours of use per day, no matter how or when it accumulates (days or evening hours).

Poor communication between users and DMEs is not unusual, unfortunately, so don't feel like they're taking advantage of just you; it happens to most of us. Just do the best you can until you see the respiratory therapist and hope that s/he is good at what they do. (That's sometimes a problem, too.) In the meantime, keep reading here and learning about this therapy. You're making the effort, and that's required, so hang in there. It does get easier with time.

As to the data, you use a different manufacturers' machine than I do, so I'll let another ResMed user help you with that. But for now, your machine should show you some basic information on its LCD screen every day (on the top of the machine - info like your AHI and Leak Rate).

Hope that helps.

You are doing great for a new user! Please don't let it overwhelm you - just take one step at a time. The difference in the way you feel and the amount of rest you get can be amazing. We can help with issues, problems, questions.

You should also request a copy of your sleep study and a copy of your prescription for your records. Did they tell you what level of apnea you had? I guess the home tests don't have the same level of detail as the lab studies do.

There are three main types of masks and which one works best depends on the person. There are nasal pillows that only contact the bottom of the nose - this is what I use. There are nasal masks which only cover the nose - it sounds like this is what you have now. And there are "full face" masks, which cover both the nose and mouth. A good DME would, at the very least, let you come into their office and try these three different types of mask while hooked up to a machine to see which one works best for you. Here is a slide show that shows the different types of masks in use: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-cond ... s-20076986

I ran a poll here to see what most people used and the results were: nasal pillow = 40%, full face mask = 29%, and nasal mask = 23%. If you would like to see the survey and comments, it is located here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=104522&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=survey

Best of luck to you and ask as many questions as you like!