Encore: mask leak or mouth openning, what do they look like

OK, at 12 mouth stays closed, at 13 I think it stays closed, I know the pressure goes higher like 15-16. I think the pressure should be kept at 14 to stop most events, which may be a problem for my mouth.

At some points, my mouth opens and drool comes out. THe tape did not work anymore. I did spend some time holding the tape in place. When you want to sleep you want to sleep LOL

I am wondering how often this happens.

Can I tell a regular interface leak, which I am fixing all the time from a mouth leak.

As it so happens I have an appointment at the DME today, because I can't stop the Comfort Curve from leaking and making noises all night trying to adjust it. I am wondering if I should look at a hybrid or something.

Polident may be the next step?

Do any tapes work against drool, yet do not kill your lips and are hypoallergenic? I swell on contact with many surgical tapes, at least the skin does.

I can do this, I will do this.

SelfSeeker wrote: Can I tell a regular interface leak, which I am fixing all the time from a mouth leak.

Nope. A leak noted on your software data is just...a leak. Could be from anywhere -- mask, mouth, a loose hose or elbow connection, holes in the hose (cats are notorious for putting pinprick claw holes in a hose)...

SelfSeeker wrote: I can do this, I will do this.

Atta girl! You will.

mouth leak looks like large mask leaks to the software.

at some point you give up and use a Full Face mask, then when you do have a leak its really a leak.

guest wrote:mouth leak looks like large mask leaks to the software.

at some point you give up and use a Full Face mask, then when you do have a leak its really a leak.

Or you tape your mouth while wearing a non FF mask that you like. Then when you wake up in the morning and deliberately try to puff air out your mouth but can't, you know the tape held securely all night, and any leaks you see on the data are mask leaks.

Or hose connection, or tiny holes in the hose... The most likely leaks certainly are from mask or mouth.

Of course if during the morning test you find you can puff some air out around the tape or polident...whatever...you're back to square one: Was it a mouth air leak or mask air leak, or....?

If I saw a lot more leaks or black bar big leak, I would know. But I did not see any of that. So I was wondering.

I once saw a black bar big leak at a lower pressure.

I know the mask leaks, because my husband woke me up many times because of the noise it was making, I am adjusting it all the time.

I know while awake, before falling asleep or when I wake up with the drool, I do not feel air escaping out of my mouth. I do get the gulp of air if I move my tongue. Of course, what I am doing in a very relaxed sleeping state is another question.

Rested Gal thanks for menitoning getting the mask you like. When I did try FF mask they did not fit well and were painful.

I have not tried the hybrid.

Well I am off to the DME.

Any tape suggestions for: Do any tapes work against drool, yet do not kill your lips and are hypoallergenic? I swell on contact with many surgical tapes, at least the skin does.

rested gal wrote:

guest wrote: Or you tape your mouth while wearing a non FF mask that you like. Then when you wake up in the morning and deliberately try to puff air out your mouth but can't, you know the tape held securely all night, and any leaks you see on the data are mask leaks.

SelfSeeker wrote:I once saw a black bar big leak at a lower pressure.

Any time you see a black bar "Large Leak" on the graph, you'll see the lowest pressure in your pressure range being used during the entire time the "Large Leak" lasts. The machine is designed to stop recording data and to drop down to the lowest pressure in the range during Large Leak situations.

SelfSeeker wrote: Any tape suggestions for: Do any tapes work against drool, yet do not kill your lips and are hypoallergenic? I swell on contact with many surgical tapes, at least the skin does.

That's really a "gotta just try different ones" thing. Some of the tapes that others report best for them either don't hold well enough or cause a rash for me. I can use Tegaderm, for example, only one or two nights in a row. Any more and a rash. The 3M Micropore tape suits some, but for me...rash. Every paper tape I've tried also caused a rash.

Johnson & Johnson waterproof adhesive tape works fine for me night after night, but I do have to make a big doublestrip patch of it or moisture from the mouth makes it tend to work loose. Some have reported skin irritation from that tape for them.

Everyone's mileage sure varies when it comes to tape.

SelfSeeker wrote:Encore: mask leak or mouth openning, what do they look

SelfSeeker, most interface leaks are very small. Unless the mask has come completely off you won't see much in the data. Mouth openings are another matter though. Mouth leaks for me tend to constantly go up and down on the graphs. My mouth openings don't usually result in Large Leak black bars in Encore Pro, but they frequently result in dry mouth.

SelfSeeker wrote:At some points, my mouth opens and drool comes out. THe tape did not work anymore. I did spend some time holding the tape in place. When you want to sleep you want to sleep LOL

Drooling does not equate to mouth breathing. I was surprised when I started this therapy to find that I could open my mouth while continuing to breathe nasally.

SelfSeeker wrote:I am wondering how often this happens.

If you are experiencing dry mouth, then it may be happening a lot. If you are not, then perhaps you are not mouth breathing at all.

All just my non-professional $0.02 personal opinion of course.

NightHawkeye,

Thanks for your imput. Worth more then 2 cents.

No dry mouth. A good sign.

Yes I have also noticed I can open my mouth with no air leaking, but who knows what happens when I am asleep.

Talking with the blower running is intresting to say the least.

NightHawkeye wrote: SelfSeeker, most interface leaks are very small. Unless the mask has come completely off you won't see much in the data. Mouth openings are another matter though. Mouth leaks for me tend to constantly go up and down on the graphs. My mouth openings don't usually result in Large Leak black bars in Encore Pro, but they frequently result in dry mouth.


Drooling does not equate to mouth breathing. I was surprised when I started this therapy to find that I could open my mouth while continuing to breathe nasally.


If you are experiencing dry mouth, then it may be happening a lot. If you are not, then perhaps you are not mouth breathing at all.

All just my non-professional $0.02 personal opinion of course.