trying a full face mask

Amers605 wrote:So reluctantly, I have decided to try a full face mask. Nasal masks have not been successful for me (leaking) because of my small nose and face. Also I open my mouth during the night even with a chinstrap. I tried nasal pillows and they did not work for me at all.
Anyone have advice about using a Full face mask?

sleepydc wrote:

Amers605 wrote:So reluctantly, I have decided to try a full face mask. Nasal masks have not been successful for me (leaking) because of my small nose and face. Also I open my mouth during the night even with a chinstrap. I tried nasal pillows and they did not work for me at all.
Anyone have advice about using a Full face mask?

Nasal masks did not work for me, either. Full face masks can take some adjustment, and in my experience they don't automatically deal with the problem of opening one's mouth while sleeping (doing so changes the position of the face, and can create leaks that pull you out of REM or wake you up). The "partial taping" system, combined with the full face mask that I use, has done wonders for me. I highly recommmend it.

Here's info from one of my previous posts:

Some people end up using chin straps with FFM's. I tried and disliked chin straps.

For my FFM (full face mask) use I found it started working a whole lot better when I started using tape. For me, the "partial tape method" solves most of the issues with "mouth breathing" and "draw drop," which interrrupts the seal of a FFM (full face mask) because my face changes shape when that occurs and the seal is broken. It's not for everyone, but here's what I'd suggest:

I have now been using surgical tape for about a year now, and it has worked wonders and works very well for me. I use silk surgical type tape you can get off of Amazon, 2" wide. There's also a 1" wide version. If you gently pull it off in the morning, there's usually no problem. Just type something like "3M-Durapore-Silk-Tape 2 inches x 10 yards - box of 6" or the like on the Amazon site. For me, it works very well with a full face mask (FFM) -- the FFM helps prevent pressure problems if my jaw does open slightly, and the tape substantially prevents my jaw from dropping and also thereby keeps my face largely in the same "position" as I fall asleep (thereby avoiding the inevitable leaks that can occur when your facial shape changes from the point of initial placement/tightening of the mask). .

I was actually worried about not being able to breath with the tape if there was a shut-down. I've found that this set-up, however, offers very few worries:

For the silk tape, apply a 2inch wide strip vertically from a spot just above your upper lip (the indentation just below your nose) down to just under your chin (with your lips closed and your jaw in a comfortable place). As you bring the tape and press it underneath your chin, "fold" the edge back on itself (maybe a 1/2 inch or so) so that the edge hangs a bit from your chin -- makes for easier removal in case of emergency. Because it's only 2 inches wide and vertically placed, your entire mouth is actually not taped -- you can, in a pinch, breath around the edges -- and the silk tape itself I've found by accident (in opening my mouth with it being placed) will also let a little air in if you open your mouth forcefully. In short, it doesn't take too much force to maneuver or breath around the silk tape, but at the same time the tape seems to mostly keep my jaw from dropping when I relax and fall asleep, which is the whole point. [The setup also seems to work best when combined with the technique, described elsewhere on this site, of learning to relax with the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth as your mouth is closed, which "seals" the mouth from the nasal passage and helps prevent dry mouth]. (In placing the tape, I've also found it helpful to focus on firming the contact with the skin at the point below the nose and under the chin more than the lips, which seems to leave a little area of the lip region feeling less taped, if that makes sense). [To remove with less "tear", try pulling up vertically from underneath the chin till you reach your lip, then pull across "horizontally" for the remainder.]

The usual caveats about making up your own mind about this, considering safety issues, etc. apply, of course. But frankly, I'm surprised more people don't do this.

Good luck!

Oughtsix wrote:How long have you been using your CPAP?

It took me weeks of frustration to adjust to nose breathing when I first got my CPAP. Have you tried using your CPAP while watching TV in the evening to get used to it and get used to nose breathing?

Amers605 wrote:So reluctantly, I have decided to try a full face mask. Nasal masks have not been successful for me (leaking) because of my small nose and face. Also I open my mouth during the night even with a chinstrap. I tried nasal pillows and they did not work for me at all.
Anyone have advice about using a Full face mask?