Poligrip strips?

Hi all,

Does anyone know if poligrip strips are available in Canada, especially in Ottawa, Ontario? If so, where? I'd like to try this out but have tried a couple of drug stores with no luck. I haven't made it to WalMart but I'll try that over the weekend.

I've been on cpap (an old Respironics Pro with cflex - that's pro, not pro2 so all that's captured is compliance) for 3 years. Earlier this year, I asked to go through a new sleep study because I kept waking myself up snoring (I thought it was snoring). Sleep study said pressure of 10 (down from the 13.6 I was at before) but I couldn't sleep with that so I was recommended to do an apap trial.

Borrowed an apap from my home care company for 3 weeks. Worst 3 weeks I've ever had; I guess every little pressure change woke me up because I was just exhausted the whole time. 90% pressure came to 13. Went back to sleep doctor, who changed the prescription to 13-14 so that my home care company could officially change my cpap (I already know how to do it myself but this way their records are "official").

The apap trial said I didn't have any leaks beyond that which is normal for my mask (Fisher & Playkel HC406 - basically a small HC407) but I'm still waking myself up in the night. Now I'm figuring it's not really snoring; my mouth is closed but it's the lips that are open and pursed. Is that what I've read as "blowfish" described on the many threads?

So, thanks to rested girl's wonderful post collecting all the threads, today I read through lots and lots and lots and lots of threads on mouth taping and poligrip strips and other stuff to stop mouth leaks. Thanks to linda b on the great description of how to use the poligrip strips, except that I can't find any. OK, move onto plan b. I've found paper tape and I'll try rooster's excellent description of how to tape my lips (thanks for the great step by step instructions). It freaks me out to do it but I'm tired of headaches and I'd like to feel rested.

France

Don't know about Canada, but I get mine at Wal-mart in the pharmacy department. They are located with other denture adhesives and can be kinda hard to find because they are the only brand that comes in strips. They are in a box about 3' by 4" by 1/2" thick. Good luck.

Linda b

All I could find was poligrip paste, which I don't want. There was another thing that I wasn't sure, though. Another brand (I've forgotten) had adhesive waffers (the shape of a palate). I guess if worse comes to worse, I could try cutting those up. I'll be spending Christmas in Boston (actually, Wayland, a suburb of Boston) so I can stock up then but I'd really like to try them out now.

Oh well, I will be going to Walmart this weekend so I'll see then and hope.

Thanks
France

Hey, ya'll---don't diss the paste until you've tried it. I tried the Fixodent paste (original flavor, no less), and IT WORKS. It really doesn't seem to have a taste, actually, and it keeps my lips together all night. I actually slept from 11pm til 6am!!!

Anyway, give it a shot if there's not another option for you.

Hey Wend,

So what do you do? Just squirt the stuff between your lips and hold them shut until it dries? If you had to open your mouth during the night, would it re-strick or would you have to start over?

I've never used the stuff before so I assumed that the strips was what it took.

Thanks
France

France, any luck finding the strips at Walmart? I've tried a couple of Shoppers Drug Marts and an IDA. I live in Ottawa too, so if you find a source I'd be interested in knowing!

Bella I live in Ontario also and can't find poligip strips any where in the Northern Ontario area.

I was recently in Ottawa area for eye surgery. We went to many drug stores and to Walmart but could not find them.

I am assuming that like Tylenol PM the poli grip strips are only available in the US. Must plan at trip south.

Hi Bella & Bellcrest,

I couldn't find the poligrip strips anywhere here in Ottawa. I'm going to Boston at Christmas so I guess I'll be hanging out in drugstores or Walmarts there

Great that you guys are in Ontario too. I've just met Lynne from Ottawa in another thread. Small world!

France

Bella,

I've PMed you but haven't heard back so I don't know if you checked it. Lynne & I are going to see about meeting in person for coffee & chat given that we're both in Ottawa. Since you're in Ottawa too, do you want to join us? Email me at frapilu@rogers.com if you're interested.

France

I found them in Ottawa. I went to the Billings Bridge Zellers store this afternoon after work and found them in the pharmacy aisle with the toothpastes. I too looked at a few drug stores but today was happy to find them. Now if I can only figure out how to apply them without heading to the Civic Hospital tomorrow morning.

kparlee,

Thank you so much! I'll race over to Billings tomorrow (I live near by). If you do a search on poligrip search, you'll find a thread where linda b describes exactly how she applies them. Rested gal has a thread with all of the links to the threads collected.

France

Oops, that was me above.

France

Anonymous wrote:kparlee,

Thank you so much! I'll race over to Billings tomorrow (I live near by). If you do a search on poligrip search, you'll find a thread where linda b describes exactly how she applies them. Rested gal has a thread with all of the links to the threads collected.

France

Not a problem. Hope they work for you. I'm not so sure yet.

Ken