CPAPtalk.com

Hello everyone,

I suffer from sleep apnea that seemed to come and go.

After 3 months of no symptoms, I travelled abroad. While there, the sleep apnea came back hard. I went to the emergency and the doctor claimed I have excess tissue.

I went to an ent and he suggested a uvelectomy. I had it done but unfortunately it hasn't helped.

The worse thing is that I cannot use a nose mask because as soon as I fall asleep the air drains out the mouth and wakes me up.

The full-face mask doesn't work well either.

I'm wondering about other viable options. Such as a Mirage Liberty full-face mask.

Thanks in advance.

lukasz wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 20, 2018 11:37 am

The full-face mask doesn't work well either.

What kind of problems did you have? Most are solvable.

Please mention your pressure settings and also fill out your equipment profile - https://www.cpaptalk.com/ucp.php?i=prof ... pment_info

(Brace yourself for a sh*tload of comments saying your doctor is cut happy and no one should ever have surgery. )

I'm sure that something can be worked out to get CPAP to work for you, despite the surgery.

However, I need to chime in with the already predicted comment. CPAP is the gold standard to treat Sleep Apnea and nobody should try surgery first. Surgery is irreversible, whereas CPAP can be adjusted up or down as needed (in some cases automatically throughout the night).

Surgery is widely considered a quick fix for whatever ails you.
It is a cultural thing that is not always the best practice--but too often the first choice.
It is not your fault if "they" got to you first.
The important thing is to save what you can and proceed from there.

My sis had that done and the doctor that did it told her she should never to use a cpap. Since it didn't help she has gone back to using a mouth guard with little success. . Too bad she didn't listen to others in the family that use cpap successfully.

Cheers
Nan

I successfully use CPAP after a UPPP (the U part was a uvulectomy). I use a soft cervical collar to help my mouth stay closed and usually have great leak stats (occasionally they peak - but no more than once every couple of weeks). AHI's are usually between 0.0 and 0.5 with an occasional foray into the 1.5 to 2.5 range.

No matter what the medical professionals say, stuff changes every day.
Research goes on, and old things are replaced.
Never stop trying.
Never give up.
Even if the goal is beyond reach, the journey enriches.

lukasz wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 20, 2018 11:37 am

Hello everyone,

I suffer from sleep apnea that seemed to come and go.

After 3 months of no symptoms, I travelled abroad. While there, the sleep apnea came back hard. I went to the emergency and the doctor claimed I have excess tissue.

I went to an ent and he suggested a uvelectomy. I had it done but unfortunately it hasn't helped.

The worse thing is that I cannot use a nose mask because as soon as I fall asleep the air drains out the mouth and wakes me up.

The full-face mask doesn't work well either.

I'm wondering about other viable options. Such as a Mirage Liberty full-face mask.

Thanks in advance.

welcome aboard!

i agree with what nick danger says. you may find a soft cervical collar helps keep your jaw closed and preventive air from escaping through your mouth while asleep. these can usually be found at your local drugstore.

i use one as well. and i also use this-

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=112758&st=0&sk=t&sd ... i#p1086296

since using the scunci trick, mouth leaks are a thing of the past for me.

good luck!

I'm so sorry about your failed surgery. All is not lost concerning your CPAP treatment.

Our brain is wonderful for fixing things when our CPAP therapy goes sideways. With your nasal mask, being awakened by air escaping out of your mouth is just your brain's way of telling you that it didn't like that. Our brain desperately needs the sleep...so desperately that a proposed "fix" will very quickly by lumped into one action in response. So, when this happens again, just close your mouth and press your lips together. Continue with your therapy. Repeat with the next awakening. And repeat...as needed. Don't get frustrated with the process. Just keep repeating your "fix", without judgement. Your brain will give the command to keep your mouth closed - in your sleep so that eventually, you will not just sleep through the "fix", your mouth will stay closed so that your brain doesn't have to inconvenience itself with the interruption of "mouth opening - air escaping - frustration - sleeplessness".

To further impress your brain with the need to keep your mouth closed, try this simple technique: When you are masked up, but before you press your CPAP on button, press your tongue against the roof of your mouth, letting the tip of your tongue rest against the backs of your upper front teeth and close your mouth. Say to yourself, "There...it's safe for me to go to sleep now. My tongue is where it's supposed to and everything is where it's supposed to be. When I wake up in the morning everything is going to be right where I left and I'm going to sleep all night with my mouth closed" Keep on affirming this until you drift off into sleep land with your CPAP machine on.

Harnessing the power of the mind is an amazing exercise. Our brains are truly amazing. I used the above technique to become an ex-lifelong-mouth-breather and to use my nasal pillows mask successfully.

lukasz wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 20, 2018 11:37 am

lukasz

resmed-airsense-10-elite-humidair

Are you sure you selected the correct machine in your equipment profile? The Elite is the bottom of the AirSense 10 line and does not have the data capability to properly manage your therapy.

AirSense 10 AutoSet
AirSense 10 AutoSet for Her
AirSense 10 CPAP
AirSense 10 Elite

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 26, 2018 6:42 am

Are you sure you selected the correct machine in your equipment profile? The Elite is the bottom of the AirSense 10 line and does not have the data capability to properly manage your therapy.

AirSense 10 AutoSet
AirSense 10 AutoSet for Her
AirSense 10 CPAP
AirSense 10 Elite

The "CPAP" model is the bare bones bottom of the line in terms of features and data available. It's the half assed brick.

The Elite, and the various AutoSets all offer full efficacy data.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 26, 2018 6:47 am

The Elite, and the various AutoSets all offer full efficacy data.

Agreed. My mistake.

Palate surgeries may prevent effective APAP use for some, but those surgeries shouldn't prevent effective CPAP use.

Any of us can have mouth-leak issues, so don't solely blame the surgery for that. Learning ways to keep the mouth closed and finding the right mask are challenges for many of us.

I used a dentist-made oral device that was made to reposition my jaw but that also trained me to keep my mouth closed. I used it for a while in conjunction with PAP until I could consistently keep my mouth shut without it.

I had UPPP surgery twenty years ago, and currently use an auto bilevel machine. I use a full face mask and tried several pillow masks without being able to successfully use one. When I first started treatment, my pressure was 20-25, but I now use a pressure of 17-20, but it seldom goes over 18.