Newbie questions re effects of using nasal pillow mask

Hi! I have been using CPAP for 2 years, but still consider myself a newbie, cause I don't understand it all very well.

I was told when I started that I had to use a full face mask because I was a mouth breather. So I did, but it irritated my skin, not to mention me waking up etc. etc. So I started taping my mouth shut, still using the FFM and that worked a bit better. I did that for a year. But I still got irritations and woke up a lot. So a few months ago, without asking my doc, I switched to a nasal pillow mask.

I find this so much more comfortable. I don't tape my mouth using it, and my husband says I am not snoring or making a lot of noise at night with it. I sometimes wonder if I am still mouth breathing. Also, when I used the FFM mask, my AHI was about 4.3 and my Total AI was 3.1. Now, using the nasal pillow mask, my AHI is only 0.4 and my Total AI is 0.5.I am happy if this info is as good as it seems, but I don't understand why it would happen.

So here are my questions:
1. What are the dangers of a mouth breather using a nasal pillow mask?
2. Is is possible that by using the tape for a year I "taught myself" not to mouth breath?
3. Why would my AHI and Total AI be lower using the nasal pillows?
4. Are there any other things I should know about switching from a FFM to a nasal pillow mask?

Many thanks!

Welcome to the forum.

Question answers
1....None
2....Entirely possible...lots of people have done it including myself
3....Quite common for nasal pillow users to have improved AHI numbers when compared to FFmask users. Better therapy at given pressures.
4....No. Enjoy your new found comfort and better results.

pugsy has the right of it. no dangers at all. and if you think on it a bit, it makes sense to get better numbers. that nasal pillow mask is concentrating the air into a very narrow channel.

when i started on cpap, i too was told because i was a mouth breather, i would need a full face mask. but i never got comfortable with it and it would slide all over my face. plus it leaked loudly enough to wake me up.

went with the P10 mask and it is THE mask for me.

sometimes those sleep docs and durable medical equipment people don't seem to know what they are talking about.

It's possible we mouth-breathed because we weren't getting enough air, and now that we are getting it, nasal breathing is enough.
Sounds like you are in good shape!