Another Question for Our Sleep Professionals - Puffy Cheeks

This is something I've been dealing with lately, too. I posted a while back about the "blowfish" effect, and JeffH posted his solution, a mouthband. See the thread for a picture of it

viewtopic.php?t=23387&highlight=blowfish

It worked great! Except there was one problem for me. I have very sensitive skin and woke up with really intense marks that didn't go away for hours. I looked like I'd been held hostage overnight! I just couldn't go to work with those marks, since I work with the public and they looked very strange. So, I'm still trying to figure out how to make this work for me. I noticed in the photo that JeffH has a beard and I'm sure this would cover any marks, but growing one might be a problem for me, despite what was said in another thread about cpap treatment making a person hairier .

The blowfish thing is really making my leak rate higher than it's ever been, even with mouth taping and I'm more tired than usual. So, I'm trying to find a way to keep my cheeks compressed without leaving marks. If anyone finds that, please let us all know.

I can't wear a FF mask except a Hybrid, which I own in case I can't wear my pillows/prongs and the hybrid leaves more marks and still has a lot of leaks.

[quote="socknitster"]
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I do this too. I don't think it has to do with apnea, but more with tongue position. It doesn't wake me up as much as the air leaking thru the tape or polident sometimes does. This doesn't happen every night, just sometimes. WHen I am falling asleep it sometimes happens and I remind myself to place my tongue where it is supposed to be for proper sleep breathing (from what I have read the tongue should be as far forward and witth the tip touching either the top front teeth or behind them--in the most comfortable position of that type) and my cheeks deflate. When I wake up with leaks I try to address them and get my tongue in place as best I can.

I sure wish the manufacturers would address mouth breathing somehow in a comfortable fashion that would keep all this stuff under control. It is maddening trying to keep all these variables under conrol.

Jen

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I'm glad you brought the tongue and chin issue. My sleep doc told me that a receding chin usually goes with a tongue that is placed farther back in the mouth. And that blocks the throat of course. It must also sometimes cause the mouth to fall open at times. I followed the link that RosemaryB gave, and found that thread to be quite interesting.

Thank you for mentioning your "former" full facers. I'm using a shallow Activa, and perhaps will need a small ff mask.

Jane

Train your body where to store your tongue. Park it against the rear of your top teeth, suck on it to hold it there. In time your body will learn that's where it's to be parked. I expect that's what stopped my mouthbreathing. It doesn't cost anything to try, do it all the time, I can even drink water by straw with XPAP running, it used to be a problem.

Warning, if you have false teeth you remove at night, don't try this. You might get your tongue caught in the glass and spill the water. Jim

Is it normal to have the puffy cheeks? Although it is not as bad as when I started CPAP therapy, I still look like a dog in the back of the truck with cheeks full and the teeth showing. I don't think my wife finds that very sexy.

Sid wrote:Is it normal to have the puffy cheeks? Although it is not as bad as when I started CPAP therapy, I still look like a dog in the back of the truck with cheeks full and the teeth showing. I don't think my wife finds that very sexy.

Maybe it something else bothering her, Mine doesn't like me to circle the bed three times before I lie down. Jim

Using a full face mask I occasionally get puffy cheeks. The easy way to handle it is to side sleep. It only happens to me on my back, so I stay off my back. I got a big body pillow and I hang on to it all night. I guess you can tell I don't have a girl friend these days... lol....

Hey, Titrator! Cold winter nights aren't that far away. You'd better start socializing!

Jane,

You are right about the unfortunate anatomy of the receded jaw. I am going to try the TAP oral appliance too. I have an oral surgeon that is fitting it for me and he specializes in sleep denstistry. It came in a couple of weeks ago but it was adjusted by the manufacturer for someone with normal range of motion in the jaw--and had to be sent back because my jaw range of motion is only 50-60% of normal. It had my lower jaw jutting out from under my top teeth and you aren't supposed to start that way. You are supposed to start in a neutral position and gradually move the lower jaw (and tongue) forward. I get it back in early October.

Goofproof is right about the tongue thing. It takes time to train and like any muscle needs to build up strength to do this job properly. I have been diligently trying to get my tongue to do this. In the beginning I even had some mini-musle spasms. It can take time.

There is also an appliance you can buy that is meant to seal the mouth and postion the tongue. It is called the NoseBreath. You can read about it and the TAP here:

http://quietsleep.com/oralappliancether ... escrip.cfm

Most of these things are pretty expensive. I was lucky and my insurance is covering my TAP appliance. I still toy with getting the nosebreath because I'm tired of taping and chinstrap. But I don't know anyone who had success with it. A bunch of diy appliances have had success, but I can't seem to get mine to work properly. If I ever take the plunge on the Nosebreathe, assuming the TAP doesn't work for me, I'll report about it here.

jen

Because of mandible pain (maybe TMJ) when I first went on the hose, I usually had my tongue in a forward position, often awaking to find it between my upper an lower teeth. Maybe now that the mask and hose aren't so unfamiliar to me, I've relaxed and let my tongue fall back

Anyway, you've all given me ideas to investigate.

What a group!

socknitster wrote:Goofproof is right about the tongue thing. It takes time to train and like any muscle needs to build up strength to do this job properly. I have been diligently trying to get my tongue to do this. In the beginning I even had some mini-musle spasms. It can take time.

Despite mouth splint, I found I do still get chipmunk cheeks a few times per night (amazing what we notice when it's been pointed out!). I followed Goofproof's instructions about making sure tongue is up against top teeth and it deflated my cheeks within seconds. It only happened twice last night.

I also noticed that the mouth splint forces my tongue into a position very close to where it needs to be.

Mindy

lol Jasper

jasper wrote:New definition to go along with "pillow snorkeling". How about "fugu cheeks". To save you the Google, that's a Japanese puffer fish. Very apropos.

I wear a http://www.snorban.com dental device to keep my jaw forward and to help control mouth leaking and breathing. It is pretty good quality but is a boil and bite device. I use it with cpap, chin strap, and now taping. I do not know if it will work for everyone or how well they can adjust to using it but it works for me. It is relatively low cost. If you are looking for something different this may work.
GeneS