How much improvement from mouth-taping?

RosemaryB · Post by **RosemaryB** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:33 pm

sharon1965 wrote:
I have never had a large leak show up in Encore Pro, but I don't remove the mask without the machine off
same here

Any leak rate past 36 LPM, and my AHI is going too high
are you talking max leak, avg. leak or 90 % leak? my avg. leak is always around 26; does that sound ok? (one of these days, i WILL get the leak stuff down )

GeneS · Post by **GeneS** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:33 pm

CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure. Zero pressure is atmospheric pressure. When you are breathing in through your mouth with a nasal mask your airway pressure has to be negative while breathing in or air would not move from outside your mouth (0 atmospheric) to your lungs(negative). You are not receiving treatment when breathing in thru your mouth because your airway pressure is negative. If you breath in thru your mouth a lot during the night you are missing a lot of treatment and your quality of life will be affected because you will likely be tired. One thing I like about taping is that if I wake up in the morning and the tape is intact I am pretty confident that I received treatment all night.
GeneS

WearyOne · Post by **WearyOne** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:18 pm

I have been extremely irritated lately because my Hybrid, which I've rarely had leak issues with, is giving me a fit. Last night, I used those silicone ear plug things that someone suggested around the outside on the bottom between the two headgear clips. Then, I stuck one of those Chin-Ups on the bottom of the mask and down under my chin! Worked great to decrease the leak problem I've started having in that area.

Question: Are the medical tapes like 3M Transpore tape that someone mentioned here, okay to get on the actual seals/cushions themselves? Would you think the Chin-Up things would be okay to be stuck slightly on the cushions?

Thanks!

Pam

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:35 pm

sharon1965 wrote:
I have never had a large leak show up in Encore Pro, but I don't remove the mask without the machine off
same here

Any leak rate past 36 LPM, and my AHI is going too high
are you talking max leak, avg. leak or 90 % leak? my avg. leak is always around 26; does that sound ok? (one of these days, i WILL get the leak stuff down )

That is AVG leak in Encore Pro, my pressure is 14.5 CM with the ComfortGel, on a real good night I get 32 LPM, 35 is closer to my AVG. I don't tape, no doubt I could have less leak if I did, But at AHI under 1, I feel it's not required. If I couldn't keep it low, I would go back to the FF mask, It's leak rate was the same.

Your leak rate is fine. Jim

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:41 am

thanks jim
my ahi varies from .6 - 2.5, and seems to almost alternate night by night, but like i said, the leak rate is always around that 26 mark...i'd like to get that .6 every night but i can't figure out what the variable could be, other than good nights and bad nights

i was thinking about going back to the poligrips strips, see what's what

thanks again
sharon

Gerald · Post by **Gerald** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 7:55 am

Sharon..........

My honey and I are finding that the variable is "sinus sludge".........

Gerald

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:36 am

ya know, gerald, it is so funny you said that
i just read my report--and it wasn't so good today--and i had that very thought
thanks!

Gerald · Post by **Gerald** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 2:21 pm

Sharon......

My honey had an AHI of 2.5 night before last.....had lots of "sludge"....and felt semi-crappy the next day.

Last night, she took a sinus pill.......had much less "sludge" during the night......and had an AHI score of 0.7. She feels better today.

We've seen a measured difference in overnight O2 saturation levels with "sludge" and without.

We both recognize sinus drainage to be a major factor.....along with mouth leaks.....and mask leaks.

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:24 pm

Last night, she took a sinus pill

good point, but last spring i had septoplasty to get off the dangerous, damaging allergy med roller coaster, so unless i'm totally dying (as in uncontrollable sneezing fits, rendering me non-functioning) i refuse to get back into that habit...i guess an AHI of 2.5 is nothing to sneeze at, pun intended

septoplasty was the best choice i could have made

goose · Post by **goose** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 7:36 pm

My average leak is around 32 or 33. It's a bit high for the headrest, but I've stopped obsessing over trying to find it. I don't mouth leak (did the polident strips, chin strap etc. - Have beard and mustache so since I don't want to trim by ripping it out by the roots I can't tape..... ); I used Mack's silicone putty for a good seal -- worked great but didn't change the leak numbers. I still use the putty on occasion when I'm having a problem with the nose pillows sealing right....

Pressure is at 10 and AHI is around 2.7 consistantly (HI's killing me close to the end of sleep cycle.....AI's are generally well below 1).....

Since I have allergies I do take benedryl each night and also use flonase an hour or so before going to sleep. Allegra is a twice a day routine....knock wood, but I haven't had a real cloggy nose yet this winter.....

I feel a bit better, but nothing spectacular yet. I'll take it though!!!! My BP numbers are down and so is my weight....glucose is steady, so I'm sure it's working well....

On the mend....
cheers
goose