Product Challenge Chinstraps Fail To Please CPAP Users

Hey, is anyone still reading this? I started a new topic because I need help getting a papCAP to fit, but there's not much action over there. Those of you who've sung the praises of the papCAP, can you give me any advice about wearing it because I'm currently struggling with it. The first night I put it on too tight, and had to take it off pretty quickly because I could feel a migraine coming on. The second night it felt alright: I snugged the chin strap just enough without it throttling me. But at 5 am I woke myself up exhaling through my mouth - i.e., the chin strap wasn't holding my mouth closed enough. (I have this thing where my apnea seems at its worst at 5 am and I seem to go into mouth-breathing mode at that time as well.)

I'm wondering how a chin strap of any kind can keep me from opening my mouth the wee amount it takes to let all that CPAP air go out rather than down my throat. My mouth doesn't actually drop open: my lips just flutter open enough to let the air out.

Advice would be gratefully received.

Reply to benzmum....

I really have not had any serious problem...I put on the cap (I have it adjusted to fit snug but not tight) then the strap tight enough to keep my lips pretty tight, but still not uncomfortable. I put on my Comfort Gel Nasal mask over the PAPCAP. The only problem I have had is an irritation behind my ears from the velcro. If you continue to struggle with chin straps you might try the FF mask.

Thanks for the input, LSAT. I'm still trying to sort this papCAP out - FF mask as last-minute desperate fix only! Someone in the other thread I started said they polygrip their lips shut - that'll be the next thing I try!

For years I had a chinstrap that was simply fabric with Velcro ends. I'm not sure why but the past several months I had a hack of a time keeping my mouth closed. Air pressure would build up in my mouth and then rather explosively blow out or gurgle out or --. Maybe I should mentiion, I've lost most of my teeth. On top of it not working, I've got a sore under my chin that won't heal. I'm an old man with diabetes so it's common for me to have problems with healing. At this point the sore still looks ugly and has turned into a really hard spot in the fatty tissue of my fat neck.

I just got a resperionics chin strap a couple days ago. It seems to work although I'm not sure what it is doing to the sore. I have a big head so the velcro strap barely connects and the darn thing feels pretty tight. I'm VERY suspecious of the PAPCap being advertised here. Almost always "One size Fits All" doesn't work for me. And it still looks to me like it's going to put pressure on the darn neck sore.