Just diagnosed with moderate obstructive sleep apnea

I was just recently diagnosed with moderat obstructive sleep apnea. I have all of the typical symptoms including being tired during the day, loud snoring which is preventing my wife from getting a good night's sleep, memory loss and dizziness. It looks like there are so many options for dealing with this that it is overwhelming. I've tried the full mask which worked but I can't see using this every night for the rest of my life (I'm 53). The nose pillows (Nasal Aire) looks like a reasonable choice but the doctor says that if I can't keep my moutrh shut, it's effectiveness wil be limited. Has anyone used that devise on the market for keeping your jaw shut? I'd love some advice.

Hi lazar,

I agree with your thoughts about looking for a less obtrusive interface. I started out with the Resmed Mirage Activa and switched to the Resmed mirage Swift nasal pillow interface. It makes for a much more "normal" sleep experience. Do you actually know if you will have trouble with mouth leaks? Many people do not. There are many alternatives to deal with it if you need to. The issue is not so much keeping your jaw from dropping but training your tongue to stay in the right place. Many of us keep our mouths closed but have leaks in the form of "puffs" of air through our lips. I've dealt with this by using a product called a scar reduction patch (on the suggestion of another forum member.) Simply, it is an adhesive silicone patch that you can adhere to your lips. It works very well. There is also a poster on the Talkaboutsleep forum that is developing a dental appliance designed to keep your tongue in a posision that maintains an airtight seal. If you experiment with your tongue you will find you can actually seal your mouth to air leaks while your lips are apart by using your tongue. See if you can get one of the nasal pillow interfaces and experiment a little. My personal choice is the Swift (comes with three pillow sizes), many like the breeze (may not be good if you're a back sleeper) or try the Nasal Aire.

I have moderate OSA as well. That means you'll be having to use the CPAP for the rest of your life (you lucky guy!) Don't worry you have lots of company. Actually the CPAP is like a second skin to me now. I have no problems adjusting to it. Best. Wayne

Hi Lazar,

I'm 59 (for a couple more days, anyway ) and I've been using this treatment a little over a year now. Absolutely using it - for every sleeping moment, including even the shortest naps. I know it's that important even though I've got it mild, compared to so many other people. The fact that I had almost immediate relief from all daytime sleepiness helped convince me, despite starting out with a less than ideal machine/mask (an old borrowed straight cpap and a leaky gel mask.) The message boards are a wonderful place to get help, hints, suggestions.

As for using it the rest of my life...I'm quite content with that idea. Sure, I'd rather be able to just lie down at night and go to sleep without going through all this rigmarole - who wouldn't? But the nice thing is - I can take it off in the morning and go about the business of living. For all its nightly inconveniences I look at a lifetime of using my autopap as a much better prospect than having a massive stroke land me in a wheel chair or a nursing home for the rest of my life. I can greatly lessen the risk of that happening - just by punching that little "on" button each night.

I've been a lifelong mouth-breather at night. I use the Breeze with nasal pillows. The most effective way I've ever found to seal mouth leaks is taping the lips closed. This past week I've gone back to plain old Johnson and Johnson waterproof adhesive tape, one inch width. I use two or three strips of it, each slightly overlapping the other horizontally across my lips. Looks like a big patch across my mouth. I fold down (sticking it to itself) a tiny end of each strip to make a little grab tab on every end. Easy to take off. My machine pressure usually stays around 10 or 11 all night.

With all the things I've tried for controlling my mouth air leaks, taping the lips shut has been by far the thing that's given me the best results. Fewest events through the night and least leaks. I have software for my autopap to check that kind of data. If cheeks ballooning out bothered me while wearing tape, I'd add an Ace bandage all the way around to help keep the cheeks flattened and help hold the tape in place.

My disclaimer - I'm not recommending taping to anyone else. Works fine for me, so I do it. It's the only way I'm able to use my favorite interface, the Breeze/nasal pillows. As Wader pointed out, keeping the mouth closed does nothing to stop lip air puffs if the tongue does not maintain a seal inside. Chin straps are useless to me.