CPAPtalk.com

Losing therapy air via mouth? Welcome to the world of mouth breathers!

I became one when my tongue shrank. In the beginning of my CPAP therapy (2007), I had a large tongue with teeth impressions along both sidea. After about 14-15 months on CPAP therapy, I found this forum and learned I was at that time a mouth breather. I also noticed that my tongue was smaller and no more teeth indentations...likely why I had become a mouth breather.

If you like pillows, try one of the hybrid-style FFMs because they use pillows and cover the mouth. Click on the mask in my signature to see mine, the first hybrid FFM, it comes with 3 sizes of pillows and 3 sizes of oral cushions.

LSAT wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 18, 2018 9:00 am

Back is generally the worst sleeping position for Sleep Apnea. Usually causes higher AHI and may require higher pressures

That's perhaps the worst position, but if it keeps me from having a gusher of air coming out of my mouth, then it's the right decision for me.

My AHI is great. In fact it was below 1.0 so often that I switched SleepyHead to RDI (it would be nice for the software to report both; I guess that's too confusing for some people; not a big deal to add up the reported sub-values to mentally calculate AHI).

My RDI is between 1 and 3 on most nights. That's with a min pressure of 9.5. I see plenty of "triangle wave" pressure patterns as the Dreamstation constantly increases from 9.5 to 11.0, and then drops back down (presumably having decided that there was no improvement at the higher pressure).

So if the machine has me at minimum and median pressure of 9.5 on most nights, then that seems low enough that even if it could be slightly lower sleeping on my side, why bother?

Sorry to be so late to this topic! My experience with air being forced out of my mouth was that the CPAP pressure was too high. My pulmonologist set it at 20 (the highest), and I could not sleep at all. Air bubbles were coming out of the corner of my eye, as well. Despite him saying that he had "never heard of such a thing," he eventually re-set the pressure to 10 lbs., and I was fine. I changed pulmonologists, and he set my pressure at 6, and that is fine, too. BTW, I use nasal pillows and enjoy them. I've tried the other masks and they worked, too, but I like the fact that the pillows are relatively small..
JudyB

mkostelec wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 09, 2013 9:23 am

I'm a little late to the dance here but I am having the same issue.

I use:
ResMed S9
Nasal pillows
I also use the humidifier and slimline tubing.

I have used this for years now and have had no issues. In fact, I loved this machine and the rest it brought me (and anyone else around me).

Since September I have lost 58 lbs and over the last month or so I started to notice "air bubbles" popping through my lips as I start to drift off into sleep. Once asleep I would wake up with air gushing out of my mouth while still breathing through my nose.

I am wondering if since the weight loss the pressure is too high and my body is using my mouth as a sort of release valve. It sounds a bit corny to think that way but I have a hard time believing I've become a mouth breather over the last month.

Any thoughts?

If your Resmed S9 is an autoset, then I'd check your data using Sleepyhead, and check your APAP range. You may need less pressure, and if your machine is set to CPAP or a high and narrow APAP range, you are getting too much. Lower the bottom part of the range, and then recheck your data.

If the S9 is not an Autoset, you may a) need a new sleep study, or b) need to get an APAP.