CPAP and biting

Hi,
I am new and so glad I found you. I have been wearing the CPAP for almost two weeks, and am about to go crazy. I couldn't stand a mask which covered my face, so I am using the one with the nose pieces. When I wake up, I sometimes taste blood, and have sores in my mouth where I am apparently bite the inside of my cheeks. I do not mouth breathe. My front teeth are capped and are beginning to feel funny. I am on the machine because I had episodes of weakness and passed out a couple of times. However, the tests show minimul effect, and my machine is only set on 4. I have had scans, etc., and nothing else seems to be wrong. The doctor put me on Providual, which did wonders almost immediately. So far, I feel no extra improvement since starting the CPAP. I am in a quandry. Part of the problem is that I am borderline claustrophobic. (I only dog paddle, because I can't panic if I try to swim and put my face in the water) What to do?

Hmmm ...

Well your machine set at 4 cm is a problem. As for the rest I'm speechless. Maybe others are better able to respond.

I would suggest that you register and become a member of the forum and give more details about your equipment and how you got to where you are.

Maryann5 wrote:When I wake up, I sometimes taste blood, and have sores in my mouth where I am apparently bite the inside of my cheeks. I do not mouth breathe. My front teeth are capped and are beginning to feel funny.

Welcome Maryann5 -- Did this biting just start when you started on CPAP? Could you be clenching? I could imagine if you're uncomfortable with the mask and machine you could be tense at night and be clenching. Dental night guard might help.

I am on the machine because I had episodes of weakness and passed out a couple of times.

These don't sound like typical signs of sleep apnea to me. How did you get from these symptoms to being prescribed a CPAP machine?

However, the tests show minimul effect

Sleep test? Other tests? Can you explain what you mean when you say "minimal effect?" Do you have a report from a sleep test that you could share here?

The doctor put me on Providual, which did wonders almost immediately. So far, I feel no extra improvement since starting the CPAP.

These two statements are a bit confusing. Provigil worked wonders, but then you say you're not feeling improvement. Could you explain?

As DreamStalker said, if you register and post your equipment, and also give us more information about what has happened to date, we may be able to help you with some of the CPAP adjustment issues you're having.

Maryann5 wrote:When I wake up, I sometimes taste blood, and have sores in my mouth where I am apparently bite the inside of my cheeks. I do not mouth breathe. My front teeth are capped and are beginning to feel funny.

I have a little bit of a problem with this, because there's some suction that forms when your mouth is sealed off to prevent mouth breathing while using CPAP. It's uncomfortable, especially since some of the tender tissue inside my lips gets pulled over the edge of a tooth that sticks out at a weird angle. I'm getting a bump there myself, and it doesn't feel great when I'm on CPAP. I've been thinking one of those boil and bite mouth gaurds might help, but those make ME feel claustrophobic (flashbacks to the "positioner" I had to wear at night after my orthodontia came off many years ago). So far I just put up with it, but I've been trying to find an option myself--maybe a little, unobtrusive device that covers the teeth. I'm going to have to explore this with my dentist some more.

When my dentist told me that I must be clenching at night, the first thing I did was to insert a piece of soft foam rubber between my teeth to keep my teeth from closing together and it seemed to work fine. I've since found that to be a not so good thing for my teeth, but it would still work for your problem, I think. Just something soft to stop you from biting your cheek.