New to CPAP and having some problems

After insisting that my hubby have sleep studies done, finding out he has mild obstructive apnea, and watching him try the mask, the nasal cannula and finally a dental appliance, I have recently found out that I, too, have mild OSA and moderate sleep fragmentation. No wonder I've been tired for as long as I can remember!

I had a terrible night at the CPAP titration with the mask, and I opted for the Swift. After waking up many times each night with a terribly dry mouth, the DME sent me a chinstrap. Still, I haven't had one night of complete or comfortable sleep. I'm a light sleeper by nature and wake up several times during the night....and at some point each night, I take off the mask. I'm a side sleeper and I think the mask moves slightly when I move. I guess I was foolishly hoping to have some relief from being tired all the time. I've read here on the forum that it takes time to get used to the equipment and to make up for years of sleep deficit (I'm 62 years old and my college roommate just reminded me that I used to sleep through 8am classes and once even a final!)

Please, please, some encouragement for me...I'm so tired of being tired!

Thanks, and I'm glad to have found you all.

You say that you wake up with a terribly dry mouth. Sounds like you're mouth-breathing with the Swift. There are several threads here about this, and people have resorted to using PoliDent strips to help keep their lips shut, or even taping their mouths shut with surgical tape. I've fortunately, been spared this problem. Just use the search fnction, with keywords like mouth beathing, PoliDent, or Swift.

You might want to consider posting your equipment and any details of your diagnosis or treatment. It would help several of us to understand better your conditions. I take it that you alreday have a heated humidifer. If you don't, get one! Mouth breathing is often associated with drying of the mucosa from dry air, and the mouth breathing makes the drying worse.

Hope this helps.

Chuck

Thanks, Chuck....I have a Respironics C-Flex Remstar Plus with a heated humidifier. I use the Swift nasal pillows system. I use the ramp button to get to the maximum that the DME set for me, which is 9. I have the humidifier set at 5 (maximum)...not sure that's really necessary, but I set it there thinking it might help with the dry mouth.

This is all new to me, so please excuse any newbie mistakes! Thanks, Emily

Just out of curiousity, have you gone back to talk to your equipment provider after the discussion resulting in the chin strap?

How about your Sleep Specialist?

Bingo

No, I haven't had any further contact with either the DME or the Sleep Diagnostics Center.

Then I would definately suggest talking first to the Equipment Provider.

That's what they are there for! To help!

If they have not run into your particular situation and/or if they are not able to come up with a solution for you, then I would suggest talking with your Sleep Specialist. They may also be able to come up with something for you.

Good luck -

Bingo

If they would give you a FF Mask to try the Dry mouth would be gone and your treatment would work better, it you are mouth breathing you aren't getting the treatment you need. Jim

Hi. And welcome to the forum.

If you go into your "profile", you can add your equipment at the bottom. You can also list your pressure in comments. That way, the equipment will appear in all your posts. Saves you from having to tell us all the time.

Yes, you are mouth breathing. And with your humidifier set on 5, I'm surprised you are not getting massive "rainout" with the Swift. That might be another reason that you take off your mask.

The Swift was difficult for me to get used to - as a side sleeper. If it touches the pillow, it will move sideways and start leaking. I know you hate to try other masks, but it is necessary in order for you to remain compliant with the therapy.

You might ask your DME to order you a Comfort Lite 2 (it must be the 2). That comes as both a mask and nasal pillows. You would probably want the set in size Med & Large (not the small/medium) - unless you have an extremely small face. The CL2 is one of the easiest nasal pillows to use - but it still needs some tweaks. Another is the Aura Headrest - which many of us love, but it needs more tweaks.

If you get either one of these pillow masks, you would need to do a search on tips to make then work - primarily a strap or fishing line to help hold the pillows snug to the nose.

You will get rainout - and many of us buy the heated hose to help prevent it. Forum searches will give you lots more information. If you can't find it, just ask.

Good Luck.

You are definately mouth breathing as most posters have said. That is the very dry mouth. No amount of humidity will stop that. I found too much humidity makes the air coming in heavy and harder to breath. I am set around 3 right now.

I found that a chin strap alone doesn't fix my mouth breathing. The tape does. Use paper tape at the drugstore 1 inch wide or so. The one that says non-irritating or something is best. Put a piece across your whole mouth. Some like to make tabs for easy/quick removal. There are a number of threads on this process. But I find that if I cover the whole mouth I am good. When I take it off in the morning I smear some chapstick on my lip and above my lip and it feels good for the day even when that wears off. Just my way.

I disliked the chin strap in general due to slippage and ear issues. But if I don't do something to encourage my jaw to stay somewhat shut I have problems with even the tape.

SO, I took two legs of a pair of pantyhose and tied them from under my chin to the top of my head. Much less hassle than trying to get a chin strap to stop shifting. But that is just me.

I originally thought I was a mouth breather (thought that I needed to) but I was wrong. My body just prefers that. But... I found that when air is being forced up my nose my body is fine with using my nose. So you might not want to give up yet before you try taping. I thought I never would when I first started (also thought I could never use a nasal interface)

You mention side sleeping a problem with the swift. I agree that it isn't the best thing for sleeping on your side. I do it but carefully or hang the swift off the edge of the pillow. I am thinking about trying the Comfort lite 2 or Auroa that people seem to like, but I really do like the swift in general. You may want to try one of those others. But the same taping/chin issues will exist with any nasal interface.

Good luck.

Thanks for all the helpful advice...I'm on my out to the store and will get some paper tape to try. That would seem to be the first step in fixing my problem...it's so nice to talk with others who are going through the same experiences.

Light Sleeper? me too. I found that earplugs work wonders!

Yup, sounds a little nuts, but now I do not hear the slight noises around the house that wake me up!

Also, can't hear my wife snoring now!!

I'm a light sleeper so I got a white-noise machine. It helps - covers up the birds chirping at dawn.

YOu are a mouth breather. If taping is not for you than a full face mask may be the most sensible option.

The Ultra Mirage FFM is the most popular FFM based on the stat's on the site but there are a number of choices. The mask thing is really a personal preference.

I also has mouth leaks and tried a chin-strap. It was not a good solution - it kept slipping off during the night. After wearing it for 3 weeks - I decided to focus in keeping my mouth shgut. It seems you can train yourself -doesn't work for everyone but some have done it.

Welcome to the insanity It really takes patience and determination to get everything to work but it does come - albeit sometimes slowly.

Best,

Tom

not everybody gets rainout. for some blessed, unknown reason, i don't. is it because my pressure is only 8?

thanks.

caroline

I tried the paper tape last night. It seemed like it would be fine, but a number of times during the night, I woke up with my mouth still taped shut, but puffy with air (like a blowfish or pufferfish or something). Could it be that the return pressure is not allowing me to exhale through my nose but "leaking" air into my mouth instead? I didn't even survive for 4 hours last night...

...Yes, 'Blow Fish' is obstacle number 6 in the Land of the HoseHead. I've heard about 40% have trouble keeping their tongue from letting air in the mouth. Furthermore, the industry's stock answer, chinstrap, is ineffective for many of us. I hope you can overcome the problem.

Because I just can't seem to adapt to the Full-Face mask, I use paper tape.
However, I keep trying to train my tongue to stay in the proper place. The paper tape loosens up enough to allow me to expel air through it. This only works for me on the exhale.

Last night, I concentrated on keeping my tongue parked just behind the cleft of the roof, and I had very good results. I think if I keep using the tape and parking the tongue, I'll get to HoseHead Level 7....