Central Apnea or Not?

[SarcasticDave94]

I think you have it listed as nasal pillows. If so, then yes whether or not your mouth is open matters a lot. If you are one that tends to sleep with your mouth opening at some time, there are a few pointers. You can keep a nasal mask and try a chin strap or a soft cervical collar has been noted for positional and jaw drop issues while asleep. You can try a full face mask if you cannot get mouth opening resolved.

[Gideon]

A minor correction to Dave above, the mouth being open doesn't matter IF the palate is closed. If air is blowing out the mouth the palate is also open and that matters.

[SarcasticDave94]

That I did forget. Noted for future.

[xXZexxMooreXx]

A minor correction to Dave above,  the mouth being open doesn't matter IF the palate is closed.  If air is blowing out the mouth the palate is also open and that matters.

I don't think I understand what specifically you mean.

Awesome profile picture by the way.

[xXZexxMooreXx]

I think you have it listed as nasal pillows. If so, then yes whether or not your mouth is open matters a lot. If you are one that tends to sleep with your mouth opening at some time, there are a few pointers. You can keep a nasal mask and try a chin strap or a soft cervical collar has been noted for positional and jaw drop issues while asleep. You can try a full face mask if you cannot get mouth opening resolved.

My friends dad has nasal pillows, and his were like nozzles that went into his nose.  He showed me, and he inserted these nozzles into his nose. 

Mine doesn't have those nozzles. You can view the one I have from the link below.

https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-cj4q2/pr...00.jpg?c=2



Mine friends dad told me the VET hospital told him his mask, which is in some ways similar, wasn't as effective if you slept with your mouth open so they had him use the strap that forces his mouth closed.  His mask actually came with it, but he didn't use it, but mine didn't come with any such thing.

Maybe I'm crazy, but when I kept waking up last night and the machine was pumping out some air, it was just going out my mouth, I was waking up with my mouth open for sure.  I try so hard to position my tongue just right before I go to sleep because it takes up most of my mouth.  Just recently my doctor gave me this tongue test and he said it was a class 4+.  He did this because I told him I was having trouble positioning my tongue for breathing when i was falling asleep.  He tells me it's nothing to worry about at this point, just keep using that machine and I'll be good.

[DeepBreathing]

Maybe I'm crazy, but when I kept waking up last night and the machine was pumping out some air, it was just going out my mouth,

Not crazy at all, though when I tried a nasal mask the noise coming from my mouth drive the missus crazy. Serious mouth leaking will typically show up on your charts as a flat-topped plateau in the leak graph. There are ways to overcome it such as the tongue trick, chin strap, soft cervical collar etc. Personally I don't like pillow type masks and use a full face type - then it doesn't really matter if the mouth opens or not.

[xXZexxMooreXx]

Maybe I'm crazy, but when I kept waking up last night and the machine was pumping out some air, it was just going out my mouth,

Not crazy at all, though when I tried a nasal mask the noise coming from my mouth drive the missus crazy.  Serious mouth leaking will typically show up on your charts as a flat-topped plateau in the leak graph. There are ways to overcome it such as the tongue trick, chin strap, soft cervical collar etc. Personally I don't like pillow type masks and use a full face type - then it doesn't really matter if the mouth opens or not.

It's good to know that I'm not as crazy as I was thinking. 

Regarding the charts, I wouldn't even know what I was looking for. 

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I'm now under the impression that, masks that blow up the nose, can be a problem if you sleep with your mouth open.  The new machine came with several masks that cover the nose and mouth and I liked it much better, except I have this big beard and the leakage was huge on the resmed website. 

What's the tongue trick?  Has anybody here had the tongue reduction surgery?

[DeepBreathing]

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I'm now under the impression that, masks that blow up the nose, can be a problem if you sleep with your mouth open...
... What's the tongue trick?

Yes, if you use a pillows or nasal mask you have to stop the pressure leaking out the mouth. Otherwise the machine doesn't do you any good and the noise can be enough to wake you up.

The tongue trick is just a way of holding the tongue so that air can't leak past even if your mouth is open. Place the tip of your tongue against your upper front teeth then flatten the tongue against the palate. If you do it right it will form an airtight seal even if your mouth is wide open. Now just hold that position all night...

[xXZexxMooreXx]

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I'm now under the impression that, masks that blow up the nose, can be a problem if you sleep with your mouth open...
 ... What's the tongue trick?

Yes, if you use a pillows or nasal mask you have to stop the pressure leaking out the mouth. Otherwise the machine doesn't do you any good and the noise can be enough to wake you up.

The tongue trick is just a way of holding the tongue so that air can't leak past even if your mouth is open. Place the tip of your tongue against your upper front teeth then flatten the tongue against the palate. If you do it right it will form an airtight seal even if your mouth is wide open. Now just hold that position all night...  

Thanks for the response Deep. 

As far as the tongue trick goes, wow?  Good luck maybe?  I hold my tongue at the top of mouth, blocking air flow from my mouth.  I suppose that's what your talking about.  Apparently I can't hold it while I'm sleeping.  haha

[SarcasticDave94]

The mask type is all up to you, but if air is escaping from an open mouth-palate channel, you could try a full face mask or add the accessories and keep practicing the tongue trick.

FYI I have tried to transition from full face ResMed F20 to N30i which is a nasal mask. I'm still trying to get used to the nasal. Both are excellent masks BTW.

Also yes there's tongue reduction surgeries out there. I know very little about the how and why for medical necessity. I know it doesn't involve it, but I envision slicing deli ham.