RE: How do I increase humidification?
The little happy face tolerates a lot of leakage. I think myair will tell you a number, Sleepyhead sure will. In my experience (relative newbie) dry mouth comes from air leaks. I guess it's possible to mouth breath without air leaks with a FFM but I never contained the air when my jaw relaxed.
In any case I second PaytonA suggestion of finding a chin strap. Dry mouth gone! Mouth breathing gone! Literally overnight. Worked so well for me that I recently switched from FFM to P-10 pillows.
Seems to be some angst about chin straps but I'm loving it.
Saldus Miegas
RE: How do I increase humidification?
Agreed, avoiding mouth breathing if possible is a great solution, however... Sometimes my nasal passages are just too swollen to allow me to do anything other than mouth breathing. Bummer. But I will try to push myself more into nose breathing when I can. I do have a nasal pillows mask, that I actually have not used yet. I started therapy with a cold, so ofc I used the ffm, and honestly, have gotten kind of attached to it. I feel secure, knowing that if my nose gets stuffed up, I can still breathe through my mouth, rather than thinking I am going to suffocate...
RE: How do I increase humidification?
(09-23-2015, 10:56 PM)AirPlease Wrote: Agreed, avoiding mouth breathing if possible is a great solution, however... Sometimes my nasal passages are just too swollen to allow me to do anything other than mouth breathing. Bummer. But I will try to push myself more into nose breathing when I can. I do have a nasal pillows mask, that I actually have not used yet. I started therapy with a cold, so ofc I used the ffm, and honestly, have gotten kind of attached to it. I feel secure, knowing that if my nose gets stuffed up, I can still breathe through my mouth, rather than thinking I am going to suffocate...
I hear you. I was more talking about clear-nose mouth breathing, when the jaw just relaxes and falls out of place as you drift off to sleep. That's a different problem than when you can't breath through a congested nose.
good luck AirPlease.
Saldus Miegas
RE: How do I increase humidification?
LOL! I thought I was fine with the nose breathing - last night I tried to keep my mouth shut with the ffm (nasal passages were mostly clear), and while it was fine while I was awake, at some point when I fell asleep, I started mouth breathing again. Not sure if it's because I could, or because I wanted to, but I'm thinking a chin strap might be a good idea now. I suspect I might keep my mouth shut with the nasal pillows, because it would have that rush of air if I didn't, but... Maybe not. Perhaps the sleep study was a fluke. Eh, what's one more thing added to the mix... I'm thinking I'll start with the nasal pillows tonight, and see what happens. Such an adventure! I'm just so thankful to live in a time when not only is sleep apnea recognized as such, but there are also so many equipment options available.
RE: How do I increase humidification?
AirPlease,
A lot of us that suffer nasal congestion use a nasal pillow mask. You may be surprised to find that the air that goes directly into the nasal passages actually opens and clears that congested feeling.
You may still need a chin strap.
RE: How do I increase humidification?
(09-24-2015, 10:04 AM)OpalRose Wrote: AirPlease,
A lot of us that suffer nasal congestion use a nasal pillow mask. You may be surprised to find that the air that goes directly into the nasal passages actually opens and clears that congested feeling.
You may still need a chin strap.
I used the nasal pillows last night - a few episodes of mouth breathing, but not bad, and my throat was not too dry, either! This is looking good; thanks so much for the helpful comments!
I thought my allergies would be worse, but, as OpalRose said, I'm fine this morning. I'd like to think my hepa filter helped, but it's great to hear that other allergy sufferers have success with nasal pillows. :grin:
RE: How do I increase humidification?
(09-23-2015, 07:32 PM)AirPlease Wrote: Interestingly, I did keep my mouth closed with the nasal pillows during the sleep test, so I can actually do that, if my nose allows.
If you want to try the nose pillows again you might try one of the various nasal rinses available OTC or perhaps something like Flonase to clear your nasal passages about 30-60 minutes before bed. I have used a nasal rinse called NeilMed Nasal Mist Saline Nasal Spray (it is drug free). I have also used a drug called Flonase but I prefer drug free most of the time.
Happy Pappin'
Never Give In, Never Give Up
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.
RE: How do I increase humidification?
Hello AirPlease!
If you have 60% humidity in your room/house you are already growing mold.
Get a good humidity sensor from walmart.
Your room needs to be less than 50% humidity to keep mold and bugs at bay.
***
Get a Dehumidifier for your house if you determine your humidity is too high. (70 pts / day for 1000 sq feet)
Your heating/AC bill will go down too.
***
That being done you will need more humidity at the mask.
I took the S9 humidifier and ran a pipe to a F&P second humidifier and *both* of those feed the mask hose.
Once you do this, your prewarmed air from the S9 will go into the F&P and get an extra warming and more humidity.
This will cause you tons of rainout so you need to fix that with a Hybernite electrically heated hose ($50)
Then you'll have a lot less dry mouth/throat/cough problems!
Is this sounding like a drag?
It is but I can sleep now!
If any medical equipment manufacturers are listening. Your humidifiers ARE NOT EFFECTIVE!!
***
Peace, Love and Carrots.
"With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable." - Thomas Foxwell Buxton
RE: How do I increase humidification?
Wow, Shastzi, that's quite a setup you have. Thank you for describing it in detail. I'll look into the excessive humidity issue - no visible mold growing anywhere, but it does get humid in the summer, and way too dry in the winter. I do not have whole house air ducts; heating is baseboard hot water, and cooling is ductless minisplit - no easy way to filter air, or stabilize the humidity. I also do not have a good (accurate) humidity meter - just a cheap one that gives me a rough idea. Lol, more to do!
I have used a neti pot, rather than the bulb type of saline rinse - it's such a strange sensation, but again, why not, it's already a strange life now.
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