Mouth breather?

[Sandra_ON]

I'm just over three weeks into using my CPAP and it's going pretty well except for mouth breathing. I'm presently using the nose pillows and I really like them except for waking up with a really cold nose and cotton mouth and my whole body is freezing. My Resmed S9 does have a humidifier. I've been using a chin strap and it's been hit and miss whether it works or not so last night I decided to tape my mouth but I still woke up with cotton mouth and freezing. I was very surprised since I can't breathe through my mouth with tape over it. Any ideas?

[PollCat]

Taping one's mouth closed never seemed like a good idea to me. During the day, do you find yourself breathing through your mouth? If so, have you seen an ENT doc to determine why you can't breathe through the nose?

Is your pressure really 3.5? It could be your pressure is not high enough to provide the oxygen necessary for your body and your mouth is opening to compensate for the loss of air.

[Sandra_ON]

Yes, 3.5, started at 3. I'll try increasing. I do have a deviated septum on the left side and I do breathe through my mouth occasionally during the day but not often. I did cut a small slit in the tape before covering my mouth.

[me50]

Yes, 3.5, started at 3. I'll try increasing. I do have a deviated septum on the left side and I do breathe through my mouth occasionally during the day but not often. I did cut a small slit in the tape before covering my mouth.

The minimum pressure on your machine is 4. Do you know how to look at what settings are on your machine? The max for EPR is 3.

If you had a sleep study, do you have the results of that sleep study?

[trish6hundred]

Hi Sandra_ON,
You might try a chinstrap to help you keep your mouth closed while you sleep.

[herbm]

Confirm what me50 wrote: Minimum pressure (inluding ramp) on a Resmed S9 Autoset is 4.

Check your machine, 3.5 is incorrect. And 4 as a single treatment pressure is likely unusually low even. (4 to 20 is common until the correct pressure is determined.)

I don't even like 8 as it seems like there isn't a good air flow -- was talking to my new ENT (who is also a sleep doc) today, and he said that the CPAP pressure can inflate (or splint) you nasal passages similar to the way it splints the rest of your airway so that can help if you have a restricted nasal passage.

It seems to help me, but only at pressures that are a bit higher.

[zonk]

Yes, 3.5, started at 3. I'll try increasing.

I assume you mean humidity level setting is 3.5 (not pressure setting)

You might find the answer of your problem right here .. The Mouth Leak Cycle
Read more http://www.resmed.com/us/patients_and_fa...cycle.html

[Sandra_ON]

Like I said, I"m new to this so 3.5 I guess is the humidity level. My sleep test suggested a pressure of 8 but I think the respiratory therapist raised it to 10 or 11 at my last appointment. Does that make more sense?

[SnuffySleeper]

It would be whatever was/is on the prescription for your cpap machine. It's also right below the big humidity setting number on my s9 elite when you push the dial button.

[Tez62]

Like I said, I"m new to this so 3.5 I guess is the humidity level. My sleep test suggested a pressure of 8 but I think the respiratory therapist raised it to 10 or 11 at my last appointment. Does that make more sense?

Sandra, that makes sense, it takes time but you will get used to the settings, pressures etc.
I never suggest taping your mouth, I would try to get back to our DME or where ever you got the mask from and get them to investigate more. It is more than likely you are breathing through your mouth and may need a full face mask.