Mouth tape and data from OSCAR

[angelitos]

Last night I tried mouth tape instead of bulky chin strap (made by Sunset) to stop mouth breathing while using my nasal mask.  It was
refreshing not to have to wear the extra headgear!  However, I see that i have numerous obstructive apneas which is
a departure from normal (  My 30 day average: AHI 0.75; Obstr Index 0.13, Hypop 0.35, Clear Airway 0.27.  )  Is
there something about the mouth tape that would cause this? (Perhaps my head position has changed?),  Anyhow it
seems to me that my minimum pressure is too low -- if i am interpreting the flow rate chart correctly..  Please advise. 
Also the 1 inch 3M "gentle" paper tape  was not so easy to get off -- I plan to use chapstick under it next time, 
Thank you very much for your comments!

       

[jaswilliams]

Your machine spent a fair bit of time at its max of 11 I suggest raising the max setting, but any AHI under 2 is great your AHI of 0.98 is still within nightly variation

[Dormeo]

Was the tape still on firmly at the end of the night? I ask because the shapes on your leak graphs look somewhat more like mouth leaks than mask leaks.

The chapstick may make it hard for the tape to adhere, but it's worth a try. I use Somnifix strips, which are unfortunately more expensive than e.g. micropore tape, but they have a good firm hold and are very gentle on the skin.

[Gideon]

Your numbers are still exceptional. You have one small cluster of obstructive events, and seriously, it is not enough to worry about. If we saw a lot more of that I'd say your chin is tucking, you did stop using a chin strap, which initiates obstructive apneas in clusters. A solution to that, and often mouth leaks, is a soft cervical collar. You are fine for now. With your numbers what matters is how you feel.

again, you are nowhere near needing a collar at this time for apnea.

[jelive]

I also use the 3M gentle paper tape but 2" type (get on Amazon)...have had very good results over several years.

[OpalRose]

I don't know anything about taping, so will leave that to others.

The only thing I would suggest is to move your minimum pressure up to at least 6 or 7cm. A minimum pressure of 4 is too low and normally would make you feel "air starved".

Otherwise, all else look fine. What's important is how you feel.

[RNeil]

I don't think the machine can detect apneas or benifit you if you have a nasal mask and your mouth is open. So I don't know that your increase in indicated apneas is bad. It's like the difference between using the machine and not using the machine.

[angelitos]

Hello JasWilliams,
I thank you for your comments -- yes I have been noticing that the pressure has been hovering at 11.0 and I was wondering if that
meant I should raise it.    So now i know and I  raised it to 11.6 last night. So far so good. the AHI last night was 0.28  .

[sleepyp]

I've found that my jaw still drops with mouth tape. Personally, I still have to wear a cervical collar. The collar stops my jaw dropping and the 2" 3M tape stops that air leaking out of my lips. MY AHI is 2-3 higher without the cervical collar.
Worth a try with both for week and compare averages with and without.

[angelitos]

Dormeo,
Thank you so much for your message,  I can't really say if there were mouth leaks.  I assumed not, because the mouth tape was so hard to peel off
 at the ends - but perhaps the air escaped from the long sides of the tape above and below the lips.  Actually I thought I did better than normal
on leaks because REsmed did not mark them as "Events"  like it usually does. Anyhow, I have ordered the Somnifix!
Thanks!!