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+--- Thread: Mask leaking/mouth breathing ??? (/Thread-Mask-leaking-mouth-breathing)
Mask leaking/mouth breathing ??? - icon - 04-20-2021
Hello all, new here. First, the back story. Home sleep study with AHI of 25. DME game me a Airsense 10 Auto with a N30 mask. Not knowing any better, that is what I have been using. I adapted pretty quickly to it and I really like the machine but a couple things that I have noticed. At first, I couldn't sleep more than 4 hours in a row, now it is 5-7. After the 5-7 if I try to go back to sleep, it is bad sleep. I feel terrible after an hour or two more. However, recently for the heck of it, I decided to try a different mask (long story) so I thought I would try the popular P10. I have mixed feelings about it. It was louder than my N30, it hurt my nose and sometimes I felt like I couldn't exhale correctly. After feeling this way and doing a little research on the P10, I decided not to use it. So I continued on with the N30. This is the back story.
Recently (maybe the last month or so), it appears when I awake (after the 5 to 7 hours) and sometimes after the additional (1 to 2) hours, my mouth feels very dry and sore and I need to have a drink of water and everything seems fine. I'm starting to think at some point I might be mouth breathing. So I started researching this and bought mouth tape (since it seemed like chin straps were inconclusive - plus I really don't want to wear another think around my head). However, I haven't tried the mouth tape. I'm little nervous about doing so. I was also wondering if my leaks are too high or a possible indication of mouth breathing. Attached is an oscar report. Please let me know your thoughts on the leaks and possible mouth breathing or anything else you notice or recommend. Thanks is advance.
RE: Mask leaking/mouth breathing ??? - mesenteria - 04-21-2021
You are having some significant leaks at times, but most of them are moderate. The indication in the data at left says you have some large leaks. That one spike in your chart would qualify. Otherwise, you are quite possibly leaking through 'leaky' lips that separate.
I can't tell you to tape, but I have done so since Night #2. It seems unnatural, and I won't say I have never sat bolt upright and clawed at my mouth to rid it of the tape when I realized I couldn't breathe through my nose. This has happened twice in three-plus years. My nose sometimes gets so stuffy just prior to morning waking that I can't breathe. But I get a sound night's sleep all the rest of the night reliably, tape snugly in place.
Because of those two experiences, which are fleeting and last three or four seconds at most, I have the practice of folding over the last 12-15mm at one end to form a small tab. I can easily grasp this and tear away the tape if I have to do so quickly.
RE: Mask leaking/mouth breathing ??? - icon - 04-21-2021
Thanks for the reply. Not sure how, but I actually caught myself early this morning with my lips partially open letting air escape. I will get the courage and try the mouth tape I bought.
RE: Mask leaking/mouth breathing ??? - Crimson Nape - 04-21-2021
In case you are not aware, allow an extra length of tape on one end for folding over itself to create a pull-tab to aid in its removal.
RE: Mask leaking/mouth breathing ??? - icon - 04-21-2021
Thanks. Yeah, I caught that. I actually bought some X strips. So I will try those first. Was going to use those expensive ones but well they just seemed too expensive. I was even more scared to use the medical tape. If mouth taping works then I probably will just by medical tape next time.
RE: Mask leaking/mouth breathing ??? - mesenteria - 04-21-2021
Some here use a tape called Somnifix, if I have that correctly recalled, but I use 3M Nexcare white 'water resistant' tape. It comes in a large white plastic spool with pot-type cover. It tears moderately easily, depending on one's hand strength and finger joint condition. The Nexcare should be at most/all drug stores near you, and larger box stores that have pharmacies.
RE: Mask leaking/mouth breathing ??? - icon - 04-21-2021
(04-21-2021, 05:48 PM)mesenteria Wrote: Some here use a tape called Somnifix, if I have that correctly recalled, but I use 3M Nexcare white 'water resistant' tape. It comes in a large white plastic spool with pot-type cover. It tears moderately easily, depending on one's hand strength and finger joint condition. The Nexcare should be at most/all drug stores near you, and larger box stores that have pharmacies.
Thanks for the info. Yeah, the somnifix was the one I was referring to that was way too expensive (in my opinion).
RE: Mask leaking/mouth breathing ??? - Crimson Nape - 04-21-2021
For proof-of-concept, why not try the paper tape? You can use it on boo-boos later.
RE: Mask leaking/mouth breathing ??? - icon - 04-23-2021
Here's a graph from (2) nights ago, didn't get a chance to grab last nights yet. This was the first night of using mouth tape.
This is probably the best graph I have seen for myself from when I went to sleep ~ 10pm until ~2:30am. Then it was a train wreck after. I have no idea what happened but the graph looks a mess. Any comments? Evidently, I must have been struggling with my mask as I think the tape held fine and didn't wake up with a dry mouth/soar throat. I know I was definitely restless from 2:30 on.
So my take away was I didn't sleep as long initially with mouth tape as I did without it but the period I did sleep initially does look better than without mouth tape.