Sleep Apnea Support Forum Index
DONATE TO THE ASAARegisterI Forgot My PasswordSearchHelpLog in
Reply to topic Page 1 of 1
tired, mouth breathing, results
Author Message

Reply with quote
Post tired, mouth breathing, results 
still feeling tired although the headaches have gone.   Seem to be mouth leaking, I can block this with my tongue while awake but not  mastered this trick in sleep, am also swallowing air and get quite bloated at times.  Chin strap may be helping a bit, wondering it I should return to not so good sleep clinic Dr. for dental referral for oral device, or try  the heat and bite, DIY or otherwise.  Have difficulty finding comfortable mask so using pillows.   This is now week 7 on cpap,plus had 3wks with painful, badly fitted mask between the 2 tests then a 2wk break while getting sorted out with replacement equipment from new supplier.  
The results don't mean much to me at this stage, so much info to absorb at once and not functioning on all cylinders,  don't think I am getting as much as I should out of this.  Your comments will be greatly appreciated.

test 1 result                                                               test 2, ruined by painfully cranked down mask, 3 hrs sleep only
total sleep time 313.5 mins            ....................          176.0 mins  
efficiency            70.6%                                              48.8%
sleepstage shifts  95        18.2 per hr                            36   12.3  per hr
Wake  episodes    40        7.7  ''    ''                              6     2.0   ''   ''
arousals              75  inded 14.4 /hr                             10    index 3.4
resp arousals       44                                                      0
spontainious  ''     31                                                     10
plms             ''     0                                                        0
W/desat               44                                                      0
W/o  ''                 0                                                        0
leg movements    0                                                         0
apnea index         14.4 /hr                                              0.0                                                      
hypopnea index    24.7 /hr                                              0.3 /hr
apnea/hypop  ''     39.0 /hr                                              0.3 /hr
obstructive      central    mixed    hypopnea   . ..           ob.   C.    M.   hypopnea
    74                  1            0           129                       0     0      0          1
    39.5 mins      0.3           0             59                                        0.6
supine AHI        62.2       time 152.3 min                                 n/a         time   0
non ''     ''          17.5         ''     161.2                                       0.3         ''   176 min
rem       ''           29.2         ''      59.5                                       0.0               17   ''
nrem     ''            41.3        ''      254                                         0.4              159  ''

pressure set at 7        there is a bit more, hope this is enough, am so tired I have to go to bed!
Thank you for any info you can provide.


Reply with quote
Post  
My feeling is to skip the oral device.  It would not help you keep your mouth closed if you can't do it anyway and would only add more stuff to get use to.  Did I read your data right that your pressure is 7?  That is pretty low and if you are mouth breathing, perhaps it is because your pressure is too low (opening your mouth is your body's way of trying to get more air if the pressure is too low).  Of course, only your doc. can determine that.

Have you found a nasal mask that works?  Which brands have you tried?  If your pressure isn't an issue, and you aren't able to train yourself to keep your mouth closed (my problem), then you might try a full faced mask which covers both your nose and mouth.  Let me know about your nasal mask issue and I have some full faced masked to recommend.

Also, have you tried nasal pillows as an alternative to a nasal mask?  I can't stand nasal pillows, but find the Comfort Curve mask by Repironics extremely comfortable, though I can't move around much with it.  The Comfort Curve is like a micro nasal mask and has much less obstruction than a standard nasal mask.

Vicki


Reply with quote
Post  
maybe get a full face mask and use a chinstrap, make the final adjustment when lying down
can help to rub skinlotion or face cream on face
I think the CPAP will be best for you, but patience and positive thinking are needed


Reply with quote
Post tired, mouth breathing, results 
The oral device would be to keep my tongue in the right place to stop my 'mouth leaking'.   I think a different chin strap may work better too, this one slips after a while.    Originally I had an "expert" fitted Comfort Select, but it didn't fit at all as it turned out, too bad as it was my loss not the companies of course.   Then I got a Breeze with nasal pillows, pretty good except that lately it has started to leak at about 4 or 5 a.m., might be the slipping chin strap at fault there.   It seem that I do not have the right shaped nares for nasal pillow type masks I discovered last night on the mask guide page.  

I may have to try the full face mask route at some point but will hang in for now and see how it goes.     I have tried several regular nose masks but had difficulty finding a good fit, Fisher Paykel with the grey foam came the nearest, forget the name of it and the others, I really should have made a  note.  
Will be interested in your full face mask recs. Vicki.
Thank you both for your replies.

Display posts from previous:
Reply to topic Page 1 of 1
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum