new cpap user throat feels swollen

[lizbeth]

I am on my 3rd type of mask which I like best... an AirfitN30i. I am a wiggler and end up sleeping on my stomach a lot of times so this mask stays on better and maintains my seal the best. I am getting 98-100 points most nights. My problem it feels like my throat is swelling some the last few days. I had called and asked them to help me because my airflow felt like it was staying high when I had some apnea to where it would wake me up. They said they adjusted it to where it would go down some after I started breathing better so that is working better. I am not sick but my mouth always feels dried out totally when I wake up. Drinking water didn't help that feeling yesterday of being a little swollen especially when I swallowed. I was breathing fine and have not allergies to the materials. I feel like with this mask that the air flows straight into my brain when it's high but otherwise it is working ok. Any suggestions? My first post btw and thank you for this forum. I typed in swelling in throat with cpap and walla....here is a whole GROUP of people with experience! I am so happy to not be alone in this!

[Julie]

Have you tried a full face mask - you might be losing lots of therapy air through your mouth, which would account for the dryness.

[Miss Emerita]

Welcome, lizbeth! When you have a chance, could you fill out your equipment profile? That way the info will be there whenever people read your posts.

Even short periods of mouth breathing can really make you dry. Do you usually breathe through your nose during the day? If so, you may be able to stop mouth breathing at night. People try different solutions, depending on what is getting their mouths to open -- lower jaw dropping? Jaw OK but lips parting? Jaw and lips OK but nose sometimes stuffy, causing mouth-breathing?

Here are some ideas to consider:

* If your nose is stuffy, try saline rinses and over-the-counter Flonase.

* If your jaw drops, try wearing a soft cervical collar to bed at night or a Knightsbridge chin strap.

* If your lips part, try taping them shut. I'd recommend using Somnifix tape, which is very gentle but effective. If it helps, you can then try cheaper alternatives.

* No matter which of those ideas you try out, start training your tongue to help you. Put the tip of your tongue in back of your upper front teeth, and spread the rest of your tongue out from side to side. Now do a little swallow or suck to create a bit of suction that will help to keep your tongue in place. If you've done it right, you should be able to open your mouth but find you can breathe only through your nose. Practice this during the day; in time, you may be able to keep your tongue in place while you're asleep.

[lizbeth]

Welcome, lizbeth! When you have a chance, could you fill out your equipment profile? That way the info will be there whenever people read your posts.

Even short periods of mouth breathing can really make you dry. Do you usually breathe through your nose during the day? If so, you may be able to stop mouth breathing at night. People try different solutions, depending on what is getting their mouths to open -- lower jaw dropping? Jaw OK but lips parting? Jaw and lips OK but nose sometimes stuffy, causing mouth-breathing?

Here are some ideas to consider:

* If your nose is stuffy, try saline rinses and over-the-counter Flonase.

* If your jaw drops, try wearing a soft cervical collar to bed at night or a Knightsbridge chin strap.

* If your lips part, try taping them shut. I'd recommend using Somnifix tape, which is very gentle but effective. If it helps, you can then try cheaper alternatives.

* No matter which of those ideas you try out, start training your tongue to help you. Put the tip of your tongue in back of your upper front teeth, and spread the rest of your tongue out from side to side. Now do a little swallow or suck to create a bit of suction that will help to keep your tongue in place. If you've done it right, you should be able to open your mouth but find you can breathe only through your nose. Practice this during the day; in time, you may be able to keep your tongue in place while you're asleep.

Thank you... I have not looked around much but will fill out the profile. I do wear a chin strap and don't think my mouth opens at night. I am a nose breather so as long as my CPAP is not blocked I don't think breathing through my mouth is the problem. I am pretty new at this though so I am listening. I was told I had mild apnea and mostly shallow breathing which drops my O2 sat so wasn't sure why the air flow rate was so high...and stayed high once I was breathing good. That was what was really bothering me. I sure appreciate your information!

[nicholasjh1]

What happens with a chin strip with me is that even though I don't breathe through my mouth and my mouth is closed pressure differential still has air coming into my mouth and leaking out throughout the night. Don't know if you're having that issue but if that's the reason there are a couple other solutions. Face mask is one, They don't work well for me because of my mouth architecture (I won't get into why), but they do work well for many people. Many of us who use nasal devices, and some even with full face masks use taping. Taping the mouth can prevent or curtail air expulsion. Also higher humidity setting may help. Hope you are able to work things out!

[Miss Emerita]

Lizbeth, even just a little mouth breathing can make your mouth super dry. But mostly I want to follow up on this: " I was told I had mild apnea and mostly shallow breathing which drops my O2 sat so wasn't sure why the air flow rate was so high...and stayed high once I was breathing good. That was what was really bothering me."

By "air flow rate," do you mean pressure? If so, here's something worth bearing in mind. Mild apnea may take high pressures to fix, and severe apnea may need only low pressures to fix. We're all different.

Do you have a laptop or a desktop computer? If you do, I'd like to suggest that you download the Oscar software and use it on the data stored on the SD card in your machine. (But it'd be good to know what machine you have, make and model.) Oscar is here: https://www.sleepfiles.com/OSCAR/

If people here could take a look at an Oscar chart, they could do more to answer a lot of your questions about dry mouth, leaks, pressure, and so forth. If you think you might want to try this, and you run into any trouble, we'd be very happy to help.

[CynthiaR]

As a user of the Knightsbridge myself after frustrations with several other types of chin straps, I'd concur that you may want to try the Knightsbridge. I'm skeptical of any of the standard design neoprene chin straps since they wrap around the tip of your chin and push your jaw directly into your jaw joint. You may be mistaking the pressure the standard neoprene chin strap applies for effective force, it's really not. What you need is an upwards force, not a force into the jaw joint. (Check out Knightsbridge's website for an explanation.). Or try mouth tape. I've had success with the SomniFix because it covers the full width of the mouth. (Cervical collars seem to me a crazy attempt at a solution ... they need to push the head back to an uncomfortable extent.).

[chunkyfrog]

Out of only nine posts, CynthiaR has posted FOUR times promoting this product
--not mentioned before in this thread.
Just making an observation--not calling out a spammer . . .

[CynthiaR]

I assume you mean the Knightsbridge chin strap, not SomniFix. Actually, it is mentioned before in this thread. It's a great product.