Mouth breathing with a full face mask

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island_kid
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Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2018 2:43 pm

Mouth breathing with a full face mask

Post by island_kid » Sat Apr 21, 2018 2:58 pm

Hi there, I'm a week into my therapy and having some trouble with a stuffy nose. Because I have allergies, I made sure to get a full face mask. It works great when my nose is clear but not so well when I need to mouth breathe. My cheeks tend to balloon out like a squirrel with a mouth full of acorns and/or the mask seal pulls my mouth closed as I relax, even when the straps are so loose the mask is basically just sitting on my face. Any suggestions? I'm using the ResMed AirFit F20.

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Pugsy
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Location: Missouri, USA

Re: Mouth breathing with a full face mask

Post by Pugsy » Sat Apr 21, 2018 3:07 pm

Is the stuffiness/congestion worse than usual since starting cpap? If it is worse...what setting are you using on the humidifier?

When you have time please add your equipment to your profile like I have mine.
It helps if we know brand and model machine as well as the mask.

wiki/index.php/Registering_Equipment_in_User_Profile

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Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

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Rubyslipperss
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Location: Houston

Re: Mouth breathing with a full face mask

Post by Rubyslipperss » Sat Apr 21, 2018 3:25 pm

I just got a new CPAP and mask. I have the same mask as you do and I love it. I have only used it for 5 nights but so far it has been great. I am a mouth breather too so I have to use a Full Face mask. The humidifier keeps me from getting congested. Are you using it? There are a lot of people here with tons of knowledge so be sure and give all the details when you have a question or comment. This is a great forum with great people!

island_kid
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Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2018 2:43 pm

Re: Mouth breathing with a full face mask

Post by island_kid » Sat Apr 21, 2018 6:08 pm

Pugsy: my congestion started 4 days after starting cpap -- the day I began pulling 100-year-old insulation out of the walls during home renovations. Needless to say, dust is an allergen for me. I turned the humidifier off two days in (it was set to 4) as I found the air too thick to breath, so to speak. I knew before starting cpap therapy that I wouldn't always be able to control how well I could breathe through my nose (it's also broken and somewhat bent) hence the full face mask. Things would be groovy if breathing through my mouth wasn't so uncomfortable.

Rubyslipperss: I really like this mask too, at least when my nose is working. As a mouth breather, do you have any trouble with the air ballooning your cheeks or the mask coercing your mouth shut?


Thanks for the replies.

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Julie
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Re: Mouth breathing with a full face mask

Post by Julie » Sat Apr 21, 2018 6:24 pm

The first thing I'd do is get checked for asbestosis - it's serious and unless you know for absolutely sure that the junk in the wall you were pulling out had NO asbestos in it I'd want to be looked at asap.

Second - many people get congested if using the humidifier even at a low setting if they're in a local climate that's not dry, that's relatively humid/near water, and so should not necessarily use the optional feature (hum). You need to experiment for yourself with diff. settings and/or none at all for a few days each to see how you feel.
Last edited by Julie on Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Pugsy
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Re: Mouth breathing with a full face mask

Post by Pugsy » Sat Apr 21, 2018 7:43 pm

Since you turned the humidifier off within 2 days of starting therapy and seem to be happier with no added humidity that is fine.
Some people need a lot and some people need minimal and some people prefer none.
I was just trying to figure out if the humidity had made the congestion worse and apparently not as you already have figured out that you prefer it off.
I wasn't going to suggest changing the humidity setting if you said that the congestion was markedly worse...but you already did that and figured out what your nose likes.

I don't use a full face mask and I don't mouth breathe enough to have to use one...so I can't help you much in that regard.

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

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Sheriff Buford
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Re: Mouth breathing with a full face mask

Post by Sheriff Buford » Sun Apr 22, 2018 6:02 am

If your mouth "chipmunks-out", consider not un-chipmunk (ing) them. Leave the chipmunk cheeks chipmunked-out when you breath in. I also have the chipmunk cheeks, and leave them chipmunked-out all night.

Sheriff

island_kid
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Re: Mouth breathing with a full face mask

Post by island_kid » Sun Apr 22, 2018 8:35 pm

Pugsy wrote:
Sat Apr 21, 2018 7:43 pm
Since you turned the humidifier off within 2 days of starting therapy and seem to be happier with no added humidity that is fine.
Some people need a lot and some people need minimal and some people prefer none.
I was just trying to figure out if the humidity had made the congestion worse and apparently not as you already have figured out that you prefer it off.
I wasn't going to suggest changing the humidity setting if you said that the congestion was markedly worse...but you already did that and figured out what your nose likes.
No, I appreciate that. If I hadn't read about people with similar issues on this board prior to starting my therapy I probably wouldn't have thought to adjust the humidity.
Julie wrote:
Sat Apr 21, 2018 6:24 pm
The first thing I'd do is get checked for asbestosis - it's serious and unless you know for absolutely sure that the junk in the wall you were pulling out had NO asbestos in it I'd want to be looked at asap.

Second - many people get congested if using the humidifier even at a low setting if they're in a local climate that's not dry, that's relatively humid/near water, and so should not necessarily use the optional feature (hum). You need to experiment for yourself with diff. settings and/or none at all for a few days each to see how you feel.
I worked around asbestos once. Nasty stuff.

Yep, I live in a basement apartment and my town is boarded by ocean on the north and south, so the humidity in my bedroom is already pretty high.
Sheriff Buford wrote:
Sun Apr 22, 2018 6:02 am
If your mouth "chipmunks-out", consider not un-chipmunk (ing) them. Leave the chipmunk cheeks chipmunked-out when you breath in. I also have the chipmunk cheeks, and leave them chipmunked-out all night.

Sheriff
Okay, thanks. It's just something I'll have to get used to then.

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TASmart
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Re: Mouth breathing with a full face mask

Post by TASmart » Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:18 pm

Sheriff Buford wrote:
Sun Apr 22, 2018 6:02 am
If your mouth "chipmunks-out", consider not un-chipmunk (ing) them. Leave the chipmunk cheeks chipmunked-out when you breath in. I also have the chipmunk cheeks, and leave them chipmunked-out all night.

Sheriff
Yea Jackie, I can see that from you picture
All posts reflect my own opinion based on my experience and reading.
Your mileage may vary
Past performance is no guarantee of future results
Consult with your own physician as people very

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Sheriff Buford
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Re: Mouth breathing with a full face mask

Post by Sheriff Buford » Mon Apr 23, 2018 3:41 am

Still watch that movie from time to time!

Sheriff