Options available for droolers and mouth breathers? New User

[SouthSeaPirate]

So I decided to try my CPAP again after continuous lack of energy that's now leading into headaches.
To start, months ago I was given a nasal piece to breathe through, but found myself waking up with air gushing out of my open mouth
I would end up taking the device off in middle of the night and then a few days later gave up.
Tech came for a visit for updates, gave him the scoop, and he stated Im a mouth breather and just needed a face mask. I really didn't know I should have said this to begin with (and Im still a noob).
It didnt last.

The face mask has to be very tight, otherwise it wont seal. The mask hurts my rather large nose in the area where glasses would sit. I cant fault the mask for this cause tight or loose it's uncomfortable; I blame dad

Tried again last night due to the issues mentioned above. Assuming I can continue to deal with the nose issue, what can I do about drooling? I am constantly waking up and having to wipe out the mask.
What other options do I have or things I can try? Be it mask, nasal piece and chin strap, train myself to not be a mouth breather. Ill try it all lol.

Last night I only had about 6 hours sleep, and feel better than 7, 8 10, 12 hours sleep. Can't remember the last time I felt rested like this. So imagine if I could sleep though the night with 8 hours!

[BlackSpinner]

It is the wrong size. A full face mask should ride like a hovercraft on your face with its skirts inflated to cover the hills and valleys of your face. The tighter you make it the worse it will leak.

There are mask liners available form Padacheek one of our members. For a quick & dirty hack use an old tshirt and make one your self.

[Pugsy]

You might look at adding a mask liner. You can make your own out of an old T shirt or buy them ready made.
Here's some that are ready made designed for months of use
http://www.padacheek.com/PAC_Maskliners.html
Remzzz makes a single use ready made mask liner.
Or use these ideas to make your own.

The mask liner might help with the drool (absorb it) along with the discomfort on the nasal bridge area.
But....these masks don't have to be painfully night to seal and in fact too tight can make them worse.
If you will tell us exactly which full face mask you are using perhaps other forum members can share their personal little tricks to being successful with that model mask.

Make sure you are using the correct size mask...most of them have sizing charts/templates that you can print off and verify sizing.

[janglas]

I will tell you what helped me. I purchased velcro. Have a length 12" long( rough knobby side) ..Put the opposite sealing side (fuzzy soft side) 10" long to press together. O'K now you have a 10" on the 12 " leaving leaving 1" on each end... double back 3" end piece....Cut a 1" piece from (the fuzzy side) sew or glue on the 3" to the 4' area... do this for both ends. Now lap the right end up and over the bottom of you face mask strap _____).. leave it stationary there.. when I put it on, I fold the left end up and over the mask strap (______..That is as close as I can describe it. If I could use a pencil I might could makeiti clearer. Play with it and you will get it right. I can get that as tight as is comfortable and it keeps my mouth closed. Good luck Worked for me for years.

[SouthSeaPirate]

It is the wrong size. A full face mask should ride like a hovercraft on your face with its skirts inflated to cover the hills and valleys of your face. The tighter you make it the worse it will leak.

There are mask liners available form Padacheek one of our members. For a quick & dirty hack use an old tshirt and make one your self.

It fits my face fine. Any loser and it leaks. Again, my nose lol.

If it got any inflation it would be blowing air into my eyes. Ask me how I know.

[Diamondminek]

As to the drooling you may just get used to that, if there's nothing medically causing it (like medications or health problems). It may be that ignoring it is better than getting up through the night. Equally, cleaning it through the night is better than untreated apnoea - fatigue and headaches is the good end of the side effect scale.

[BlackSpinner]

It is the wrong size. A full face mask should ride like a hovercraft on your face with its skirts inflated to cover the hills and valleys of your face. The tighter you make it the worse it will leak.

There are mask liners available form Padacheek one of our members. For a quick & dirty hack use an old tshirt and make one your self.

It fits my face fine. Any loser and it leaks. Again, my nose lol.

If it got any inflation it would be blowing air into my eyes. Ask me how I know.

Then it doesn't fit the shape of your face. It is the wrong mask for you. There are hundreds of mask out there. Just like a shoe, just because you can get it on it doesn't mean it fits right and won't leave blisters.

[SouthSeaPirate]

You might look at adding a mask liner. You can make your own out of an old T shirt or buy them ready made.
Here's some that are ready made designed for months of use
http://www.padacheek.com/PAC_Maskliners.html
Remzzz makes a single use ready made mask liner.
Or use these ideas to make your own.

The mask liner might help with the drool (absorb it) along with the discomfort on the nasal bridge area.
But....these masks don't have to be painfully night to seal and in fact too tight can make them worse.
If you will tell us exactly which full face mask you are using perhaps other forum members can share their personal little tricks to being successful with that model mask.

Make sure you are using the correct size mask...most of them have sizing charts/templates that you can print off and verify sizing.

I thought of this too but really wanted to avoid it at all costs, or rather stop drooling. Really don't want to bandaid but rather fix if possible.

I have no idea what mask Im using, but it does look exactly like this;
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/fisher ... -mask.html

[SouthSeaPirate]

I will tell you what helped me. I purchased velcro. Have a length 12" long( rough knobby side) ..Put the opposite sealing side (fuzzy soft side) 10" long to press together. O'K now you have a 10" on the 12 " leaving leaving 1" on each end... double back 3" end piece....Cut a 1" piece from (the fuzzy side) sew or glue on the 3" to the 4' area... do this for both ends. Now lap the right end up and over the bottom of you face mask strap _____).. leave it stationary there.. when I put it on, I fold the left end up and over the mask strap (______..That is as close as I can describe it. If I could use a pencil I might could makeiti clearer. Play with it and you will get it right. I can get that as tight as is comfortable and it keeps my mouth closed. Good luck Worked for me for years.

Sorry Im trying my best, but have no clue lol

[SouthSeaPirate]

It is the wrong size. A full face mask should ride like a hovercraft on your face with its skirts inflated to cover the hills and valleys of your face. The tighter you make it the worse it will leak.

There are mask liners available form Padacheek one of our members. For a quick & dirty hack use an old tshirt and make one your self.

It fits my face fine. Any loser and it leaks. Again, my nose lol.

If it got any inflation it would be blowing air into my eyes. Ask me how I know.

Then it doesn't fit the shape of your face. It is the wrong mask for you. There are hundreds of mask out there. Just like a shoe, just because you can get it on it doesn't mean it fits right and won't leave blisters.

I was told by the tech this was the biggest they had, so I dont know what to do.

[BlackSpinner]

It is not about "big" it is about fitting right.

Most techs just parrot party line= this mask makes us the most profits . Insist on different masks to try on, there are literally hundreds of masks on the market. Ask them to try a Hybrid - it doesn't touch the bridge of the nose.

Dealing with a DME is like dealing with the worst car sales lot in town.

[Pugsy]

Are you sure it is drool in the mask and not condensation?

We can't tell you how to stop the drooling since we don't know what is causing it other than the obvious...mouth is coming open and saliva is falling out. Keeping the mouth shut is easier said than done...that's probably why you are using a full face mask.

You could tape your mouth shut...that would stop the drooling into the mask but might not be an attractive option if you need to breathe through your mouth.

Your choices are limited and sometimes a bandaid is the appropriate thing to apply.
Especially while you are maybe trying other measures to keep the mouth shut like a chin strap or whatever but chin straps aren't vise grips and saliva can leak out the tiniest crack in the corner of the mouth even if lips are closed.

I thought this meant you would be willing to try something even if it was a "bandaid". I guess I misunderstood.
Good luck to you.

Ill try it all lol.

[SouthSeaPirate]

It is not about "big" it is about fitting right.

Most techs just parrot party line= this mask makes us the most profits . Insist on different masks to try on, there are literally hundreds of masks on the market. Ask them to try a Hybrid - it doesn't touch the bridge of the nose.

Dealing with a DME is like dealing with the worst car sales lot in town.

Ahhh I didnt know this. I assumed they were all the same. Just different manufacturers and and sizes.
I really wish I could have just used the nasal one
Fit great and felt great... ugh

[SouthSeaPirate]

Are you sure it is drool in the mask and not condensation?

We can't tell you how to stop the drooling since we don't know what is causing it other than the obvious...mouth is coming open and saliva is falling out. Keeping the mouth shut is easier said than done...that's probably why you are using a full face mask.

You could tape your mouth shut...that would stop the drooling into the mask but might not be an attractive option if you need to breathe through your mouth.

Your choices are limited and sometimes a bandaid is the appropriate thing to apply.
Especially while you are maybe trying other measures to keep the mouth shut like a chin strap or whatever but chin straps aren't vise grips and saliva can leak out the tiniest crack in the corner of the mouth even if lips are closed.

I thought this meant you would be willing to try something even if it was a "bandaid". I guess I misunderstood.
Good luck to you.

Ill try it all lol.

I didnt say I wouldnt try it. Also, to clarify, I wanted try anything to FIX it, but I had assumed there was a fix; so I guess this is it

How would I know if its condensation. TBF my mouth was pretty dry and my throat is pretty damned sore. But I do know I am a drooler

Now not to be even grosser than Ive already been; Im OK with some drool if it got on my pillow or sheets (not any different than it is without CPAP). The prob with the mask is that sucker gets full and I switch from side to side a lot. So every single time I move it goes across my face, wakes me up, have to turn off pump, pull off mask, wipe out, fight mask back on, turn pump on, stare at ceiling for 20 minutes. I think Im going to try your idea of the old Tshirt. Then if it isnt the same result, as I had assumed, Ill prob try the mask liner.

I also want to try a chin strap and the nasal breather thingy again. Do you think it will be waste of time? I mean so long as I dont start breathing through my mouth middle of the night right?

[BlackSpinner]

An InnoMed /Respcare hybrid gives you the best of both world. Nasal pillows and a mouth cover with a chin flap to keep your mouth closed.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/RespCa ... -Mask.html

I drool like a happy puppy with the Quatro full face mask, I don't with my hybrid.

The quatro also leaks like a sieve because my nose is flat and my cheekbones are high. It helps if I add a liner, it also helps my skin be happy. I keep it though for when I have a cold or the cat scratches my nose accidentally.