Bursts of air coming out of mouth, CPAP no longer usable

[ChicagoGranny]

When I read "mouth breathing", I think of open-lipped breathing that bypasses the nose. That aligns with the Cleveland Clinic's definition

"Toto, I have a feeling you are not in Kansas (or Cleveland) anymore."

There's a super super low chance of tap water causing any real harm, but if it does, it may be something very serious like a fatal amoeba disease: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria ... ution.html

All in fun, I'm glad you are here.

[Dog Slobber]

When I read "mouth breathing", I think of open-lipped breathing that bypasses the nose. That aligns with the Cleveland Clinic's definition

"Toto, I have a feeling you are not in Kansas (or Cleveland) anymore."

There's a super super low chance of tap water causing any real harm, but if it does, it may be something very serious like a fatal amoeba disease: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria ... ution.html

All in fun, I'm glad you are here.

LOL.

I noticed that as well.

0 cases of naegleria associated with CPAP.

Why don't people get that minerals and pathogens can't use evaporated water as a vehicle.

If one is truly concerned about tap water, then the solution is to stop showering, not to stop using it one's CPAP. More particles are inhaled through aerosolized shower water than through CPAP.

[Authorized Customer]

Yikes, my prose was leading up to this article from CNN from yesterday: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/01/11/heal ... index.html

At the last minute, I switched to the other article and didn’t adjust my text.

[ozij]

Why would it be OK to plug your nose, and not to tape your lips????

If you need to eject something out your mouth, and you can't, you might aspirate it, which can lead to lung infections. I cannot think of a similar risk with nose plugs.

Did you look at the Oracle mask mouthpiece? I'm sure spitting it out of your mouth in order to keep from aspirating is no easier that tearing off tape that has a flap folded in on one or both sides. ...though maybe you trust to you ability to spit out whatever it is through its vent.

To others, wondering about taping, I will only add this:
I was terrified of the mere idea of lip taping. But for me, mouth-leaking was so bad that I needed a solution.
I tried taping first while wide awake, in broad daylight, (noontime, if I remembr correctly) standing opposite a mirror, a flap folded in on either side of the tape to make sure I had what to grab on. My only commitment at that point was to experience what it felt like. No commitment to doing it for sleep.

I became a "mouth taper".

[ChicagoGranny]

Yikes, my prose was leading up to this article from CNN from yesterday: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/01/11/heal ... index.html

At the last minute, I switched to the other article and didn’t adjust my text.

There is nothing in that article nor the CDC link it references that says anyone was ever hurt by using tap water in a CPAP humidifier.

[Janknitz]

Addressing some replies about mouth breathing:

When I read "mouth breathing", I think of open-lipped breathing that bypasses the nose. That aligns with the Cleveland Clinic's definition: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/d ... -breathing.

What is going on with me does not meet that definition. My lips are closed, and my jaw is in the closed position.

My problem is with escapes of pressurized air that push through my closed lips. I think "mouth leak" is a better term. Some others used that here.

Try this:
Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth, on that ridge behind the top teeth.
Now plug your nose.
Try to breathe in through your mouth--OK to open you lips to do it. Try to move the air.

If you CAN breathe through the mouth while your tongue is in that position and your nose is plugged, your anatomy isn't sealing the oropharynx (back of the throat) properly. If that's the case, I don't know why it worked for the first 7 days and then stopped working.

If you are like the majority of people, you CANNOT move the air in or out with your tongue in that position, that means you CAN seal off your mouth from your oropharynx, and either something is wrong with your tongue positioning or you relax out of the at position in bed. Sealing off the back of the throat this way has nothing to do with your jaw relaxing or your lips coming unsealed, although closed lips and jaw position help us support that position of the tongue to discourage mouth breathing/leaking. In your case, it may be a very slow leak because the tongue isn't fully sealing the back of the throat, eventually enough pressure builds up in your mouth to push open your lips to escape (that happens to me sometimes).

You will be pretty miserable in a full face mask, because mouth breathing in a FF mask means you're going to have a very dry mouth . And taping won't fix the underlying issue, it will just give you chipmunk cheeks. Some people cannot hold that seal and have to put up with the discomfort. A cervical collar that supports your chin might help.

What will help the most is practice, practice practice. Really focus on that tongue position all day unless you are eating or talking. As it becomes more habitual during the day, it should carry over to night.

I don't care if you want to call it "mouth leaking" or "mouth breathing", the underlying issue is really tongue positioning, and that's how to fix it.

[lynninnj]

If you are mouth breathing, you are not getting the proper therapy and it disturbs your sleep. Any 1 or a combination of these may help.....
1. Tape your mouth
2. Try a chin strap
3. Try a cervical collar
4. Use a Full FaceMask

Thank you. I am not mouth breathing. My jaw stays shut. Pressure in my mouth is causing air to escape. Therefore, I am not clear whether tape, chin strap, or cervical collar are relevant.

I went two weeks with no problems. I am not clear why problems just started. Is that normal?

I had a conversation with a technician at my doctor's office yesterday. They may recommend a full face mask.

I’m not sure if you have an SD card in your machine, but I would be willing to bet that you have a high flow limit on your chart.

there have been a few times when I have had some nasal congestion that was very mild, but completely wrecked havoc on my sleeping, including my numbers and sleep quality.

if you were in a place that had more allergens than you are accustomed to then that may have contributed to some minor congestion.

have you looked at your data?

[Authorized Customer]

I’m not sure if you have an SD card in your machine, but I would be willing to bet that you have a high flow limit on your chart.

there have been a few times when I have had some nasal congestion that was very mild, but completely wrecked havoc on my sleeping, including my numbers and sleep quality.

if you were in a place that had more allergens than you are accustomed to then that may have contributed to some minor congestion.

have you looked at your data?

I do have an SD card, plus I have an app that supposedly tells me what is going on, but only if I use a QR code emitted by the machine. I guess I should check that.

The good news is that the original issue I was concerned about seems to have mostly abated. I have been back on the CPAP for a few days now.

The issue was associated with some upper respiratory junk that felt like the start of cedar-season allergies. Mild nasal congestion could be the cause!

[Albatros]

I have exactly the same symptoms of mouth leaking.
Air that wants to spurt out of your mouth. Even if you keep your mouth closed. And that prevents you from sleeping.
I am also new (4 months).

I've implemented the excellent advices from the experienced members of the forum and it works.

As said in the previous replies : Full face mask or Nasal Pillow mask with a tape over the mouth. And in addition, to help, chin strap and tongue stuck to the palate (this last one is very efficient but requires a lot of practice).

But I learned something from your post, regarding the water of the humidifier.
I used to take tap water. I will now use boiled water.

[ChicagoGranny]

I will now use boiled water.

All this does is concentrate the minerals which cause scale in the humidifier tank and waste time and energy.

[Albatros]

ChicagoGranny,
if I understand you correctly, using boiled water is not a good idea, and I should keep using the tap water ?

Thank you

[D.H.]

If the air pressure is so great that it passes through closed lips, then the pressure is probably too high. If you have a pressure range, lower the top number. If you have a fixed pressure, just lower it a bit.

[Pugsy]

If the air pressure is so great that it passes through closed lips, then the pressure is probably too high. If you have a pressure range, lower the top number. If you have a fixed pressure, just lower it a bit.

There you go assuming facts not in evidence again and advising someone to do something that could potentially cause ineffective therapy (lowering the top number).

Not good advice.

[ChicagoGranny]

ChicagoGranny,
if I understand you correctly, using boiled water is not a good idea, and I should keep using the tap water ?

Thank you

Check your owner's manual - https://www.resmed.fr/. I'm curious about what it says. (I don't read French.)

Also, there is a sticky near the top of the forum index page entitled "Sticky: Distilled Water vs. bottled water vs tap water." Read this post in the sticky:

This comes up over, and over... It oughta be a sticky.

In other countries, where distilled water is not as cheap and plentiful as it is in the states... you know what the cpap manuals say to use?

"WATER"

Just plain, ordinary "water", not bottled, not distilled, not mineral, not purified... just "water".

Just use tap water. When it's heated and vapor evaporates off of the water in your humidifier, that's the first step in distillation anyway... and that's why any minerals in the water end up left behind in the tank... Clean them out with vinegar, or even citric acid.

[Albatros]

Also, there is a sticky near the top of the forum index page entitled "Sticky: Distilled Water vs. bottled water vs tap water." Read this post in the sticky:
This comes up over, and over... It oughta be a sticky.

In other countries, where distilled water is not as cheap and plentiful as it is in the states... you know what the cpap manuals say to use?

"WATER"

Just plain, ordinary "water", not bottled, not distilled, not mineral, not purified... just "water".

Just use tap water. When it's heated and vapor evaporates off of the water in your humidifier, that's the first step in distillation anyway... and that's why any minerals in the water end up left behind in the tank... Clean them out with vinegar, or even citric acid.

I read all the Sticky topics religiously, with the exception of the one on "Distilled Water vs. bottled water vs tap water", which I found of secondary interest....

That was my fault !

Thanks in any case.