Hi yawningjoe58
What help are you seeking and what answers do you want/need?
I felt pretty much the way you sound a few weeks back because everything was going wrong all at once and it was just too much to cope with.
It doesn't take major stuff, just a bunch of small things, to make life unbearable.
Then I discovered a new mask that I'd forgotten that I had and, despite being the exact same mask as I was already using, it made a HUGE difference.
Enough difference that I could begin to address some of the other issues.
I use nasal pillows and am no longer keeping my mouth shut so I need new solutions.
I certainly agree with you that mouth taping is not an option. (for me at least)
I've been using my dressing gown cord (towelling) to keep my mouth shut for the past week or so while I figured out what else to do and while I wait for a chin strap to be delivered. (Not sure if that will work yet)
For me the nasal pillows leaked a lot less and also enabled me to turn the pressure down a point or two and still get the same effect so I don't want to go back to a full face mask.
It seems that for most people the mask is the most problematic and important part of the whole picture. If they can get that sorted the rest will follow.
https://myapnea.org/forum/what-is-a-reasonable-replacement-frequency-for-cpap-supplies/1#comment-23009