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Dory,
Welcome to the Hosehead club!!! I will look into xylimelts. Thanks for the suggestion.
Sleepy Scott
Pat,
This might work:
http://www.cpap.com/productpage/HoseBuddy-CPAP-Hose-Suspension-System.html
It's marketed to keep rain-out from happening (water dripping on your face inside the mask), but it would definitely work for keeping the hose away from your dog.
Scott
2Sleepy - I have always tried to encourage new hoseheads to give yourself 4-6 weeks to get used to the machine and mask. I commend you on your determination to make it work. The reason I say 4-6 weeks is because that time frame is how long it takes your brain to get used to the idea of going to sleep with a foreign object strapped to your face. Keep it up and I know your daytime sleepiness will improve - although it might happen so slowly you don't easily see it happening. It's the old boiling frog analogy. Turn up the heat quickly and the frog jumps out. Increase the heat slowly and he doesn't notice the change of temp; therefore he boils. :D
JDARZ,
Welcome to the hosehead clan. If your pressure is high, dry mouth is a common concern. I want to let you know that to let you know you are by no means alone in your struggles. I want to commend you on getting a bigger mask because it is exactly the right thing to do if your mouth is slipping out of it. Even if you are using a full face mask and your humidifier temp is maxed, high pressure can dry your mouth enough to wake you up.
The first solution I would suggest is getting a chinstrap. Contact your DME provider and ask if you can schedule a fitting for a chinstrap. If not, most cpap websites sell them. In this sense, Google is your friend. If you get the appt, take your machine, hose, mask and bed pillow(s). When you try them on, lie down on a table or floor - head on your pillow with the mask on. This will give you an idea how it will feel when you're at home and in bed. Don't leave there until you have a chinstrap that is comfortable and offers a decent amount of resistance to opening your mouth. One other thing - normally DMEs have more basic chinstraps. You can find more deluxe models on the web.
If I can offer any encouragement, I have successfully used xPAP therapy since Dec 2005. It does work, however some people have a rough start. Don't let that discourage you. Once it starts working, you won't be able to sleep without it. I hope this gives you some idea of how things work.
Here's a bit more advice about going for a "fitting". Take your machine, hose, mask and the pillows you sleep on. When you try the different chin-straps, lie down on a table or on the floor and put your head on the pillow as you would if you were sleeping. Assess how the chinstrap feels when you are in sleeping position so you have an idea of what it feels like when you get back home. You're right - Hoseheads do Rock... and we need to stick together!!! :D
A chin strap might work. One word about them. If you want to give one a try, contact your DME first. f They tend to have the more basic ones (non-adjustable, etc...). You will probably have to schedule a fitting that you would need to bring your machine, hose, and mask to. When testing the chin-strap, put the chin strap on first and then the mask. If you don't find one you like at the DME, then search on the web for one. Some of the sites that sell PAP equipment also sell more deluxe models of adjustable chin straps. They normally don't cost more than $20-25. I hope that helps.
Janet,
FFM stands for full face mask. It is the kind of mask that covers both the nose and mouth. They were made to help people who have their mouths pop open in middle of the night. When I hit REM sleep, all the muscles in my face relaxes and allows my mouth to pop open. It's also the reason I use the chinstrap. I hope you get some help here with your dry mouth issues as well. Us hoseheads have to stick together!!! Take care.
Thanks for the response, Pat. Sometimes knowing you're not alone in a struggle is a great encouragement. Everything that's happened to you has happened to me. I have also unsuccessfully tried everything you've tried. Hopefully somebody in the community will give us a hand with this. I may give my DME a call and see if they have any suggestions. You might want to do that as well.
Member241717 - First of all, what is Ayre??? I've never heard of it. Secondly, this happens a couple times per week whether it is dry or wet season. The amount of pressure on my ipap blows the air fast enough to dry my mouth - despite the fact that I use a chinstrap and a FFM.
Hi there. I have been a hosehead since Dec 2005. I have used several types of machines and full face masks as well as several different types of chinstraps. I currently use a ResMed VPAP Auto 25 with a F&P Simplus mask and a non-adjustable Ruby Red chinstrap. I also have a hose-warming cover. My inhale pressure limit is 21 or 22 if I remember correctly. I normally run my humidifier temp at half. I have moved it up, but it doesn't seem to help. I would estimate about half of the time I am waking up in the middle of the night because the air pressure is drying my mouth. I have already tried Biotene products. They don't help all that much. Is there anything else I can do to solve this issue??? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance, Sleepy Scott
