Weagle

Sounds like you and I are in a similar boat. I was put onto an ASV machine for central apneas also. I ended up with the ResMed AirCurve 10 ASV which works with SleepyHead. My numbers may not have been as severe as your. I think my AHI was closer to 13.3, with 10.5 being centrals. With the ASV treatment I'm down to an average AHI of less than 1.0. However, that being said, a couple times a week I wake up in the middle of the night very bloated, after an hour or so, I manage to relieve that pressure and fall back to sleep. Just this last week, my Doc lowered my EPAP from 10 to 5 and while it helped a little with the bloating, my AHI went up between 1-2 every night. Also after a week, I noticed I was more tired at work, and had a harder time getting up in the morning. Even with the bloating and waking up at night, my old settings helped me more than I realized. Tonight I'm setting my EPAP back to the old settings and will talk to my Doc about using the ASV Auto mode instead of straight ASV once I'm back to my new normal.

Here's hoping that we both find a solution to this problem and get some good sleep.

I, too, suffer from Aerophagia (swallowing air). I started with a nasal pillow and could not keep my mouth closed all night. Then the DME gave me a DreamWear Full Face mask. That worked great for 1 night then my jaw decided to relax too much and slide back breaking the seal on my lower lip. The full face mask was no better than the nasal pillow after that. The DME was unwilling to work with me any further since my insurance company would only approve 2 masks in such a limited time. I ended up switching to another Sleep Doc and they gave me a different Full Face mask (air touch F20 or something) and that mask kept leaking at the bridge of my nose blowing air into my eyes. I couldn't even get to sleep with that mask on. I even tried taping my mouth shut one night with the nasal pillow mask and managed to break that seal on the tape and woke up just a couple hours into my sleep.

The only workable solution (as much as I hate it) was to use a chin-strap, underneath the DreamWear Full Face mask. I've reduced my leaks to virtually 0 since I went to this method. Even with the chinstrap, my lips open enough to allow me to breathe through my mouth in the Full Face mask. I'm not at all concerned about not being able to breathe. When I first started with the chin strap, each night before I fall asleep, I put my mask on before connecting it to the machine and verify that I can breathe, even if the machine were to stop working. I haven't had any issues. I've even woken up a coupe times laying face down on the mask drooling and still had no issues breathing. I did have some marks on my face from the mask, but with a shower and about an hour's worth of time that was gone.

Other's have mentioned a cervical collar and the Sleep Doc even mentioned an oral appliance. I don't see either of those being feasible for me. I couldn't tolerate a retainer after braces and can't imagine sleeping with a collar as much as I roll around in bed.

I managed to get into the Dr's office and they did lower my EPAP from 10.0 to 5.0 and I've been using that for the past week. After a week being at the new settings, my AHI did go up, it's constantly between 1.0 and 2.0 every night.

I'm starting to feel more tired throughout the day and while the bloating has gone down. I think I'd prefer a couple hours a day of bloating versus being tired all day. I guess on the bright side, I think being on the machine for a month has made an effect on me. When we changed the machine to lower levels I didn't get the same quality of sleep and tend to be dragging the more nights I'm at the lower settings.

I've been told to put the EPAP back to 10.0 to get my centrals back under control. According to the Doc, the bloating should get better with time. Guess I'll give it another week and see if I'm back to where I was.

I haven't asked about the ASVAuto mode yet. I'll pose that after this week of getting back on track.

Well the saga continues with trying to change my ASV machine settings.

First I called my DME and as I expected they can't make any changes without the prescribing Dr's authorization.

Second, I called my ENT who prescribed the ASV machine per the recommendation from the Dr. who did the analysis on my sleep study. He's not familiar with the machines or what setting they should be set at. They told me to contact the Dr. who did my sleep study analysis.

Last I called the Dr. who did the analysis of the sleep study and since their office just did the analysis, not the one who initiated the process, they can't make any changes until I'm "under their care."

So now I'm waiting an additional 2 weeks until their next "new patient" opening is available. So I guess I get at least 2 weeks of feeling bloated each and every night until this appointment before any changes can be made. I'm reluctant to make the changes myself since I already know they will be pulling the SD card and analyzing the past several weeks history before they make any changes.

The sleep I am getting feels better, I just wish I didn't wake up after 4-5 hours of sleep nearly every night.

Well another weekend has gone by and I'm making progress ever so slowly towards getting a better night's sleep. I've found that a chin strap in conjunction with DreamWear Full Face mask seems to be the best fit for me. I'm still experimenting with the chin strap under or on top of the mask to see which works better.

When I put the chin strap on first, the frame of the mask is a bit tight but workable. I just have put pull the lower section by my chin out from under the seal of the mask. This give a great seal, since the chin strap also adds additional pressure keeping the lower section of the mask sealed to my chin when my mouth opens at night.

When I put the mask on first then put the chin strap over top, the frame of the mask fits great around my head. My concern is that where the chin strap goes over the frame of the mask that it may be pinching the tubes a bit lowering the pressure, especially when I lay on one side or the other. I don't think it's too badly impeeded though as the machine hasn't complained of any blockages.

Lastly I also ordered a different type of chin strap to try out. I'm still nto entirely sold on the neoprene one I have. it tend to pull my chin back while holding it closed. I ordered the PAP-CAP from CPAP.com I will report back how it works once it arrives.

Lastly I'm still also trying to get in touch with aa Dr. who can authorize a presssure change on my ASV machine. I get a full night's sleep about once a week. The rest of the week I get 4-5 hours and wake up completely bloated and uncomfortable due to air getting in my intestinal track. My ENT who prescribed the machine on the recommendation of the Dr who analyzed my sleep study isn't comfortable making the recommended changes himself. Nothing seems to be easy in this process.

I have been using the DreamWear Full Face mask now for about a week. I've had a similar issue where my mouth opens and I break the seal. I've discovered that a chin strap will hold my mouth closed enough to prevent this from happening. I'm still experimenting what's best, putting the chin strap on first or over top of the mask. My concern is that I won't get the full prescribed pressures if I place it over the mask because it pinches the tubes coming from the top of my head, not completely but possibly enough to change the pressures.

Without a chin strap, my mouth opens slightly and my jaw relaxes back. My mouth being open isn't a problem, that's why I got the full face mask. It's when my jaw relaxes that it retreats back just enough to break the seal.

One last note, when properly fit, the lower section of the mask rests just below my lower lip. I don't know how that compares to the small, large or wide sizes. I was fitted with the Medium frame and Medium mask size from my DME and have been trying to make it work the best possible. The chin strap seems to fix most my issues.

Hope you can find a solution soon...the lack of sleep sucks (experience speaking here).

I'm also new to the DreamWear Full Face mask. I've used it for 4 nights now. I saw the holes for the nostrils and they looks to be about the size of my nostrils but never directly compared the two. All I did upon receiving it was to hold it up to my face, run through the mask fit test on my machine and saw that it sealed well and air moved through freely...then adjusted the straps accordingly.

Not sure if that answers your question or not, but the hole size doesn't seem to be an issue for me. My only issue is my mouth relaxes at night and my jaw moves back which then causes leaks by my nose, which last night a chin-strap fixed. I'm hoping in time i can train my jaw not to relax so much...since I really don't like wearing the chin strap.

I just started using the Dreamwear Full Face mask and discovered there are 2 vents on my model. One at the top of my head where the tube connects to the hard plastic elbow on top of the mask. I suspect that is the same for the nasal mask. Check to make sure those holes on the elbow aren't plugged maybe with a safety pin or needle?

I also have a vent on the front of my full face mask but I don't know for sure if the nasal mask will have the same. I suspect it does to let CO2 out near your nose. Being a softer material, I wouldn't use a needle on that portion though.

Those are the places I would look first for plugged vent holes.

Just when I think I have a great setup with the Dreamwear Full Face mask for when my mouth opens, my body seems to change. Last night between 2am and 3am, I found myself relaxing my jaw, opening my mouth and causing a leak which kept waking me up. I don't believe it was a bad leak, just enough noise and air escaping blowing near my eyes to be a distraction to me. I haven't looked at SleepyHead yet, but the MyAir app shows little to no leaks. But to me, after waking up 4-5 times, I reluctantly put my chin strap over the full face mask and slept great the rest of the night. I'll be interested in seeing what SleepyHead shows this evening.

Are there any tips to retrain my mouth/jaw muscles to stay closed when sleeping? I suspect that over the last 10-15 years of seasonal allergies and clogged sinuses has something to do with my mouth getting used to opening at night. I've been taking allergy shots for several months now trying to alleviate those issues and right before bed I use a nasal spray to keep my airways as open as possible while on my ASV machine.

Here's a more condensed display from SleepyHead. Harder to read the details though.