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Help me troubleshoot!
I have used a CPAP for nearly 5 years now. It was truly a godsend, as I would stop breathing 137 times per hour and had oxygen sats in the 70% range. Yes, I know I'm lucky to be alive.
I used the CPAP without incident for 4 years. I used the Breeze mask, but a bad ball bearing in my machine forced me to get a new CPAP and a new mask (the plastic part kept snapping me in the face). This coincided with the timing of my gastric bypass last year. The dry mouth started right away. We're talking severe dry throat every morning. Not to mention the mask doesn't stay put. I wake up to tighten the darn thing multiple times per night. I'm using the Opus mask on the Resmed S8 with a humidifier.
My pressure is set to 8 (was 10). It was reduced last August after about a 70 pound weight loss. These problems only improved marginally, but I have put up with it.
I have now lost 145 pounds total and I called today to ask for a new sleep study, but of course I have to take a day off of work so I can get an appointment and talk to the doctor. All so he can look at me and say, "yes you need another sleep study." Duh. This is really starting to drive me nuts. For years, I had no problems at all tolerating the CPAP, but now I can't stand it!!!!
Do you think it's the mask? The machine? The pressure? What usually causes the severe dry mouth every morning? Today, my throat was sore until lunch!
I used the CPAP without incident for 4 years. I used the Breeze mask, but a bad ball bearing in my machine forced me to get a new CPAP and a new mask (the plastic part kept snapping me in the face). This coincided with the timing of my gastric bypass last year. The dry mouth started right away. We're talking severe dry throat every morning. Not to mention the mask doesn't stay put. I wake up to tighten the darn thing multiple times per night. I'm using the Opus mask on the Resmed S8 with a humidifier.
My pressure is set to 8 (was 10). It was reduced last August after about a 70 pound weight loss. These problems only improved marginally, but I have put up with it.
I have now lost 145 pounds total and I called today to ask for a new sleep study, but of course I have to take a day off of work so I can get an appointment and talk to the doctor. All so he can look at me and say, "yes you need another sleep study." Duh. This is really starting to drive me nuts. For years, I had no problems at all tolerating the CPAP, but now I can't stand it!!!!
Do you think it's the mask? The machine? The pressure? What usually causes the severe dry mouth every morning? Today, my throat was sore until lunch!
Views: 86
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Daniel on
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For whatever reason, you've started breathing through your mouth. You'll need increased humidification level, chinstrap, Full Face Mask, or some combination of the above. That's the only way to deal with the dry mouth.
Daniel
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Permalink Reply by Mike on
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your doctor is full of crap. you DO NOT need another sleep study to troubleshoot this problem. if the simple steps don't solve the problem, then yes, a sleep study may be in order, but it should not be the first step IMO. no wonder our country's health care costs are spiraling out of control. ok, rant over. ok, maybe not...
fire your doctor, get a new doctor, and start troubleshooting with the obvious first steps: add humidification, see what happens; add chinstrap, see what happens; do nasal irrigation-get allergies under control, see what happens; try full face mask, see what happens... and then if none of that stuff works, ask here what to do next and then if none of those suggestions work, then maybe consider another sleep study.
that's my $0.02.
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Permalink Reply by Shana on
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You don't think the pressure might need adjusting after a 145 lb weight loss? I thought that might be a factor!
Hmm... Good thoughts. My allergies have ALWAYS been a problem, but they were not horrible out here in Texas until last year. And yes, about this time last year is when I started having increased allergy problems and the dry mouth issues.
Mike said:your doctor is full of crap. you DO NOT need another sleep study to troubleshoot this problem. if the simple steps don't solve the problem, then yes, a sleep study may be in order, but it should not be the first step IMO. no wonder our country's health care costs are spiraling out of control. ok, rant over. ok, maybe not...
fire your doctor, get a new doctor, and start troubleshooting with the obvious first steps: add humidification, see what happens; add chinstrap, see what happens; do nasal irrigation-get allergies under control, see what happens; try full face mask, see what happens... and then if none of that stuff works, ask here what to do next and then if none of those suggestions work, then maybe consider another sleep study.
that's my $0.02.
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the pressure might need adjustment, but it's only at an 8, which is not super high - can't imagine you getting it much lower and it having any therapeutic effect. so my opinion, and i'm not a doctor - mandatory caveat ;-) - i'd get the dry mouth issue under control first, then consider pressure change.
Shana said:You don't think the pressure might need adjusting after a 145 lb weight loss? I thought that might be a factor!
Hmm... Good thoughts. My allergies have ALWAYS been a problem, but they were not horrible out here in Texas until last year. And yes, about this time last year is when I started having increased allergy problems and the dry mouth issues.
Mike said:your doctor is full of crap. you DO NOT need another sleep study to troubleshoot this problem. if the simple steps don't solve the problem, then yes, a sleep study may be in order, but it should not be the first step IMO. no wonder our country's health care costs are spiraling out of control. ok, rant over. ok, maybe not...
fire your doctor, get a new doctor, and start troubleshooting with the obvious first steps: add humidification, see what happens; add chinstrap, see what happens; do nasal irrigation-get allergies under control, see what happens; try full face mask, see what happens... and then if none of that stuff works, ask here what to do next and then if none of those suggestions work, then maybe consider another sleep study. that's my $0.02.
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Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on
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Do you have a data capable machine? If so I would check my numbers first and see what they say.
I am like the others the dry mouth is probably mouth breathing? Does your mouth get dry during the day? If so then you may have other contributing factors.
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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on
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I would not think that a dry mouth/throat would warrent another study, but the weight loss would. Any time you lose or gain more than 10 % of your body weight it is highly recommended that you get another study. Weight is a HUGE factor with apnea. Most insurance including medicare will cover a new study based on these parameters. However doubtful that the apnea will go away 145lbs could definatley change the nature of the beast.
Mike said:your doctor is full of crap. you DO NOT need another sleep study to troubleshoot this problem. if the simple steps don't solve the problem, then yes, a sleep study may be in order, but it should not be the first step IMO. no wonder our country's health care costs are spiraling out of control. ok, rant over. ok, maybe not...
fire your doctor, get a new doctor, and start troubleshooting with the obvious first steps: add humidification, see what happens; add chinstrap, see what happens; do nasal irrigation-get allergies under control, see what happens; try full face mask, see what happens... and then if none of that stuff works, ask here what to do next and then if none of those suggestions work, then maybe consider another sleep study.
that's my $0.02.
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"Whatever you do only change one thing at a time, and keep a log."
I agree, change one thing at a time, then evaluate.
My mouth was extremely dry, had to do something. Started taping my lips and solved the problem. I recently started using PolyGrip strips, not the gel in a tube. I moisten my lips then place the strip between them. If I need to open my mouth to sneeze, etc, I can, but the strip keeps me from mouth breathing or relaxing my lips and letting air blow through my mouth.
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By the way 145 lbs WOW! Congrats! What a life changing event that will be once everything else is under control
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we love to hear from you Sue! can't wait until Mel gets things settled enough to come back and let us know how she's doing.
Sue Ward said:I too use a cpap with the pressure is set to 8, waking up with dry mouth and gasping. I wake up with my mouth open even with my chin strap. I use the nose mask and is great, but I mouth breathe, and it does make you so dry. When I wake up I am so exhausted. When I do not get enough quality rest my whole body hurts all over and I remail extremely tired.
Just called the DME to order a new mask. I am asking for a whole face mask as my friend Cam told me that is what he uses and that this fixed the problem for him. Hope it does for me and helps someone else also.
Congratulations for the weight loss. I just put on another fifteen pounds from not walking as I was having so much pain. Now I am huge and it is harder breathing and walking than before. Well, thank God it is Spring. Maybe I will get out some. As I have Lupus also, I have to be careful to not get out in the sun without covering up and not be in too much heat or extreme cold.
Take care everyone. I don't usually post, but I love to read. sue w
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Hi All;
I don't think I have Sleep Apnea, but then again who knows right. If I wake up (I go to sleep once Scott is up & awake) with a dry mouth it's so dry I have a spray bottle beside the bed, I spray the inside of my mouth with water, swish it around in my mouth (gross I know) & then I just spit in my little garbage basket/bin (what ever you want to call it) bag. I go through a lot of grociery bags, but let me tell you it's worth it, to be able to just move my tounge around in my mouth & not have it stuck to the roof of my mouth.
I too lost some weight, but only after I gained 82 lbs. first (New Meds.) & the only way (belive it or not) I could lose the added pounds was to sleep, & sleep I did.
I was first 98lbs. then gained weight, I know some people are saying "what wieght?" But after being 98lbs. my whole life (except when I was going to have a baby) & then going to 180lbs. in less than 3 months I was a shock, I've only managed to lose 25lbs. it took me almost a year & a half, but they're gone.
Trust me though the spray bottle on your side of the bed where you can reach it is such
a gift, let me tell you.
That dry mouth thing is such a pain (not real pain of course) but fixable really cheap.
Well, now I sit hear blabbering & waiting for my Hubby to get up, even our Dog watches him really close now. Some-times she gets up on the bed just to make him move his feet, what's he gonna do yell at her? Not! He knows she's watching out for him, he can't even leave the house with-out her now. He's tried sneaking out the back door but she begs to go out & I let her out the front door. What does he see? The dog sitting right beside the car (on his side of course)...lol
Plus if I miss a time that he stops breathing she's right in there licking his face to get him to move. Only once has she come to get me when her kissing him didn't work, but by then he had started to breath again on his own.
When it comes to wearing the mask, he can't even have humiditaty because he's also got Bronchial Asthma, so any moister would drown him. Again a catch 22.
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