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anyone use chapstick ?
is it ok? even with the humidifier I'm so chapped and my mouth is so dry. Am i not supposed to breathe thru my mouth? I have a Hibrid mask with nose pillows .How can one exhale thru the pillows when air is rushing in ?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Judy on
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I see no reason why you can't use chapstick for dry lips. I even use it at the first inkling that a cold sore might be starting. Works great if you get it early. Yes, you can breathe thru your mouth w/the Hybrid. That was the entire reason for the development of the Hybrid. Actually, it really isn't a problem to exhale thru the nasal pillows. Many of us use nasal pillows style masks.
Do you have a humidifier w/your xPAP? Perhaps you need to turn it higher. Breathing thru your mouth w/a full face mask (and the Hybrid is a form of full face mask) does tend to dry your mouth out and you will usually need considerably more humidification than w/a nasal cushion or nasal pillows only mask. Biotene is a commercial artificial saliva that can help as well.
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Permalink Reply by bonesigh on
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Hi Judy, I had many problems with the mouth and lips being dry. Still happens very rarely. Now part of my nightly ritual is to coat my lips and slightly over and the corners of my mouth with lip chap. Sometimes I even put some on the inside of my nose after blowing and drying it out first. Neosporin in the nose helped me too, can't say if it is medically safe, but it helped. For me it took a long, long, long time for my body to get used to the pressure at 18/14, but I have gotten used to it. I'm stubborn and want to live! The hybrid was my favorite mask but I could never get the pillows to stay put with the high pressure. You will get used to it and you will be able to exhale. Hang in there! I never thought it would be possible to get used to it but the body is an amazing thing! Good luck!
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NEVER use a petroleum-based product in or close to your nasal passages. Better to use something like Ayr Saline Nasal Gel which is healing and safe in and near the nasal passages.
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Can I ask why?
Judy said:NEVER use a petroleum-based product in or close to your nasal passages. Better to use something like Ayr Saline Nasal Gel which is healing and safe in and near the nasal passages.
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Permalink Reply by Tim on
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Products that contain petroleum; such as Chap-stick, Vaseline, and most moisturizers; can damage silicone and other soft parts of a mask and hose ends. Some moisturizers contain silicone oil, which can also damage the silicone used in masks. Many other products, such as Vicks Vapo-Rub, which some people put under their nose, can also damage masks.
If you use makeup, moisturizers, greasepaint, Vaseline, Vicks Vapo-Rub, Campho-Phenique, Chap-stick, creams, ointment, or any other other similar products on your face, it is a good idea to wash your face before putting on your mask. You also should watch out for oil based eye drops and wash any of it that got on your face before putting on your mask.
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Permalink Reply by Susan M. Nelling on
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wow, thanks for the info, i guess chapped lips are better than suffocating in my sleep lol .I woke up the other day and i swear my tongue had stuck dried to my teeth and cheek !!!yikes,strange way to wake up for sure . so i'm trying not to breathe thru my mouth !
Tim said:Products that contain petroleum; such as Chap-stick, Vaseline, and most moisturizers; can damage silicone and other soft parts of a mask and hose ends. Some moisturizers contain silicone oil, which can also damage the silicone used in masks. Many other products, such as Vicks Vapo-Rub, which some people put under their nose, can also damage masks.
If you use makeup, moisturizers, greasepaint, Vaseline, Vicks Vapo-Rub, Campho-Phenique, Chap-stick, creams, ointment, or any other other similar products on your face, it is a good idea to wash your face before putting on your mask. You also should watch out for oil based eye drops and wash any of it that got on your face before putting on your mask.
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Are you sure that you are not mouth breathing? A dry mouth is an indicator of mouth breathing, which causes CPAP to be less effective or even ineffective.
Susan M. Nelling said:wow, thanks for the info, i guess chapped lips are better than suffocating in my sleep lol .I woke up the other day and i swear my tongue had stuck dried to my teeth and cheek !!!yikes,strange way to wake up for sure . so i'm trying not to breathe thru my mouth !
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ok, now I'm getting mixed answers ? one says the hybrid was made so i could use my mouth or nose to breathe, now you say not to mouth breathe? I find in is better not to mouth breathe, but no one has told me not to till now.when asleep, its hard to know if I'm deeply asleep, am I right.
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If you have a full face mask or hybrid it is okay to breath through the mouth. I believe it is best to train your brain to only breath through the nose if you can but the part over your mouth is for back up. Quite often people that use a nasal only mask keep a full face mask of some sort around just in case they get a cold or allergies acting up that block their nose.
About the tongue sticking to the teeth and cheeks etc. I had that problem for a long time. It's because of the air blowing in and around in the mouth and possibly slipping through the lips. Especially with higher pressures. It just takes time to get used to. Sometimes a long time but it's worth it, hang in there.
By the way, I have never had a problem with chapstick affecting my mask in a negative way and I've been using it every night for a year and a half, but that's just me. I only use it at night so I have not experienced what some people call "being addicted to chapstick" and that their lips always have to have some. What works for some does not for others.
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