Hello Everyone,

I've been on CPAP for about 5 years now and am used to most of the routine.  Lately, I have been raised to a pressure of 12 and have been using a chin strap to help keep my mouth closed at night.

When the chin strap is in its proper position, things are great.  When the strap slips forward off the top of my head, my mouth flies open and it sounds like a wind tunnel.  The noise has been keeping my wife awake night after night and she's getting more tired and annoyed.  I'm also not sleeping as well as I could be.

Anyone have any suggestions on ways to help keep my chin strap in place?  Thanks for any help anyone can provide.


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- HoosierSoxFan1

HoosierSoxFan1, although there are links here somewhere, if you just do a Google search on "chin straps" (including quotes) you'll find several options.  A single strap chin strap will always slip, and there are much better configurations out there.

Good luck!

Hi Hoosier,

I gave up on chin straps and went to a full face mask.

Vicki

Vicki wrote:

Hi Hoosier,

I gave up on chin straps and went to a full face mask.

Vicki

...which I'm sure works very well as long as you're NOT a claustrophobic.  If so, nasal pillows with a properly designed chin strap (for us "open mouthers") is definitely the way to go.

I will take your advice and look into some new equipment, either the full face mask or the nasal pillows with a better designed chin strap.  Any specific suggestions on models that work for you would be most appreciated.

Thanks,  - Tim


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- HoosierSoxFan1

Amigo wrote:

Vicki wrote:

Hi Hoosier,

I gave up on chin straps and went to a full face mask.

Vicki

...which I'm sure works very well as long as you're NOT a claustrophobic.  If so, nasal pillows with a properly designed chin strap (for us "open mouthers") is definitely the way to go.

Actually, it CAN work if you are claustrophobic, given that I use a full face mask and am claustrophobic.  Granted, it took a lot of time to acclimate myself to it and I assume not everyone is able to overcome their problem.  Part of it depends on your motivation as well.  I breathe through my mouth sometimes but I can't use a chin strap due to a VERY sensitive case of TMD (aka TMJ disorder).  My facial pain specialist works with a sleep doc at the same facility and they both suggested the full face mask.  As a side note, they also both rejected the idea of the Oracle due to the jaw problems.

Hoosier,

As far as FF masks go.  One that is very comfortable and works quite well for pressures over nine is the FlexiFit 431 by Fishel & Paykel.  There are several of us on this forum who use it.  For me, it's like sleeping on a soft pillow, yawwnnn, which I'm heading for now.

Vicki


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That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

dusangpyong wrote, "Actually, it CAN work if you are claustrophobic, given that I use a full face mask and am claustrophobic.  Granted, it took a lot of time to acclimate myself to it and I assume not everyone is able to overcome their problem.  Part of it depends on your motivation as well.  I breathe through my mouth sometimes but I can't use a chin strap due to a VERY sensitive case of TMD (aka TMJ disorder).  My facial pain specialist works with a sleep doc at the same facility and they both suggested the full face mask.  As a side note, they also both rejected the idea of the Oracle due to the jaw problems."

Congratulations, dusangpyong, for overcoming the claustrophobia!  Of course, in your case it was either that or more sleepless nights or a great deal of discomfort.

Although I tried full face masks several times, I simply could not tolerate it.  Thank goodness for all of us that there are finally so many configurations to choose from.  Based on the responses in this forum, there seems to be a "perfect" fit out there for almost all OSA sufferers.

Amigo,
To each his own.    I don't want anyone to think that my impression of claustrophobia is that I take it lightly.  It's a horrible problem and the ONLY part of my claustrophobia that I have worked out is the mask issue.  The rest of my claustrophobia rages on, but I lack motivation to work on it, so until that time, I will live with it.