ok talk about flatulence! hubs got his machine and willingly uses it but at least half the night he sleeps with his mouth open and ALL the air goes right into his stomach and he literally spends an hour in the wee am farting. ITs waking me up more than the snoring ever did.
So first is this pretty typical? Second what to do? i've suggested a netti pot to clear out his nasal passages but so far he hasn't done it. I'll prob have to get it ready for him and then he might. but is there anything else to do? I assume his dr checked out his nose before sending him for the sleep study.
It really sucks since with the hose we can't cuddle much and now this makes me want to sleep in a diff room.
i felt stupid asking but i'm glad i did. i fall asleep first so i never have noticed what straps he uses or not. I assumed his mouth was covered and the air was being forced in his mouth in stead of his nose.
I'll start harrassing him again. arggg.
I would talk to the doc about the mouth open thing. I would think they need to know that's going on so it's working the way it should.
I would print out your post and give it to the doctor!! Something went amok!
And great that your husband is willing to use the machine. My hubby used it for a less amount of times than I can count on one hand. However, for him, it's a matter of losing weight, but I'm not going there.
There's something wrong with the mask, either the shape of it or the straps that hold it in place. He should not sleep with his mouth open - the whole point of the machine is that the mouth is closed and normal breathing is achieved through the nose. He should call the respiratory equipment company that supplied the machine - they should have sent a rep to the house with the initial prescription, and he needs an adjustment. He may need a different mask, or he may need the current one adjusted - there are a number of positions and adjustments possible, from strap tightness to adjusting the angle of the piece that fits against his forehead to checking the soft rubber piece that goes over the nose. Something's not right. I suggest you take your phone or your camera and take a picture of this mask at night, and if you can record the sound of his breathing at the same time, that will be helpful. Forget the flatulence for the moment - he's not sleeping properly and he's not getting restful REM sleep, so there's no point to him using the machine this way.
I agree about the chin strap, but I also wonder..... he may need the humidifier that you can get with the CPAP machines..... the air blowing on the sensitive nasal membranes tends to dry out the membranes, which could then make him feel stuffed up. This may be part of why he is sleeping with his mouth open.
I've had a CPAP for 7 years, and didn't have any trouble adjusting to sleeping with my mouth shut. I don't have a chin strap, and I also only use the nasal mask, not the full mask. It only covers my nose, so it isn't blowing in my mouth.
My husband has a CPAP machine. He definitely does NOT sleep with his mouth open. Your husband either needs a different mask, a chin strap, a humidifier, or something else so that he can get a good night's sleep.
It is customary to have to go in and get the machine looked at/adjusted as well as having the computer card/sleep vitals checked fairly regularly. Has he been in to see the sleep doctor lately? If not, it's time for him to call and make an appt to see him and talk about what's been happening when he sleeps. If his mouth is open--then he must still be snoring, right? If so, the CPAP machine isn't doing him any favors.
Good luck!
My husband has had one for a number of months & I agree w/the cuddling thing but we both get a much better night's sleep. After I read your ? I asked my dh & he said that he needs to use the chin strap to train himself to sleep w/his mouth closed. All CPAP versions should come w/the chin strap. All of this should have been covered in his orientation at the sleep study.
Best of luck to you!
if he's using a mask that only goes over the nose or right inside (nasal pillows), he might also need a chin strap. Also, I noticed that the air issues got much better for me after a couple of months, probably because I got a chin strap and got a mask that fits well. Meantime, I found that a strip of GasX each night before bed, really helped until the problem went away.
Not everyone needs a chin strap...but it sounds like your husband does! I also second ensuring that the humidity is at the right level. It can make all the difference. Sometimes a different pillow can support the neck in a better way and help with the mouth opening.
I have a cpap and I mask I use has a chin strap that helps to hold my mouth together. I'm surprised his didn't come with one, because I know several people who have one and they all have chin straps. May te he could ask the place he got the machine from for one and see what they say.
Good luck.
