Dry Mouth?

hi, I am 7 weeks post-op. I use my cpap machine religiously, but I have noticed that since the surgery, my mouth gets extremely dry. It is so dry that it wakes me up in the middle of the night. I tried sleeping without the cpap, it isn't so bad. Has anyone else experienced this, and do you think if I got a machine with a humidifier it would solve the problem?

I doubt that you need the humidifier. You probably just need to get your pressure adjusted down. I have a humidifier with mine and I don't use it anymore because it dried me out more than it helped (quit using it 8 months ago). I had surgery a month ago and have already adjusted my pressure down one unit and am about to do it again, because I am getting dry mouth again at the lower pressure. I guess we are getting healed from our apnea! If you want to adjust it yourself, here's how: Unplug the unit from the rear. Hold down the pressure on/off and ramp buttons at the same time, insert the plug. Once the machine starts, let go, you are now in the pressure program mode. The minimum setting is 4, the max is 20. Push the ramp button until the setting you want shows in the window. Pull the plug and the machine will be reset to that number. Use a similar approach to adjust ramp time (can be set to zero) using the pressure on/off button.

I had some problems. With your directions I was only in the 'ramp setting program'. After going through the procedure 3x I tried this: Unplug the unit from the rear. Hold down the pressure on/off and ramp buttons at the same time, insert the plug. Once the machine starts, let go. Now I was in the 'ramp setting program'. Next I pressed the on/off button and now I was in the 'pressure setting program'. But, I did change my pressure from 18 to 16 and did not have cavitation of my mouth with EVERYTHING inside it stuck together. That's all, except that YOU'RE MY HERO!!! Paula

Hi Vicki, I am pre-op and have the dry mouth problem intermittently. I use the humidifier on my machine. I have a nasal mask. I wonder if I open my mouth and that could causes the dry mouth. Just a guess. It certainly feels like a strong desert wind has been howling in the mouth - so much so that my tongue is welded to the roof of my mouth and it feels like my tongue is going to crumble into dust!? I've tried to wear the chin strap - I end up with chin strap and c-pap mask on the floor when I do! I fall asleep thinking "keep your mouth shut, keep your mouth shut..." I figure that's a positive affirmation for sleep as well as awake time! Good Luck with staying moist! Angela in Oklahoma

Vicki, I had the same problem, and found that I opened my mouth in my sleep. I had my Dr order a chin strap for me. It's not very attractive, but it works.

Hi Vicki, I am 8 weeks post op and was feeling the same way. I was also opening my mouth during my sleep. I called the home care agency and they called my doctor and he said to have the cpap turned down from 14 to 12. Last night was the 1st time sleeping with it and I had no dry mouth and my husband didn't bug me about opening my mouth. Good luck, Lynn

I have found all these postings to be a great help. I, too, have been waking up with my whole mouth sucked in and stuck . . . lips to gums, tongue to roof of mouth etc. I am going to turn mine down and see what happens. I am only 5 weeks out but it's really annoying. I had kept Altoids Sours on my night stand and would force one into my mouth. But, sometimes it would make me more alert. I have been on c-pap for about 20 years now and am so ready to toss it out. Paula

Last night I turned my pressure down from 18 to 16. I woke up but my mouth was only dry and not all stuck together. I am Soooooooooooooooooooo happy Paula

Paula- You still might want to go down to a 15 and see if that stops the dry mouth problem altogether. I hate having such dry mouth in the morning. Glad that the instructions for changing the pressure worked with at bit of tweaking! -Chunky Dunker

Well this morning I woke up with it all stuck together again. I am going to try Chunky's advice and go down to 15. Paula