An idea (sooner or later its bound to happen) :wink:
OK, this is what I've come up with. I don't sleep with my mouth open, but my lips open. For a period of a few months I was able to keep them mostly sealed, but lately its a nightly problem. So, my mouth still gets dry in the back and my humidifier in the machine still runs out of water.
I came up with what I think is a workable solution. I want to just say I will make them for you ~ but if I do that it may take forever, and no one has forever.
Think in your mind of a surgical mask.... now.... picture a rectangular piece of cloth that has each of the ends pleated together (like a pinch pleated curtain, only with both the top and bottom with pinch pleats which is turned sideways)
A piece of elastic would then be attached from one eind of the pleated/gathered up fabric to the other. Making a mask. Then, to be worn, it goes on around the chin and mouth, strap running over the ears to hold it up and snug.
There you go, you've got your mouth
and lips held closed.
Having not made one yet, I'm not sure if the shape will be correct. I really think it will work.
Now, I'm thinking (especially for you, Beth) definitely a matching eye sleep mask is called for. Maybe a few nice ensembles, one out of a pretty chintz, and then a wild leopard print or other exotic.... every bulbar girl's answer to the matching bra and panty set
Why I thought of this (other than what I hope is just pure unadulterated genius) is, I've started wearing an eye sleep mask at night, because my eyes don't stay closed tight. Its ironic, back during all of the weird sleep hours I attempted while working, I could never stand having the mask on my eyes & even if I started out with one on, I'd end up pulling it off in my sleep. But now, I first pull the headgear for bipap all the way over my head and let it hang around my neck, I pull on the eye shades, flip up the bottom of them a little so I can see, pull up the bipap mask, fasten it, and the forehead strap of the bipap is on the top of my eye mask, and hence holds it in place to where I can't pull it off without unfastening my bipap. Not to say that I am above ripping off the bipap, but that would entail a lot of effort just to get the shades off of my eyes, and so far ( a week now) I've kept everything on all night, and I've slept better.
So, next step is my chin sling/lip sealer thing.
Hope this helps....