Wearing a sleep apnea mask?

[Complete Turf Care]

Well.....after 2 nights at home with the machine, I'm not snoring, but I still have to get up to pee once or twice during the night. When I take the mask off, it makes enough noise to wake the wife. But I guess that's still better than snoring all night.

I still wake several times during the night to change position. And my mouth was really dry when I got up to pee.

Overall, I feel that the machine is helping me to sleep better, but it's still gonna take some getting used to.

 

[Bird]

When I take the mask off, it makes enough noise to wake the wife.

I always punch the button to turn my CPAP off before I remove the mask. My wife has never mentioned any noise, but of course I have my hearing aids out when I'm using the CPAP, and being almost deaf without them, I really have no idea how loud it is. I guess I really need to put the mask on, and have the CPAP turned on, sometime when I have the hearing aids in, just to see what it sounds like.

QUOTE]And my mouth was really dry when I got up to pee.[/QUOTE]

I've had that problem, but it was alleviated to a great degree by turning up the humidifier.

 

[downsizingnow48]

My wife said the occasional hissing of the machine is soothing compared to the racket I used to make.

 

[doxford jim]

My wife said the occasional hissing of the machine is soothing compared to the racket I used to make.

Yes, window rattling is LOUD

 

[DKCDKC]

Been on CPAP for about 12 years. Was constantly tired and a hazard on the road until I started using it... And it works. Just got back from a 2 week vacation/cruise - always using it. We don't fly any more - the wife is claustrophobic. Cruise ships now supply distilled water for CPAP machines, so their use must be significant. I use CPAP wipes to keep the mask clean when traveling. Facial oils make the ResMed balloon-type mask I use leak sometimes. So I keep things clean. You do turn off the machine before removing mask and it makes no noise. New users need to give the CPAP equipment several months before assessing how it works. Usually within a week you begin to notice the difference. I really can't sleep well without it now. If the power goes out, I'll run my small generator just to power it.
I do know someone who was non-compliant - couldn't use any CPAP. But his insurance paid for a relatively minor surgical alternative and he is doing fine now. People who think they can't use it should try different equipment. I went through a half-dozen masks and such before settling with the mask I now have. I do use a chin-strap sometimes if my mouth pops open or something.
CPAP's not the most convenient thing in the world, but it sure fixed my issues. Any my wife now loves it's "white noise."

 

[Bird]

I'd never heard of CPAP wipes until your post, but I see now that lots of places sell them. You say you use them when traveling. Do you not use them at home? I'm in the habit of washing the jell cushion and flap from my mask each morning in warm soapy water, rinse, dry, etc. Does either washing or using the wipes have an advantage over the other?

 

[grnspot110]

I just found the wipes the last time I ordered new masks, I ordered a can of them then!

 

[DKCDKC]

I'd never heard of CPAP wipes until your post, but I see now that lots of places sell them. You say you use them when traveling. Do you not use them at home? I'm in the habit of washing the jell cushion and flap from my mask each morning in warm soapy water, rinse, dry, etc. Does either washing or using the wipes have an advantage over the other?

I use the wipes a lot at home as well. When I first got the equipment in 2002, the therapists urged me to sanitize the entire air system daily, but that was a hang-over from days when equipment was shared at hospitals and such. I washed the mask every few days and the entire hose and humidifier stuff about every 10 days. Then I learned that even that was probably more than needed. The main thing is to keep the mask relatively oil-free. So I wash my face before bed and use the wipes on the skin-contact part of the mask. Sometimes I'll wash the mask in warm water if I forget to get wipes or just feel like it. I do sanitize the rig every few weeks - sometimes every 3 weeks or so. I use Control 10 as an anti-germ agent with hot water. I have found that when I use hot water and let it air-dry, the mask seems to gain resilience and holds pressure better. I have also learned that, even with careful cleaning, after about 4 to 5 months, the mask loses some elasticity and leaks much more. Fortunately, Medicare pays for a new mask every 3 months, so I get a new one when needed... Just the pad, not the hard plastic. It's not that expensive anyway.

I use a machine with humidifier - as almost everyone now does. But I also use high level filters for the thing, and only distilled water. Not only has my humidifier never gotten stinky or anything, but I have not had a cold since I started using the CPAP years ago, and my allergies go away when I sleep. On the rare occasions when I feel a little stuffy, I just put on a nasal strip under the mask and have always done fine.