CPAP

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

I'm on my third unit. Started with a phillips, that one started spraying black stuff in my full face mask. Replaced it with a resmed 10. I liked it so good I got a third resmed 10 as a standby. I have been using the bipap since 2003 right after my heart attack (I was 41). I rarely sleep without it. I say rarely because I don't seem to need it when i doze off on my recliner. Some nights I get so achy in my hips and knees I can't lay in the bed. I move to the recliner and can usually get a few hours of good sleep.

I switched to a nasal pillow type device about 2 years ago. Took a week or so to get used to. Up till then I hadn't ever used the humidifier with no issues. Now I use the lowest setting. I struggle with sinus drainage, have had that all my life. Allergies I'm sure. Takes me usually 30 mins to get to sleep after clearing my throat a hundred times it seems. THe full face mask really became uncomfortable to my forehead. In order to keep the mask from farting and waking me up I had to tighten it down pretty tightly.

On a separate note recently I have noticed that sometimes my machine smells like it has an electrical issue in the air discharge. I have put a air purifier beside the resmed but have since turned it off. Thinking it may be taking up too many amps for the circuit. I think I am going to try a ups next in case I am getting brownouts. I have tried it with or without the humidifier and do not seem to notice a difference. Doesn't happen every night, sometimes not even in the same week. First time I heard it I thought the house was on fire.

On a similar note I am planning a turkey hunt in late April. Was planning on taking a generator with me. When looking up UPS's I found a company that proved battery packs for the resmed. It also has a 60ah lithium battery that should last 10 ish days. I have a 100ah lithium trolling motor battery hmmm me thinks... I am reaching out to the company today and see if I can get their cable and use that. If so it oughta last me the 8 ish days for the trip. only takes 3-5 hours to charge so I may also use it permanently. Time will tell.

 

[gstrom99]

The person who I talked to on the phone asked what kind of mask I want. I told her, one that works with my full beard, lets me sleep on my side & stomach and lets me get up multiple times during the night to use the bathroom. She had no suggestions.

I don't have high hopes, but as long as they don't tell me to shave my beard,

Get the nasal pillows, they don't interfere at all. If/when you have to get up during the night, you just reach over, turn it off, then restart when you get back. Easy peezy.

 

[Redbug]

Get the nasal pillows, they don't interfere at all. If/when you have to get up during the night, you just reach over, turn it off, then restart when you get back. Easy peezy.

If I get up in the middle of the night...I just take the mask/nasal pillows off and get up. The machine will blow a puff of air and stop. When I come back I put the mask/nasal pillows back on and hit the start button.
My question: Should I hit the stop/start button when I take the mask off to get up?

 

[gstrom99]

If I get up in the middle of the night...I just take the mask/nasal pillows off and get up. The machine will blow a puff of air and stop. When I come back I put the mask/nasal pillows back on and hit the start button.
My question: Should I hit the stop/start button when I take the mask off to get up?

I stop it before I take my nose piece off. If I don't it blows a bunch, but I never waited to see if it shuts itself down (which it probably does). My insurance stopped asking for the card info a long time ago. New(er) machines are "connected" to the mother ship now, via app/wi-fi or cellular.

 

[1 Old Man]

Interesting. I hit the stop button and remove the mask. When getting
back to bed I put on the mask and the machine starts automatically.
Guess it's just how the unit is programmed.

 

[Racer4]

If I get up in the middle of the night...I just take the mask/nasal pillows off and get up. The machine will blow a puff of air and stop. When I come back I put the mask/nasal pillows back on and hit the start button.
My question: Should I hit the stop/start button when I take the mask off to get up?

I always turn mine off if I get up. I really don’t have to get up much anymore to hit the bathroom. With the cpap, I’m sleeping soundly until morning. I used to get up a few times each night, not knowing I just wasn’t sleeping very well.

 

[gstrom99]

Interesting. I hit the stop button and remove the mask. When getting
back to bed I put on the mask and the machine starts automatically.
Guess it's just how the unit is programmed.

How does the machine know/sense you've put the mask back on?

 

[1 Old Man]

How does the machine know/sense you've put the mask back on?

I just put on the mask/pillows and start breathing. The machine kicks on and
starts to ramp up to the set pressure. It only takes a few seconds to be fully
operational. I have a ResMed Air Sense 11.

 

[LittleBill21]

on the 11 you don't need to do anything, take it off, it blows loud air for about 4 seconds, if the person is next to you is a lite sleeper it will wake them.

once you put it back on , after 2 or 3 breathes it will resume, my wife doesn't push a single button

I bought this for my wife, to deal with the hose, it has made a considerable difference for the tube getting stuck and pulling when she turns, she attaches it to her shirt. she also has a 2 foot extension as well.

Amazon.com

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Just checked and I have the resmed aircurve 10. I tried connecting it to the myair app, its not doable. I'm interested in the statistics of my sleep. I guess I'll wait for medicare to kick in... Hmmm I may have already met my health ins deductible... May check that angle out too.

 

[Redbug]

Thanks guys! I will just take mine off in the middle of the night and put it back on without hitting the button to see if it starts on its own. Saves a step! Learned something new I think. Both methods seem to work...I did not know that. You don't get any real training from the people you get the machine from.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Get the nasal pillows, they don't interfere at all. If/when you have to get up during the night, you just reach over, turn it off, then restart when you get back. Easy peezy.

I tried the nasal pillows. The CPAP blows with just enough extra pressure that it feels like a hurricane up my nose. Also the straps will slide off my head at night. I went back to my nose mask.

 

[ponytug]

I'm on my third unit. Started with a phillips, that one started spraying black stuff in my full face mask. Replaced it with a resmed 10. I liked it so good I got a third resmed 10 as a standby. I have been using the bipap since 2003 right after my heart attack (I was 41). I rarely sleep without it. I say rarely because I don't seem to need it when i doze off on my recliner. Some nights I get so achy in my hips and knees I can't lay in the bed. I move to the recliner and can usually get a few hours of good sleep.

I switched to a nasal pillow type device about 2 years ago. Took a week or so to get used to. Up till then I hadn't ever used the humidifier with no issues. Now I use the lowest setting. I struggle with sinus drainage, have had that all my life. Allergies I'm sure. Takes me usually 30 mins to get to sleep after clearing my throat a hundred times it seems. THe full face mask really became uncomfortable to my forehead. In order to keep the mask from farting and waking me up I had to tighten it down pretty tightly.

On a separate note recently I have noticed that sometimes my machine smells like it has an electrical issue in the air discharge. I have put a air purifier beside the resmed but have since turned it off. Thinking it may be taking up too many amps for the circuit. I think I am going to try a ups next in case I am getting brownouts. I have tried it with or without the humidifier and do not seem to notice a difference. Doesn't happen every night, sometimes not even in the same week. First time I heard it I thought the house was on fire.

On a similar note I am planning a turkey hunt in late April. Was planning on taking a generator with me. When looking up UPS's I found a company that proved battery packs for the resmed. It also has a 60ah lithium battery that should last 10 ish days. I have a 100ah lithium trolling motor battery hmmm me thinks... I am reaching out to the company today and see if I can get their cable and use that. If so it oughta last me the 8 ish days for the trip. only takes 3-5 hours to charge so I may also use it permanently. Time will tell.

Sorry to hear about your medical issues. You seem to be made of tough stuff!

You can get any number of 12V to Resmed adapters, e.g.

Just make sure that the battery is big enough for the whole hunt.

To read the information of the SDcard, check out OSCAR;

OSCAR - Open Source CPAP Analysis Reporter

OSCAR is PC software for reviewing and exploring data produced by CPAP and related machines used in sleep apnea treatment

www.sleepfiles.com

I haven't used it.

All the best, Peter

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Very cool thanks. With your lead, I found one that has alligator clips and the end for my bipap built in. I'm going to try it out before hand 1. to prove if I am getting brown outs and 2 to prove the idea works. Looks good on paper not something I want to learn my mistakes on the road.

Nah not tough, just a country boy. Wife says I'm stubborn... I think both might be correct.

Thanks for taking the time to look it up. I just ordered it. Gonna test it at the house a while and hopefully see how long it works.

After I go to Florida peacock bass/clown knife and down to the keys fishing. Gonna be a fun week next week. We will appreciate the weather change too 80's most days.

 

[DennisfromCincy]

I have had a Bpap for probably 5+years. I do function ok if I miss a week like vacation, but I do try to use it otherwise. They are very unnatural to use. The pulmonologist should wear one for 2 months to know what they are asking. I use a nose mouth mask that seems to suit me best. It makes me breath mostly thru my nose which keeps your mouth from drying out.

My Resmed will tell me the count of nightly events but not what they are. I take my chip in on my normal appointments. Of course they want us 5 or below on events of at least 4.5 hours.

The original tester could have given better instructions like telling the patient to sleep in their normal position. I was always a side sleeper but with all the wires I stayed on my back and tried to do the same with the Bpap mask/machine at home.

For those that have too long a pause in the next breath (CSA) I try not to sleep on my back. Preferably I sleep on my left side. My events went from 20 to less than 3 with many nights below 1. I use a large pillow to rest my back against to help prevent me from sleeping on my back.

Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic have a lot of useful info. Of course, discuss all with your pulmonologist.

Goodluck to us all.