I gave my CPAP back!!

[SerryJW]

I am on Medi/Medi through Kaiser. I supposedly have oxygen at 81 and 84 events/hour apnea? They preset my pap setting RESMED AirSense10. I had a splitting headache for a week, ,my humidifier water lasted 1-2 hours, the plastic seal would not close AND the electric plug was VERY hot. I live in a 125 year converted house in D/T Denver. I was worried that I would cause a fire.
Does anyone also use oxygen? I think I DO need something...any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance...Is this from the UK or US?

Serry

[BlackSpinner]

You need to get a cpap machine and stop living in denial.

You probably also need to get your electrical redone.

[yippeekia]

You probably won't get a lot of sympathy here. Most people on this board are focused on helping people make the necessary adjustments to their therapy to improve their health. With that being said, I hope you stick around, read other posts. Many people have had the exact same issues that you faced. I faced many of them myself. You can solve them. I did. Check out the success stories for newbies.

I struggled at first, as do many. My story isn't unique. Neither is yours. The answers are here. There are many helpful people on this board. Sometimes they are a little gruff, but helpful if you get past it.

Hopefully, you will find the courage to tackle your health issues. It seems to me that the biggest predictor of success with CPAP therapy is attitude.

Best Wishes.

[Pugsy]

I know you probably won't believe me but if your humidifier was empty after 1 to 2 hours and you filled the water chamber to the appropriate maximum fill line then there's a problem with that specific machine.
Don't assume that it works that way with all cpap machines. They will last all night even at a maximum humidity delivery setting...7 to 8 hours for sure.

If it's dry after a couple of hours then there is something mechanically wrong with the unit.

Oh...adding oxygen...think about it...if you stop breathing or the airway is blocked then how is that oxygen going to get to your lungs? Adding oxygen won't help if you can't get it to your lungs.
That's why people are put on cpap machines instead of O2 machines for sleep apnea.

[SerryJW]

PUGSY...THANK YOU! I LIVE in Denver in concrete construction...I'm sure the electrical in over 125 years old...and it is a rental, so NO I have to deal with the HOT plug...HOW do I go wireless? I have no idea what my settings are...Kaiser is not very helpful. WHAT would caused the God forsaken headache for a week? Is it the pressure setting? It is 90 degrees/100 % humidity in my NONE air conditioned apt. I am drenched, my bedding is drenched...Would it help to buy a self standing humidifier?...all in all I am not a very happy camper.

Where do you live?

Serry

[LSAT]

PUGSY...THANK YOU! I LIVE in Denver in concrete construction...I'm sure the electrical in over 125 years old...and it is a rental, so NO I have to deal with the HOT plug...HOW do I go wireless? I have no idea what my settings are...Kaiser is not very helpful. WHAT would caused the God forsaken headache for a week? Is it the pressure setting? It is 90 degrees/100 % humidity in my NONE air conditioned apt. I am drenched, my bedding is drenched...Would it help to buy a self standing humidifier?...all in all I am not a very happy camper.

Where do you live?

Serry

If your humidity is 100% you really don't need to use a humidifier.

[Pugsy]

Unless it was raining you didn't have 100% humidity. Now it likely felt like 100% (we have been having similar temps and high humidity here where in live which is in SW Missouri) and since these machines take into account the ambient humidity...if it had been raining the machine wouldn't have used any water at all.

There was a problem with that particular machine...that's the only explanation unless you didn't put enough water in it in the first place.
If you used an electrical outlet that has been used successfully by something else...like a lamp or radio or clock...it's unlikely that it was the house wiring that was the problem.
Now if you had never ever used that outlet...maybe you need to be checking it out further as it wouldn't be impossible for there to be a bad wire or something but if you used it for anything else...it wasn't the outlet.

These machines require electric power of some sort...there is no way to run it wirelessly.
Now there is a way to run it off batteries but those batteries have to be recharged fairly often.

[chunkyfrog]

First, check the outlet. Plug something in that draws more than 90 watts, and let it run awhile.
See if that plug gets hot. If so, the problem is not the machine.
If the machine is at fault, take it back where you got it. Take the cord/transformer box as well.
Sometimes those things go wacko.
As for living in heat, get a towel wet, and wrap it around your neck, like a collar.
If you need to chill it in the fridge, use two, and trade off.

[zoocrewphoto]

If the problem is the outletmm you need to have somebody come in and put in a new outlet for you. My house has really old wiring. My dad has slowly been replacing it. All of the outlets in my bedroom are the old two prong outlets. Not great for electronics. So, while they have never been replaced, my dad did put in a new outlet straight from the power box that goes to my room and runs my computer equipment and my cpap.

I use a 5 out of 6 for humidity, and usually a lower temp. I can sleep 9-10 hours on a full tank of water, assuming I am in bed that long. I only run out if I forget to top it off the night before.

It does sound like the machine was not working properly. It should not go through water that fast, and the seal should have been okay. I would start over and try again. And this time, let us help you with the settings. A properly set cpap can make a huge difference in your health.

[SerryJW]

CHUNKYFROG...I have my oxygen concentrate machine on the same electrical strip...I am using the wrong word...the black transformer was what is HOT. .

If I don't need the humidifier, can you run the machine w/o it...NO water?
As for the heat...I have a gel pad that goes in my pillowcase...works for a while, just not long enough.
What pressure setting should the machine be on...can you think of any other reason why I had a week long headache? Didn't have one this morning, returned the cpap yesterday, so I think it is cpap related?

Thanks,
Serry

[palerider]

CHUNKYFROG...I have my oxygen concentrate machine on the same electrical strip...I am using the wrong word...the black transformer was what is HOT. .

If I don't need the humidifier, can you run the machine w/o it...NO water?

power equipment does heat up.

yes, you can turn *OFF* the humidifier and heated hose (if yours had one). you can put water in the tank and get a little humidity out of it, or not use any at all. your choice.

[SerryJW]

Palerider...a vocabulary lesson,please...according to Accuweather...it is 26% humidity and it was 94 degrees today ( 6pm now). During the night it has 1-3% chance of precipitation. Do I need the humidifier on during the night? What setting?

Sorry, I'm old and confused!

[Pugsy]

it is 26% humidity and it was 94 degrees today ( 6pm now). During the night it has 1-3% chance of precipitation. Do I need the humidifier on during the night? What setting?

I would say yes...use added moisture...26% is actually pretty dry.
BUT humidity needs vary among individuals and you may be like some (Palerider included) who does very well with no or minimal added moisture to the air.
Me...I would snort water if I could.

Google "cpap rhinitis" for information on why moisture is often added.
So the setting you might need...may not be what I need or Palerider needs and we can't tell you what setting to use because we don't know what your nose will want.

Should it happen to rain and load up the ambient humidity...the machine senses the moisture content of the air and will simply not add more moisture.

[zoocrewphoto]

Palerider...a vocabulary lesson,please...according to Accuweather...it is 26% humidity and it was 94 degrees today ( 6pm now). During the night it has 1-3% chance of precipitation. Do I need the humidifier on during the night? What setting?

Sorry, I'm old and confused!

Humidity settings are very personal. Some people prefer high humidity and some prefer none at all. Some of it is local weather and some of it is the type of mask.

You really need to tell us the machine, mask, pressure settings, ramp setting, exhale relief if used.

For me, I use the highest humidity setting that doesn't cause condensation in the hose. I use the lowest temp I can get away with. When I stay at my sister's house, I have to raise the temp or I will get condensation in the hose. When I was at the ocean a couple weeks ago, it was really humid, so I lowered the setting.

My mom and I live in the same house. We have the same machine and the same mask. Similar pressure settings. I use high humidity. She doesn't even add water. Totally different preferences.

If you get too stuffed up, you may need to turn it down. If your nose is dry (or mouth is dry with full face mask), then you may need to turn it up.

The more you can tell us with setting info and what the actual problems are,, the more we can help you solve them.

[SerryJW]

ZooCrew & Pugsy...I am so confused because all my settings were set for AUTO...NO ONE explained how to change anything...Welcome to Kaiser!
I had a RESMED AIRSENSE 10 and Nasal Pillow mask...sorry, doing this from memory. HOW do I know if I also need the oxygen concentrate...that I have had since March w/o the cpap...that I got last week.