Exhaust Exhaustion

My husband has a CPAP machine and I am at my wits end with it. I was hoping for some advice before I move into the spare room. I have a couple of problems with it:

1. Mask Noise - The machine itself is not bad. It makes a friendly hum that is very tolerable, background white-noise. But as soon as my husband falls asleep the mask starts to make a rushing wind sound that is VERY loud. I sometimes reach over and nudge the mask and it will stop for a short time, or I nudge my husband and he can make it stop. But 2 to 4 breaths later he's asleep again and the wind tunnel is back. My husband doesn't believe that the mask makes a noise as it always happens when he is asleep. I think I may need to record it just to prove my case. If I bug him too many times about the mask noise he will just take it off for the night and then the snoring begins. He also believes that he has very mild sleep apnea and doesn't really need the machine and says he only wears it for me, because I complain about his snoring. I didn't talk to his doctor, so I can't speak to this, I only know that he is a world class snorer. The CPAP mask sound is as bad or worse than the snoring. Is the mask leaking? How can we fix it? I have suspected that his mustache prevents a good seal? He has tried the smaller nostril mask and doesn't like it. If I move to the spare bedroom, he will likely stop using the machine and I worry that will be bad for him, but I need to sleep too.

2. Cold wind, bad smell - Often my husband with get into a position where the mask exhaust vent points right at my face. This blows a steady blast of cold, stinky, bad breath air in my face. I have to sleep with my back to him all night to avoid the assault. Then I wake up stiff and with no circulation in my downside arm from not moving all night. I have been thinking of ways to build a wall between his head and mine. Even with my back turned often I can still smell the rush of bad breath and feel the cold air. I have tried reaching over and pointing vent away but it usually doesn't stay pointed away, or my husband will wake up cranky and take the mask off for the night.

Any help or advise would be greatly appreciated.

The generally accepted fix for a noisy exhaust is.......a muffler. I have used a large cotton ball and some loose weave gauze to cover vents that blast air and noise. (loosely !!) Mint-parsley-patchouli-etc. are good for smells. If the problems boil down to the mask leaking, might be time to investigate different masks. Foam ear plugs are cheap enough too. Good luck !

Please let us know which model mask he uses.

mask makes a noise as it always happens when he is asleep

Is it a farting-like noise? If it is, his mask is either not sized right or the headgear is not adjusted properly.

Hi, you sound like you're having a lousy time in bed (but you wouldn't be the first by a long shot!).

The mask noise seems to be a large leak - the kind that happens as soon as your face relaxes and the seal is broken - faces change a lot lying down and when relaxed, masks don't always work well. He can try other masks (there are very many out there), but he can also try e.g. a Pap Pillow (.com) which has cutouts for the mask to help keep it from dislodging when a regular pillow comes in contact and pushes the mask sideways a bit (if that's what happening). Whether he thinks just a slight tightening of one or more straps might help would be up to him - overtightening is Not a good idea as it can even create more leaks... but he needs to try something, and one of the above would be a place to start. You have a right to sleep decently too!

As far as the air vent - that's CO2 that's coming out and you don't want to block it so he re-breathes it... not a good idea (it won't hurt you once its vented), but it's one of those common complaints that sometimes couples have to work out on their own... but there may be masks which vent the CO2 just slightly differently, either a diff. spot on the mask, or at a diff. angle. A few handy people have even made tiny deflectors that they attached to the mask just to make the difference, but it wouldn't be my first thing to try. Again, something you might just have to play with til it works... what about twin beds, or ??

And as far as 'mild' apnea goes - can you post a copy of his study results here so we can take a look? There is something called 'positional' apnea that under certain circumstances may allow patients (not many) to not have to wear Cpap, but a) it needs to be determined by a sleep study, not just guessing at it, and b) he'd have to make certain arrangements re sleeping to accommodate the change... because he still would have apnea, mild or not, and it would still need addressing. So seeing what the study said is important (especially not knowing how informed his MD is re apnea - too many are not).

if you're getting bad smells, then make your husband brush his teeth, and tongue, before bed, since the bad smells are coming from him, not from the cpap.... unless maybe the humidifier hasn't been cleaned in ages or something.

diffusing (not blocking, as julie warns against) is an idea to experiment with, there's also some masks out now by fisher & Paykel, and the P10 from resmed that have built in diffusers, so there's a gentle breeze that dissipates a few inches away from the mask, instead of that hard jet.

the farting noises are because it's not sealing well, a mask liner, like from remzzzs or padd-a-cheek will muffle that noise and tame it.

CPAP-Wive wrote:My husband has a CPAP machine and I am at my wits end with it. I was hoping for some advice before I move into the spare room. I have a couple of problems with it:

1. Mask Noise - The machine itself is not bad. It makes a friendly hum that is very tolerable, background white-noise. But as soon as my husband falls asleep the mask starts to make a rushing wind sound that is VERY loud. I sometimes reach over and nudge the mask and it will stop for a short time, or I nudge my husband and he can make it stop. But 2 to 4 breaths later he's asleep again and the wind tunnel is back. My husband doesn't believe that the mask makes a noise as it always happens when he is asleep. I think I may need to record it just to prove my case. If I bug him too many times about the mask noise he will just take it off for the night and then the snoring begins. He also believes that he has very mild sleep apnea and doesn't really need the machine and says he only wears it for me, because I complain about his snoring. I didn't talk to his doctor, so I can't speak to this, I only know that he is a world class snorer. The CPAP mask sound is as bad or worse than the snoring. Is the mask leaking? How can we fix it? I have suspected that his mustache prevents a good seal? He has tried the smaller nostril mask and doesn't like it. If I move to the spare bedroom, he will likely stop using the machine and I worry that will be bad for him, but I need to sleep too.

2. Cold wind, bad smell - Often my husband with get into a position where the mask exhaust vent points right at my face. This blows a steady blast of cold, stinky, bad breath air in my face. I have to sleep with my back to him all night to avoid the assault. Then I wake up stiff and with no circulation in my downside arm from not moving all night. I have been thinking of ways to build a wall between his head and mine. Even with my back turned often I can still smell the rush of bad breath and feel the cold air. I have tried reaching over and pointing vent away but it usually doesn't stay pointed away, or my husband will wake up cranky and take the mask off for the night.

Any help or advise would be greatly appreciated.

We have no idea whether your husband has a full face mask (covers nose and mouth) or a nasal mask (covers nose only). But, since you mentioned the possible lack of a good seal caused by his mustache, it sounds like it's a nasal mask.
We have no idea whether the "rushing wind sound" is from his mask leaking or if the air is leaking out his mouth. Since you mention the "bad breath" factor, it sounds like it's leaking out his mouth.
If his mouth is falling open, he may either need a chin strap, do nasal cleansing before bedtime so he can breathe through his nose (to lessen the chances of his mouth may fall open), or switch to a full face mask if he's using a nasal mask (or any combinations of the aforementioned).
If the mask is getting pushed out of alignment, it may be that he needs a different bed pillow. (something firmer that his head doesn't sink so far into.
It might also help if he brushed his teeth before bed........
Mouth-leaking/breathing can indicate that if he's using heated humidity with his machine, it may be set too high (which can cause more nasal congestion). Nasal cleansing before bedtime can help in that area, too. You need to be able to breathe through your nose if you're using a nasal mask.

As far as the air blowing toward you, many people in the past have had this problem and solved it by putting a pillow lengthwise and on edge between the sleepers.......making a barrier.

It also sounds like you're a "complainer"........but a concerned one. He NEEDS this therapy and your harping on him isn't helping......especially if he takes the mask off. Maybe a little encouragement?


Den

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Wulfman... wrote: We have no idea whether your husband has a full face mask (covers nose and mouth) or a nasal mask (covers nose only). But, since you mentioned the possible lack of a good seal caused by his mustache, it sounds like it's a nasal mask.

I'm guessing, because of the foul smell, it's a ffm. plus, they're more likely to be farty noisy.

Wulfman... wrote: It also sounds like you're a "complainer"........but a concerned one. He NEEDS this therapy and your harping on him isn't helping......especially if he takes the mask off. Maybe a little encouragement?

and they say *I* am harsh on newbies.

I'm sure he'd rather be making a fashion statement .

palerider wrote:

Wulfman... wrote: We have no idea whether your husband has a full face mask (covers nose and mouth) or a nasal mask (covers nose only). But, since you mentioned the possible lack of a good seal caused by his mustache, it sounds like it's a nasal mask.

I'm guessing, because of the foul smell, it's a ffm. plus, they're more likely to be farty noisy.

Wulfman... wrote: It also sounds like you're a "complainer"........but a concerned one. He NEEDS this therapy and your harping on him isn't helping......especially if he takes the mask off. Maybe a little encouragement?

and they say *I* am harsh on newbies.

I'm sorry.......where did you read that it's a "farty noise". Sounds to me like mouth or mask leak and the mustache could definitely cause a problem with a good seal. I'm sticking with the nasal mask theory.

But as soon as my husband falls asleep the mask starts to make a rushing wind sound that is VERY loud.

Since when have you differentiated between "newbies" and long-timers? Hmmmmmm???


Den

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palerider wrote:

Wulfman... wrote: It also sounds like you're a "complainer"........but a concerned one. He NEEDS this therapy and your harping on him isn't helping......especially if he takes the mask off. Maybe a little encouragement?

and they say *I* am harsh on newbies.

Let's just say that about 30 or so years ago, I was in a short-term relationship with someone whose tolerance of snoring was just about "zero".......and would practically beat the crap out of me trying to get me to stop, including practically pushing me out of bed. So, I've had some experience with "complainers" in that regard.......and I guess that hits a nerve with me.


Den

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Wulfman... wrote:

palerider wrote:

Wulfman... wrote: We have no idea whether your husband has a full face mask (covers nose and mouth) or a nasal mask (covers nose only). But, since you mentioned the possible lack of a good seal caused by his mustache, it sounds like it's a nasal mask.

I'm guessing, because of the foul smell, it's a ffm. plus, they're more likely to be farty noisy.

I'm sorry.......where did you read that it's a "farty noise". Sounds to me like mouth or mask leak and the mustache could definitely cause a problem with a good seal. I'm sticking with the nasal mask theory.

ok, fair enough.

Wulfman... wrote: Let's just say that about 30 or so years ago, I was in a short-term relationship with someone whose tolerance of snoring was just about "zero".......and would practically beat the crap out of me trying to get me to stop, including practically pushing me out of bed.

can't say as I blame 'em, some people are able to sleep through any amount of noise, some people can't.

I can't. when the earplugs shoved in so far that they're pressing on my eardrums, and still aren't muffling the sound, when the bed is vibrating on every inhale.... (and I've been on the receiving end of that) then, *I CAN'T SLEEP*. and if I am asleep, it'll wake me up.

I wish it weren't so... OH, how I wish it weren't so.

palerider wrote:

Wulfman... wrote: Let's just say that about 30 or so years ago, I was in a short-term relationship with someone whose tolerance of snoring was just about "zero".......and would practically beat the crap out of me trying to get me to stop, including practically pushing me out of bed.

can't say as I blame 'em, some people are able to sleep through any amount of noise, some people can't.

I can't. when the earplugs shoved in so far that they're pressing on my eardrums, and still aren't muffling the sound, when the bed is vibrating on every inhale.... (and I've been on the receiving end of that) then, *I CAN'T SLEEP*. and if I am asleep, it'll wake me up.

I wish it weren't so... OH, how I wish it weren't so.

The problem is........the "SNORERS" never hear themselves. But, they bear the brunt of their physical anomalies and breathing characteristics.


Den

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The OP doesn't sound like a complainer to me. These are real, valid, serious concerns. I would get very little sleep, myself, under the circumstances she describes.

CPAP-Wive, there are a lot of masks on the market. I'm trying to find the right one for me. Cpap.com has free return insurance on a lot of their masks so your husband could try one and lose no money if it doesn't work out.

I agree completely. Separate bedrooms was the answer.