Suffocation with machine off??!!

[Sylvanas]

I found this warning on the p10 mask, I've also seen in on others

The mask should not be used unless the device is turned on. Once the mask is fitted, ensure the device is blowing air. Explanation: CPAP and bilevel devices are intended to be used with special masks (or connectors) which have vent holes to allow continuous flow of air out of the mask. When the device is turned on and functioning properly, new air from the device flushes the exhaled air out through the mask vent holes. However, when the device is not operating, insufficient fresh air will be provided through the mask, and the exhaled air may be rebreathed. Rebreathing of exhaled air for longer than several minutes can, in some circumstances, lead to suffocation. This applies to most models of CPAP or bilevel devices.

OUCH! What if the power goes off? What if a cord malfunctions? Can you really suffocate if machine stops working during the night?
It's on page 5 here
https://www.resmed.com/au/dam/documents ... ac_eng.pdf

[LSAT]

There is one large vent hole..it's called your mouth...In addition to the vent holes in the mask, you will open your mouth.

[Julie]

Your body is programmed to breathe no matter what, and if power goes off your need for air will wake you and you'll pull off the mask.

[Revived1]

Worrying about this issue keeps me awake at night!....nearly every night. I'm a bad sleeper to start with, but when I try to go to sleep, it constantly goes through my mind that I could suffocate. I like the mask that I use, but I do often feel as though I'm suffocating even when it's working properly. Just feels hard to breathe in and/or out sometimes. But my anxiety about the power going off adds to keeping me awake each night, and I've tried breathing in and out with the machine turned off. I'm not sure that I'd wake up if my body felt that I was still breathing, but I was actually breathing carbon dioxide instead of oxygen. I've heard that "something"....can't remember what....happens if you breathe carbon dioxide for a while. I think it was that your body knows and maybe wakes you up. Hopefully, that is the case, but I do have a fairly big dose of paranoia about this whole issue. That being said, I don't remember hearing of anyone dying from it, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. The fact that they put the warning on there shows that it can happen, but let's just hope it doesn't. We don't get many blackouts where I live, except when there are storms, but I'm a bit of an anxious person at times, and this is definitely something I'm anxious about.
Hopefully, someone will come by with an answer that says it's very unlikely (eg. statistically) to happen!

[Dog Slobber]

Worrying about this issue keeps me awake at night!....nearly every night. I'm a bad sleeper to start with, but when I try to go to sleep, it constantly goes through my mind that I could suffocate. I like the mask that I use, but I do often feel as though I'm suffocating even when it's working properly. Just feels hard to breathe in and/or out sometimes. But my anxiety about the power going off adds to keeping me awake each night, and I've tried breathing in and out with the machine turned off. I'm not sure that I'd wake up if my body felt that I was still breathing, but I was actually breathing carbon dioxide instead of oxygen. I've heard that "something"....can't remember what....happens if you breathe carbon dioxide for a while. I think it was that your body knows and maybe wakes you up. Hopefully, that is the case, but I do have a fairly big dose of paranoia about this whole issue. That being said, I don't remember hearing of anyone dying from it, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. The fact that they put the warning on there shows that it can happen, but let's just hope it doesn't. We don't get many blackouts where I live, except when there are storms, but I'm a bit of an anxious person at times, and this is definitely something I'm anxious about.
Hopefully, someone will come by with an answer that says it's very unlikely (eg. statistically) to happen!

Manufacturers place labels to prevent litigation.

If you're wearing your nasal (only) mask and the power goes out you, you will like wake up, but if you don't you will start breathing through your mouth.

Every night millions of people wear their CPAP to bed, there *have* been power outages and machine malfunctions. Nobody's suffocating.

[Chris8243]

I've woken up in the morning a few times, reached over to turn my machine off....and it turned ON. I'd been sleeping with it off! No idea. Looking at data, I'd slept the whole night with it off (zero hours usage) or got up maybe to use the bathroom, put the mask back on, and never turned the machine back on.

I didn't suffocate, still here, no bad effects. Didn't feel any different on those days, no damage done. There are vent holes on every mask, enough to keep breathing even with no air being pushed through by a CPAP machine.

Some people here have written about using a battery backup. I don't, we don't lose power often, but maybe someone here will read this and tell you what kind of backup they use.

I hope my experience can help you not worry so much!

[Pugsy]

Those of you who worry about what happens if the power goes off.....go buy yourself one of those power alarm devices to plug into the wall socket so that if the power goes off you immediately wake up with the alarm going off.

Problem solved and they are cheap.

[Revived1]

Those of you who worry about what happens if the power goes off.....go buy yourself one of those power alarm devices to plug into the wall socket so that if the power goes off you immediately wake up with the alarm going off.

Problem solved and they are cheap.

Heyyyyyyyyyyy....Great idea, Pugsy. I didn't even know anything like that existed. I know where I'll be going tomorrow....to some electrical place and finding one of those things. Thanks a lot. OMG, I can't tell you how happy I am now. This is going to save me so much anxiety. Thank you again!

[Revived1]

Manufacturers place labels to prevent litigation.

True, although I'm guessing they wouldn't place a label if there was zero chance of it happening...although it may not necessarily happen to ME, but that hasn't stopped me worrying about it, unfortunately. But thank you for your answer, either way. I've always wondered about the name Dog Slobber and how you came up with that. It's very .... unique. I like it.
I'll buy one of the things Pugsy suggested first thing tomorrow, and that will be the end of my worry about this issue, in any case. What a relief! Thanks again for your answer.

[Goofproof]

One more warning that they don't list. If you sleep on your stomach don't sleep face down on your pillow, warning two remove pillow from plastic bag before using. Jim

[Revived1]

I've woken up in the morning a few times, reached over to turn my machine off....and it turned ON. I'd been sleeping with it off! No idea. Looking at data, I'd slept the whole night with it off (zero hours usage) or got up maybe to use the bathroom, put the mask back on, and never turned the machine back on.

I didn't suffocate, still here, no bad effects. Didn't feel any different on those days, no damage done. There are vent holes on every mask, enough to keep breathing even with no air being pushed through by a CPAP machine.

Some people here have written about using a battery backup. I don't, we don't lose power often, but maybe someone here will read this and tell you what kind of backup they use.

I hope my experience can help you not worry so much!

Thank you. I'll be buying one of those gadgets tomorrow, and your post will make me not be worried tonight.

[Revived1]

One more warning that they don't list. If you sleep on your stomach don't sleep face down on your pillow, warning two remove pillow from plastic bag before using. Jim

Thanks for the warning. I'll keep that in mind! I usually do take my new pillows out of the plastic bag before using them, but it's a good point you make.

[Pugsy]

For what little it is worth......we won't suffocate if the power goes off. I know you newbies won't believe me but we can move enough air through the mask vent holes alone...never mind the fact that we still have our mouths we can open to help us out.
Even full face masks have a special valve that will open in the event of a power failure.

Let me tell you a little story that happened to me....early in my therapy I had to tape my mouth shut with my nasal pillow mask.
My first night of taping my mouth shut ended up being a night when a thunderstorm went through and we lost power. I woke up about 15 minutes after the loss of power (can be seen on the software reports and clock in the bedroom) and the tape was still in place and the reason I woke up wasn't because I was struggling for air....it was because things were just too darn quiet. The quiet woke me up.
I was breathing just fine using the vent holes to move air. It was a wee bit of extra work but it was easily done and not a big deal. I did it for at least 15 minutes before I woke up.

If I hadn't had my mouth taped...the body would have just opened the mouth and I would have been mouth breathing...it's no different than if the nose is congested and we have to breathe through our mouths.

My point is....even with lips taped shut....I didn't suffocate just using the vent holes to move air and I wasn't distressed...I did it for 15 minutes and it was the quiet that woke me up and not anything else.

But if the thought freaks you out....by all means just get a power alarm device that beeps to high heaven if the power gets disrupted.

[khauser]

I don't know about everyone else, but a loss of cpap event for me is an INSTANT awake. Maybe because my pressure is relatively high (medium?) The loss of 15cm pressure is very alerting, and I wake right up, curse for a bit, and then address the issue (ie, remove mask, etc).

The manufacturer is probably covering their butt, but I suppose if someone already had a breathing problem other than 'just' sleep apnea, their might be a problem? But all of us experienced the effects of not breathing in our sleep before we got treated. And the brain most certainly DOES wake you up!

[Revived1]

Thanks for asking this question, Sylvanas.
I just realised I'm losing it. I was thanking people for their answers, thinking I had started this thread. Sorry about that. Didn't mean to take over. I think I may have only a couple of brain cells left after who knows how many years of untreated sleep apnea!
Anyway, I am very glad you asked this question. I feel a heck of a lot better from the answers.