Sleeping with a cpap

jsmith1984 · Post by **jsmith1984** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:15 am

Hello to all. I recently underwent a sleep study to figure out why I was snoring. To my surprise I discovered I have sleep apnea... which would explain a lot of my problems ie sleepy all the time, headaches... I had 37 episodes every hour, and 75% of those were because I completely stopped breathing. Anyway, I went for my titration last week. they found out I needed a pressure of 11 to solve my problems. I was concerned about the loudness of the machine, but was surprised to see that the machine was very quiet.
Well my situation is like this. My girlfriend is a VERY light sleeper ( i mean when I start my car in the morning to leave to go to work, she wakes up. my car is very quiet.) So I have been sleeping in another room, which is wreaking havoc on our relationship. We got in a heated debate last night about it. She tells me that she cant have any noise when she sleeps. I told her the machine I used was quieter than a room fan on low. I also told her that if the machine does bother her, it may take a few days to get used to it. She might not sleep much at night, but she is out of work right now anyway due to a work related injury, so she can sleep during the day till she gets used to the noise.
Do any of you wise folks think she will have any problem sleeping with the machine on? if so what can I do to quiet it? thanks for your help.

S-Dubya · Post by **S-Dubya** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:20 am

I think you are right on saying that most machines are very quiet and she will get used to it.

Next, if you keep the machine below the level of the surface of the bed it will minimize the noise a lot. My nightstand has a shelf that is about 6" above the floor and it makes a great spot for my CPAP.

If that still keeps her up and she can't get used to it, maybe she has a sleep disorder of her own.

sleepinginseattle · Post by **sleepinginseattle** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:21 am

Do you think your girlfriend would be willing to wear ear plugs? That would seem to be a fair compromise considering that you've taken a big step to treat a serious medical condition and the noise of the machine is probably less than your snoring was before.

Just a thought.

dieselgal · Post by **dieselgal** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:24 am

I think there is no chance unless she wants to learn to sleep that way. A lot of these come down to how bad you want something. Hopefully she would like you to sleep in the same room and that will be an incentive for her to focus on something other than the sound of the machine. It might be a little distracting for both of you at first but you can get use to it.
Good luck

dudley_doright · Post by **dudley_doright** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:26 am

You mentioned that you snore, how is she coping with that? Tell her the machine is quieter than your snoring. To improve the noise of my machine, I have put it on the floor on top of a plastic platform that I used to use for my computer monitor. The only noise that I have now and it used to bother my wife is the mask leakage. Make sure you get a mask that has a good vent design. Go with Optilife, I find it to be quieter than my old and very popular Resmed Swift.
Good luck and please join the chat room and tell us your progress.

sleepinginseattle · Post by **sleepinginseattle** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:26 am

dieselgal wrote:... learn to sleep that way.

Boy that struck a chord...the CPAP was a bit of an adjustment, speaking of learning to sleep that way.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:45 am

jsmith1984 wrote:Hello to all. I recently underwent a sleep study to figure out why I was snoring. To my surprise I discovered I have sleep apnea... which would explain a lot of my problems ie sleepy all the time, headaches... I had 37 episodes every hour, and 75% of those were because I completely stopped breathing. Anyway, I went for my titration last week. they found out I needed a pressure of 11 to solve my problems. I was concerned about the loudness of the machine, but was surprised to see that the machine was very quiet.
Well my situation is like this. My girlfriend is a VERY light sleeper ( i mean when I start my car in the morning to leave to go to work, she wakes up. my car is very quiet.) So I have been sleeping in another room, which is wreaking havoc on our relationship. We got in a heated debate last night about it. She tells me that she cant have any noise when she sleeps. I told her the machine I used was quieter than a room fan on low. I also told her that if the machine does bother her, it may take a few days to get used to it. She might not sleep much at night, but she is out of work right now anyway due to a work related injury, so she can sleep during the day till she gets used to the noise.
Do any of you wise folks think she will have any problem sleeping with the machine on? if so what can I do to quiet it? thanks for your help.

Advice? Get married. You're already part-way there. (he said, jokingly)

Seriously......It's your health that's at stake. If it's that bad, then you'll have to sleep in separate rooms. And, if she can't accept that, then she ain't for you.

By the way, you're definitely not alone.....many others have come to this forum with the same problem/situation. I agree with what the others have said when comparing the sound of snoring to the CPAP/mask noises.

Good luck.

Den

peacefrog · Post by **peacefrog** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:52 am

I agree with the others. Untreated apnea is bad news, and if she wants what is best for you then she'll have to learn to live with it. If she doesn't want to learn to live with it, she doesn't have your best interests in mind and....

I guarantee the machine is much quieter than snoring. My snoring often gets me relegated to the couch... I have the kind of snores that rattle the whole house. When my roommate is downstairs cooking breakfast, I can be heard sawing logs, in my room with the door shut. The CPAP produces a white noise (much like a fan) that many people actually find soothing.

If she's having that much trouble sleeping, maybe she needs Ambien...

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): news, CPAP

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:55 am

Congratulations on beginning the treatment that will improve your nights and your days. Too bad it is "wreaking havoc" in your relationship. For anyone who is not a light sleeper, it would seem "just use earplugs" would suffice for the mild machine noise. However, anyone whose sleep is very fragile for whatever reason should be given the consideration and respect that they know best what it takes for them to get a good night's sleep.

Where does the havoc come in... which of you is upset? Is it that you want to sleep in the room with her and you're upset with her? I don't know, maybe you anticipated the sleep study and the machine solving your snoring and her light sleeping problem and you are disappointed. She may be disappointed too and expected the same.

But here you are, and sleeping with the machine is now about you and your health. Her sleep is about her health. My guess is that the more you push her the more she'll defend her need for silence. If I think back about stand-offs in past relationships, I have to admit most were not so much about needing something to be done my way as about wanting the other person to respect my perspective and the right to have it.

Give her some space. Respect her needs. (If she's been listening to you snore a while she's probably sleep deprived.) Hopefully soon she will want to make an effort to adjust. Granted, separate bedrooms is not what most bargain for in a relationship, but if all those things outside the sleep time you do share are strong, you will weather this storm.

Best wishes in adjusting to cpap therapy with this to deal with also. Hang in there.

Kathy

Catnapper · Post by **Catnapper** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 11:14 am

When I first started cpap I would play a CD of ocean waves (no birds or other sounds) at a low volume to cover the sound of the machine. Ocean waves are very nice to sleep to, at least for me. I can't hear the machine at all now. Just don't notice it.

For me, it would be important to be accepted, health issues, cpap and all. Life is not always what you would prefer.

I hope she learns to appreciate the cpap for the wonderful life and health it gives you and then can ignore the sound. I am a light sleeper too, so I am in sympathy with the problem.

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 11:29 am

Well, Kathy is the compassionate one, so I'll be the B**ch and say exactly what I think. Hopefully, you won't be too offended.

I think she has some commitment problems, or she's acting like a spoiled brat. Sorry, but that's what I think.

There is no way she will tolerate your equipment. I don't think it's going to be the machine noise she objects to. I think it will be the mask. If you get a nasal pillow mask, it makes noise on exhale. Nasal masks make noises too.

And then there's the exhaust vents -- which usually blow straight out towards your bed partner if you turn her way. She will absolutely HATE that.

This is a lifelong therapy for you, and I can see you sleeping in another bedroom for the rest of your life with her. I hope I'm wrong for both your sakes.

Oh Lord, I can see some horrible responses to my post already. I must have gotten up
GRUMPY.

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:44 pm

linda3032, that is one nasty picture of gollum! it's what i look like in the morning!

jsmith

sadly, i was thinking the same things as linda3032, till i read kathy's post and thought oops, respectful, gotta remember that! (thanks for the reminder, kathy, i needed that)

...anyway, just wanted to commiserate, as i've had more than one person refuse to sleep in the same room with me, and a husband of 18 years who is actually happy to be on midnights...you know how some parents can't get their kids out of their bed? not so much...i couldn't pay my kids to sleep with me...now, after 10 weeks of cpap, they're lining up around the block! nah, just kidding, but seriously, i'm so much quieter, no more snoring, gasping, snorting, flailing, and really, my machine is a bare bones model, but extremely quiet, and the comfortlite2 with direct seal pillow is the quietest mask i've tried (and the 5th one i've tried!)

your health is at stake, jsmith, do what you gotta do
best of luck and welcome to the forum

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:56 pm

Thank you all for your help. I should be getting my cpap sometime in the next week and a half... or so... I hope. Its one of the little remstar machines ( i cant remember the name right now) The sleep tech said its half as quiet as the machine I had for titration. So we will see. I will let you know what happens.

Sleeping with a cpap

Sleeping with a cpap

How is she sleeping now?

Re: Sleeping with a cpap

Cpap noise

cover the sound

Software

Additional Comments: decapitated aura, comfortsleeve, padacheeks, papillow, pur-sleep, pressure 9.5, back to using polident strips

Mask	Humidifier

Mask	Humidifier