Brief burning smell in the night

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
SheZAAM!
Posts: 119
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 3:19 pm
Location: Denver, CO

Brief burning smell in the night

Post by SheZAAM! » Mon Oct 12, 2009 9:03 pm

Ok...this is going to sound wacky, as it's happened when I'm 1/2 awake, but it's happened enough that I thought I'd toss it out there.

A few times lately, I've awoken to the smell of something burning...sometimes rubber, sometimes it smells fiberous (carpet?) coming through my Swift pillows. I stay awake until it goes away, usually about 30 secs-1 min, but I'm not totally sure of time because I'm 1/2 awake. I know it's not a smell in my dreams, because I am mostly conscious when I smell it. It's not every night...maybe 2-3 times a month.

I've checked my filter and it's clean. I replace it every 3 mos.

_________________
Mask
Additional Comments: Pressure at 9. CPAP since 12/18/08

User avatar
Julie
Posts: 19898
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2006 12:58 pm

Re: Brief burning smell in the night

Post by Julie » Tue Oct 13, 2009 3:39 am

bump...

User avatar
Muse-Inc
Posts: 4382
Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2009 8:44 pm
Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: Brief burning smell in the night

Post by Muse-Inc » Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:22 am

Are you using a nasal steroid spray? They often cause me to periodically and unpredictably smell something burning, like cigarettes, electronics, rubber; I drove everyone around me nuts until I figured out it was a side-effect of the spray...the IT guy was not happy when I kept reporting a burning electronics smell in my office and no sense of humor when I reported what it really was...ah well

_________________
Mask: Hybrid Full Face CPAP Mask with Nasal Pillows and Headgear
Humidifier: HumidAire H4i™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Started Aug '07 CPAP Escape at 11 then 9, S9 APAP range 9.8-16, now 10-17
ResMed S9 range 9.8-17, RespCare Hybrid FFM
Never, never, never, never say never.

User avatar
reefdreamer
Posts: 156
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 6:41 pm
Location: Missouri

Re: Brief burning smell in the night

Post by reefdreamer » Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:03 pm

I notice that smell when the water is low in the humidity chamber. Could be that.
Jen

_________________
MaskSoftware

User avatar
2flamingos
Posts: 439
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:26 pm
Location: L.A. (Lower Alabama)

Re: Brief burning smell in the night

Post by 2flamingos » Tue Oct 13, 2009 2:22 pm

Jen stole my answer - lol. BUt seriously, if the water chamber is low or empty, you will definitely get a burning smell.

_________________
Mask: Swift™ FX Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: Pressure - 12-16 ClimateLine Hose. Zeo Mobile, Chin Strap
Old enough to know better


Karma is a Wonderful Thing.

SheZAAM!
Posts: 119
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 3:19 pm
Location: Denver, CO

Re: Brief burning smell in the night

Post by SheZAAM! » Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:56 pm

Nope, no nasal sprays. Maybe it's low water. I'll have to pay more attention. I have been going through more water since we turned the heat on.

_________________
Mask
Additional Comments: Pressure at 9. CPAP since 12/18/08

User avatar
blakepro
Posts: 507
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 1:26 pm
Location: Utah

Re: Brief burning smell in the night

Post by blakepro » Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:03 pm

makes me worry that there might be a problem with your machine. Is it old? had it serviced lately?

User avatar
PAPalogical
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:42 am
Location: Silicon Valley, CA

Re: Brief burning smell in the night

Post by PAPalogical » Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:26 pm

If it's not the water, and the machine is running fine, could it be a "phantom" smell?

I read your post yesterday, and in the middle of the night, I woke up smelling coffee brewing, and not just a generic "coffee brewing" smell, but Peet's Garuda. Not an out of water in the humidified issue, and the machine is running fine, so I just chalked it up as I got a whiff of something that made my brain think Peet's Garuda, and my brain got stuck on it - like how your brain can "block out" a smell that you got used to, can your mind "block in" a smell that you imagined?

I smelled the coffee for over 3m, until I finally fell back asleep, convinced I was nuts (which I guess wasn't very concerning to me, as I feel asleep).
Newbie

DJ_Boxer
Posts: 112
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 7:44 am
Location: North Bethesda, MD

Re: Brief burning smell in the night

Post by DJ_Boxer » Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:36 am

Several times I have smelled developer fluid(the kind you use for still cameras) and I was nowhere near a place where it could be(like in that episode of Torchwood). I'd check to make sure that water is in the humidifier tank and not spilled out into/onto the machine's hotplate. I'd also check the filters and to see if there are any gas leaks in your building(you didn't mention headaches with the smell). Anyone smoking in the vicinity like in an apartment complex where the smells could travel through the vents? When you smell the smell what are you tasting?

DJ
"Embrace your dreams"- Angeal Hewley

User avatar
tattooyu
Posts: 1618
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:57 am
Location: Valley Village, CA

Re: Brief burning smell in the night

Post by tattooyu » Wed Oct 14, 2009 11:43 am

I've experienced the same thing, woken up to no obvious smell anywhere. I'm sure it's just your brain convincing you that you smell something.


I'm just going to throw this out there, maybe someone else in the medical field can back me up on this, but I have heard that a burning rubber smell CAN be a precursor to a simple partial (focal) seizure.

And I stress... "CAN".
Sleep well and live better!

DJ_Boxer
Posts: 112
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 7:44 am
Location: North Bethesda, MD

Re: Brief burning smell in the night

Post by DJ_Boxer » Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:02 pm

Tattooyu:The last part of my post was sort of hinting at that. Also besides the smell, there is I believe a taste of mercury/aluminum? and besides a (focal) seizure, the smoke smell/ and taste thing can be a symptom/pre-cursor to a stroke? I am not a doctor nor do I play one on T.V. but there are many side-effects of OSA/SBD and while watching Fred Claus the other day they said he developed Sleep Apnea and snored(Snoring is not necessarily a symptom that someone has SA. It is the interrupted breathing that occurs where you stop breathing and your brain loses oxygen and forces you up to breathe again and many other things that occur(high blood pressure(which can lead to sudden nosebleeds/day sweating which I got), GERD, DEATH, overeating(to get energy), and others which I think may be including Alzheimer's. More research has to be done and is being done on what causes Sleep Apnea's, Alzheimer's and their causes and effects. One result is: Better equipment/masks that occur every few years that adjust better and are smaller and quieter than their original bretheren which were loud and uncomfortable which lead to less compliance than there is today.
My name is DJ and I'm as hosehead and proud of it for my health and others.
"Embrace your dreams"- Angeal Hewley

SheZAAM!
Posts: 119
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 3:19 pm
Location: Denver, CO

Re: Brief burning smell in the night

Post by SheZAAM! » Wed Oct 14, 2009 9:47 pm

blakepro wrote:makes me worry that there might be a problem with your machine. Is it old? had it serviced lately?
I've only been on CPAP since 12/18/08, so my machine is pretty new.

I'm pretty sure that it may have been low water in the humidifier.

Interesting that the smell of smoke could be a sign of something more serious. In our morning staff meeting at work the psychologist kept asking if someone has been smoking or around someone that has been smoking. None of us smokes or lives w/smokers. But....he is 60 and has had a stroke 3 years ago. I was a bit worried, but he made it through the work day just fine.

I live in a house w/no smokers. I'm a former smoker, but I quit 6/10/98 and am quite sensitive to the smell now.

_________________
Mask
Additional Comments: Pressure at 9. CPAP since 12/18/08