Questions for you long time Cpap users

Hi all.

I am doing better after two weeks on my Bipap.. Not great but better. I am getting 6.5 to 7.5 hours a night on my machine but still wake up frequently to adjust my mask or go potty. I wake up easier and have far less joint pain now. I even notice that driving home from work at night is easier and less of a danger.

I have some questions.

1. I am cleaning my mask a couple times a week. Should I clean the hose? if so how?

2. I am on a full face mask. I use the humidifier but still get some dry mouth in the morning. Is this normal?

3. This is strange. I some times have to take the mask off at night to scratch my nose. I never had this sensation before.. Is the machine doing something?

4. Do you guys keep a spare or extra mask around for emergencys? Do you think the insurance company will pay?

Thanks again for this site.. It make this therapy much easier.

Matthew

I'll jump in here and give you one opinion.

1. I am cleaning my mask a couple times a week. Should I clean the hose? if so how?

Best would be to clean mask everyday. I use baby wipes, and just wipe off, and about once a week throw it in sink and let it soak in mild soap, rinse and let air dry. Same with the hose. I clean mine once a week. Each to his own I guess.

2. I am on a full face mask. I use the humidifier but still get some dry mouth in the morning. Is this normal?

I don't have a full face mask but have five others that I rotate quite regularly. Sorry I can't help you on this one.

3. This is strange. I some times have to take the mask off at night to scratch my nose. I never had this sensation before.. Is the machine doing something?

Sounds to me like dry skin, might try a little cream during the day to change skin tone.

4. Do you guys keep a spare or extra mask around for emergencies? Do you think the insurance company will pay?

As I said, I have five masks altogether. I have my favorites and change whenever one irritates my nose or lip. Insurance companies differ. Call them and find out. DME's have a tendency to tell you something and then it is quite different when the bill comes. My insurance pays 50% of any goods and will buy a mask every six months. Today I am going to get another but I am only getting the mask even though they would like me to take new filters, sponges, hoses, and chinstraps, etc. My fifty percent of their high prices is more than the CPAP.com price without any insurance money. Don't be afraid to ask You have to be proactive in your treatment, and............. no one else is going to watch your pocketbook for you

I am also a BiPap user (12/9), and have been on it for over a year after trying and having problems with regular CPAP. I now average over 8.5 hours every night and usually wake up and can't tell there is any pressure in my mask. It all works for me. Good Luck

Opinions are like elbows, and these are mine.

IMHO, cleaning is highly overrated and I rarely clean mine until things start crawling up my nose from the pillows.
I will occasionally - about ever 3 months- wash completely in mild soap and reinse with diluted vinegar, there will be an odor for a few hours, but this is no problem. Sling the hose around and it will dry it out.
- no expersince with ff mask, but i cannot imagine using one and wonder how others do. Some have to due to mouth breathing. I wonder if mouth breathing is something a person can learn to stop.

Rotating masks tell me that you have not found one that is suitable for you. I use a breeze and have no such problems. There was a time when I was younger and pretty that I rotated sleepmates, but eventually found one that was just fine and have settled down to one. This was difficult, but mother nature has taken care of this. I think the same should apply to masks.

You can probably go to an auction site and buy masks cheaper than your copay will be- Same for cpaps too.

Beware of anyone who claims to have the BEST answer for anything. It sometimes varies with the individual.

The itching nose happened to me before cpap and I imagine everyone scratches their nose suring sleep. Some even pick them and I do not think this is related to CPAP.
I could be wrong- but not as often as my current sleepmate thinks I am.

thewebbie writes:

3. This is strange. I some times have to take the mask off at night to scratch my nose. I never had this sensation before.. Is the machine doing something?

My first reaction to this is, when you didn't have something covering your nose, chances are you were never aware you had an itch because you probably just subconsciouly scratched it and it was gone. Now that you get one and can't get to it, you're more aware of it.

I don't really think it's your machine, a skin irritation or anything like that, IMHO. I think it's just a case of recognizing something now that you never would have before.

And as far as your masks, so far insurance has only paid for two of my five. Like Tomjax said, you can go to Yahoo Auctions or even eBay and find them much cheaper usually for what you'd pay at a cpap site. But if you want pure safety, stick to this site. They will back up your purchase with a warantee should it break in the first, I believe, 90 days or so (check that before you buy-not positive of the time limit) and it is a known-reputable site.