Weird question about smell

bryansong · Post by **bryansong** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:28 pm

I too have an acute sense of smell. I have been using cpap almost 10 years now and I can't remember it being like this when I was younger. I can smell if the person driving down the road in fromt of me is smoking. I think I smell every car that has ever had an antifreeze leak. I am particularly sensitive to perfumes, colognes, and deoderent. Poor hygene of some people bother me also - though I would never say anything.

You mentioned baby powder; I have never noticed that aroma in association with my mask but I do smell it on people and find it funny that that smell doesn't bother me.

The Guest mentioned that they smelled things that weren't but I know that they Are there.

I've been to the allergist and it looks like the only thing that I showed any sensitivity to is dust mites which are not a real problem for me as my apap filters the air. I'm sure I have that Multiple Chemical Sensitivity disorder thing but the doctor tells me there is no test for that and it can't be diagnosed.

Hopefully you can soak your mask and hose with a little dish soap (not Dawn) along with a little bit of white vinager for about 1/2 hour then rinse well and your issues with the baby powder smell will go away.

Best wishes,

Bryan

michaelho · Post by **michaelho** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 3:23 am

I can tolerate going to sleep even though it takes ages and the 'plastic smell' is very annoying. If I rip my mask off (which I do regularly after ~2 hrs, I have incredible trouble putting it back on because of the 'unfresh' smell whatever it is. I even get up , empty the humidifier and put in cold clean water which sometimes helps. I've just got a new 'breeze' mask which seems to seal the best so far, but has the 'smell'. I
I've washed them several times, seems like I may need to soak them. I HAVE to get the mask back on during the night!

By the way, the Pur-Sleep oil, is that put in the humidifier? Or placed on a pad near the air inlet. Does anyone know where to source these in Australia?

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 3:39 pm

I was at work when I responded about my sense of smell and couldn't log on under sleepycarol. My response is listed under guest.

At times I almost feel like I am in a time warp when it comes to aromas. I can smell fresh coffee cake baking, apple pie, fresh cut flowers, to name just a few. I don't smell the odors all the time -- just infrequently enough that I can't trust my sense of smell.

Thanks for the info Jules -- it sounds like I ought to do some research on it.

SleepGuy · Post by **SleepGuy** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 3:58 pm

michaelho wrote:By the way, the Pur-Sleep oil, is that put in the humidifier? Or placed on a pad near the air inlet. Does anyone know where to source these in Australia?

michaelho, the PurSleep products are not placed in the humidifier. It's a passive diffusion system that releases a small amount of an aromatic into the air as it's being drawn into the equipment. The website below my siguature explains the products well and we've shipped plenty of product to Australia. It's very effective at eliminating the plastic smell, which had been making me miserable for my first year on cpap. By the way, I am the person behind PurSleep, just so you know.

delaney725 · Post by **delaney725** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 10:27 am

You have no idea how much of a relief it was to hear that I'm not crazy. Well, not about this at least

It does make sense that there would be some residual baby powder product in the room, as my baby slept in there for 9 months. She's been out of the room for 3 months, but it makes sense that there would be some left over smells.

As for the ripping off the mask thing, I'll start a new, more focused thread

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:53 am

delaney725 wrote:You have no idea how much of a relief it was to hear that I'm not crazy. Well, not about this at least

It does make sense that there would be some residual baby powder product in the room, as my baby slept in there for 9 months. She's been out of the room for 3 months, but it makes sense that there would be some left over smells.

As for the ripping off the mask thing, I'll start a new, more focused thread

You didn't mention this in your original post.

I've been wondering why that would be a complaint. In the spring of the year when the skunks go "frolicking" through our neighborhood, I'd take the smell of baby powder hands down.

Den

Treesap · Post by **Treesap** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 6:39 pm

Nope. You are't crazy. Here's my post of my similar "problem". I think it is better to smell something somewhat nice than something not so nice.

viewtopic.php?p=189491&highlight=#189491

It is definitely a common phenomena with CPAP to smell things.

CentralScrutinizer · Post by **CentralScrutinizer** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:09 am

Wow...

I'm a new CPAP user, struggling to get used to sleeping with this gear... One of the things I've noticed is that after using the gear for even a hour, when I take the mask (nasal pillow) off, I can smell something that seems to be a cross between a flowery scent and that new car (plastic) smell. Amongst other things related to the new CPAP, this smell is driving me crazy.

I've only had my CPAP gear for about 5 days... I've washed the nasal pillow itself a couple times with mild unscented soap and rinsed... but I've never attempted to clean any of the rest of the stuff.

I was reading up on how best to clean this stuff, hoping that maybe this smell is from the 'newness' of all the plastic tubing and such... Now after reading this discussion, I can't help but wonder if I'm not experiencing what's being discussed here... I guess I'll first clean all my gear and see if it goes away.

I'm the type of person who may never buy another new car again, simply because the last new car gave me a headache from the smell for about 3 months after buying it... I'm waking up with a headache almost every morning since using my CPAP and I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't at least in part to some smells given off by all the plastic and such that the CPAP gear is made of...

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:18 am

I let my new cpaps run without me or a mask for about 1-2 hours, to get rid of the smell - before using them at all. No harm in trying even now. You'll have to turn off the Auto off and the mask alarm if your machine has them on.

You should definitely rinse and dry the hose too - mine had insturction to do that.

And you may want to take a look at sleepguy's http://www.pur-sleep.com site. This is someone who knows how an unpleasant smell can keep you awake, and how a pleasant one can calm an relax you.

Good luck!
O.

Rumur · Post by **Rumur** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 12:05 pm

I'm glad this came up again.

I too have noticed the baby powder smell and have even asked about it in this forum.

Since that post I have washed my mask in baby shampoo several times and the odor is still there upon removing the mask.

I really thought it was a smell in the house, until Saturday.

I went on a retreat for my church and took my machine. First time to sleep with it away from home.

I took the mask off Saturday morning and there was the smell. In a room with 65 other men, baby powder is not exactly the smell you would expect. However that is the one I got.

Strange...

CentralScrutinizer · Post by **CentralScrutinizer** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 12:42 pm

Well... your not very encouraging to someone who's hoping to have this go away soon...

I don't think I'd describe mine as smelling like baby powder... but then I can't exactly put a finger on exactly what it does smell like... I'd have to say my smell is more like fabric softener... (but then it's been weeks since my bedding or anything near my bedroom has been washed, etc...

Anyway, today I'm going to wash everything in some 'planet' Ultra liquid dish detergent... Non scented with no dies, 100% biodegradable, etc... It does say something about 'coconut oil' based... so I hope I don't wind up with suntan lotion smelling CPAP equipment...

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NotthatBob · Post by **NotthatBob** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 1:08 pm

I have been on the hose for 3 months now. 98% compliant. Lately I have noticed that my lungs feel "funny." The best way I can explain it is that my lungs, especially the "upper lungs" feel similar to the way they feel when I take a decongestant...which I don't do often because I don't like the feeling. I don't get any of the other "side effects" of a decongestant, just the lung sensation. I suppose the pressure may be opening the alveoli and that is the cause of the sensation. On CPAP. My pressure is 9. Any thoughts?

CentralScrutinizer · Post by **CentralScrutinizer** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:27 am

FYI... This morning I smelled baby powder... Not sure if this was due to reading this thread and having others suggest it smell like baby powder, or if it has to do with the fact that I did wash all the tubing and gear throughly and my old fabric softener/plastic smell went away and now I'm smelling something else... Strange.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:42 am

I hasten to say this is NOT in any way what you all are talking about....but...I found it interesting, anyway:

http://www.schizophrenia.com/New/Dec2003/smelltest.htm

alnhwrd · Post by **alnhwrd** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:53 am

Could this be the reason why my Ultra Mirage smells like a ham sandwich?

Roses are red
Violets are blue
I'm schizophrenic,
And so am I!

Weird question about smell

Thanks everyone!

Re: Thanks everyone!

Flowery scent...

Lungs feel funny.

Machine	Mask