A couple of question about position of hose.

[NancyAZ]

This past week I posted that I had found a solution to wrestling with the hose on my machine all night long. I rigged up a hose management system using the wrought iron canopy on my bed. Now I am worried about the fact that the hose rises about 4 feet before it comes back down to connect to my mask hose. Would this reduce the pressure of the air coming out of my mask? I wouldn't worry about it but I saw something on the forum this week from someone who said that longer hoses reduce air pressure so I thought, "If the length of the hose reduces the pressure, would making the air go up the hose before it comes back down again do the same thing?" I've only been doing this for a little over a week so I really am a little nervous about doing it right.

Also, I saw today that someone uses a Swift FX Nasal Pillow Mask and that to keep the exhaust from blowing in their face, they put the hose under a blanket. I have thought about this but was concerned about interfering with the exhaust. I would love to be able to do this because that exhaust drives me crazy. Would it be ok to put it under a blanket to keep it from blowing in my face?

Thanks in advance for replies.

Nancy

[Patrick A]

Nancy
Because of where I have to place my Bi-Pap and the type of mask I use Mirage Swift II, I need to hang the hose over my head or lay the hose between the mattress and the headboard. I have found no loss of pressure. I also have not noticed any rain out.
I have heard horror stories about placing your head under the blankets. As to putting your hose under the blankets I see no problem, when I use my Optilife mask I do that.
Welcome to the forum.
Hope this helps.

[Hose_Head]

This past week I posted that I had found a solution to wrestling with the hose on my machine all night long. I rigged up a hose management system using the wrought iron canopy on my bed. Now I am worried about the fact that the hose rises about 4 feet before it comes back down to connect to my mask hose. Would this reduce the pressure of the air coming out of my mask? I wouldn't worry about it but I saw something on the forum this week from someone who said that longer hoses reduce air pressure so I thought, "If the length of the hose reduces the pressure, would making the air go up the hose before it comes back down again do the same thing?" I've only been doing this for a little over a week so I really am a little nervous about doing it right.

Also, I saw today that someone uses a Swift FX Nasal Pillow Mask and that to keep the exhaust from blowing in their face, they put the hose under a blanket. I have thought about this but was concerned about interfering with the exhaust. I would love to be able to do this because that exhaust drives me crazy. Would it be ok to put it under a blanket to keep it from blowing in my face?

Thanks in advance for replies.

Nancy

The total length of hose could be a problem if it's more than 10 ft. Your cpap's pressure could be increased to offset the loss of pressure in a longer hose, but I have no idea what formula you would use to figure out the new setting. It's likely that the best way to do this would be with a manometer (ask your DME or by one from cpap.com) .

As for the height of the hose above your head, don't worry, whatever pressure it loses on the way up will be gained on the way back down

[LinkC]

You can buy one online for about $25. Or make your own for the cost of a plastic straw and a ruler with centimeters on it. (Actually, inches will do if you're good at math...) Your home made one will be every bit as accurate. It's a simple device

[Janknitz]

I think some people like Roby Sue keep the hose under the covers, not the mask itself.

You definitely COULD sleep with your head and mask under the covers--remember the air is coming from the machine's inlet (where the filter goes), but I would imagine the exhaust would be hitting the bedclothes and making a lot of noise. And you need to be absolutely sure that the exhaust can vent out enough to prevent C02 from backing up in your mask.

[robysue]

Also, I saw today that someone uses a Swift FX Nasal Pillow Mask and that to keep the exhaust from blowing in their face, they put the hose under a blanket. I have thought about this but was concerned about interfering with the exhaust. I would love to be able to do this because that exhaust drives me crazy. Would it be ok to put it under a blanket to keep it from blowing in my face?

I do this. I used to worry (a lot) about it. But then I realized that pre-CPAP on cold nights I slept with my whole head under the covers and my nose covered by my hand (rather like the way a cat covers their nose with their paw). Now I find that's what I do again: When I want my head under the covers I just pull the covers over top of everything.

I do make sure that the covers are not tight around the FX. In other words, I make sure that there's space for it to blow into. Usually I can create that space either with my hubby's body (the FX blowing on him doesn't seem to wake him up) or pillows or my own arm---well protected from that dang jet by a thick robe.

[snuginarug]

Totally off topic---

Those babies are SOOO cute! Yours? Your grandchildren?

I couldn't not comment as they are adorable. Their blankets make it look like you've got a couple of bags of babies, all set to be toted around. And it looks like the one on the left is talking to the on on the right. Hehe.

[NancyAZ]

Those are my twin grandsons, snuginarug. Thanks for noticing. They are now four and a half years old and more fun than I ever imagined. They haven't seen Nanny (their name for me) in her CPAP mask yet but their favorite characters are from Star Wars right now so I already know what they are going to call me!
Thanks for all of the other replies also.
Nancy

[OntarioKevin]

Re: the position of hose, it makes no difference to the pressure if it goes up, down or sideways from an engineering perspective. Pressure is pressure, and gravity has very little effect on air pressure over such a short distance (it would have to be like a mile long, and then leakage would still be more of a factor than gravity).

What CAN be an issue is water dripping up or down, which I believe is why they tell you to have the CPAP machine below your level.

Blocking the exhaust sounds like a very bad idea, but re-routing it seems OK, and unless your blanket is very heavy I wouldn't think there'd be a risk of suffocation, but I'll leave that for others to comment.

[Wombara]

I run my hose over the top of the bedhead and then down to my mask (nasal pillow).

I find this much better than any other position I have tried for two reasons. Firstly, I never get tangled in my hose anymore as I roll orpine in my sleep and, secondly, I don't experience rainouts.