New Hosehead question - exhalation noise

Gregersen2 · Post by **Gregersen2** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 8:57 pm

Hi everyone,

I've had my CPAP about 3 weeks now. I am preparing for bariatric surgery and had a sleep study which revealed I was averaging over 130 apneas per hour. So now I have my CPAP machine which I love, though it takes some getting used to.

My question is this. Everytime I exhale, (through my nose of course), there is a noise which corresponds to the length of my breath. I really can't describe it better than that. There is no sound as I inhale, just when I exhale. It sounds like a light snore, and while not overly loud, can keep me awake longer than it should. It seems to coming from the back of the machine. I explained this to the RT who set me up with the machine, and he told me to bring in the machine when I see my doc on January 12th to check it out. He wasn't sure what it might be, or most likely I wasn't explaining it correctly to him.

Is this a normal sound for a CPAP machine? Shouldn't I just hear air during inhalation and exhalation?

Any input would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Chris

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:45 pm

Someone who uses that same mask should be able to help you. All I can offer is that with most nasal pillows (and I know you have a nasal mask), there is a "swoosh" sound on exhale. So, are you sure the noise is coming from the machine or is it coming from the exhale ports on the mask itself?

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:52 pm

Masks do make a difference in noise, as do machines. What you have to decide what is normal. My machine is fairly quiet but the mask is a little noisy, so I run nature sounds in the background to mask everything. laying there listening to your breathing gets you to fighting the machine and makes it harder to get to sleep. Jim