CPAP smells causing migraines

[Lightweaver]

I'm very sensitive to smells. New plastic smell is one of my migraine triggers.
Recently, I purchased a Resmed machine from secondwindcpap.com, a new mask (AirFit p10) and a hose. They all smell. The hose and the mask have new plastic smell and the machine has some sort of sweet-ish smell to it.
I thought a good wash and some airing out will be enough, but it turned out to be not so easy.
So far, I washed the mask and the hose several times, soaked in dish soap for a day, in vinegar for 2 whole days, baking soda for several hours (I wasn't sure if baking soda can damage the materials if used longer). After that, I ran the machine in an empty room for a whole week (with no filter).
The smell dissipated somewhat, but not nearly enough. When I tried breathing with the machine, I had to stop after just 20 min as I felt a migraine coming on:(
Back to soaking now.
Could you share some tricks that would help me get rid of these smells please?
I NEED this cpap thing to work, I'm tired of being tired all the time...

[Revived1]

I'm very sensitive to smells. New plastic smell is one of my migraine triggers.
Recently, I purchased a Resmed machine from secondwindcpap.com, a new mask and a hose. They all smell. The hose and the mask have new plastic smell and the machine has some sort of sweet-ish smell to it.
I thought a good wash and some airing out will be enough, but it turned out to be not so easy.
So far, I washed the mask and the hose several times, soaked in dish soap for a day, in vinegar for 2 whole days, baking soda for several hours (I wasn't sure if baking soda can damage the materials if used longer). After that, I ran the machine in an empty room for a whole week (with no filter).
The smell dissipated somewhat, but not nearly enough. When I tried breathing with the machine, I had to stop after just 20 min as I felt a migraine coming on:(
Back to soaking now.
Could you share some tricks that would help me get rid of these smells please?
I NEED this cpap thing to work, I'm tired of being tired all the time...

I'd suggest hiring a CPAP machine and mask for a month, and work on the smell during that time. That way, you'll be able to use a machine that's been broken in and no longer smells while you work on getting rid of the smell in your own machine. If it was just a matter of not liking the smell, I'd suggest just waiting until it went away, but if it causes you migraines, you want to get rid of the smell before you use it again. Once you get rid of the smell, you can take the rental one back.
That's what I would do, anyway. Hope that helps.

[iLoveMilfs]

Maybe if you just made yourself used it after several days you will adapt to it and it will not be so bad

[esel]

One can get used to the smell it will slowly reduce as the sensory receptors will saturate. It can take a long time and if you take it off over the day it will be the same problem every night.

You may try to keep the mask (often the worst smelling) next to you and try to slowly get used to it. It is a pain in the ...

One other think to try is to set up a cotton ball with a tiny amount of scented oil +/- close to your CPAP in the hope the smell no longer feels so terrible.

Good luck

[Pugsy]

Run the machine outside in the fresh air all day long...see if that helps. The more it gets used the less the "new silicone" smell will be present.

Run it with mask and hose attached to air those products out as well. It will eventually off gas enough so the odors won't be so annoying.

[Pugsy]

I'd suggest hiring a CPAP machine and mask for a month,

Not that easy in the US. Most places don't rent out cpap machines here. Darn near impossible to find a place that will rent one.
It's not like it is down under where you live. Sometimes I wish it were like where you live that way people could try both brands and pick the one they like the best.

[Pugsy]

Maybe if you just made yourself used it after several days you will adapt to it and it will not be so bad

Really now???? Have you ever had a migraine? You can't use it if it triggers a migraine and you can't sleep. There is no getting used to it like that...
Want a migraine every night for a week? I don't think so. Sometimes when people get a migraine it lasts for days.

This is NOT good advice to be giving someone.

[iLoveMilfs]

Maybe if you just made yourself used it after several days you will adapt to it and it will not be so bad

Really now???? Have you ever had a migraine? You can't use it if it triggers a migraine and you can't sleep. There is no getting used to it like that...
Want a migraine every night for a week? I don't think so. Sometimes when people get a migraine it lasts for days.

This is NOT good advice to be giving someone.

Indeed I have had horrible migraine issues before. I do believe she could adapt and the smell will go away and stop causing migraines. I have had similar issues with my bipap before. The smell went away when I forced myself to just use it

My advice is way better than yours

[iLoveMilfs]

One can get used to the smell it will slowly reduce as the sensory receptors will saturate.

Agreed

[jimbud]

My advice is way better than yours

Sounds familiar.

We have had a Troll tossed at least twice who used this phrase.
Your chosen profile name is a clue also.

JPB

[Lightweaver]

Run the machine outside in the fresh air all day long...see if that helps. The more it gets used the less the "new silicone" smell will be present.

Run it with mask and hose attached to air those products out as well. It will eventually off gas enough so the odors won't be so annoying.

I don't have a good outside space, but I ran it near an open window, with everything attached (hose, mask).
What do you think of hose brushes? I feel scrubbing the hoses on the inside might help, but would it scratch them? Also, do you know if soaking in baking soda for longer periods is safe? What about hot water?

[Pugsy]

Sounds familiar.

We have had a Troll tossed at least twice who used this phrase.
Your chosen profile name is a clue also.

Yeppers...I have been thinking the same thing myself...he's been on my radar. Looks like I will be having to warm up those ban and delete buttons....sigh.
Same IP address...same snarky ass attitude. He will be back with another proxy address (I already blocked his home IP address) but I can and will just keep blocking as long as he keeps coming back.
God I wish he would just get life somewhere else but here and at Jason's forum. They have already kicked him out of the apneaboard twice.
Time to go put on my moderator gloves and get to work. Good bye Mr Nastymouth avatar.....we don't allow stuff like that here.

[Pugsy]

If you have a heated hose I wouldn't use one of those hose brushes in it. There are heating coils inside the heated hose and I would be afraid of damaging the coils. If a non heated hose though..probably wouldn't hurt a thing.

Hot water is fine. Baking soda soak won't hurt anything either. Mask or hose....I use as hot of water as I can stand.
I would suggest that you rinse really really well because baking soda tends to leave a film on things and I would do a final quick rinse with distilled water.

Some people are just sensitive to the odors and it takes some time for enough off gassing to get rid of the odors. Running the machine in front of an open window...that's fine.
You might even need to run the machine even long. The more air that goes through it...the better in terms of off gassing.

[Revived1]

I'd suggest hiring a CPAP machine and mask for a month,

Not that easy in the US. Most places don't rent out cpap machines here. Darn near impossible to find a place that will rent one.
It's not like it is down under where you live. Sometimes I wish it were like where you live that way people could try both brands and pick the one they like the best.

Well, at last I've found a CPAP/sleep-related situation where Australia has a more convenient set-up than the U.S.! I've been feeling like we're pretty backward here, when every electrical appliance that's mentioned on here isn't available in Aust.!...right from electrical stoppage alarms to light boxes! It was just pure luck that I found the (I think) ONLY Australian dealer of those. I won't gloat too much, though, re: the ability to hire machines. It would be good if machines were available for rent in the U.S., as it really is handy to be able to rent them if you need to. Maybe you should start a campaign to get that changed. You would be just the person to do it, I think, Pugsy! Sounds like you know the right people.

[Pugsy]

Maybe you should start a campaign to get that changed. You would be just the person to do it, I think, Pugsy! Sounds like you know the right people.

You get the same response I told someone who wanted me to start a cpap&insurance for people turning 65 website....no, no, no and hell no.

CPAP stuff here in the US falls under the RX is needed umbrella from our good old FDA which means the federal government has their muggy little paws in it. So....I would have to deal with the government...enough said. I would rather have my fingernails pulled out one by one than deal with the government. Here in the US it's a double edged sword...with the RX thing being stuck on everything that means insurance will pay for it. If they removed the RX thing then people's insurance wouldn't pay for masks and machines. Then of course there are the people who tell people that cpap can kill you thing and that's why it has RX on it....which is obviously not true.

So what we do....buy stuff in the gray market and essentially bypass the system whenever we can. Pretty much tell the system "up yours" or that's how I look at it. I am a rebel but I am also smart enough to know that some wars it just isn't a smart idea to be starting them when there is no chance of even taking a battle much less a war.