Gravity + CPAP + Nightstand = Crash!

[smyles]

Hi Gang,

For the first time in 3 years I finally dropped the CPAP and HH while I was sleeping. I guess I got twisted in hose and pulled the entire unit off the nightstand. The funny thing is that when it fell, it pulled me off the bed.

What a way to wake up!

After the incident, everything seemed ok. No water appeared to enter the CPAP nor went up the tube. In fact, the damn thing keep running like nothing ever happened.

Now the question...for you experienced hose heads...should I be checking the unit for any specific malfunction?

[LDuyer]

Hi Gang,

For the first time in 3 years I finally dropped the CPAP and HH while I was sleeping. I guess I got twisted in hose and pulled the entire unit off the nightstand. The funny thing is that when it fell, it pulled me off the bed.

What a way to wake up!

After the incident, everything seemed ok. No water appeared to enter the CPAP nor went up the tube. In fact, the damn thing keep running like nothing ever happened.

Now the question...for you experienced hose heads...should I be checking the unit for any specific malfunction?

I got such a chuckle reading this! Sorry, I'm chuckling over your misfortune. But it is funny to imagine this happening.

I would pay extra attention to the machine for awhile, see how it's running. Other than that, I'm not sure what else you should do, short of taking it somewhere to be checked out.


Linda

[Hoover]

I had one of those little Goodnight jobs for a wile and it fell off my nightstand every darn night. The motor went ,finally, probably from all the falls. Now I'm a CFLEX fan. A bit more weight, too.

[snork1]

I think taking "+nightstand" out of that equation would solve the problem.

Thats one reason I run mine from the floor.

I have heard of people putting them in nighstand drawers to get some height but keep them secured.

[Colorado Jan]

Boy that WOULD be a rude awakening to be jerked to the floor by your mask hose.....geez loueez!

I guess if the darn thing is still running you are doing fine...

I tried using my machines on the floor, but my bed is quite high and to continue that arrangement I would have needed to get 10 foot hose...so right now I'm using the PB420E from my nightstand. I have loads of hose room that way so I think I'll be fine, but that always is a worry, isn't it?

Glad you didn't hurt yourself in that fall...

Jan in Colo.

[Sleepless on LI]

smyles,

One of the first things my DME suggested was not keeping the machine up high, but for two reasons. One will be obvious to you now. The second is, if condensation accumulates, if the machine is lower than the level of your head, the condensation will run back into the hh tank rather than into your mask. If you keep it level, you may end up with more rainout. But if you don't use a hh, then ignore reason #2.

I hope your machine survived the crash. It must have been some sleep you were having last night!

[snork1]

another option I forgot to mention...
If you like to have your machine high...

You can buy or make a hose clip that is a strap that goes around the hose and clips to the sheet at the edge of the bed, which makes a pretty good strain relief, which I test regularly when I grab my CPAP hose and have forgotten to unclip it. Suprisingly effective for a tiny little clip.

The one you can buy uses a "badge clip" which those of you who work in "secure" environments are probably familiar with and might even be able to obtain a spare clip.