PLEASE READ THIS!!!

[ErnieH]

I just came back from Mexico. I was sleeping one morning and started to dream of a comedy show I was watching. I was trying to laugh, but I couldn't get enough air to laugh. I then found myself in a city with no one around, except some people in a car with their windows rolled up. I was screaming to them for help, because I couldn't breath. Finally I opened my eyes and realized the electric was off. I don't know how long I was in that situation, but boy did my chest hurt. I was in panic mode for a quite a while. This morning I got on the computer to see if there was any kind of alarm to let you know the electric had gone off. I found one at cpap.com. It's called the PowerOUT. It is only $16.95 plus shipping. It's 86 db. I'll know how loud that is once I get it and try it out. Once before our power had gone out in the house, but it was before bedtime, so I could just sit up in a chair until it came on. In Mexico no one would have known what happened to me if I would have passed, because as soon as the electric kicked back on the cpap machine started up again. I told my wife, if anything happens to me to check the card, and it will show the electric stopped. Please think about this!!! I don't know about you, but I want to wake up if there's a problem

I send this with a sincere concern for all,
Ernie

[nanwilson]

Ernie, by hitting "Edit" and just go back into your posts that are duplicated and delete them....... easy peasy

[kaiasgram]

Hi Ernie, I deleted the duplicates for you. In the future if no one has responded to your post yet you can delete it yourself by clicking on the "X" button.

It sounds like the same power out alarm that I have. If so, it is not loud at all so you need to have it close to you. Mine is plugged into the power strip with my cpap machine. It also has a flashlight that automatically turns on when the power goes out.

[dinycat]

I didn't think we had to worry about suffocating. I was told that my mask had vents enabling me to breathe in case machine was off.

dinycat

[skram]

dinycat, The full face masks usually have a valve that will allow you to breathe if the power goes out. You can test it out and see where it is and how it works by putting your mask on and instead of plugging the short hose into the long hose, just cover the end of it with your hand, then try to breathe.

I think for the Q Air, it is in the elbow.

For those of us using nasal masks/pillows, I would have thought that we'd just start breathing through our mouths.

[RogerSC]

I just came back from Mexico. I was sleeping one morning and started to dream of a comedy show I was watching. I was trying to laugh, but I couldn't get enough air to laugh. I then found myself in a city with no one around, except some people in a car with their windows rolled up. I was screaming to them for help, because I couldn't breath. Finally I opened my eyes and realized the electric was off. I don't know how long I was in that situation, but boy did my chest hurt. I was in panic mode for a quite a while. This morning I got on the computer to see if there was any kind of alarm to let you know the electric had gone off. I found one at cpap.com. It's called the PowerOUT. It is only $16.95 plus shipping. It's 86 db. I'll know how loud that is once I get it and try it out. Once before our power had gone out in the house, but it was before bedtime, so I could just sit up in a chair until it came on. In Mexico no one would have known what happened to me if I would have passed, because as soon as the electric kicked back on the cpap machine started up again. I told my wife, if anything happens to me to check the card, and it will show the electric stopped. Please think about this!!! I don't know about you, but I want to wake up if there's a problem

I send this with a sincere concern for all,
Ernie

Ernie, thanks for the warning. Yes, it's obviously harder to breathe just using the vent holes on the ResMed nasal pillow masks if your cpap is off, but you shouldn't suffocate. Just try it, I do that every night before turning on my cpap, have a few breaths with the cpap off just to make sure everything is seated correctly. And I've had the power off on my cpap in the morning and while I didn't have any bad dreams, I was still breathing fine. It was more difficult than normal *smile*, but no suffocation.

And, as the person who just posted as I was writing this said, your body would most likely go to breathing through your mouth if you were in danger of suffocation.

I think that you should make sure that the vent holes on your P10 mask are clear and open.

[Bama Rambler]

The masks have vents and also must have an Anti Asphyxia valve. However it's harder to breathe through than normal breathing so you struggle a bit with it and especially so if you're asleep.

If your OSA is severe enough it could certainly pose a potential life threatening situation. If it's that bad, you should really consider a battery pack or UPS (uninterruptable power supply) for your unit.

[Bill44133]

Thats a good warning Ernie... Maybe I will look into one of alarms... Thanks for sharing your experience

[Janknitz]

Another option is a battery backup meant for computers. It will sound a very piercing alarm and maintain your equipment on battery for varying amounts of time to give you the time to save work and log off. It acts as a surge protector as well. However, they are heavy as boat anchors--not something you'd want to travel with.

I wear a FF mask and once or twice I've woken up feeling like a fish gasping for air. I know the anti-asphyxiation valve works, but it's still a creepy feeling to suddenly be without the usual amount of airflow. I've come to really like that airflow, and sometimes when I'm wide awake in the morning and it's at it's lowest setting I feel like I'm not getting enough air, although clearly I am.

When I put my mask on at night and feel the air flowing, it's my body's cue to sleep, and I fall asleep instantly 99% of the time. Quite interesting to me because since childhood it would take me a minimum of 30 minutes and often HOURS to fall asleep, even if I was exhausted. I feel like I can't go to sleep without the "wind in my face" anymore.

[robysue]

This morning I got on the computer to see if there was any kind of alarm to let you know the electric had gone off. I found one at cpap.com. It's called the PowerOUT. It is only $16.95 plus shipping. It's 86 db. I'll know how loud that is once I get it and try it out.

According to https://www.chem.purdue.edu/chemsafety/ ... levels.htm, 86 decibels is:

LOUDER than

• typical volume of a tv or radio (70-76 db)
• louder than a vacuum cleaner (70 db)

About the SAME as

• a garbage dipsosal (80 db)
• a food blender (88 db)

QUIETER than

• a power mower (96 db)
• a motorcycle at 25' away (90 db)

[Bill44133]

This morning I got on the computer to see if there was any kind of alarm to let you know the electric had gone off. I found one at cpap.com. It's called the PowerOUT. It is only $16.95 plus shipping. It's 86 db. I'll know how loud that is once I get it and try it out.

According to https://www.chem.purdue.edu/chemsafety/ ... levels.htm, 86 decibels is:

LOUDER than

• typical volume of a tv or radio (70-76 db)
• louder than a vacuum cleaner (70 db)

About the SAME as

• a garbage dipsosal (80 db)
• a food blender (88 db)

QUIETER than

• a power mower (96 db)
• a motorcycle at 25' away (90 db)

thanks Robysue! excellent examples

[DoriC]

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/relian ... light.html

I've used this for years and it's worth a lot more to me! It's plugged in by my night table and it has a fairly piercing alarm that wakes me up immediately whenever we have an outage. Mike would sleep through anything! I even have a backup in reserve but so far we've had this one plugged in for about 4yrs.

[chunkyfrog]

I'd be more worried if I was on a vent.

[jencat824]

I wake up when we have a power outage because of the lack of sound (we run fans at night for 'white noise'). It wakes me almost instantly, but I have to wake my hubby. I sleep with nasal pillows, but he wears a FFM.

I think I'm going to get the alarm for him. If he is alone, and will be for weeks after his mom goes home from rehab - since I will have to stay with her, I would worry that he would sleep through an outage.

Thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention, good to know.

Jen

[Goofproof]

You are using a nasal mask, usually that leaves your mouth as a second source of airway, unless you tape or otherwise plug off your mouth. Odds are what you experienced was apnea, from no pressure to treat it. I have it happen with a FF mask a few times, it's alarming but due to the built in valve, not a deal breaker. I just awaken from the added effort of restricted breathing, if it was too alarming, I build a back-up into my system, I have a car starter pack but have never hooked it up. Jim