CPAP - What you've learned the hard way...

NeedinZs · Post by **NeedinZs** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:02 am

I learned something the hard way last night, and even though I can chuckle about it now, it wasn't quite so funny last night.

Got me to thinking, I'm sure lots of us have "learned through experience" what NOT to do while on CPAP.

Here's my tip for the day: Don't sneeze with Poli-grip strips on your lips. OUCH!

What's yours?

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:51 am

Make damn sure your heated hose is plugged in on cold nights. Snorting cold water at 3:00am will piss you off and wake you up pretty good.

JeffH...LOL

Joffive · Post by **Joffive** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:56 am

Never put anything in your humidifier water...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 12:13 pm

Just because your humidifier seemed overwhelming in the warm months, doesn't mean you shouldn't try it again in the cold months. Keep trying different settings. Warm moist air really helps that dry mouth/throat thing.

I'm convinced I got so sick a few weeks ago because I'd dried out my throat with lack of humidity for a couple of weeks. I was extra vulnerable to the virus when it hit.

Cheers,
Babs

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 12:19 pm

Wow! I had a very similar experience last night...Sneezed before I could tear off the tape over the mouth. Not funny. In fact, a bit scary. Pulled half the tape off after the sneeze, but didn't sneeze again. Re-taped.

Country4ever · Post by **Country4ever** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:49 pm

Don't underestimate how leaks can make your numbers totally useless for knowing what's going on.
And I never use tape any more, since I, too, have sneezed and coughed with it firmly in place.
And never answer the phone at night without removing your mask and turning off your machine.

Ashkat · Post by **Ashkat** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:49 pm

Anything you sneeze into a nasal mask is going to be coming right back at you.

Learned that one last night...

~Ashkat

canyongirl · Post by **canyongirl** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:34 pm

unhook mask, take it off, whatever before you get out of bed and rip everything down with you..... bad for the machine

geoDoug · Post by **geoDoug** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:05 pm

Did you know that your machine won't record data if the Encore Pro card is in the card reader on your desk overnight? Go figure.

Doug.

WearyOne · Post by **WearyOne** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:17 pm

Card left on desk overnight -- done that more than once.
Forgetting to adjust humidity when weather changes -- done that.
Forgotten to unhook myself from machine before getting up -- almost did that. (Maybe this one means we're so comfortable wearing the mask that we forget we have it on? )

But have done---If you're wearing a full-face mask and continually breathing hard trying to get the automatic turn-on feature to turn the machine on ('cause you're too lazy to get up and push the button), make sure the cpap hose is actually hooked into your mask. For some reason, it won't work if it's not hooked up, and you tend to get a little dizzy!

Pam

geoDoug · Post by **geoDoug** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:30 pm

WearyOne wrote:But have done---If you're wearing a full-face mask and continually breathing hard trying to get the automatic turn-on feature to turn the machine on ('cause you're too lazy to get up and push the button), make sure the cpap hose is actually hooked into your mask. For some reason, it won't work if it's not hooked up, and you tend to get a little dizzy!

After I get settled in and am satisfied that I can "start things up," I take a deep breath. If the autostart on my CPAP responds right away with the tell-tale "ding," then I know everything is going to be OK. If it doesn't respond on that first breath, then I know that there's going to be an obscenely large leak like my humidifier not being connected all the way. (Yes, that's happened.) Out of curiosity, I'll reach over and manually turn the machine on. Sure enough, it sounds like a freight train is plowing through the bedroom. And I have to get out of bed to try to figure out where the leak is. Grrr...

Doug.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:46 pm

My autostart is so random. Sometimes I can just jiggle the hose and it will start up. Other nights, I huff myself into a tizzy and finally give up and roll over and hit the button.

I swear it thinks it's married to me.
Babs

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:55 pm

As most of you know my machine is setting on my headboard (bookcase) and got pulled off and got jammed between the headboard and my pillow. I was drowned by the humidifier water running down the hose and I learned the hard way to go out the next day and buy some nonskid shelf liner and a cheap cookie sheet. Hasn't budged since unless I move it to clean around it.

birdshell · Post by **birdshell** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:59 pm

I hope this hasn't happened to anyone else: I just cannot get this out of my mind.

There was a spider inside my mask when I took it off. It was frozen (in fear?

) right by the hose inlet. Now, sometimes I feel a tickling around the mask silicone, and I TRULY hoped it wasn't from a crawling spider on that night. I am quite certain that it hasn't been a spider EVERY night.

Some of you will be glad to note that I simply brushed the spider onto the floor with a small piece of paper. The fate of the spider?--probably moving on to build a new web, and hopefully to trap less desirables.

I generally disconnect the elbow from my Mirage Liberty whenever I get up to use the bathroom. That nice feature is one of the bonuses of the Liberty. I can only surmise that the little arachnid had gotten onto the blowing mask elbow (spiders are fond of breezes) looking for a good web site....

We could have just told that spider about cpaptalk.com

Karen,
Now considering arachnophobia

momadams · Post by **momadams** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 7:31 pm

If you're wearing a nasal mask, the power goes off in the neighborhood, and you are having trouble breathing, try opening your mouth...
Shari

Mask

Additional Comments: Equipment isn't correct, S9 ASV w/H5i

Machine	Mask

Additional Comments: Resmed HumidAir 11 for humidifier

Humidifier

Additional Comments: Pressure 16 cm H2O at altitude 6550ft

CPAP - What you've learned the hard way...

CPAP - What you've learned the hard way...

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