What's your daily ritual?

[sparkinson]

I should be picking up my BiPAP machine tomorrow. I have been reading the forums like crazy, mostly trying to work out what all the technical terms mean. One thing I am going to have to get to grips with real quick are the changes to my everyday routine- I imagine a lot of it is second nature once you have had an xPAP machine for a while, but I figure I am going to have to have spend some time in the mornings and evenings getting everything set up / cleaned / put away properly.

I am really interested in any gotchas- like, I didn't clean my humidifier for a week and put the mask on to be greeted by a family of earwigs (and yes, I read the cockroach thread. That made me feel great..). One night with the mask gave me an enormous spot on the side of the bridge of my nose- I figure I am going to be using my wife's cleanser ever night at least. I have also seen mention of KY jelly for sealant / lubrication, tape for leaks, what look like hanging basket devices to hold the pipes up.

What about getting the mask fitted for the first time at home (I have a beard..)- it was easy with the tech ripping velcro and setting it up, but when I opened my eyes all I could see was blurry bits of plastic. I think all I'd see in the mirror would be a blurry blob with a fuzzy bit of hair. Is it easy to see the current leak rate on the latest Resmeds as you get it all set up? What do you recommend for lubrication / rubbing relief?

So, what would you tell a newbie was your nightly and morning routine, and how long does it take?

Thanks,

Simon

[bdp522]

It didn't take me long to find a routine that worked well for me.
When I get up in the morning;
I turn off the machine, THEN I remove the mask wipe it with a towelette, and immediately cover it with a knee hi stocking to ensure that nothing crawls into the mask/hose. I have never had this happen but once reading about it here, I decided that it was better safe than sorry! I set the mask on the machine,which is placed in a tray on the floor under the bed. I check to be sure the HH is full and top it off as needed(I keep distilled water in a basket on my night table shelf). I reload my pur-sleep as needed(I keep the oils in the night table drawer). Morning routine is done, took 5 mins or less.

Before bed;
I make sure my face is extra clean, tape my mouth shut using Roosters method(viewtopic.php?t=9653), put the mask on and go to sleep. Bedtime routine is done, took way less than 5 mins.

I used to clean everything(hoses, mask, headgear, HH) weekly. Now I clean the HH(I do not take it apart), mask and headgear once a month, Hose-never. The monthly cleaning takes about 15 mins. not counting the 15 min vinegar and water soak or drying time for the headgear(I have extra headgear and just swap out). I do use an extra hose cover and that gets washed weekly but I just wash with regular laundry and use a second cover in the mean time. I cover the end of the hose with a little satin bag and the cover slips on easily, only takes 2-3 mins to do.

Hope some of this helps...
Brenda

[sparkinson]

Thanks, that doesn't sound bad at all- I had this elaborate ritual in my head that was going to take about 30 minutes a day.

Simon

[Pineapple]

Sparkinson,

Mine's about the same as Brenda's. In the morning I take the hose and mask with me to the bathroom, hang up the hose (I have a big rainout problem) to dry and wash the cushion it while I wait for the shower to finish warming up - I don't consider any real time because I used to just stand there waiting. At night I top of the humidifier and put the hose/mask/cushion back on before I mask up. when I get home after work I pull my card for download (takes about 15 minutes if I have to get the son off the computer, or if the computer is off, less otherwise). I wash my headgear, mask, and hose once a week and soak the humidifier tank, 30 minutes to soak the tank (which is put it in the soak and do something else like take my shower) 15 minutes for the rest.

If the tasks are taking to much time, try breaking them down into smaller parts and doing them at different times. If I did everything at once, it probably would be about 30 minutes. I've been accussed at work of taking ADD to a new level, I call it multitasking:)

[gasp]

What machine and mask do you use? At least the mask will determine how much time in your daily ritual. One mask I had required taking it apart and the one I have now just gets rinsed as all the surfaces are easily accessible.

Morning Routine : 10 minutes
- disconnect hose, grab water chamber, pursleep pad, and head off to the bathroom.
- take hose out of hose cover, hang hose to try (hubby made me a hook high enough I can slip hose onto it and it hangs to dry)
- disconnect nasal pillow from headgear. squirt soap in it and rise out, put on clean washcloth to dry during the day.
- rinse headgear hose and hang to dry
- put pursleep pad by matching oil (I use many Pur-sleep scents and have the pad that matches the scent by each oil)
- take water chamber apart, dump out residual water, turn upside down on washcloth to dry during the day.

Evening Routine - 5 minutes
- put hose back into hose cover, hook up to machine
- put nasal pillows back onto mask and hook up to hose
- put distilled water in chamber and put in machine
- put a couple of drops of Pur-sleep oil on pad and put on diffuser dish by machine

I think that's it.

[racefan]

Wow, I guess my ritual is super easy.
AM-wake up, shut off the alarm,shut the machine off,take off my mask,get in the shower.
PM-Put on breath rite strip,put on mask,turn on machine,put head on pillow,fall asleep in 20 to 30 seconds.(yes really that fast)
One a week I wash my mask & hose & refill humidifier as needed with distilled water & wash it about once a month or so.

[new to cpap]

gasp, what is this pur-sleep that you are talking about?

[bdp522]

http://www.pur-sleep.com

Brenda

[new to cpap]

oooo, that sounds nice, well not so much the food ones. Do a lot of people use this?

[bdp522]

Check out this link to get free samples;
viewtopic/t34658/FREE-PurSleep-Aromatic-Samples.html

I've been using them for over a year and love it!

Brenda

[new to cpap]

I just sent an email requesting the samples. I am can't wait to try it! Thanks!!

[crossfit]

the daily routine hasn't been all that hard for me to get used to. Though sometimes I head a small voice in my head saying, "stupid mask, just this once go without". I never listen to it though. Too important.

I use the cpap wipes to wipe my stuff clean daily, let everything air dry, and only deep clean once a week. I have a new blow dryer for drying the mask because we have high humidity here sometimes and it wouldn't be dry by bedtime.

What has been harder has been timing when to put it on at night. Some nights me and hubby want to talk and I just hate talking with the air blowing. But we haven't really figured out a way to "know" which nights we are talkative and which we aren't. So that part of the routine we are still working out.

[daf]

I'm with racefan. I turn off the machine, get up, rinse off the nasal pillow, shower and go. At night I wash my face, put in my mouth guard (for teeth grinding), put on chin strap and head gear, plug the hose in and go to sleep.

On the weekend I give the nasal pillow a good washing and sometimes the headgrear.

[gasp]

the daily routine hasn't been all that hard for me to get used to. Though sometimes I head a small voice in my head saying, "stupid mask, just this once go without". I never listen to it though. Too important.

I use the cpap wipes to wipe my stuff clean daily, let everything air dry, and only deep clean once a week. I have a new blow dryer for drying the mask because we have high humidity here sometimes and it wouldn't be dry by bedtime.

What has been harder has been timing when to put it on at night. Some nights me and hubby want to talk and I just hate talking with the air blowing. But we haven't really figured out a way to "know" which nights we are talkative and which we aren't. So that part of the routine we are still working out.

My hubby teased that this is the best time for him to be able to talk : )