new resmed S8- more questions

[jjocelyn]

Hi everyone,

We just received our first ever cpap set yesterday. Though my husband was having a blocking nose and feeling unwell, he tried the machine still.
wow. It's so quiet that i could hardly hear any sound from the machine and i even doubted if it is mal-functioned. But it's really that quiet. I can't tell how it feels as i am not the one using it, but i can tell that for the first time my husband never snored during the sleep. Hope it's a good sign. However, he took the mask off at 4 am in the morning as he can't sleep very well with the mask on. It should take some time to adapt it, right? How long do you all take to adjust the cpap machine?

Some questions regarding the maintenance. How often should I clean the mask and hose and the water chamber of the humidifier? Do I need to disconnect the hose and the mask, the hose and the machine everyday?

[sleepycarol]

Welcome to the world of hoseheads!!

The time to adjust to therapy varies from person to person. Some take to it fairly easily, others it is a slow process. Finding the right mask is typically the key to great therapy in my opinion. Make sure he uses it every night, even if he doesn't make it all night. Try increasing the time each night by a little bit and before you know it he will have it licked.

I know it takes time to feel a real noticeable difference for many as well. So if he doesn't feel great right away, encourage him to hang in there, it will get better. I was one of those that took a long time to feel any real difference. I still haven't felt as good as I did at my titration study, and may never experience that feeling again. But the whole point is my health is better and I feel better so that is a positive.

As far as cleaning goes, everyone has their own routine. I am extremely lax and seldom clean anything!! So far it hasn't hurt me, but I am comfortable with my routine. Others find they wash their mask, etc. daily. Follow your own instincts and there is no right or wrong way for the most part. Just use a gentle soap and no harsh chemicals. I find Ivory liquid (regular) or baby shampoo works for me.

Always use distilled water in the humidifier to keep mineral deposits from building up and/or mold growth.

If he experiences rain-out where water accumulates in the mask or hose, cover the hose with a cover.

[JohnBFisher]

... We just received our first ever cpap set yesterday. ...

Wow! That was quick. Glad you received it so quickly.

... Though my husband was having a blocking nose and feeling unwell, he tried the machine still. ...

A stopped up nose can make it more difficult. But it's a good sign he was willing to try it.

... wow. It's so quiet that i could hardly hear any sound from the machine and i even doubted if it is mal-functioned. But it's really that quiet. ...

They are getting quieter all the time. My wife keeps checking on me with my new unit. It is quieter than the unit we got two years ago. And it was quieter than ... You get the picture.

... I can't tell how it feels as i am not the one using it, but i can tell that for the first time my husband never snored during the sleep. Hope it's a good sign. ...

It is. It means it was keeping his airway open more than it has been in the past.

... However, he took the mask off at 4 am in the morning as he can't sleep very well with the mask on. It should take some time to adapt it, right? How long do you all take to adjust the cpap machine? ...

Yeah, nasal congestion can make it hard to tolerate the increased pressure. But he is trying.

There was a discussion a few days back and a Respiratory Therapist noted it seemed to take three weeks (on average) to adjust to the mask and CPAP. Some people do it much faster. Some people take much longer.

The first machine I had I adjusted to it (and loved it) the first night. But I did not have nasal congestion and I was SEVERELY sleep deprived. I was wonderful.

The most recent machine I received (the VPAP Adapt SV unit) is taking me about four weeks to adjust to it. It works quite differently and tended to awaken me as it adjusted pressure. But I'm hanging in there because I am feeling better, slowly but surely.

... Some questions regarding the maintenance. How often should I clean the mask and hose and the water chamber of the humidifier? ...

I use distilled water in the humidifier, so I don't need to clean it or the hose. Oh, occassionally I will clean them. But you can count on one hand (maybe two) the number of times I've cleaned those components. And I use my unit every night (with a very few exceptions) for the past 18 years.

There is an exception. When I travel and stay in a hotel where they use those room deoderants, I tend to clean the humidifier, the hose and the mask after my travel. I also change the filter on the back, since it also carries some of that stink.

Oh, and for some reason I've had a couple times when the unit smelled "funny". Since that air is going into my lungs, I did not want anything being transferred from the machine to my lungs. So, I figured if it smelled funny, regardless of the reason, it was time to wash it out. That did the trick. But that happened just a couple of times.

But I do periodically clean the mask. Some people clean it every day. I clean it about once every month or two. Use a MILD detergent (baby shampoo works well). Your mask should have come with instructions on how to take it apart and wash it. Or you can usually find that information online. (You can also find a mild wipe that does much the same thing and is easier to do that than fully wash it.)

... Do I need to disconnect the hose and the mask, the hose and the machine everyday?

Nope. On my current machine, I just "hang" the mask over where it connects to the machine. On my old machine I would wrap it around the unit. You will find something that works for you. But basically, keeping it simple (KISS) makes it easier to live with it. The less hassle, the easier it is to use, the more likelihood your husband will be compliant. At least that's the way it has worked for me.

Best of wishes. Hopefully as your husband continues, he will also see the benefit.

[rested gal]

As far as cleaning goes, everyone has their own routine. I am extremely lax and seldom clean anything!! So far it hasn't hurt me, but I am comfortable with my routine.

I'm with Carol on that!

Here is a link you can click to read about many different routines people have:
Apr 19, 2005 subject: Cleaning CPAP Equipment
viewtopic.php?t=2482

Always use distilled water in the humidifier to keep mineral deposits from building up and/or mold growth.

I agree. Distilled water is all I use in the humidifier. I don't dump the unused water out in the morning. I just add more as needed.

Carol's absolutely right about how the time it takes adjust to therapy varies among different people. The mask will be the main piece of the puzzle to get right. Gotta have a comfortable mask that allows sleeping in whatever sleep positions a person is accustomed to. There's nothing natural about wearing a mask while trying to sleep, so for awhile your husband may be trading off sleep disruptions from apneas for a whole new set of sleep disruptions -- from the equipment itself -- the mask in particular.

What type of mask was he given?

Full Face (FF mask) that covers nose and mouth together?
Nasal mask that covers only the nose?
Nasal pillows mask that has two little silicone cones that rest against the outside of his nares (nostril openings)?

Welcome to the board. Your husband is fortunate to have your support and your willingness to start researching ways to make it work better and better.

Didn't see JohnBFisher's excellent post until I'd finished this, so I'll go ahead and post it. John's a smart man who is steering you right.

[jjocelyn]

yeah. Thanks all for your timely responses.
He is using a full face mask.
I shall leave the set there on the night table first. No cleaning job added to me. Oh Yeah!

[JohnBFisher]

... Didn't see JohnBFisher's excellent post until I'd finished this, so I'll go ahead and post it. John's a smart man who is steering you right.

Snork! If only that were so! It is more like I've got a ton of bite marks on my rump to help remind me what I keep forgetting! I figure I might as well share the experience with others. Sometimes it helps!

[jjocelyn]

one more thing i forgot mention here.
If you have a cat, well, that's a bad thing for her.
My timid cat refused to sleep with us yesterday night. (She usually sleep at the side of my pillow.) Even i can't feel anything, or perhaps the air blow sound from the mask sometimes, but the cat was really sensitive and terrified by the new machine and her master with a new mask look.

[Muse-Inc]

...cat was really sensitive and terrified by the new machine and her master with a new mask look.

Give her some some time and she'll likely be OK with the new 'thing'

[JohnBFisher]

...cat was really sensitive and terrified by the new machine and her master with a new mask look.

Give her some some time and she'll likely be OK with the new 'thing'

Actually most pets will recognize the new norm ... especially if it helps you feel better. My dog will come and wake me if I fall asleep without using my machine. Don't know if the snoring bothers him, but he knows that's not "right" and wants me to do it "right". Animals are often funny that way.

[secret agent girl]

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[Slinky]

Goshes, but I really am getting to be a cranky ole witch. My first thought when I read your original post was - WHY are YOU the one to do the equipment cleaning??? Huh? Its HIS equipment. What happens if you go out of town w/o him for a few days - or he had to go out of town for a few days w/o you?? Sheesh! Hubby and I both know how to cook, do laundry, mow the lawn, etc., etc. No His, no Hers chores in this household, they are all His/Hers, uni-sex chores. Hubby even stiched up the seam on our dog's plush squeaky toy yesterday.

Hey, I'm w/RestedGal, etc. I don't clean that often and I just keep adding to the distilled water already in the humidifier tank. Almost the only time I clean the tank is when I travel. Then I do use a PoliDent Denture tablet to wash the tank out and a tap water rinse until I get home when I use a vinegar water rinse. The hose I just replace, I don't bother washing it. Baby shampoo for my mask when I do clean it which isn't too often and I do not take it apart except for removing the headgear.

[ozij]

I'm not one for washing things frequently. But I discovered my mask seals much better when I take care to wash the facial area it touches with soap (Dr. Bonner's liquid castille soap) just before I go to bed, and the seal too. I started that after about 3 years - big difference.

Resmed's have a very gentle continuous blowing after you turn them off - for about 30 minutes or so. It dries remaining humidity in the hose, and I like that feature.
I keep my machine in a drawer, and about 30 minutes to an hour after I get up I disconnect the electricity and close the drawer.

It's dusty where I live, so I prefer the drawer closed -- and diconnect because otherwise the machine generates some warmth in the close drawer.
I also prefer to take the tank out and keep it away from the machine and the drawer during the day.

Welcome to the forum.

[jmelby]

Here is my cleaning routine:

- Wash the mask cushion and forehead piece every morning after getting up with soft hand soap. It's important to keep the oils off the mask cushion to make it last longer (imho)
- Empty the humidifier tank every morning
- Disinfect the hose and humidifier tank weekly in a water/vinegar (4:1) solution
- Wash the full mask and head gear with soft hand soap weekly

This is the cleaning schedule recommended by my DME (that specializes in just CPAP equipment). I know a lot of people on here think this is going way overboard... particularly about the hose and humidifier tank, but my thinking is that bacteria and germs can grow there even if you use distilled water and this is what you are breathing all night every night.