First night of CPAP: the noise factor

[RoboLobo]

Well, I got a little sleep last night with my new CPAP setup, but I need to ask you nice folks a question: was I deluded when I thought my machine and mask would make little to no noise, and that I wouldn't hear 8cm of air blowing in and out of my nose and mask? Once my machine ramped up from 4 to 8cm, I got a noise/hum/vibration that sounded like a tiny vacuum cleaner inside my head. Is that part of the program, and if so do you have any hints to either help me reduce it or better adapt to it? My wife, BTW, didn't mind it. She was much unhappier with me taking the mask off for most of the night, expressing my frustration, and flopping around in my sleep with the mask off. So obviously I need to make this work. Thanks!

[Slartybartfast]

I'm not experienced either with that machine or that mask, so take that into account. But most people don't seem to find noise from the mask objectionable. At first you will notice the noise, but it shouldn't be something that would keep you awake, especially at only 8 cm pressure. It might be that the particular nasal mask you have is acting like a sound box on a guitar, amplifying the sound transmitted along the hose from the blower. If you can try out a nasal pillows mask, it will certainly be quieter than the nasal mask. Sometimes readjusting the hose angle affects the sound. Anytime the air is forced around a sharp corner turbulence will make itself heard.

What you really need to know is whether the Mirage FX mask is known to be particularly noisy. Perhaps someone will materialize and answer that question.

[Pugsy]

Did your wife hear the noise?

Are you using CFlex? If so you might play with the CFlex setting as the change in blower with CFlex engaging may be a culprit. Also try placing the machine lower than where it is now and on some sort of padding. I use a towel and others use something like a large mouse pad. Anything to act as a cushion.

Do you lay your hose across the bed/mattress? If so there can be some "conducted" noise through the hose which gets amplified a bit because of the mattress. Try routing the hose upward so nothing lays on the bed. If you put your fingers in your ears do you still hear the noise?
Some masks' venting is just noisier than others. I found that my Swift FX nasal pillows seem to vent more quietly than my previous Swift LT nasal pillow mask.
Venting that bounces off bedding will be noisier.

So try to figure out if you think the noise is from the machine or the mask then you can work on possible solutions to limit the noise.

[Grand-PAP]

Hi RoboLobo,

As you will probably learn from responses to your post, everyone seems to have different experiences with various masks, machines and hose setups.

For a couple of months I used a ResMed S9 machine and for the past eight nights I have used a RP System One. My personal experience was that neither created much noice. However, I did feel that the S9 was a quieter machine and I seemed to get less conductive noise through the hose and mask. Fortunately, after a few nights I got used to it.

Ditto to Pugsy's suggestions to use some padding for the machine and getting the hose off the bed. I use a hose hanger and it works great. If you have a headboard on your bed you can probably drape the hose over the headboard. If not do a cpaptalk search for hose hangers or hose management and you will get some suggestions for approaches other have taken.

Best of luck with your therapy!

[chunkyfrog]

Where your machine sits can be a factor, too.
If it is not low enough, sound can travel more easily to you.
If the table under the machine is vibrating, you may want to put a sheet of foam shelf liner under the machine.
Good luck.

[mindy]

It sounds like you got some great suggestions. Also please keep in mind that it takes time to get used to cpap. Since it doesn't sound like your wife was seriously bothered, the noise may be coming from the air exhale ports on the mask against sheets/pillows/other bedding. Try to keep the area around the mask exhale ports away from bedding. Also, please try to have a liitle patience with the process. I think there are very few of us who don't have at least some adjustment problems!

Mindy

[Carmen]

I found I got used to the sound quite quickly--I'll bet that in a week you won't even notice it. My husband does claim it's like sleeping with Darth Vader, but it doesn't keep him awake.

[pap4life]

Try placing the CPAP under your bed slightly, if possible. That will reduce some of the machine noise. As a mechanical device it is obviously going to make some noise, so since its a foreign noise in the bedroom, it should be noticable, but certainly not very loud or at least objectionable.

A lot of times the noise you get in your head is conducted or telegraphed noise. As suggested, try putting your fingers in your ears to see if that helps. If you are a side sleeper your ears may be closing a bit because of wax. Put your mask on and lay on your back with your head straight up and down. I will probably sound different then head on side.

[JeffL]

I hear very little noise from my S9. It's really rare that i notice any noise at all.

[jaybee72]

I don think anyone's mentioned it, but I find leaks tend to be very noisy. If I hear noise I check for a leak...

[Bobby269]

I use a white noise machine. A fan running in the room can also help.

[retrodave15]

I have found if the hose is in front of the mask vent you may get some noise. I also made a home made hose lift to hang the hose above me. I that took care of the noise problem for me.

[ClayL]

My System One is very quiet. If none of the suggestions above help, you might want to take it in and have your DME see if it has a problem.

[portiemom]

My S9 Autoset is extremely quiet, and I use the same nasal mask as you on occassion, but I do keep it snug. I find the circle vent system on this mask the quietiest I've found. Good Luck

[RoboLobo]

Original poster RoboLobo back at ya all (y'all?). Second night was better, for whatever reason I did not have the perception (if that's what it was) that the noise from my machine was transmitted up the hose into my mask and into my brain. Not sure why. I could hear my machine, but it was acceptable. I did play with the C-Flex and Humidifier settings a bit, that might have helped, hard to say. I did pull my mask off at 2:45 a.m. due to a feeling of claustrophobia, I think due to nasal congestion, but I was able to put it back on a bit later. So all in all a mostly positive experience.

That being said, two new questions: 1) Anyone see a problem with taking (i.e, squirting it up my nose) Flonase prior to going to bed, or maybe 6 p.m. or so? Any old hands at that?; 2) Not sure it is related to CPAP at all, but last night I had some fairly severe foot cramps that came and went, which is unusual for me. Could there be a connection?

Thanks as always for everyone's advice and support!