DME called me about power outage!

BigHeart · Post by **BigHeart** » Thu May 05, 2005 5:58 pm

I just had a voice mail message from my DME telling me that there is a planned power outage for my community from 1 to 4 tonight. People are always running down their DME's, and mine isn't the most knowledgable either, but I thought that it was incredible service that they were calling all their patients to inform them about the power outage.

I don't tape my mouth, and I have my Bi-PAP plugged into an UPS, but I don't know how long the UPS power will last; I guess I'll find out tonight. I also don't know if my UPS will beep at me the whole time that I'm running off of its power; if it does, I think that would keep me awake. I could just plan to be awake tonight from 1 to 4, but there's not much to do in the middle of the night with no electricity.

sharonious · Post by **sharonious** » Thu May 05, 2005 6:19 pm

for a de3dicated DME. That is good that he/she got in contact with users. It may be a cover-his/her-a. situation, but it may be a very real concern. There are times when we are too skeptical, I think.

Severeena · Post by **Severeena** » Fri May 06, 2005 3:24 pm

Since we depend on the CPAP's keeping us alive, what would happen to us in the middle of the night when the power could go out by a lightening strike, or an accident where a light pole could be knocked down and in some cases the fuse blow on the transformer.
I know this was a planned outage, but what about unplanned outages.

IWannaSleep · Post by **IWannaSleep** » Fri May 06, 2005 5:55 pm

It's extremely unlikely the power would go out for more than a few hours or a day. As important as our xPAP therapy is to each of us, it's not an imminent life or death situation if we lose power for even a few days, which is very unlikely. If it goes out while you are sleeping the lack of air flow will wake you up and you'll take your mask off and do your best to continue sleeping. Or, buy an uninterruptable power supply and plug your xpap into it. That will prevent a short term power outtage from affecting your treatment at all.

BigHeart · Post by **BigHeart** » Fri May 06, 2005 8:13 pm

When the power went off, my Bi-PAP went off because I had accidentally plugged it into the wrong outlet on the UPS, and I immediately woke up and took off the mask. No problem. But then I was lying there wide awake, so I decided I might as well turn the UPS back on and see how long my power would last. It was a little hard to go back to sleep because the UPS was going Beep Beep Beep about every minute. If I ever buy another Uninterruptible Power Supply, I think I'll look for one on which you can turn off the beeping. But I managed to go back to sleep in about 10 minutes, and the power lasted about an hour and a half. Then I woke up because the UPS was going BeepBeepBeepBeep without stopping, which I took to mean that I was almost out of power. So I removed my mask and turned off the UPS. Then I lay there awake for about another half hour until the power came back on. What I found interesting was that I appear to be unable to go to sleep now without my beloved PAP. And while I was lying there awake, I had to get up to go to the bathroom every half hour, like in the olden days, before PAP.

sharonious · Post by **sharonious** » Fri May 06, 2005 8:27 pm

If the lack of air awakened us and we could then arrange to breathe, just why would we need cpap at all? Yes, I know, there are other good reasons. Good ones. However, we can't be assured of awakening and being in a good enough state to pull off the masks. A family friend in NJ, only in her thirties, didn't realize she wasn't breathing in her sleep on 2/28 and went without air long enough that the doctors prognosed a pvs. They were about to "warehouse" her, telling her husband that she would never be any better. This was after evaluations by doctors in two hospitals. They said she had no motor functions, no sight, no possibility for any improvement. All "proved" by scans. Funny thing, three weeks ago she began to talk. She responds appropriately to questions. She asks questions. She cries when her husband explains what happened to her. She did not awaken and start to breathe when the event occurred. The doctors said she was without air for "up to 20 minutes". Please don't say that we can control the situation when the power goes out.

BigHeart · Post by **BigHeart** » Fri May 06, 2005 8:45 pm

When the power went off, I awoke because the UPS started beeping, and because all the nightlights suddenly went off, and because the Bi-PAP, refrigerator, etc. suddenly went quiet. I do highly recommend that people buy an Uninterruptible Power Supply. Mine was about $45 and protects my Bi-PAP from surges, brownouts, and momentary outtages, too. And now that I've got it plugged in correctly, my Bi-PAP will just keep running for up to 90 minutes.

IWannaSleep · Post by **IWannaSleep** » Sat May 07, 2005 10:22 am

If you are concerned you will fall asleep and not wake up again when the power goes out, then for sure you should go buy an uninterruptable power supply (UPS). If nothing else than for piece of mind. You should also discuss this with your doctor and get their perspective on it.

We are all different and have different conditions, but I know I would wake up.

.

sharonious · Post by **sharonious** » Sat May 07, 2005 1:25 pm

I had apnea because I didn't awaken even with apneas as long as 41 seconds. One doctor insisted I couldn't have apnea even after seeing report of "severe" apnea. I just had to wake up, he said. I didn't. Will get an UPS, for sure. Thank you for the information.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sat May 07, 2005 2:10 pm

I may be wrong, but I think the "wake up to breathe" out of an apnea doesn't have to be a fully aware awakening. Perhaps they can be wake-ups so brief that a person isn't even aware of them - giving the person the impression they had slept all the way through the night.

Also, possibly the impulse to breathe could simply take one up only to a lighter level of sleep, resulting in just enough arousal to get a breath, without waking up at all.

Look how many people report that their bed partners told them about all those snoring, snorting, gasping, choking sounds as they resumed breathing repeatedly; yet, the snorer was totally unaware of the struggle and the commotion.

That unawareness could be the case even more easily, I'd think, with the more silent apneics.

DME called me about power outage!

DME called me about power outage!

3 cheers.....

power outage

What?

Didn't know....

Mask