CPAPtalk.com

OwlCreekObserver wrote:
I use the Velcro loop with the clip on the end that came with my ComfortCurve to secure the hose for whichever mask I'm using. Clipping it to the blanket keeps the hose in place and is usually enough to keep it from pulling the mask away from my face during the night. Making one of these would be fairly simple if this one ever broke.

I had to give up on the Velcro loop part, darn cat likes to chew on Velcro- not a good mix near a hose. Now I use a wide hair rubber band around my hoses & just have to move the clip thingy (like you clip a name badge on) from to another when I switch from ComfortCurve, with its own hose, to another type of mask. The wide rubber band is also nice because it has a little give, but not too much as you move around.

My other tip is to always have plumbers Teflon tape & electrical tape handy- you never know when you'll need them for a late night repair...and never forget to take them with you when you pack your xPAP (along with a extension cord/surge protection strip & a thingy to convert from 3 prong to a 2 prong, just in case).

I also found these great spouts that attach to just about any plastic bottle to make filling my HH easier- better then any funnel (sorry about the picture quality, all I had handy was my cell phone):


As you can see, they fit a variety of bottles (the green ring thing is an adapter); plus the green curved part works nice to reach my HH since its on the lowest shelf. I bought them at BigLots for $1 originally, but I noticed they were clearancing the ones from garden dept for 50cents, so I picked up a few more for other uses. They also have different colored ones in automotive & sometimes they have them in foods. I use the sprinkler attachment to 'cap' it off during the day- I figure anything that can get in through those small of holes would find a way in anyways

Wow, I left for 24 hours and came back to see all your wonderful tips! Thanks!

Here's another tip I remembered.

When packing my unit for an out-of-town trip, I open up the humidifier to drain it, then towel it out. Then I fold a washcloth loosely and stick it into the humidifier, put it back together and place on the bipap as usual. The cloth catches any little drops that I missed, so I don't worry about getting water in the bipap when I am hauling around the carrying case. (My case is not large enough to carry the humidifier separately from the bipap.)

Moogy

I rotate my hose 1 month an end attached to the humdifier & the next month the same end attached to the mask. I find this helps to lentghen the life of the hose because at the humidifier end the hose is always bent which could cause it to weaken & tear at that spot.
When travelling I use baby wipes without alcohol to clean my mask. The mask is clean smells great too.

WOW these tips are great and I use alot of them. I have dogs that love to lick everything they can, so i keep my mask in a nylon bag made by Woolite for washing delicate fabric items.....It also keeps the dust off of it.
Also, I keep a special chap stick on the nite table for any sore spots on my nose from the mask.....use the original as the scent is very lite.
Thanks to everyone for these super suggestions!

I disable the leak alarm on my machine and use it to dry my hose after washing it. I take the humidifier tank off and hook the hose directly to the machine. I place on old towel under the open end of the hose to catch the water. 15 minutes or so and the hose is completely dry.

Brian

I was keeping the cpap on the bottom shelf of my night stand-but then the hose hangs across to the bed and sometimes a loop of it droops down (so it collects rainout in winter). To solve that made a simple box platform and got 4 feet for it at the lumber/hardware store. So the cpap is off the floor and right beside the bed. The hose is now stright up & down--secured to the mattress with a clip. Rainout drains right back into the humidifier and the hose is covered by the bedding so isn't exposed to cold drafts (it also has it's own cover). Then made a simple box drawer to slide inside the cpap platform and have a place to store all those things like the screwdriver, electrical tape, small pliers, safety pins, velstretch strap,flashlight etc. You could put it on small casters to roll it out of the way during the day.

I took a low-cost approach to the weekly cleaning container. I had intended to go out and spend a few bucks on a tupperware container for mask bits and hose and humidifier tank to rest in, but the night before my kids had polished off the rest of a 1.25 gallon round plastic tub of Deans vanilla ice cream, and rinsed out it was exactly the right size to hold everything. I filled it to the very top with everything inside, put the lid on and "burped" it of excess air, then I could pick it up by the carrying handle and set it anywhere I wanted out of the way.

With the APAP going I sometimes think I can still smell vanilla, but I had a cup of vinegar in the soak so it's probably just my imagination.

When I travel, I put clingwrap on both openings of the (Puritan Bennett)humidifier tank, to make sure nothing drips out.

O.

(My cats believe it is their mission in life to chew every string-like object into itty-bitty pieces.)
I spray the electric cords and other such temptations with a product called bitter apple. Cats, dogs and other little critters (ie children) really hate the taste and do not return to the chew activity. It's available at any pet store.

Julie

I purchased a 5.99 salad spinner from biglots that I use to help clean and dry my mask bits. The basket helps alleviate the worry that small parts might go down the drain.

Great thread!

When going to try out a new mask, I take my own pillow and lie down (had to lie on the floor at the DME--nothing else available ). Your DME may not realize that everything changes when you go from sitting to lying down--pressure from the pillow, face muscles relaxing,etc. Make sure they hook you up to a machine so you can try it with pressure. And if you have time, stay down for 10-15 mins and try to relax to see if leaks will occur when relaxing to go to sleep. Toss and turn a bit too. Of course there are many fixes you can try once you get a mask home, but this gives you a better idea of how it will fit than just sitting up and putting it on.

I keep a bottle of drinking water with popup spout by my bed in case my mouth gets dry during the night.

We have a wall lamp at the head of our bed. That's where I hang my hose.

The little plastic drawers you can get at Walmart work well for keeping PAP supplies handy and organized.

Esther
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jum001 wrote:(My cats believe it is their mission in life to chew every string-like object into itty-bitty pieces.)
I spray the electric cords and other such temptations with a product called bitter apple. Cats, dogs and other little critters (ie children) really hate the taste and do not return to the chew activity. It's available at any pet store.

Julie

Thank you so much, jum001! It was so kind of you to answer to help my pets, and maybe someone else's pets who may not have heard of this substance.

Believe me, I know about bitter apple and bitter...UM, can't think of it but there is another version--is it orange? This helped our Doberman to stop causing lick granulomas on her sides and legs.

The cats, mother and daughter, do not think that this is a problem if the cords and strings are coated with something bitter. If it is their mission, apparently they HAVE to chew through the cords, strings, threads, etc. REGARDLESS of the taste.

Wouldn't they get a shock with the live cords? I think they may have used up some of their so-called 9 lives, and STILL believe that they have this mission!

Anyway, they are restricted to a portion of the house and the cords in this section are all encased in the auto electrical cord casing that is corrugated and split so that it can be put onto the cord easily. This is the only thing that works--so far. In fact, I was thinking that those old hoses might work for this purpose, if I ever have any old hoses!

Handy cheap little item to prolong the life of the rubber cuff of the air hose. No more struggle trying to work the cuff on and off the humidifier:

rested gal wrote:Handy cheap little item to prolong the life of the rubber cuff of the air hose. No more struggle trying to work the cuff on and off the humidifier:

Now THAT's a clever and practical idea!

OCO

Hi Birdshell,
Yes, your pets can fry when they bite a electric cord........I had a puppy fry his mouth pretty bad.....also had a great show dog in the prime of his career bite a double A battery and remove one side of his mouth and part of his tongue.........so by all means keep them away from cords and batteries........Ellen