Power loss alarm for CPAP

This is my first visit to the forum, and it seems like it has some good content.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea about 2-3 years ago and have been using a ResMed S7-lightweight, with pressure currently set at 8.6. I started off using a nasal mask, but found that nasal congestion (deviated septum, and probably sinus polyps) along with opening my mouth during sleep made using the nasal mask ineffective. I switched to a full face mask but don't like it as well as it seems that the larger cavity doesn't get fully purged of the exhaled air between breaths.... anyway that's another subject.

A few weeks ago I woke up in the middle of the night and noticed that we had had a power flicker (alarm clocks blinking etc.) and that I still had my mask on but the CPAP wasn't blowing. This concerned me alot since not only was I not getting benefit from the positive pressure, but also I was rebreathing air, which seems worst case due to apneas occurring while also breathing oxygen depleted air. With a nasal mask, I probably would have just opened my mouth naturally to get fresh air. However, with the full face, that doesn't help.

After this happened a couple of nights within a couple of weeks, I am concerned and wonder what options are available for continuous power supplies or power loss alarms etc. for CPAP machines. Any comments or suggestions?

Alchemist, you don't have to worry about rebreathing, as all full face masks (that I know of, anyway) have anti-rebreathing valves for just such an occurence. If you check in your manual, I bet you'll find yours has one as well.

I don't know of any such alarms, off the top of my head. I always wake up when the power goes out and the CPAP shuts off. I can't sleep without it.

This isn't a terrible idea. Heck, my cable modem has a battery back up on it. If the power goes out, the modem retains enough power to keep the phones working, but the internet shuts off. Anyway, I can't imagine a CPAP having a battery backup, as that would make it quite large I would think. But, if it had a small alarm in it to warn that the system was off, that would be great. Something that ran on a small watch type battery.

EJD

There has been lots of discussion of this issue around here. Here are a few:

viewtopic/t17090/Power-loss-alarm-for-CPAP.html

viewtopic.php?t=9599&highlight=power+supply

viewtopic.php?t=9682&highlight=power+supply

You can certainly find more if you use the search function.

One commercial power failure alarm is at:

http://www.powerfailurealert.citymax.co ... 303932.htm