Newbie finding my way around

good day all!

My name is Lynn and I am new here. I am so thrilled with my machine but I have some general questions.

I appreciate everyone’s tips and tricks and I have read quite a few already. I probably could poke around and read some more.

I want to apologize if this has been asked and answered but my free time is somewhat finite and I’m having a hard time locating a specific answer to a few questions.

I’m taking the tips and getting some baby shampoo some aloe cream and some nipple ointment.

I watched a video or read somewhere that you can dry out your mask by just running the CPAP machine. I have washed the whole headgear and hose but they were still wet inside when it was bedtime. I hooked it up to the machine and hit mask fit and just let it run until it dried out.

Is that something you’re supposed to do or not supposed to do? I don’t wanna break it already.

I also want to explore the possibility of getting a different headgear even if it means paying out-of-pocket. I like what I have now but I think I want to be able to rotate two parts around so that my nose doesn’t get chapped up. even though I got a facial moisturizer I’m starting to feel a little bit of sensitivity on my nose and I don’t want to run the risk of not being able to get the machine covered by my insurance.

Perhaps the aloe and nipple cream will take care of this?

I am seeing all different sorts of CPAP sales sites and I don’t quite know the terminology for what I would like to try. For example I have a Teletubby mask. I want to try Snufalufagus mask. If anyone understands what I am saying perhaps you can help so I know where to start looking?

I have TMJ and while the headgear is quite soft I feel like it is aggravating my jaw and giving me a bit of a headache. I want to try something with straps and the hose that comes off the front. I don’t know if my only options or the pillows with the things that stick up your nose (canula?) or Do they make soft pillows like I have now? I’m not sure the soft pillow is going to continue to keep a good contact with my face. Would a soft pillow remain in contact with your face with the hose coming off the front or do you really need a canula to keep it in place?

Recommendation? Cost effective options?

I’m sure I have other questions. I am hoping it is OK to post it along this thread?

Thanks to anyone willing to offer insights.

I apologize for not going through all of the past threads but I will keep chipping away at it.

Yes, please continue will any and all your questions to be placed in this thread. It's easier for you and us both.

lynninnj wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 25, 2022 1:03 pm

I am seeing all different sorts of CPAP sales sites and I don’t quite know the terminology for what I would like to try. For example I have a Teletubby mask. I want to try Snufalufagus mask. If anyone understands what I am saying perhaps you can help so I know where to start looking?

Not sure exactly what you are asking here so if my response doesn't clear things up you might try again.

In general, with the exception of a few very special masks, any brand/type mask can be used with any brand machine or hose. The exception being a couple of masks designed especially for ResMed's tiny travel machine the AirMini.

In general the parts of the mask (headgear, frame, cushions, whatever) are NOT usually something that you can switch around to other types of masks or other brands. There are a handful of exceptions like with the ResMed P10 and the ResMed N30 masks...the headgear is interchangeable but the rest of the mask are not.
Likewise nasal pillows/cushions from one model/brand won't work with other brand or model. They simply won't fit.

When in doubt...just ask before you go buying something. Save you some time, aggravation and money.
Often full/complete mask packages come with free return insurance so if you hate it you can return it within a certain time frame and get your money back but that only applies to complete mask packages and any individual parts don't come with that return policy. You buy the wrong thing and it won't fit...you own it. Just remember when it comes to returning something that only applies to a complete mask package and not individual parts.

As for mask drying time after washing...depending on the mask there is no need to wash everything every day.
Depends on the mask.
Like with the ResMed N30i you are currently using....only the part that touches your nostrils may need frequent washing...the rest of the headgear and frame simply won't need very frequent washing.
You can just remove the part that goes under your nose and touches the nostrils and wash it separately if you wish.
It should dry rather quickly.

The nipple cream should take care of any minor nose/skin discomfort and if it doesn't then something is wrong with either the sizing or the fitting of the mask.

lynninnj wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 25, 2022 1:03 pm

I don’t know if my only options or the pillows with the things that stick up your nose (canula?)

Nasal pillow masks don't go up inside the nose and they don't fit like a cannula fits. Only the teeny tiny tip of the nasal pillow (called the inner cone) is inside the nose and it doesn't touch the inside of the nose anywhere. If it does...wrong size and/or the straps are way too tight.

Now there is a nasal mask called the prong mask and they do go up inside the nose and touches the entire space inside the nostril. Not something I would suggest for a newbie to cpap.

So terminology...for nasal masks
1..cushions....just touch the skin and in the case of the N30i the cushion just touches the skin around the nostrils. We call that kind of cushion an under the nose cushion. There are some cushions that go over the end of the nose and cover more area up to maybe the nasal bridge area.
2...nasal pillows...a nasal cushion with a big pillow that rests against the nostril opening with the inner cone going just barely inside the nostril but it doesn't touch anything inside the nose
3...Prongs....more like a big, big oxygen cannula thing and they do go up inside the nose and touch everywhere inside the nose because they have to inflate to seal. Sizing is critical with prong masks. Too small and they won't seal and too large then they hurt like hell when they do inflate with the sealing. Not a mask for newbies IMHO. I think there are only a couple of prong masks available for sale now. Not a popular mask.

here is the nasal pillow mask i use-
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... k-headgear

scroll through pics and you'll see nothing protrudes in the nose. the mask sets gently on the nose.

btw, while you're there, have a look around at the various and sundry masks.

good luck!

Lynn - I wash my gear on (most) Saturdays. My habit it to put the washed cushion or pillow on a hand towel and hang the washed hose in the shower. I typically do it by noon and things are all dried out by bedtime. Hope this helps.

Welcome to the forum. When it comes to cleaning, we all clean to the level we are comfortable with. When I first started treatment, the respiratory therapist I worked with said she washed her equipment once a week which was plenty. I started cleaning my equipment once a week like she recommended. I cleaned everything, including the hose. After I started getting small holes in the hose and had to replace it, I quit cleaning the hose. Now, the only time I clean the hose is after I have had a bout of bronchitis. Since starting to use my machine, I have had less bouts of bronchitis than I did before using it. Now, when I clean our equipment, I hang the head gear on a plastic hanger and hang it on out patio where it stays in the shade all day. With the hot weather we are currently having, it doesn't take long for it to dry. I have been using a machine for over seven years, and my wife has had hers for a little over five years. I have never washed her hose and she is still using the hose that came with her machine.

I am seeing all different sorts of CPAP sales sites and I don’t quite know the terminology for what I would like to try. For example I have a Teletubby mask. I want to try Snufalufagus mask. If anyone understands what I am saying perhaps you can help so I know where to start looking?

Not sure exactly what you are asking here so if my response doesn't clear things up you might try again.

If I'm not mistaken, a "Teletubby" mask is referring to the hose being attached at the top of the head/headgear... so ResMed x30i series and... Dreamwear? I think? While "Snufalufagus" would be a hose attachment to the front of the mask, like most anything else. (Sesame Street character that's pretty much a shaggy elephant)

latskogkatt wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 25, 2022 7:24 pm

I am seeing all different sorts of CPAP sales sites and I don’t quite know the terminology for what I would like to try. For example I have a Teletubby mask. I want to try Snufalufagus mask. If anyone understands what I am saying perhaps you can help so I know where to start looking?

Not sure exactly what you are asking here so if my response doesn't clear things up you might try again.

If I'm not mistaken, a "Teletubby" mask is referring to the hose being attached at the top of the head/headgear... so ResMed x30i series and... Dreamwear? I think? While "Snufalufagus" would be a hose attachment to the front of the mask, like most anything else. (Sesame Street character that's pretty much a shaggy elephant)

Duh....picture me slapping myself on the forehead. It's been a long, long, long time since I have had any reason to follow Sesame Street and think along those lines.
You are correct...the bulk of the masks out there are going to be of the sort to attach at the nose in some sort of fashion.

All masks come with the YMMV sticker and the warning that one man's trash is another man's treasure as well.
A lot of people love the hose attaching at the top of the head and I have tried both brands version of it but for me it was a take it or leave it thing. Mostly leave it...not so much because of where it attached but for other reasons like the frame was just too big for my head even at the size small and those masks were noisier to me so that annoyed me.

I just tell people that their opinion is the final only opinion that matters and they just have to try a mask to see how they like it and not put a whole lot of stock in someone else's opinion as to being the opinion of everyone else in the world.
I have tried probably over 40 masks in my 13 years on cpap. Tried them just because I like to experiment with stuff though and not necessarily because I hated my current mask. Experimenting helped me with the boredom.

Thanks for thoughtful replies.

Lol dude you’re 70 yo. Of course it’s been a long time since sesame street. lol

I am glad someone “got it”.

That said, I was told to wash hose weekly and once a month with something a bit stronger ie vinegar water. I got a nice hanger with slots for hose and hook for head gear. I do wash the under the nose pillow daily. I can’t go back to be sure I am using correct terms. I use cpap wipes for pillow and outside of head gear. Then rinse.

It sounds like I don’t need to clean it as much to prolong the life? Even though I only gave it one thorough cleaning but despite hanging it they weren’t dry 11 hours later. Hooking it up on mask fit setting worked like a charm but not sure if that can eventually damage it.

OK so I have the nasal cushion but want to get a pillow for secondary use or as my next one covered by insurance.

The resmed P- something has wierd straps that aren’t particularly adjustable by the looks of them. I have long hair and lots of potential mobility of straps there. I tried one on that had a pillow and it was comfy enough but I don’t know which it was and headgear straps look useless.

Specific alternatives welcomed.

Still trying to learn what is what.

I will say this: This thing is life changing for me. I had .5 events per hour last night. FOUR total compared to over 100 before starting.

I also have a condition that I really hope it will help with and will know more in a few weeks at my next bloodwork. I don’t want to get my hopes up but I feel so much better after two weeks that I feel hopeful.

Thanks for letting me share.

lynninnj wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 25, 2022 8:04 pm

The resmed P- something has wierd straps that aren’t particularly adjustable by the looks of them.

look again at the link i gave you. you can see by looking at the pics on the left hand side that the straps can be tightened or loosened. i'm not sure what more you would want?

good luck!

Looking at the mask Zonker linked you to, if you're worried about the straps migrating on the back of your head... You've said you have long hair. Put it in a high ponytail between the upper and lower straps (or just pull your hair through so it's over the lower strap and under the upper one). That should keep the straps from sliding up/down on the back of your head, I think. (I don't have masks yet, so haven't personally experimented with this, but I also have long hair, and it seems like it should work.)

lynninnj wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 25, 2022 7:56 pm

It sounds like I don’t need to clean it as much to prolong the life? Even though I only gave it one thorough cleaning but despite hanging it they weren’t dry 11 hours later. Hooking it up on mask fit setting worked like a charm but not sure if that can eventually damage it.

I never wash the headgear or frame. I just don't see the need.
When I was using the nasal pillow mask I washed the nasal pillows when I thought about it...which wasn't real often.

Now your N30i mask ....that frame just the way it is designed is going to be difficult to get the moisture out of those sides that inflate and move the air inside. You can't get air moving inside well enough to get it good and dry.
Now using it wet won't hurt anything but enough water inside the frame could blow out the vent holes and you get a cold shower. There's no unwritten rule that our equipment just has to be dry when we use it. We are going to be putting moisture right back into the mask or hose or frame (for the 30i ResMed masks or the similar Respironics DreamWear series) when we us humidified air. So it won't hurt you or hurt the equipment if it isn't dry....only negative is you might get some water sprayed out the vent holes. Won't hurt you but highly annoying.

Now I use a different nasal mask and the part that attaches to my nostrils is disposable. It doesn't have headgear...and the frame is minimal and I can't remember the last time I washed it. So I don't really have much to wash or needs washing.

The only time I ever made a special effort to wash the nasal pillows and mask was if I had just recovered from some sort of upper respiratory infection (cold, flu, whatever) and I knew that my nasal pillows probably had an over abundance of snot on them and the associated viruses or bacteria that went along with the cold/flu/whatever.

The last time I had any sort of upper respiratory infection...first week in March 2020. Strong chance I had Covid but at that time no testing was readily available so I don't know for sure. If it wasn't Covid it was a really, really nasty flu. Sickest I have ever been in my life.

Anyway just clean your stuff however you want and whenever you want to a schedule that YOU are happy with.
You are the only person who you need to make happy with your cleaning routine....or like with me my lack of routine.
I am a healthy 70 year old woman who does like any other old woman....I do what I please, when I please and I don't care what anyone else says about my routine or lack of. It suits me and I am the only person I care about making happy.
I don't go to their house and tell them what to do or how to clean anything and I don't want others telling me what to do either.

You can develop your own schedule to suit your needs.
When I first started cpap I cleaned things religiously once a week...that got old real fast. I started to let things slide a bit and before long it was 6 months into cpap and the only thing getting any sort of regular washing was the nasal pillows and that got less and less frequent over the years.

You get to decide how you handle any routine you set up. You are the only person who you have to make happy.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 25, 2022 8:20 pm

You get to decide how you handle any routine you set up. You are the only person who you have to make happy.

what?!?!? even if they don't do it MY WAY?

Zonker linked to the ResMed AirFit P10 ....it's probably the most popular nasal pillow out there.
It's a lot more adjustable than you might think.

It's my second choice or number 2 in my list of go to masks.
First one being the Bleep...look at the link in my signature.
Don't get in a hurry to buy it just yet if you are interested because in a couple of months we hope to have the new upgraded version available to the public and it's going to be a game changer for Bleep users.

If you want to try the P10 and insurance won't cover it yet...let me know. I might have a brand new/never opened package P10 that I could sell you real cheap. Send me a private message for additional details.

zonker wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 25, 2022 8:22 pm

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 25, 2022 8:20 pm

You get to decide how you handle any routine you set up. You are the only person who you have to make happy.

what?!?!? even if they don't do it MY WAY?

Especially if they don't want to do it your way.
I've seen what you do with the cervical collar, scunci and all that crap.....scarey. I love you but it's scarey.