1st miserable night

Hi all -- I know this has probably been talked to death on here - I did do some searching....mainly I just need to vent...

I got my machine yesterday - I have the Swift LT mask for Her, and it is so comfortable. Doesn't bother me at all, can get in all my favorite positions, etc.

But I could NOT fall asleep with the noise of the machine!! I did research and quietness was one of my main requirements. This M Series Auto is supposed to be so quiet - but it was literally driving me crazy trying to get to sleep with that noise! I am fine with white noise, but it's the way it varies in pitch and sound with the load, depending on whether I'm inhaling or exhaling....the more I tried to ignore it or embrace it, the louder it seemed to get until the noise of it was SO LOUD, I finally gave up at 1 am, took off the mask and turned off the machine. My husband was sleeping peacefully away next to me, so I know it wasn't so loud!!

I can't use earplugs or take sleeping pills most of the time because my husband works shifts and I have two small kids I need to be able to hear.

Is there any way to make that varying breathing noise lower? Do you just get used to it? I tried turning off the humidifier to see if that would change things, but that doesn't have anything to do with the noise. Maybe put the unit under the bed or something?

This is a classic case of "what you resist, persists".
Thanks for any help or encouragement you can give!
Lisa...

Sorry to hear that. Last night was my very first night with my machine as well. Not sure about your machine, model and such, but I have the RestMed S8 Elite2 with humidifier and let me tell you I could not hear it at all. When I first turned it on I had to check to make sure it was running because it was so quite. Now naturally I can't give you any personal experience advice on what to do but I have heard of people putting their machine under the bed. My dad has been on a cpap for 7 years and one thing he told me was to make sure you get a longer hose. I got an 8ft hose and I'm already glad I did. He told me this because if you travel you don't know what your set up will be like and a longer hose will allow for placing the machine in different areas.

You can also try sleeping with one of those noise CDs like ocean waves or something. IF thats enough to drown out your machine, and you like it, then it might work.

First, go get a nightstand with a lower drawer unit. Put machine in drawer. Close drawer as much as possible with hose coming out, and sleep well. If you don't have one of the fleece hose covers, don't wait as long as I did...get one.

The noise bothered me for a couple of nights, but I quickly got used to it. You might consider getting 10 ft hose and putting the device under your bed. Good luck.

If you're not having any problems with your mask, you have 90% of the problems out of your way. If the noise of the machine bothers you, why not trying falling to sleep with a radio or the TV set to a sleep timer for a distraction. Don't worry, just hang in there.....you'll be sleeping like a baby soon.

The only place I had to put my machine was in the bottom drawer of my night stand. The noise from it doesn't bother me down there, and I can reach the on-off button just fine.

However, when we traveled to Ohio a couple months ago, the machine ended up on top of the night stand in order to be able to reach it -- and whether it was being in a hotel and a strange bed, or that the machine was louder since it was closer, I did find it was annoying. (I didn't have a problem with an earlier trip where the machine was below the bed level.)

So you might want to consider placement.

You could also consider putting a sound-baffle between you and it.

Are you hearing the noise of the machine itself, or from the mask as you breathe? I think APAP was louder for me than constant CPAP setting with my M Series Auto Respironics machine. You might want to experiment with using constant pressure CPAP (well before bed time!) to see if it seems better. I do think you will get used to the sound, and perhaps even find it comforting as many of us do. It would be helpful if you would change your Profile equipment list to text rather than icons so we can quickly see what you're using.

ok, I'm going to get some fleece hose covers and try the unit down below my head level tonight (maybe on the floor for now) - if that works, I'll get some kind of permanent set up down there....

Thanks for the input!!

Run a fan on low and that does a good job covering up the respiration sounds.

Earplugs are wonderful! I could hear my kids just fine, but it drowns out the lower frequencies. They make some just for women (they are pink!) I can still hear the phone, the dog, etc. Any loud noise.
I can't sleep without them.
I have to tell you, the Resmed machines we have are so quiet. Just got the Elite II for my husband and I,too, had to check to see if it was on.
I know what you're going through. I had to sleep with my back up machine the other night. It was so loud, and I could NOT go to sleep at all!
Hope some of this advice helps you.
Please keep us posted.
Best,
Lee Lee

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... r-cap.html

This little gadget does muffle the sound quite a bit and it's an inexpensive investment to experiment with.

Or try cutting a cardboard box to be a baffle between you and the machine. Arrange it so you can get to the controls, but the side(s) that face you are covered. Don't completely enclose the unit. Leave at least one side fully open. But be creative. So many people on this list are.

One caution if you keep the machine near the floor. Check your filters more often, as they pick up a lot more dust.

I've got the same machine and mask and the only time I hear it is when something gets in the way of the exhaust or if I have leaks.

I do have hose covers and have always had my machine on a small step stool by my bed.

What Lee Lee said. Been wearing them for years.

JeffH