Sleep Apnea Forum Bringing Power to the Patient
My new carpet got soaked and so did I!
Last night, I went to bed after the setback thermostat had started cooling down the house. It must have been down to 68 degrees when I picked up the tubing, which had been on the bed but somehow fell on the floor. I fixed my mask and attached the tubing and proceeded to get into bed and then hit the start button. The water started squirting up the hose and into my mask! Quite a surprise.
I tried it once more and the same thing happened. The cushion came out of the mask and I don't know how to put it back in so I slept without use of the CPAP.
My belief is that the water, which doesn't preheat on my ResMed H4i humidifier, was just too cold and so was the tubing. I think I need a humidifier that will preheat the water.
I had washed the mask that morning and obviously hadn't put the pillow back in properly. Somehow I think the lady at DME facility should have shown me how to take the whole mask apart and put it back together again. She was very cold and quite rude.
I'm going to check with my insurance and see if I can go to a different DME and maybe there will be a better counselor to help me with this whole process. The first mask, the Swift LT, didn't work because I can't tolerate anything that puts pressure up into my sinuses. She said to call my doctor immediately and I knew that there was no reason to. I can't even use a Netti pot.
My present mask, with which I slept fine in the the Sleep Lap, is the Mirage Micro, but on a regular basis it presents a problem because it goes across my forehead and causes pain. I've always had a ridge above my eyebrows because of sinus problems and the mask comes down over the ridge. I tried to put it further up but that just caused pain further up. My forehead always hurts to the touch.
I'm most frustrated because I really want to get on with my treatment. I slept half of Saturday away so I'm not progressing. I think I need a mask that doesn't go across my forehead, like the Siwft LT, but that doesn't have to rest just below my nostrils and force air into them.
Maybe they don't make that type but I've got to find out.
Sorry I've rambled but I'm so frustrated. And I'm sixty-years-old and never had problems working with any medical professional prior to this.
Reading success stories helps and I'll continue to try! I really need to get control of my life back!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Linda Birnbaum on -
Hey Kathleen-
I am sorry to hear about this torture. I am a respiratory therapist at a sleep clinic in NJ. If you have the autoset II and the 4i humidifier, there is a warmup feature on there, but it is only good for 15 minutes. if you are looking at the machine screen with the humidifier attached, on the right side it should say warmup. The button to the right of the up and down arrows will turn on the warmup feature. That warm up feature will heat the water in the humidifier for 15 minutes without turning on the whole machine. Make sure your humidifier is on a setting when you press the button. And remember it is only for 15 minutes. See if that helps with the crazy amounts of water you have in your tubing.
Linda
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Permalink Reply by RL on -
Ouch! That would be really upsetting, getting a face full of cold water, just when you are trying to relax and get settled for a cozy warm sleep, and then having the bedding be wet as well; yuk!
Sounds like you are having a bunch of smaller problems ganging up on you all at once. Have you ever had problems with water in the hose or getting in your face mask before? I have been fortunate to not have this problem so far, using a Resmed System One heated humidifier (no preheat). My room temp is usually about 68 degrees at night, and I have my CPAP on a small metal cart, like the ones used for computer printers, that makes the CPAP level below the mattress level, with my hose making a dip down before swinging up to tuck behind my pillows and over my head. This set up has been successful for me so far - no "rain out" or water in the hose, no hose cover or heater. Maybe different climates affect this differently though.
As for the mask issues, I was wondering if maybe your xPAP pressure would make a difference to how this felt on your sinuses and comfort. Something like that would be worth talking to your doctor about, as they would be the ones to prescribe any change needed. I believe others here would be better with suggestions for mask changes or adjustments than me. I have been doing well with my one and only Swift LT for Her mask, but my pressure is only 7 and I use the ramp up feature most of the time to help me make the transition from regular breathing to CPAP breathing.
Do keep checking other threads here for more input on hose and water issues as well as mask issues. Good Luck!
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Permalink Reply by Tim on -
If you have a humidifier, before you put your mask on, it is a good idea to lift up the hose to dump any water that may be in the hose back into the humidifier.
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Permalink Reply by Melinda Hertel on -
Hi Kathleen--I'm so sorry about your sinuses! I was thinking that if you can't use a pillows mask and the forehead support of the Micro hurts, maybe you could try a full face mask that doesn't have a forehead support. There are 2 that I know of: Respironics FitLife, and a generic mask we carry from Roscoe Medical. I am including links just for you to see what the masks look like. You don't need to cover your mouth, but I haven't seen a nasal mask without a forehead support yet, and a full face won't hurt.
Here are the links: http://www.ezcpap.com/fullface.aspx and http://www.ezcpap.com/roscoefullfacemask.aspx.
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Permalink Reply by Kathleen G on
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I'm a bit confused as to how to use this board. Obviously, I don't use FaceBook! At any rate, thanks to all of you for your suggestions and most of all, for your concern.
I called my CME person and she was very nice! Maybe she's a person who takes a while to warm up but I felt much more at ease talking to her today. She thinks that even though I thought I turned on the machine prior to putting on the mask, I didn't and that caused the problem. I don't know. I was so tired last night!
At any rate, this afternoon, I was so tired, I had to take a nap and I used the machine and headmask and was totall sucessful! I'm so thrilled. I didn't even want to get up when something awakened me but that's good because I think I needed to feel less intimidated by the machine and I also needed the sleep. My plans for the day fell though but I'm feeling more confident.
We're supposed to get a snow storm on Wednesday, although where I live in sothern NH it looks like we may get just 1-3 inches but I'm getting everthing done tomorrow because my car is one of the recalled Toyotas and I'm afraid to drive anyplace that isn't very local and I won't attempt to drive it in snow! Twenty-five years and five Toyota Corollas and I never had a problem. I won't abandon them!
Thanks to you all for your suggestions.
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Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on -
There is the Vista nasal mask that doesn't have the forehead bar. I have used it and like it. In fact I used it prior to switching to the nasal pillow mask I am now using.
Here is a link to it:
http://www.cpap.com/viewImage.php?PNum=1805&Image=resmed-mirage...
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Permalink Reply by M'Lady Wench on -
Hello darlin! From the sounds of it, you may have had too much water in your tank on your humidifier. I have the H4i humidifier as well and the only time I have ever had that happen is when I had too much water in my tank or the machine started to fall off the nightstand and I got water in the mask tubing. Make sure you only fill the tank to the line on the front of the tank. I preheat the water in my humidifier each night before I put my mask on. Here is a link to the user guide for the H4i: http://www.resmed.com/us/assets/documents/product/h4i/user_guide/26.... On your cpap there should be a spot that says "warmup". Once you press the button, it should say humidifier warming. I also have the mirage micro mask. The cushion should just slide back into the groove on the mask. ResMed has user guides for all there products on their website. I hope this helps and keep trying darlin. Take care!
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Permalink Reply by Kathleen G on
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There's one in every group. Yes, 99, I think they're branching out. They aren't making enough money on CPAP's and all the things that go with it.
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Permalink Reply by Kathleen G on
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I thank you all for your help. I have checked my h4i and it doesn't have a warm-up button. I had read the book and pushed the right button and it just won't warm up. I called Idiot Lady at DME and she said, "Well, maybe this model doesn't have a warm-up. Maybe it's the one above it."
DUH! I have just about had it with her! Yes, or maybe there's something wrong with my machine. I just checked it again and have had my husband check it out to see if I'm doing something wrong. I shall call my insurance company tomorrow and see if this is the limit they will cover.
I think I know what I did. I can't read in bed with the mask on so I wait until I'm sleepy to put it on and start the machine. I suspect I didn't have both ends of the hose inserted where they belonged when I pushed "start," and I was too sleepy to realize it. I think that would do it but I'm realizing there's so little I know!!
I'm so glad I found this Board!
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Permalink Reply by M'Lady Wench on
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Do you have a ResMed S8 cpap? If so, I wonder if the machine isn't connected to the humidifier right. I know my DME person showed me to remove the little cover from the cpap (there is a spot on the humidifier to store it) so the humidifier can slide right into the cpap. Do call the insurance and let them know the issues you have been having. Maybe then can recommend a new one or you could ask to speak to another person. Worth a shot at least. Good luck and keep us posted.
Kathleen G said:I thank you all for your help. I have checked my h4i and it doesn't have a warm-up button. I had read the book and pushed the right button and it just won't warm up. I called Idiot Lady at DME and she said, "Well, maybe this model doesn't have a warm-up. Maybe it's the one above it."
DUH! I have just about had it with her! Yes, or maybe there's something wrong with my machine. I just checked it again and have had my husband check it out to see if I'm doing something wrong. I shall call my insurance company tomorrow and see if this is the limit they will cover.
I think I know what I did. I can't read in bed with the mask on so I wait until I'm sleepy to put it on and start the machine. I suspect I didn't have both ends of the hose inserted where they belonged when I pushed "start," and I was too sleepy to realize it. I think that would do it but I'm realizing there's so little I know!!
I'm so glad I found this Board!
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Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on
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Good luck. I hope you get this resolved.
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