"Thanks for this information Lisa. It really helps.
Anyone else?
"
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Lisa replied to ZolliStar's discussion What's the Right Machine?"Hi Zollistar, I much prefer using an Apap to a straight Cpap. I changed over a few years ago and found straight away that I had much less of a problem with leaks. Another thing that I have noticed is I used to have ongoing problems with my nose…"
Terry Vella replied to ZolliStar's discussion What's the Right Machine?"He's still going, a bit of a pain sometimes but that's life, thanks for asking."
ZolliStar replied to ZolliStar's discussion What's the Right Machine?"This helps a lot, Terry! Thanks for letting me know.
How is your dog??
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Terry Vella replied to ZolliStar's discussion What's the Right Machine?"ZolliStar, I went straight to an auto so can't really compare but from what I have heard there are two major benefits, first, the comfort factor of not having the high pressure all night and second, it adjusts to what you require, so if you use…"
Mary Z replied to Ginny Edmundson's discussion New "Rant" about DME/Wisp"Ginny, they are probably not doing anything against the law- though it may seem like fraud to us it may be an accepted practice. I would rather change DME's. Have you talked to the manager. They don't want to lose your…"
Ginny Edmundson replied to Ginny Edmundson's discussion New "Rant" about DME/Wisp"It really burns me up that they are doing things like this. Monday I am going to lok up th eMedicare complaint number and give them an ear full.
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RockRpsgt replied to Ginny Edmundson's discussion New "Rant" about DME/Wisp"Companies like this will have to pay in the end. Medicare is taking no prisoners in their effort to reform medicare fraud."
RockRpsgt replied to Mary Z's discussion Symptoms"I had zero symptoms. I was testing equipment one night and fell asleep hooked up. When I woke up my doc said I had an AHI of 10 with 30 second events. I have been on PAP ever since."
Ginny Edmundson replied to Ginny Edmundson's discussion New "Rant" about DME/Wisp"I just use a large rubber band and safety pin to attach i tho the sheet. It doesn't exactly kink, but rather seems to have almost bends that don't quite ever go away. I have one that doesn't but all the others seem to.…"
Mary Z replied to Ginny Edmundson's discussion New "Rant" about DME/Wisp"My light weight tubing does not have a tendency to kink. It just hangs down from the stand and comes back up to the bed. I tried a hose hanger, but bought the cheaper travel model and it just wasn't up to the task."
Ginny Edmundson replied to Ginny Edmundson's discussion New "Rant" about DME/Wisp"I was really surprised when the congestion improved without the humidification. Yes, I use the lighter weight tubing too. Do you have trouble getting the bends and kinks out of them???? I have one favorite that is broken in and I hate…"
Mary Z replied to Ginny Edmundson's discussion New "Rant" about DME/Wisp"The reasoning behind changing the tubing is that it may develop small holes or tears which causing leakage. I am careful with my tubing and don't have any animals or children playing with the tubing. I don't feel like they have…"
Ginny Edmundson replied to Ginny Edmundson's discussion New "Rant" about DME/Wisp"I have ben using one of my cushions for 3 months now. I think I will just see how long I can actually use it without leaks before I replace it. I wonder if it is OK that I do not replace the tubing but about every 6 months???? I…"
Mary Z replied to Ginny Edmundson's discussion New "Rant" about DME/Wisp"I agree Ginny, it does come out of all our pockets. I too have Medicare with a Humana supplement and insurance with my partners work. This is the only year I will have anything but Medicare and supplement. My last two Medicare…"
Terry Vella replied to Mary Z's discussion Symptoms"Good post Mary, I was like you when I was younger but the the sleep deprivation really started kicking in a few years ago my symptoms change, actually didn't change but got much, much worse. I was diagnosed with depression and on meds for 2…"
Mary Z posted a discussionSymptoms
Just trying to drum up a few posts-What symptoms did you have that got you to the sleep apnea diagnosis?I was excessively tired during the day- falling asleep eating breakfast and standing on my feet. I couldn't drive or stay awake during appointments. I thought this was the beginning of my apnea. Then I remembered the mandatory 4-5 hour naps in the afternoon when I was dead to the world. That must have been the real beginning. I went to my family practice doctor hoping for a prescription…See More
Ginny Edmundson replied to Ginny Edmundson's discussion New "Rant" about DME/Wisp"My insurance is Medicare plus supplement. SO I pay nothing out of my pocket. BUT it is coming out of ALL out pockets...........My DME is a nationally known company. I am really thinking of calling the medicare hotline.
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Mary Z replied to Ginny Edmundson's discussion New "Rant" about DME/Wisp"I think this kind of behavior may be the norm with DMEs. I happen to have one of the good ones so I'm lucky. It would be great if you called your insurance company. You can steal millions if you steal $40 from a bunch of…"
Taking your CPAP machine into smoking homes?
My husband and I do not smoke. But his mother smokes like a chimney. Let me say that again - like a CHIMNEY.
Before, when we've gone to see her, I've just left the machine at home. We only go for one or two days at a time. But I have some additional health issues crop up since the last time we've seen her and when my surgeon found out I have sleep apnea & used CPAP, he drilled down on my CPAP use. Evidently he has patients that don't use the machine because they're not comfortable with it or whatever. I do use the machine every night. My only exceptions are when I fall asleep on the sofa,watching TV or I'm visiting my MIL.
He warned me that I should be 100% compliant with the CPAP therapy with no exceptions. The long term success of the surgery and my health depend on it. He told me not to even take a day off for overnight visits (he's discouraged the couch naps, too - told me if felt sleepy to go lay on the bed and put the machine on).
I've researched sleep apnea so I know the serious risks to my health if I leave it untreated. I think that I had it for years before I finally got a sleep study (have 2 hospital stays in less than a year) and is the root cause of some of the health issues I'm facing now.
And I'm using the machine 99% of the time but I do hesitant to take this machine to my MIL's home. I'm afraid the smoke smell will be hard to get out. We immediately fumigate everything when we get home.I despise the smell of smoke and don't want to stuck with a machine and gear that stinks.
Has anyone else had to de-smoke a machine before? I just do not want to bring the smoke smell back home with the machine.
Tags: cpap, home, smokers, smoking
Views: 1144
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bill BIstak on
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Oh my where do I start?
As a vendor who allows cpap trials, this is a repeating issue.
Sometimes, a cpap has to be left running for a full business day or two and the smell is faint.
Othertimes it doesn't matter what we do. And we have to junk it.
I have heard people using eucalyptus, air freshener, etc to change the smell from the cpap.
The safety and health of those choices remains to be seen.
Professional concensus among CPAP vendors is to junk the unit.
That doesn't help those who own CPAP though.
I would call the manufacturer of the cpap to question what they would do knowing that junking a cpap was not an option.
Currently we call the manufacturers. Responses vary.
Not sure if this helped.
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Permalink Reply by Richard on -
Have you tried running ionised air into a smoky CPAP unit to clean it out? (Not when attached to a person, of course!)
Probably wouldn't work for a seriously fouled machine, but might for removing a night's worth of less saturated odors...
Bill BIstak said:Oh my where do I start?
As a vendor who allows cpap trials, this is a repeating issue.
Sometimes, a cpap has to be left running for a full business day or two and the smell is faint.
Othertimes it doesn't matter what we do. And we have to junk it.
I have heard people using eucalyptus, air freshener, etc to change the smell from the cpap.
The safety and health of those choices remains to be seen.
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Permalink Reply by Michael F. O'Brien on -
I live in Hawaii. I have been super sensitive to cigarette smoke since I was a kid. I am now 72. I have used a CPAP for almost four years. Our house is always open. If the neighbors have been barbecuing I can smell it in the CPAP the next day or two, but I do not find it a big deal. If my wife cooks with garlic or other pungent items or happens to burn something, I smell it for a couple of days, but again it is not a big deal. For me the issue would not be a lingering odor in the CPAP, but staying in the MIL's home, period. Thank God for smoke free planes, restaurants, etc.
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Permalink Reply by 99 on -
its the design
it should be designed to be easily cleaned without specialist intervention
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Permalink Reply by Judy on
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Bill Bistak, throwing the device away is ridiculous.
All of these PAPs have foam padding to reduce vibration, sound, etc. Replacing the interior foam padding ran me about $55 on my Resmed VPAP Auto after the warranty had expired.
Or keep smoking loaner units and non-smoking loaner units and always ask those renting or "borrowing" a PAP if theirs is a smoking home or not, then place the appropriate unit. It sure beats throwing a perfectly good PAP away due to smoking odor.
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Permalink Reply by ZolliStar on -
Bill,
Thanks to your reply, I can understand why rental costs have to be so high: the rental must cover the cost of junked machines.
That said, I wonder if it wouldn't be possible to sell these items at a very low, pennies-on-the-dollar cost -- charity, really -- to people who need CPAPs but can't afford them. The buyers would have to accept the fact that the machine would have otherwise been junked and the reason. Still, it might be a small enough price to pay for an otherwise good machine.
Indeed, I'm looking for a data-capable machine. The smoking part wouldn't bother very much if the price were low enough. If the price were really low, it wouldn't bother me at all! Feel free to PM me on the matter.
Bill BIstak said:Oh my where do I start?
As a vendor who allows cpap trials, this is a repeating issue.
Sometimes, a cpap has to be left running for a full business day or two and the smell is faint.
Othertimes it doesn't matter what we do. And we have to junk it.
I have heard people using eucalyptus, air freshener, etc to change the smell from the cpap.
The safety and health of those choices remains to be seen.
Professional concensus among CPAP vendors is to junk the unit.
That doesn't help those who own CPAP though.
I would call the manufacturer of the cpap to question what they would do knowing that junking a cpap was not an option.
Currently we call the manufacturers. Responses vary.
Not sure if this helped.
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Permalink Reply by Richard on
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I'm not sure, but I suspect that selling any CPAP with a "known issue" might open up the seller to legal attack?
If the patient gets lung cancer, for example, I could see many lawyers getting rich.
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Permalink Reply by Sheila Knowles on
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Most people probably have a few back up masks and hoses..as well as filters..I wouldn't care if they were doing lines of coke..hitting heroin OR smoking ~ whatever.. I would NOT go w/out my CPAP for anyone or anything. You could always take that mask and hose and clean them well..let them air out for a couple weeks or so. BEFORE I lost my insurance I started saving all my masks and hoses so I have back ups if something goes wrong. I also have a bag of "parts masks"..where something or another has broken off of them..I would, personally, do like someone above said..keep the guest room door closed..cover my equipment..then switch out to a clean set up when I got home and allow the set I used there to air out after thoroughly cleaning it.
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Permalink Reply by Maryann on
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I could not imagine ever being able to use a CPAP that had been in a smoky environment!!! You could never get that smell out. We have a relative that we visit on Sunday afternoons for a few hours and when we get home everything we wear or take with us reeks of smoke and has to be washed if it is possible!!! Ugh, I can't imagine ever getting that out of a CPAP. You'd have to throw it out and get a new one. The thought of it is gross and disgusting!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jeffrey Donaldson said:Most everyone out here has good suggestions. I can understand. I have stayed in hotel rooms that have had smokers in them in the past and when I put my mask on the next night at home, I can smell the room and the stail smoke smell all over again. Last year I went on a weeks vacation to a carribbean island that had a strong odor of the ocean and surrounding vegetation. When I returned, I thoroughly washed my mask, tubing and headgear. I changed the filters and that smell was still there for a couple of weeks after. The only sure way is to not stay in that house at all. Your health is more important than hers.
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Permalink Reply by Chris H on
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Do you have a sleep dentist that could make an oral device ?? I have considered this for travel and power failures .
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Permalink Reply by Margaret on
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This also happened to me. I slept in a room for one night and was not in any direct smoking but their house is permeated with smoke stink. I couldn't stand to use my CPAP when I got home--changed the microfilter, washed tubing and mask and still had the terrible smell. I lightly sprayed Febreze into the microfilter every 8 hours and ran it without the tubing and eventually the smell disappeared. As stated previously, there is much soundproofing material inside the unit and this holds in the odor. It did take a few days of doing this until the smell disappeared. I will never sleep in that house again with my CPAP. Unfortunately, these smokers do not see the big deal. They can't smell the odor.
It is funny how you bring back memories of your vacation trapped inside your CPAP machine!
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Permalink Reply by Maryann on
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Staying in someones smokey home wouldn't be any vacation to me!! Gag me!
Margaret said:This also happened to me. I slept in a room for one night and was not in any direct smoking but their house is permeated with smoke stink. I couldn't stand to use my CPAP when I got home--changed the microfilter, washed tubing and mask and still had the terrible smell. I lightly sprayed Febreze into the microfilter every 8 hours and ran it without the tubing and eventually the smell disappeared. As stated previously, there is much soundproofing material inside the unit and this holds in the odor. It did take a few days of doing this until the smell disappeared. I will never sleep in that house again with my CPAP. Unfortunately, these smokers do not see the big deal. They can't smell the odor.
It is funny how you bring back memories of your vacation trapped inside your CPAP machine!
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