Continued from here
Eccles (repost from part 3 in case you didn’t catch it when BB rolled the thread),
Thanks for the info. Will post better reply later, It’s my 29th anniversary :)) today.
BB: I think my DW overdid today on her flu preps, she’s now (8:20PM) upstairs asleep after sampling a little too much BBRWFK. :( BUT… at least she left some for me. ;) BUT… I just found out my two youngest dogs like it too, I literally saw one walk by with holding the empty glass in his mouth. The other one will probably start singing to the moon soon, he slurped up another glass full that I had inadvertently left sitting in reach.
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Eccles,
Thanks for all the info, as normal you did a fantastic job. I’ll be ordering the 12 v cable for the CPap tomorrow. Though jury-rigging MAY work, I don’t take chances with my DW’s health, I’ll spend the money to keep her safe. I’ll also be ordering the panels and interface for 12 v deep cycle battery as we live out in the boonies and power failure is just a way of life out here. Murphy’s Law states that if we have it, we will never need it. Just doing my part to keep the 115 v running for my neighbors.
Thanks for your help!
Strider- I truly understand the public service you are performing. After the all time record blizzard out here in 1996, I bought the heaviest duty nuclear powered snow blower that I could get. We then went 3 winters without having any storms worthy of even trying to start the thing. And it was all my doing because of the massive machine I bought.
Your neighbors owe you a deep debt.
Eccles - IF funds allow, I will save the community in DelMarVa from having to deal with next years summer heat wave by going out and purchasing the biggest A/C available on end-of-year clearance. ;) The neighbors can thank me by supplying the electricity the A/C monster will consume.
And point that nuc snow blower down this way, I sorely miss snow since I moved down south! Someone must have bought a copy of your machine and has it hidden in a barn to keep the snow away. If I find it it’s time for the gehlie suit and impliments of distruction. ;))
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A question for those of you with CPAP machines. I have a remstar c-flex with a hunidifier. The question is how often do you clean the humidifer tank, mask and most especially the hose? Also, how do you clean them?
The tech gave me information that did not match up with the manual. He also said to use hot soapy water. Well, I will tell you, hot soapy water probably works but it takes forever to flush out the reservoir and tube. Are there any alternatives? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Mike
I clean the humidifier tank mightly by just filling it with hot water, plugging the two ports and shaking it. Hose I rinse out about every week or two (there is a brush they sell at CPAP.com which would probably be good for me to get).
I take the mask apart and clean it several times a week, but not nighly any more. If you don’t disassemble it for cleanng it really puts wear into the cushion and membrane. be very gentle with the membrane, and don’t use overly hot water on the cushion, as that is how you make it change shape. Dry the mask parts thoroughly before re-assembling them.
Eccles, thanks for the information. So you just use hot water when cleaning the hose? Also, thanks for the tip on the brush. CPAP.COM has become my second favorite URL.
I use a baby wipe every few days to clean my mask followed by a thorough rinse in warm water. So far, I have not caught the crimson creeping crud, so I guess I am doing something right.
Regards, Mike
Vinegar works well to clean the hose - put one part vinegar to 4 parts water in a big bowl then drown the hose into it to fill it and soak for 30 minutes. I bought a large plastic bowl for this with a tight fitting lid. You’ll appreciate the lid because of the smell. During that 30 minutes shake it up a few times and turn the whole thing over as the water tends to fill only the bottom of the hose. Then rinse it throughly first with soapy water and then plain water, so it doesn’t smell like vinegar I clean the humidifier with very hot water. I clean the mask with soap and water. Don’t forget to take the filter out and rinse it, it can be reused. Make sure it is dry before putting back in. I got a hose blanket and don’t wake up with those nasty hose marks on my face anymore. Also, if I order the hose through the medical supply company where I got the c-pap, I pay $60 and that’s with insurance reimbursement. If I order from cpap.com, I pay $10, so I ordered an extra one. Now I clean one and hang it to dry and put the other one on. Works well and also when I don’t have time to clean it for some reason. You will get used to the maintenance and even have more energy to do it as you use the c-pap, but don’t skimp on it. There is no alternative to cleaning it. I had a nasty sinus infection that wouldn’t go away because I didn’t clean my c-pap enough. Now I do it weekly and more often if I have a cold or sinus blockage of any kind.
Sweet dreams!
Reader, thanks for the suggestions. One question. How do you rinse out the hose after rinsing with soapy water? The last time I did it I rinsed for like 10 minutes and the hose still smelled like soap for the next few nights that I used it. Maybe I used too much soap?
I go back to the sleep center for a retest this week. I have finally adapted to the mask (or it has adapted to me) but I am not feeling that much better. I suspect that they will need to increase the pressure a bit. I will know in a few days.
Mike
CAMike, the hose is going to smell like what you clean it with, so use a soap that you like to smell. My hose fits tightly on my kitchen faucet, so I just turn it on full blast for a minute or two to rinse it. I do like the smell of the soap I use, it’s lavendar and is supposed to help make you relax. But there are some manly scents out there, so maybe you should open the bottle and smell it before you buy it to make sure it suits you. Once, my DH took the hose outside and flung it around to get the water out, since I didn’t have time to air dry it. It did smell like the fresh outdoors for a night! Also, if you can’t air dry it, hook it up to the air only, not the humidifier if you have one, and turn it on, stretch the hose out and down, and put a bowl at the end of the hose to let the water drip into. This also diminishes the smell somewhat.
Good luck on your retest, but I don’t remember feeling better immediately, it took a little while after all those years of bad sleep.
P.S. I have lots of vinegar and lavendar soap in my preps.
Reader - Just out of personal curiosity, have you made an preparation for running the CPAP without power from the utilities, as several of us have been doing?
Well, I wish I could, but for right now, it’s an economic thing. My cpap is old and I’m not sure it will connect to a battery, but I admit I don’t know much about that and some of this thread was way over my head on that point. I can barely run a VCR and then what do they do, they come out with DVD’s! Maybe I should have my DH read it all and tell me what he thinks we should do. I really love my cpap and would also love it if having it helped save someone. I also bought a SnoreStopper sometime back that I use when traveling (it’s a jaw strap with head gear, it helps but is nothing like a cpap). I keep it in my purse for just in case, my snoring is loud and embarrassing, it wakes me up even. I wore the Snorestopper on a plane trip once and the lady next to me told me thanks because if I snore like that with that darn thing on, she could only imagine what it would be like if I didn’t wear it! I was kind of thinking that it would be my back up. But I would rather have the machine.
Reader- There are a bunch of really bright folks in this thread and throughout FluWikie. We can help get you to the point where you have a shot a keeping your CPAP running in the event the utilities fail. Earlier this summer, we had the power knocked out by a thunderstorm, and I just plugged my CPAP into my emergency power cell, and went back to sleep. it held things together till morning.
First off, what make and model of machine do you have?
I read somewhere that you can use baby shampoo to wash the face mask. I usually put a touch on the face mask (leaving the hose attached) and then flush out the whole thing over the tub and hang to dry.
Eccles, what kind of power cell do you use?
CAMike, I am finally feeling better when I get up. I was miserable until I got the Remstar with C-flex and APAP function. I limit my range to 6 to 11 pressure (I tested at 10). Even after I had the correct range of pressures and all the other issues resolved it has taken me a few weeks to realy notice the difference.
Reader, I am with you—I love my CPAP!
I used to take showers with my DH, now I take my CPAP into the the shower with me. ;-) Easy to wash (baby shampoo) and rinse with one of those adjustable shower heads. The vinegar idea will come in handy if we have no running water. I just wash it a couple of times a week unless I’ve got a cold (then every day). In the mornings I wipe the mask off with diaper wipes if I am not going to bring it into the shower. Because of the fear of mold in the shower I dry mine on the bed for the day. If it is still not dry that evening I run it for a few minutes to blow the rest of the water out. CAMike, glad your sleeping better.
Eccles, What kind of marine battery did you get? They sell them at Sam’s or would you recomend a place that makes their own batteries? Our younger son is in a wheelchair so we get his batteries at a battery shop. Thanks.
PBQ - I use a portable battery pack that contains a SLA (sealed lead-acid) battery. It comes with a shoulder strap and sockets for connecting several different types of DC cords, including a cigarette lighter socket. It has a 12 amp-hour capacity, so if I am careful, I can just about get two short nights of sleep out of it. They sell similar units for camping and car jump starting.
I got mine for $8 on a clearance sale, but you can get one for about $40 -$60 in many places.
This is, of course, the “bucket” to hold spare power. Once you have this, you still need a means to charge it if you need it for more than a night or two, otherwise the bucket is empty and that’s that.
Folks, thanks for the tips on keeping the hose and mask clean. I found out the hard way that no matter how much I rinse the hose/mask it will still smell like whatever I last used to disinfect it. Time to look for something that at least smells pleasant.
Reader, I had not thought of trying to dry the hose using the CPAP machine. I will give it a try tomorrow.
Well, the retest was a disaster (at least from my point of view). In my experience the best place to not sleep is at a sleep center. The night I was there I had a major case of insomnia (despite taking a 10mg ambien tab), an alarm went off next door 3 times during the night (loud but for only a second or 2), just after I dozed off someone started talking outside my room window (of course it woke me up), when I finally did fall asleep the tech raised the pressure to 12 (because I was snoring - my current pressure is 7). At that pressure the mask started leaking water onto my face and my mouth would open at least once a minute to let the air out. Not fun and it kept me awake. Fortunately, the tech was keeping track and came in. I told him what the problem was and he reset the pressure to 8 and adjusted the humidifier. After the adjustment, I was finally able to sleep. In the morning I asked him if they were able to get any data from the test since I was afraid that I was awake more often then not. He said yes so I suspect that the Dr. will have my pressure raised and then I will be retested in a couple more months. Oh joy.
Anyway, I am in this for the long haul. From the testimonials it appears that the CPAP machine can really have an impact, once it is set right.
Thanks again and may you all have a restful nights sleep.
Mike
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(And, oh, by the way Mike, the mask I use has an exhalation port that occasionally catches a droplet of water, partially blocking it, and making it whistle, which wakes the DW who wakes me. Then I fix it, go bacl to sleep, and then if lucky it doesn’t repeat. Sometimes it does).
Eccles, my mask has been whistling lately. I did not think about excess moisture. Thanks.
Still waiting for the results of the sleep test.
Mike
I have my second sleep test on Saturday. During my last interview the Doctor says that I have Sleep apena; because he had to wake me up while he was talking to me and during my first test was done by the VA; they said I dropped below 40% O2 on their meter. The nurse woke me up after that.
Now I use civilian doctors; I have slept in a recliner for 3 years. My wife cannot stand the snoring any more She moved to another bedroom.
So I expect to have the CPAP within 2–4 weeks.
Let you know more later.
Love this site it is the best!!! :>)
My earlier CPAP purchases thru insurance was a nightmare. Copays and deductibles insured (the new definition of insured?)I would spend over $600 getting it, the RT and their companies are totally incomptent and lie regulary about what they can and cannot do, and the the delays are forever, and for 1 machine I ended up owing $1500 to the respiratory company because they and the insurance never could get it straight (they never got the money from me either, but it cost me over 30 hours on the phone just to end up in an intractable situation!). I now simply buy the most advanced c-flex autopap (APAP) machine, humidifier and masks from any of the many distributers, around $800 for EVERYTHING delivered in 1 day (http://www.talkaboutsleep.com is another HUGE good forum for excellant advice and sources). Why APAP? I found such less irritation and better control from a machine able to vary pressure with my needs. Maybe not best for everyone, but my prescription was for 14 on a constant run machine, the APAP machine runs me at 8 most of the time with only occasional pushes up to 19 for an hour or so! VEry little dry mouth plugged ears, and I quit mouth breathing(I got the download cable and software so I can chart my progress $100.) The APAPs are not that much more (online!) than constant run, and you can set an APAP for constant run if you desire (unlikely), and just use it do do your own sleep study on occasion by putting it in variable. When the medical system go down, I think this will be handy.
Fiddlerdave-
You are not the first person to note the difference in cost of getting it yourself vs through the “official” channels of RT and insurance.
In my case, the Ins. Co. rented the bloody thing for several hundred per month for like the first 4 months, then cashed it out to purchase it. The thing that I found astounding was that the monthlies for mine were just about what I could have bought the whole mess for from CPAP.COM. Every month the equivalent of a new machine.
Un dirty word believable.
Eccles, thank you, and so sorry for taking so long to reply. Got lost in prepping for more people to join our “commune home” :>)
I have a RemStar Plus, 5 years old now. I do believe it has a connection in the back for a battery. DH says not to worry about snoring, we have lots of duct tape. Help!
p.s. I had trouble with the RT company too. I have lots of dirty words for the health care industry. It scares me even more when I see a pandemic coming.
BTW, my Spirit APAP has 12 VDC input which does not have the capability to run the built-in humudifier, so the power demands are not too bad, but I would use a deep cycle battery, stick a golf cart battery in a box for the cheapest solution. If you know you can recharge every day (from a car or charger), I’d use an inverter to produce 110 VAC, and then plug in the CPAP to get humidification. I made my 12 VDC cable, did not use factory cable, and it has not caused a problem, but I do run only on battery which is a nice clean 12 VDC, not the somewhat varying voltage you would get from a running car cig lighter or charging battery. My guess is that these sources would be ok, also, but test it during the warranty period and have a backup machine!
The only thing about running the humidifier using an inverter and battery is that it will consume tons of power. If you do have a reliable means of recharge (like solar), then I would say to try it. But if you use something like solar, you will want a battery with a minimum of 3 days capacity.
(One to run. One for tomorrow if today is cloudy, and one so that you don’t run your battery to fully discharged and substantially reduce its life) If after the first day on battery, you don’t get to recharge (clouds?), then the second night, run using only the 12V, and so you get at least a few more nights before you are sleeping hypoxic.
Eccles, Thanks for all the information. I now have a wish list at Northern Tools of all the things you said to get. I will be ordering the first of the year. I will let you know when I get them. Thank you again for your time and talent in this area. While my DH is not handy if you ever need to learn how to fly an airplane just let me (him) know. He is a fabulous pilot and teacher. He is still alive!
PBQ - Thanks for the offer, but tell your hubby that I was rated ASEL, and spent a good deal of time flying aerobatics.
That was then. This is now. I don’t do that no more. (Sigh).