Ask Our Experts

REMstar plus M-series

brandi — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 15:20:24 GMT

We have had our cpap machine for about a year and for the last couple of months, it is not pushing air out as hard as it used to. He still is snoring with the nose mask on because of the lack of air. How do you turn up the pressure in the machine like it was when he first got it?

runny nose

robert moon — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 05:28:50 GMT

can i use cpap with a runny nose Respironics REMstar Plus M Series CPAP with C-Flex and Humidifier

camping with a CPAP

wood2quilt — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:39:16 GMT

I'm planning on going on a camping trip and use a RemStar Plus CPAP machine. Is it possible to run the machine off a portable generator (inverter)? In the instruction book of the generator it states: "Some precision equipment is voltage sensitive and may require a more uniform voltage supply than portable generators provide. Examples include some medical equipment, personal computers, and some inverters that sense peak and RMS voltage values"

Resetting CPAP

Steve — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:29:27 GMT

I am a newcomer to sleep apnea and all the nuances of sleeping with a mask. I now have three masks in my first 30 days. I had a hard time with the nasal pillows staying place and the air volume was much too high. The full face mask seems to handle the volume of air the best, but it seems I drool and this makes things uncomfortable and messy. My latest addition is the nasal mask which I prefer but now I find the air filling my mouth and then of course it has to come out -- waking my wife as well as myself. My home health care nurse tells me that the air pressure will stay the same for all three masks. That is not going to work. Do we have to change the settings for each mask or do we find a different pressure that may work for all three. Please advise.

Steve

NEW PLEASE ADVISE

DEBSII — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:41:22 GMT

I HAD A SLEEP STUDY, AND WAS TOLD THAT I STOP BREATHING AND/OR DROP MY 02 SATS, 43 TIMES PER HOUR!! IN A MONTH I GO FOR A SLEEP STUDY TO SEE IF CPAP WORKS FOR ME AND AT WHAT SETTING. ANY ADVICE ON MASKS, I SLEEP ON MY STOMACH AND (AS FAR AS I KNOW) BREATH THROUGH MY NOSE. IS HUMIDIFICATION A GOOD IDEA??? WHEN I GET UP AT NIGHT TO USE THE BATHROOM, HOW EASY IS IT TO DISCONNECT AND RECONNECT?? ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT I SHOULD ASK??

PS I AM NOT YELLING, CAPS ARE JUST EASIER FOR ME TO SEE.

Allergy to full-face mask

Lyle D. Ball — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 01:06:37 GMT

I'm allergic to my CPap mask, bandaid tape and other latex products.

It burns & sometimes blisters my face. We have gone to our supplier and asked about an alternative mask type. They were of no assistance.

I have tried placing Hankies over my face then putting on the mask. It helps my skin somewhat, but hampers breathing defeating the purpose.

We have cut moleskin, and tried fitting to the mask where it touches face. More trouble than it's worth. Any suggestions or ideas?

Surely others have the same problem?

interchangability between resmed and respironics

sleep_tight — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:31:54 GMT

Using a ResMed machine, want to try a Respironics mask. Do they use the same size fittings?

Need a new mask

trekkie01 — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 03:49:54 GMT

I have been unable to use the full mask and now nasal mask due to allergic reaction to the plastic membrane (blisters/rash on nose and upper lip). My respiratory therapist recommended that I obtain nasal pillow mask but could not recommended a brand

I am not sure which kind to get. I'm thinking the Swift LT or Swift II. I'm leaning toward Swift LT because not a lot of surface area on the face. My only concern is that I do move around a lot at night will it slip off?

Any thoughts?

Replacing my Cpap

Sleepless — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:23:42 GMT

I have a prescirption to replace my old cpap. I have decided to bypass my insurance and pay for it mself. Reason being that they only use one supplier and I have no choice as to what I will get, and I have to pay a good part of the cost. So I may as well go ahead and get what I want by paying a little more. My machine is set for 8. I think the correct wording is titration?? I also want to go ahead and get the humidifier.

I want a quiet machine, something that is small and easy to pack in a carry on bag, I do travel often. I was unaware of the new autopap machines that are now available. What do you suggest. I have looked at your pricing and am pleased with what I saw.

Sleepless

NEEDING JUST A MASK AND HEADGEAR

virgil moczygemba — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:15:48 GMT

I have been using a CPAP machine from ResMed for over 8 years...I got new headgear from a general supply who is out of business...I now need a new mask and headgear...why do I need a prescription....the dr that prescibed me the machine and did the sleep study on me is deceased...please advise...

High Pressure / Under-bite Masks

Anthonyjm — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 06:52:45 GMT

Do some masks stand up better to high pressure than others? Are some better for people with an under-bite?

I have been on CPAP for about 8 months and have gone through 4 different face masks. Very few masks fit my face well, and those that do only seem to work for a month or two, but then the leaks get so bad I can't sleep. I don’t know if the problem comes from my high pressure or my under-bite, or a combination. My CPAP was set to 20, but after my second mask, my doctor agreed to lower it to 16. I can get used to the pressure, but not the leaks. I also have an under-bite. I think that, combined with a high bridge on my nose, holds the masks away from my cheeks. Somehow I ended up coming home with a free nasal mask from one of my trips to my mask supplier. For a while it was the only mask that I didn’t need to tighten much to avoid leaks. At that pressure it requires an effort to keep air from shooting out my mouth, even with my jaw held closed, but it was still better than the leaks. Unfortunately after only a month and half, that mask is leaking as well. I tried a hybrid mask (mouth and nose plugs) but as soon as the air came on, sides of my nose bulged out and it was incredibly uncomfortable.

I don’t think its maintenance issue. I clean the mask as directed. The gasket around the masks just start feeling softer, overly flexible, stretched out.

When I can get through the night with a mask on, I do feel better the next day, I don’t want to give up on this. But my insurance won’t pay for masks that frequently and paying out of pocket will get expensive very quickly. So that brings us back to my original question. Do some masks stand up better to high pressure than others? Are some better for people with an under-bite? Any insights would be appreciated. Thank you.

How much cleaning really needs to be done daily, weekly or so on with the Unit?

Gregg — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:03:40 GMT

I have been getting rid of any left over water as we were instructed by our instructor this week. We were also instructed to use only Distilled Water.

I clean out the water reservoir daily.

I hang the tubing so it dries out really well and hang the mask so it can dry out if there is any moisture. ( I Learned that from an old fireman when they used cotton fire hoses and had to dry them out after every fire)

What other kind of things might be a problem or something to keep an eye on? All this is new to me and I appreciate hearing from some experience users, thank you..

psi setting

steve horvath — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:09:16 GMT

ho do i reset the psi to increase flow

Could I have SA?

karessamom — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:47:40 GMT

I am a female aged 49 over weight at aprox 207lb. I do NOT snore. Last Dec. I had a Gall Bladder attack that sent me to the ER, the doc there gave me dilaudid for the pain and after I returned from the ultra sound they hooked me up to check pulseox soon after that I had the dr plus 2 or 3 nurses/ techs in my room hovering around me because my oxygen level as well as my heart rate went down. The doc said i probably had sleep SA and to get it checked--I haven't as yet. (I might also mention that after the surgery in Jan I was in hospital 3 days and on O2 the whole time--every time they tried to take it off my sats dropped--surgeon just said it was normal-- (Hospital only because i had the open proceedure for GB removal or I would have gone home same day))Other symptoms include not sleeping well at night waking at least once or twice, not falling back to sleep right away. Tired during the day, waking up with dry mouth almost always, however i do not snore. Husband has noticed on occasion that i have stopped breathing once or twice -very briefly and very rarely. I am tired of not having any energy during the day and being tired, although for many years i've chalked it up to being overweight/out of shape but now i'm beginning to wonder. Right now i'm just wondering--hate to make a big issue out of nothing though. Thanks

Travel to Europe

Jo Ann Seaman — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:31:18 GMT

Will be traveling to Italy and then a cruise this fall. Several questions: Can I use a normal travel adapter for electrical supply for my machine while in Italy? Are there portable machines that can be used on a plane for long flights (not sure how I am going to sleep on the plane)? Can you rent portable travel Cpap machines? Is there a source for portable distilled water for the humidifiers (so I could pack some to take until I can figure out how to purchase in Italy)? Any other resources to advise traverlers with CPAP / sleep apnea?

thanks!

I believe I may have an allergy to the material on my mask.

Gregg — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:31:21 GMT

I believe I may have an allergy to the material on my mask. I am getting a rash and a redness where ever the form of the mask contacts the skin of my face.

It fits over my nose and I have a rash around the shape of the mask and at the plastic cushion on the forehead piece.

Has anyone else ever had this and what did you do for it. I don't get in to see the Sleep Specialist for a few weeks yet.

I was hoping someone on here my have had some experience with this and have some suggestions.

Thank you very much,

Dizzy and unsteady on my feet.

sysdoc2000 — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:31:30 GMT

I have recently purchased a Resmed Swift 2 from your company and have noticed lately when I get up at night and the rest of the day I'm very unsteady on my feet and dizzy staggering around the house. I'm thinking that the exhaled air is not going out of the mask as well as it should. What am I missing? I really like the fit and the system. I'm using it with a Respironics series M at a pressure of 15.

Mike

Why a humidifier might be needed for a cpap machine

D.L.T. — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:59:35 GMT

I want to know all symptoms that people have experienced that made them require a humidifier for their machine. I have a regular Remstarplus M series machine right now. What would be the best humidifier for this machine IF I thought I needed to have one. I don't know if I need one or not. D.Thurman

Alarms

Bill — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:01:01 GMT

ok i tried to write an answer / response to my last post but it wont let me....so you say i can get a RA...no clue..im not up on your lingo here..im just a simple redneck..also did you read part two of my post? i took c-pap apart cleaned its insides, it works great..no more alarms...so.....again...RA..?????????...english please

Drowning...

RAEdwards — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:10:51 GMT

I was diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea about 8 years ago I think. I was given a BiPAP and was put on a very high pressure. The problem was, I could never sleep with the system on. I always felt like i was drowining (something I have a fear of) and ripped the mask off in the middle of the night. I had a humidifier and I tried every mask I could think of. Nose masks, Mouth & Nose and Nasal Pillows. I eventually gave up and never went back to the doctor for fear of shame and surgery. I assume I should go back to the doctor now, as my numbers have probably changed. Have there been any changes in masks or other technologies that will help the drowning sensation?

nose mask

buffermop — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 14:48:10 GMT

Being new to using a cpac machine and being a normally mouth breather, I was issued a nose mask with my machine. I know I can pick the style of mask that I wish,, but I have copd and bronchitis also. I am also o2 dependent, which the supply is hooked directly into the machine airways at night. The doctor says to learn to breath through your nose and exhale through my mouth.(Fat chance of that happening in my sleep) I have it on during waking hours just to practice breathing only through the nose. I guess the theroy would be to consume all o2 possible into the lungs. So that being the case, My question is will practice lead to a new way of breathing for me as natrual as times goes bye?

Full-face mask and beards

mikezot — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:23:24 GMT

If money were no object...

Is there a full-face mask out there anywhere that will perform better than the ResMed Quattro and Fisher-Paytel FlexFit 432 in providing a seal without sliding into one's mouth -- without 1) digging into the bridge of one's nose so deep that it almost cuts the skin, and 2) having to make straps so tight they leave indentations in the cheeks for half a day? Oh, and one that's quiet?

In the past year, I've been on 6 CPAP masks -- two nasal pillow types, three full-face types, and one hybrid (which went to the recycle bin after 3rd night) -- and not one has helped provide a decent night.

My CPAP's set at 10, it has a humidifier; I have a "Hozer" to reduce the constant uncoupling whenever I rolled over; I can provide a whole lot more about my (overnight in sleep lab) diagnosis if needed.

Help!

How to choose a cpap machine

Bonnie Kamp — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:39:02 GMT

I ws just diagnosed with apnea. There are so many machines so how does one begin to choose. I know i need a humidifier but that's about all I know at this point. where to begin. I don't want to make a big purchase and be stuck with something that does not work for me and have to live with it or pay out of pocket for another one. Thanks.

cpap machine

smcabee55@hotmail.com — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:21:26 GMT

I have had a cpap for 7-8 years. I did not get a manual with this newest one. Had a new sleep study done and got this new machine a bit over a year ago, maybe 2 years. I want to know how to set the pressure. I know when it needs to be increased and I know to do it a step at a time. (duh) I knew how on my old machnie and I thought they demonstrated it when I got this one. How ever I contacted the supplier and they are freaking out that I want to "adjust " it on my own. As I said I did this on my old machine and I had the setting 1 lower than it needed to be when I went for the retest and setting on the new one. I checked and there is no law that says I can't be told how the machine I purchased is worked. I didn't get a manual and I just am asking how it is set. Not what it needs to be set at. I paid for the equipment and I would like to know how to work it. I know when the pressure needs to be increased I start falling asleep at work. Not trying to be difficult truly, I just know better than anyone if I'm tired and it's as plain as the nose on my face. If your head hits the desk as you fall asleep the cpap is not set right. And I just gained 10 lbs. because I quit smoking so I'm still a bit hmmmmm snappy from that. Happy only 10 to get rid of but, deprivation of sleep help does not, in Yoda style. If I could get a manual or just directions on how to work the pressure setting. I would be so very grateful. I am not asking for what to set it at.

Need help in selecting a better full face mask

rfzl — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:39:46 GMT

I need help in selecting a new mask. Currently use Respironics Comfort Full Face 2 and it is comfortable but I have major issues in getting it to perform. I like the design of the FlexFit series as I have a beard and mustache and these seem to be designed better for people with beards.

I have been using a CPAP for about 3 months now and it does help with the hypopneas. The pressure is set to 12 and that is not causing any issues. It is the fit of the mask and the design weaknesses of the Respironics that are the main problem. I am a mouth breather and the current mask does not seem to be very well designed for this kind of use. Plus, I sleep on my side and roll around often so the mask has to fit well and not move with me moving.It seems that the Respironics is not well suited for people like me as it leaks easily and not robust enough to handle the different sleep positions.

I am planning to have surgery on my nose in the near future and the ENT is also suggesting that I have my tonsils removed and a UPPP done. As my OSA is rather mild and most of my events are due to low O2 levels, she says that there is a better an average chance that the UPPP and tonsil removal will help/cure my OSA. From what I have read, this sound reasonable. As I have issue getting to sleep and then staying asleep, any help to remove discomfort and the hassle of a CPAP mask is in my favor. Thus the reason for a different mask. The big complaint is that I have a lot of problems in getting the mask to fit properly each night. I can get it good for one night but have repeated issues with leaks and the mask coming apart other nights (bad design). I can't say how many times I pondered the idea of seeing the mask sail into the hall way.

As suregry is pending, I don't want to spend a lot on a new mask but I need something soon. Beside the Fisher&Paykel FlexFit 431/2, I am also looking at the Hans Roudolph maks. Having the mask fit under the chin, having what appears to be more room around the nose (deviated septum and dry nose), and what appears to be a more solid design once it is fitted, all point to these two mask as being superior to what I have now.

Any help from the RT group, or even the public, is welcomed.

Thanks, Ron