A Newbe's adventure.

[SleepyDreamCatcher]

This is an interesting new life I have stared. Just yesterday I had been thinking about how pleased I was with how I was adjusting to sleeping with my new machine. I was getting just over seven hours of use at night and actually sleeping a little longer each night (and got at least 5.5 hours last night). And while mornings and the alarm clock are still nowhere close to being my friends, I had actually made it through a day at work without yawning my way through it.

Then we had some major thunderstorms here last night. I kept waking up to the rain and probably thunder that I don't remember rather than to mask leaks. After assuring myself that the mask was still working I would go right back to sleep. Until I rolled over one too many times. I felt the hose trapped under my arm pulling over my brand new AutoSet and I couldn't do anything to stop it. Fully awake in a second I had the lights on, my machine turned right side up again and the water chamber removed from the unit as I search for something to mop up the water from the unit. After drying everything I could think of, putting it back on the nightstand I put my mask back on and tried to start breathing through it. Nothing happened so I tried the start button. The display showed the pressure going up but I couldn't feel anything when I tried to breathe. Slightly panicked I took the mask back off so that I could feel The air blowing on my hand. No nothing there.

Really panicked now, because after only four nights I already realize I don't ever want to be without my new best friend. Taking a deep calming breathe I methodically took the machine apart, checking for signs of water, re-wiping the humidifier chamber and the passage into it from the AutoSet, unconnecting the hose and then reconnecting it, taking off the mask cushion and reinserting it. Then I changed the settings from autostart to manual start. Finally placing the mask back on, I pushed the on button. The sweet little machine turned itself back on, the little pressure line climbed up to my start pressure and I prepared to breathe.... Nothing.

Once again I took everything apart. Dried everything I could reach and started putting it together again. Then a little lightbulb flashed in my poor sleep deprived brain. Unhooking the humidifier unit turned the AutoSet on again and felt the blessed feeling of rushing air coming out the opening that attaches to the humidifier. Taking heart I looked again at the second part of my machine. Taking the hose off the humidifier I hooked it up straight to the AutoSet. Nothing. ....

Looking at everything so intently while trying to figure out why I am not feeling the air I know is blowing through the hose it finally dawns on me. The problem is in the hose, not my new machines. "Thank you Lord," I think. Hoses are easier to replace than the autoSet would be. Turning it off I remove the hose start walking to my bathroom with that end in my hand. Suddenly it's raining on my toes. ¿What!!?

Ah-hah you say, she should have known there was water in her hose. But
remember, it is only my fifth night hooked up to this strange contraption. And it isn't even close to morning yet. But the light The light is beginning to pierce through the fog in my brain. Of course... I'm standing up with my face much higher than the unit. Water goes down. .... Yes...yes, that's it. Water goes down, air goes up... Wait, air doesn't go up past water... That's when I pull the hose up closer to take another look at it. And feel another little rainshower around my ankles. Excited now, I grab both ends of the hose a take them to be drained in the sink. Nothing left there, but I give them a few good shakes. Then, reattaching it to the humidifier, I put the machine together one last time. Moving it back to the nightstand and putting the hose on the floor I turn it back on. Hallelujah! Air (and water droplets) come rushing out the other end. The display screen proclaims that I have a "Large Leak. Please adjust mask." And I'm a happy camper. Once I no longer feel any rain coming out the hose I put my mask back on, reset my settings to autostart, reattached the hose, turned off the light and climbed back into bed. Didn't fall asleep again, but did end up with seven plus hours of use and an AHI of .5.

Tonight is a new night. I've got a few ideas about securing my friend down so that I don't have another night like the last one. I've heard about putting the unit in a drawer next to the bed. With a little rearranging that might work.

Wish me luck. I'm off to brave the new night's trial. At least there are no storms forecasted for this area tonight.

[PollCat]

You could try my placement for the CPAP - i.e. under the bed - though you may need a hose longer than 6 feet.

[SleepyDreamCatcher]

You could try my placement for the CPAP - i.e. under the bed - though you may need a hose longer than 6 feet.

Thanks for the ides Pollcat.

Does Resmed make a longer heated hose? I haven't heard of that. I should be able to get the piece I have in my hallway into thr bedroom & it has drawers. I should work. I'll tackle that tomorrow after I get some sleep.

[herbm]

Nice job actually -- so many beginners would have just gone to sleep without it -- manana...

I clean water from my hose by swinging it in a circle, from about the middle since it is too long to swing the entire length -- then swing the other side. It doesn't get bone dry, but it removes most of it and so far has not hurt my Climateline hose.

[Gabby]

Well done SleepyDreamCatcher, I take my hat off to you.
I would have left it all until the morning. 10/10 for perserverence.
You are one of the lucky few that have fallen in love in the very early days, good on you.

[PaulaO2]

Yeah, I did something very similar. But before I could figure out what it was, my hose basically "threw up". It barfed water on the bed then sprayed it quite a distance. It formed a kind of air lock in the hose and as I was trying to figure out why there was no air coming out, I was moving the hose around which moved the water along until the air pressure was able to push it the rest of the way. I got a towel, put it on the wet spot, and went back to sleep.

The ClimateLine only comes in one length. My old S7, I had it tied down with string due to an idiot cat we had.

[trish6hundred]

Hi SleepyDreamCatcher,
It's great to hear that you are adjusting so well to CPAP therapy.
The climate line hose only comes in one length.
Better luck tonight and keep up the good work, hang in there for more suggestions.

[Bama Rambler]

When I saw the length of that story I almost just bypassed it. Boy, am I glad I didn't. That was pretty entertaining after I read that the machine wasn't harmed in the ordeal. I can relate about not wanting to be without my machine even for a little while.

I have woke up with the hose wrapped around my neck a few turns but so far haven't pulled the machine off the night stand. It's close enough to the bed that it won't actually fit between the bed and nightstand, but I'd still feel like you if I ever pulled it toward me.

There have been several suggestions about how to secure the units to the nightstand/table so they won't get pulled off. Bungee's, suction cups, rope, string, and even duct tape! I've thought about using Command Velcro strips to hold it down.

Anyway, glad the machine wasn't harmed and thanks for the entertaining story, even though I know it wasn't very entertaining at the time.

[SleepyDreamCatcher]

When I saw the length of that story I almost just bypassed it. Boy, am I glad I didn't. That was pretty entertaining after I read that the machine wasn't harmed in the ordeal. I can relate about not wanting to be without my machine even for a little while.

I have woke up with the hose wrapped around my neck a few turns but so far haven't pulled the machine off the night stand. It's close enough to the bed that it won't actually fit between the bed and nightstand, but I'd still feel like you if I ever pulled it toward me.

There have been several suggestions about how to secure the units to the nightstand/table so they won't get pulled off. Bungee's, suction cups, rope, string, and even duct tape! I've thought about using Command Velcro strips to hold it down.

Anyway, glad the machine wasn't harmed and thanks for the entertaining story, even though I know it wasn't very entertaining at the time.

Hi Bama,

Once I saw how long the story was I almost didn't post it. But the writing of it was therapeutic for me and I hoped it would make someone else laugh.

[ImaSurvivor]

Good job SleepyDreamCatcher. You persevered where many newbies would not have. I was struggling to get 4 hours sleep for my compliance the first week of my therapy. The time it took me to get to sleep was greater than the amount of sleep I was getting on the machine.

Earlier this week, I opened the lid of my humidifier to check the water level and closed it. I put my mask on and just drifting off to sleep when I heard a POP and the sound of air gushing. I flew out of bed with some expletives. My husband had awakened from it as well. I turned it off and checking everything to see what was making the noise. I knew my mask was on and feeling ok. I unhooked my hose from the humidifier, then hooked it back on thinking maybe it had dislodged ... turned the machine on and it was still gushing air. I looked for a blowout in my hose and didn't see anything. I was perplexed. When I was jiggling things and looking around, I found my humidifier lid was ajar and the digital display instructed me to close it. Of course I had turned the machine off so fast when I heard the pop that I didn't see the digital display to begin with. Must be when I checked the water level before bed that I didn't have it completely latched and the pressure popped it open.

Like you I was all worried about my machine and thoughts flying through my mind that it still had to be under warranty but worried what I was going to do until I could get it fixed or a new machine. My DME is several miles away and my week is crazy with my daughter flying in to walk in college graduation ceremony this weekend and immediately following the ceremony we will be moving her to D.C. (5 hr. drive for us) where she is attending graduate school. We moved her to a temporary location a couple weeks ago with just personal items she needed and the final move to an apartment this weekend complete with a loaded U-Haul that we have to load today

To add to the confusion, I have a new car that I intend to drive to D.C. following the U-Haul. I have a tire that seems to lose 1 lbs. of air pressure each day and when it gets low enough the warning light comes on and did again this morning. It has done it 3 times in all so far. Once when it was just 2 weeks old and on the road home from D.C. the pressure was dropping rapidly. We figured we picked up a nail and put some of that spray tire repair stuff in to get us home. Had the tire checked and no leak was found. Now it has happened twice more in the last couple weeks. Tire doesn't look soft but we have added air twice to it and the pressure reading raises to where it should be, but then starts dropping again each day. Have had it in to a local shop and they didn't find a leak. Took it to the dealer last week and they didn't find a leak. Each morning I find it is 1 lbs further away from the pressure in the other tires. Monday it was 3 lbs. less pressure than the other tires (we had just had it to the dealer on Friday before and they put air in it to equal the other tires). Today (5 days later) it is 8 lbs. less pressure than the other tires and my warning light on again. My husband can't get answers from the dealer (they claim they can't do anything about the tires ... but also told us there isn't a problem with the tire). I beg to differ based on it's pattern of registering loss of pressure and the need to put more air back in it. But (giving them the benefit of doubt) if it isn't the tire then they should be finding the problem! My husband has decided to replace the tire for our drive this weekend and still discussing this issue with the dealer.

I was so GLAD to find the problem with my dream machine was a simple thing!