CPAP-Reviews

The more often you use your CPAP equipment, the more often it will need to be cleaned, adjusted, and eventually replaced.  After a month or two of using the same mask you may find that the mask fits differently.  Don’t be afraid to make adjustments as necessary.

My mask became looser over the course of just two weeks and required adjustment of the headband to keep it from leaking air.  It fit snugly and leak free when I was on the ramp mode and falling asleep however when the full pressure of my CPAP machine came on some leaks developed.  Even minor leaks can ruin your sleep.  Now I make sure that my CPAP mask is a little tighter before going to sleep to ensure a good night’s rest.

Try to keep your mask on all night even if you wake up in the middle of the night.  If your CPAP machine has a ramp feature (lower initial pressure that ramps up to the prescribed pressure) then you may want to hit that button to help you get back to sleep if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night.  I definitely notice a difference if I keep the mask on longer.

I’m a regular CPAP user and I definitely notice a difference when on CPAP therapy versus without it.  I’m definitely more tired if I don’t have a full night of sleep with the CPAP machine.

There have been times when I’ve been sick (either a cold or flu) and had a runny nose.  This does definitely impact how long I can keep my mask on.  In fact since I have a mild case of sleep apnea I actually don’t use the CPAP equpiment at all when I’m sick.  I find that it’s almost impossible to sleep while sniffling through my CPAP mask.  Even though I’m not as rested without using CPAP I find that I can actually fall asleep without it when I’m sick.  When I’ve recovered from my illness I’m definitely back on CPAP therapy.

I recently purchased this heated humidifier add-on for my remstar m series CPAP machine.  Right after reading the instructions I decided that this piece of CPAP equipment was not for me.

The heated humidifier would provide some moist warm air that might make the cold dry winter nights more comfortable.  First off it says not to put this unit directly on top of carpet.  My CPAP machine is currently on the carpet and there’s no other place to put it.  Secondly, this unit requires DAILY cleaning of the water tank or bacteria could grow.  The daily cleaning would become burdensome quickly.

It’s really not that cold here in San Francisco.  Maybe if I lived in a colder place I would have given this a shot.

Many people that are new to CPAP will do some online research to find out what side effects certain users experience.  Here are a few that I have personally experienced:

• Chronic nose bleeds / nose bleeding: This doesn’t sound as bad as it really was.  There wouldn’t be a lot of blood at all; just a tiny bit almost every day (noticed when blowing my nose).  However it was reoccurring and became a little annoying.  I thought that it would never end but after about 6 months of CPAPing it just magically went away.  My sleep lab technition recommended not heated humidifier because he said it may increase the risk of of infection (it may be more difficult to keep your equipment clean with the heated humidifier) so I just rode it out.
• Teeth grinding / jawing: I don’t believe that this is a direct side effect of CPAP but I have a theory about this.  You need to get used to CPAP therapy and it could take weeks or even months.  After the first few weeks of starting CPAP I noticed minor headaches as well as jaw and teeth soreness and I couldn’t figure out why it was happening.  This was only a temporary problem which I solved by purchasing a cheap mouth guard (one of the boil and bite types) which I used while sleeping for maybe 2 weeks.  I stopped grinding my teeth and have never had to use it since.  My theory is that I was stressed out because I normally have a difficult time getting to sleep and bringing CPAP into the equation wasn’t helping.  Just time and getting used to CPAP cured this problem.
• Dry mouth / throat dryness: I used to have a glass of water by my bed occasionally since I would get thirsty during the night sometimes.  Now with daily CPAP therapy I make sure I have water by my side every night because my mouth and throat get dry.  It’s not severe just taking a sip of water if i wake up helps to remedy this side effect of CPAP.

CPAP can be very strange for beginner users.  There are strange sounds introduced into your sleeping environment that previously didn’t exist.  You may be breathing differently if you’re used to breathing through your mouth.  There can be pressure on certain parts of your face and head to secure the equipment. Some people get used to this faster than others so be patient and hopefully your efforts will pay off.

The benefits of CPAP therapy greatly outweigh the potential side effects.  It took a while to get used to it, but now I’m getting a much better night’s sleep and I wake up feeling fully rested now!  I never thought I could feel so “awake” after waking up, but this is now typical because of CPAP.

The ComfortClassic CPAP mask is an inexpensive mask that is ok for occasional use. I have it around for a backup when I don’t have time to throughly clean and dry my normal equipment however I don’t think it’s the best mask out there. I tried one out for about a month when I first got my CPAP machine and here are my findings:
Positives:

• inexpensive
• somewhat quiet, maybe a 3 out of 5, 5 being super quiet
• gel forehead pad could potentially be comfortable because of the material (but read on to the negatives)
• comes in small or large size (this can be a negative if you don’t know your size)

Negatives:

• parts are not really removable (gel forehead pad and seal that goes around your nose are stuck on the mask)
• doesn’t have a slider bar so the mask may stay in place while you turn your head so it’s easy to have an air leak
• single small forehead pad (made of gel) can create more pressure on the forehead compared to larger pads or multiple pads

Overall I’d give this mask about a 2 out of 5. It’s ok, but I wouldn’t order another one since there are better options available.

You should be using your CPAP machine (and mask) daily to treat your sleep apnea therefore you must keep your equipment clean for optimal performance. It is highly recommended to clean your mask CPAP daily however this can become burdensome. Masks with removable parts makes for easy daily cleaning. Currently I’m using the Fisher & Paykel Flexifit 405 mask for several reasons:

1. The silicone seal (the part that makes contact with your face around your nose) is removable
2. The forehead pads are removable
3. The foam diffusers are easily replaceable and it comes with 3-4 extras
4. The glider strap makes this mask very comfortable because you can turn your head and the mask follows

As for daily maintenance, the minimum I’ll do is clean the silicone seal with Joy dishwasher detergent (I never needed to use any type of specialized CPAP cleaner or solution). Since I’m on my 2nd mask, I have 2 seals that I can rotate daily so I only have to do this cleaning every other day.

Although the forehead pads contact my face daily, I only clean them about once every couple of weeks. They slide in and out easily.

I wash the entire mask about once per month. They recommend that you wash it every week, but I don’t have the time.

Switching out the diffuser/filter every month or so is also highly recommended. I noticed that after I saw visible dirt or dust in the diffuser it became more difficult to exhale even though I have C-Flex on my CPAP machine. After switching out the diffuser with a new one I could immediately tell the difference.

Make sure you also clean or replace your CPAP machine filter once every week or so. Keeping your CPAP equipment nice and clean will extend the life of your expensive equipment!

I tried 3 CPAP machines before purchasing this Remstar M Series machine from Respironics. It has a small form factor however the power supply is quite large and heavy. If you can hide the power supply then the CPAP machine itself doesn’t take up that much room. Reasons why you would buy this machine:

1. CFLEX: This feature is a must for me. Basically the machine detects when you are exhaling and reduces the pressure to make exhalation easier. On the M Series this setting is adjustable from off, 1, 2, or 3, with 3 being my preferred setting.
2. Ramp Feature: All of the Remstar M Series machines come with this ramp feature that reduces the pressure for a set amount of time to help you fall asleep. You can actually adjust this yourself if you go into the settings.
3. Ease of use: This CPAP machine has the auto on/auto off feature however it does take some time to turn off automatically (mine takes about 30 seconds.) The buttons illuminate with a light blue glow and dim after the machine is turned on.
4. Low maintenance: The only maintenance I have to perform is cleaning the filter every so often. They recommend every week however I’m lazy and clean it once every few weeks.
5. Portability: Overall the M Series is small compared to Respironics’ older line of CPAP machines. I’ve used it while traveling for extended periods without any problems. I wouldn’t check it into my baggage though since it’s an expensive piece of equipment.

I used to think my snoring was normal since I have been snoring for as long as I can remember. My girlfriend would complain often about her migraine headaches however I never put two and two together until these two events:

1. A massage therapist suggested that the root cause of her tension headaches were related to knots found in her neck and shoulders
2. She read in a magazine <source unknown> that women that sleep with men that snore are more prone to developing hearing loss and snoring [by their partner] could cause tension headaches!

I decided to get checked out for sleep apnea. I’m not overweight; I’m 5′6, 155 lbs and I go to the gym about 3 times a week. However I was diagnosed with minor sleep apnea after taking a home test from the Kaiser sleep lab.

The options were to go with a CPAP machine or to get surgery. I originally wanted to get surgery however the sleep lab technician quickly talked me out of it. Why? The procedure had a 50% success rate at best and there have been some strange side effects recorded (side effects could occur even if the surgery is not successful). I chose CPAP since it wasn’t permanent.

Like many people I found it extremely difficult to sleep with the CPAP mask and machine in the beginning. I’d say it took about 5 months to really get used to the whole setup, but the results are well worth it.

Now after about a year with CPAP I have noticed the following:

1. It seems like I’m getting more restful sleep in a shorter amount of time
2. I take less/shorter nap
3. [and the most important] My girlfriend no longer has tension headaches on a daily basis!

I would say #3 is the most important reason to try out CPAP if you are diagnosed with sleep apnea.  If not for yourself, do it for your partner. It’s not permanent like surgery, and if you have the proper insurance (durable medical equipment) you may only pay about 20% of the retail price.

You can adjust most CPAP machines without a Doctor if you can unlock it. This is especially useful if you purchase your machine second hand and you need to adjust your CPAP machine to your prescription. I’ve seen people SELLING this information on Ebay. Search around on the internet before you pay for free information.

I own a remstar mseries CPAP machine and here is how to get into the menu where you can change the settings:

1. Unplug the CPAP power supply.
2. Open the top plastic flip cover
3. Hold down BOTH arrow buttons
4. Plug the AC power back in while continuing to hold down the arrow buttons
5. Release the arrow buttons after you hear two quick beeps

Now you can get into the setup menu by pressing the + button. You will see:

1. Therapy Mode (not adjustable on my machine)
2. CPAP Pressure (This is the normal Pressure-put in what your doctor has prescribed for you)
3. Altitude (1, 2, or 3-I believe 2 and 3 are for higher altitudes; I just leave mine at 1 since I’m at sea level)
4. Fine Pressure Adjustment (I haven’t ever changed this)
5. Ramp Time (This is great for fine tuning how long you want the Ramp time to be. I started out with the longest ramp time of 45 minutes and now after CPAPing for a while I’m down to 30 minutes. You shouldn’t have to go to the doctor to adjust this!)
6. Ramp Start Pressure (My prescription is 7.0 cmH20 and I have my Ramp Start Pressure at 6.0. If you’re just starting out it may be easier to use a lower Pressure initially, maybe even the lowest setting then work your way higher if needed.)
7. Mask Alert (This will send out some beeps if your mask comes during the night. I leave mine OFF since sometimes it’s hard for me to get back to sleep after waking up in the middle of the night.)
8. Auto OFF (This doesn’t work as well as I want since it takes maybe 30 to 60 seconds for the machine to turn off, and it’s really loud. I usually reach over and just turn it off myself even though I have this feature on.)
9. Patient Reminder (I don’t use this feature)

You can adjust the C-Flex feature without unlocking it, but it is also available in this unlocked menu.