Resmed Electrical Short

I am often woken by a very painful, escalating sting from the nasal pillows. Like a wasp or bee sting inside the nose. Usually I tear the device off and rub it till it subsides then reset the nasal pillows and go back to sleep but it is a bad way to be woken and last night it returned with a vengeance the moment I put the mask back on.

My initial assumption was that it was a chemical or bacterial issue due to irregular cleaning but better cleaning routines have made no difference. My second theory was that it is caused by some kind of static or electrical discharge from the Resmed S9 or the climate control hose. (Pressure 12.5 Humidity 5.5)

I haven't been able to find any discussions on this particular subject. Has anyone else had this issue? Have they managed to isolate the cause and ensure that it does not continue to occur? Should I start a deforestation program to eliminate contact points? :O

I am usually indifferent to discomfort but this is acutely, eye-wateringly painful, and it doesn't feel like it's just my imagination, so I would really appreciate some help here.

I use the ResMed AirFit P10 nasal pillow mask and have experienced something similar, but I would not say as painful as a bee sting. I attribute it to the skin being pinched somehow. I generally just pull the mask out slightly from my face and allow the silicone to inflate and straighten out. Then I put it back. Generally goes away. If I don't shave closely to my nose, and there is a bit of stubble left, that seems to make it worse. The P10 comes as a fit pack with three different sized mask inserts. I have found that using the largest size possible that doesn't leak works out the best. A smaller size will go to far into the nostrils and cause irritation. It is best to have the mask cones sitting on the bottom of your nose rather than inside -- at least with the P10 version.

Thanks for your response Sierra.

I can usually ignore most things and yes this did start, a few years back, similarly to your description and I do believe that hairs and follicles play a key role in the process, because they are more sensitive and perhaps also because they could act as conduits for static, but it has become much more painful over time and is unlikely to be related to pinching or pulling or pressure as far as I can tell and I do use the largest pillows with the looses functional strapping possible.

I Keep telling myself that everything is just perspective, and pain is a very personal thing with no real way to measure or verify, so it would be easy to exaggerate pain in our minds, but this wakes me up urgently and desperately from a deep sleep and I don't usually have trouble ignoring pain so I doubt that my imagination is that good.

I will try swapping out components and hope to isolate the cause by omission.

Once again thank you Sierra

I use the Phillips Nuance and yes it is old.

Changing the hose is a good suggestion and the first thing I intend to do. It is summer here so I should be removing the climate control hose from the equation anyway.

I'm not sure about the dynamics when it comes to possible electrical currents but the problem seems to be exacerbated by the wet conditions created when the humidity is set very high.

This is my second climate control hose because the first one began glitching the machine. (causing it to refuse to operate) So some level of suspicion might be warranted?

Ahh What I would give to spend a season or two in Canada!

Our coldest state is Tasmania, which would be warm by your standards, and I do spend a lot of time down there, in a house that gets quite cold, which is the main reason for the heated hose, especially because in winter the general humidity levels are also very low.

I have switched the hose and wound back the humidifier but I didn't see an auto option. It's been a while since I played with all the key settings so I might have to go looking for a manual before I can change much else.

Ok the verdict is in! Removing the heated hose has stopped the pain.

The first heated hose kept shorting out the CPAP machine and the second heated hose kept shorting out my nose hairs! :O

Has anybody else had these issues?

What do I do about it? I need a non-zapping heated hose before winter returns or I will have to spend a fortune keeping the bedroom warm. Any suggestions?

I started a different thread (Humidifier Dysfunction) recently and it is part of this same story.

I now believe that the Resmed 9 must have a fault in the electrical system that damages the humidifier and the attached heated hose.

It may even be dangerous. (or at least my nose hairs think so)

I was looking at a link that you posted, Sierra, to do with medical devices https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/medical-devices-11-2018/

And this description got my attention.

"Patient's husband woke up due to strong burning smell and noticed heated hose that had burned and melted as well as their bedding. machine was plugged in and the hose was draped on the bed. have the product 4 years never happened before. root cause undete"

This was not the only incident of fires associated with CPAP machines in that report.

I realise that it's not actual evidence and I am not recommending drastic action.

Just some awareness and a little bit of caution.

In the meantime I have a couple of heated hoses that might still be ok ...... any offers? :)

The For Her machine is the same as the standard machine and can go up to 20 cm in pressure. In the For Her mode however I believe it only goes up to 12 cm in response to apnea events.

I don’t think it has anything to do with the hose because I have had the same problem a couple of times since starting with a ResMed Airfit P10 and I don’t have a heated hose, it’s the standard slimline one. I’ve only been on CPAP for a week and it’s happened twice in one night.

I think what is happening is that one of our facial hair folicals is being pushed into the face in an unusual way and this can cause an intense but brief pain. I’ve done the same thing many times in the past with nothing more technical than a pencil or a fingernail. I know it does hurt like heck though, lol.

Hi AndyDigital

You may be right.

That was my view also initially, at least for the first few dozen times

However it got worse, much worse and I changed the hose for a normal non-heated one and it stopped immediately despite using exactly the same everything else.

I was able to use the mask and plain hose for several weeks without being bitten.

Then after a few months the plain hose began biting too so I concluded it was actually being caused by the humidifier chamber or the machine itself and must have gotten worse in order to transmit through a hose without wiring.

At this point I became concerned not just about comfort and pain but about actual safety. I find the Cpap unpleasant enough as it is without being reminded repeatedly that it is trying to electrocute me or maybe just burn the house down.

So I changed machines and continued to use exactly the same hose and mask with a F&P Icon and have not been bitten since.

Admittedly it has only been a month or two and Murphy might have been busy elsewhere but I haven't had a tingle yet.

I will take the old Resmed 9 back to the supplier sometime in the next few weeks and I expect that they will replace it.

I have taken it back to them once already (some years ago) because the humidifier was playing up and shorting out the machine. On that occasion they just tinkered with it, replaced the hose and tank, and sent it back to me.

I have returned the machine and it was replaced but there was no feedback on the old one.

This may be the normal procedure but I am less than happy with the result.

I suffered through many months with the Resmed 9 causing frequent severe pain and significantly disrupting my sleep.

There must be some level of accountability for these kinds of defects and I don't mean compensation, just consumer protection.

This was not a toy. It was a medical device which I depended on and it proved to be dangerous to health and safety.

I don't wish to cause trouble but the machine started it! :O

There must be an official pathway .............

I returned the second machine recently (Resmed S9) and reported that it was repeatedly shutting down in the middle of the night and that the mask I was using was not survivable when the machine fails but I was ignored and dismissed on both counts.

They just issued a new machine and sent me home.

Once again no accountability and no follow-up.

I would expect better service, even from an untrained shop assistant.

So what should we expect?

To be heard and noted.

To be taken seriously.

To be asked to fill out details on a form.

To know that the appropriate authorities would be notified.

For it be apparent that the information was properly assessed and acted on.

We need to know that the next machine we depend on will be better maintained and responsibly serviced and that it will be recalled if it is proven to be potentially hazardous.

Is that too much to ask of a medical supply manufacturer that seems to be just another retail company but claims to be so much more?