Biguglygremlin

I've got a backup machine too, but it's across 2 state borders and a patch of ocean that are all currently closed, with military personnel on every road and crossing.

To make things even more complicated the machine I am using belongs in that state, so if it fails I won't be able to do anything about it from here.

I had only intended to be in Sydney for a short time but, as per usual, chaos rules!

A lot has happened since I last brought my CPAP over with Jetstar Airlines. Jetstar

I suppose I could order another machine from overseas, it'd only take a week or so to get here, but I'd probably have to sell my horde of toilet paper to pay for it! :O

Do you want some vintage toilet paper Sierra? I'll give you a super special discount and I can even arrange express postage! :)

It'll make great earplugs for noisy BiPap machines and camper's generators!

Come on now! This is not an offer you will get every day!

You just can't beat good old vintage Aussie toilet paper with that unique complex aroma of dusty shed and an elegant dose of fragrant garden chemicals subtly combined with the deeply embedded earthy opulence of mice. It just doesn't get any better than this!

Hi hev67

I believe that Sierra has done some homework in this area so this is just a response to encourage you to come back.

In the meantime could I ask a few pertinent questions?

Do you use a humidifier?

Do you use a climate control hose?

Will you be using it in close proximity with your vehicle?

My current machine is heading towards 16,000 hours.

It'll take a year and a half to get to the 20,000 mark.

What happens then Sierra? :O

Is it like the sunglasses in mission impossible?

Will it pop up a little warning notice and self destruct?

Hi route53

Quite a few people have noticed marks and dents from straps and masks.

I get the impression that most of them fade after a short time.

How deep they are and how long they remain most likely depends on the resilience of the flesh which in turn probably depends on age, health, and perhaps even blood pressure.

It seems unlikely that the actual skull can be distorted without major trauma.

Initial discussion (RUTS)

Cpap causing skull deformities

One would presume that if both boxes in notifications are ticked and the authorization box in emails is ticked, that the end result would be email notifications without having to be logged into the forum but I suspect that the email contacts are regarding password changes etc and the notifications are internal highlight functions and at the moment they are not connected.

I've never really watched that bell but I fail to see how it really benefits the forum if it depends on members repeatedly logging in.

Email notifications regarding forum discussions have been discussed previously but I doubt that they have been authorised for this forum as yet.

I didn't realise there was a notifications option.

Mine is ticked but I see no notifications anywhere.

Is it a new function that has not been implemented yet?

Hello again wandafeb02,

I think many of us have added a few kilos recently. It seems to be a symptom of life in pandemic mode, or at least that's what I keep telling myself.

I suspect that you would have more issues with leaks if you lost weight because filled out the cheeks would probably give the mask a smoother surface to seal against but that's just an unfounded theory of mine as applied to oldies like myself. It might not apply to feb02.

It's possible that you are tightening the wrong straps and the top strap is sliding forward on your head while you are moving around on the pillow. Have you considered adjusting it in front of the bathroom mirror or getting your husband to adjust it for you.

You could ask your sleep clinic if it would be advisable to reduce the pressure a little and check what the maximum setting is on the machine because they sometimes seem to max out for no apparent reason and leaks are likely to make that worse.

The mask liners that Sierra mentions might be worth a try too and another suggestion that seems to help is a slippery pillowslip like the satin ones or, if you have the funds, a real silk one. They help prevent drag on the straps as you move your head around in your sleep.

Yet another potential issue is the hose itself which can pull the mask sideways and cause leaks. Some like to tuck it under the blankets somehow but I prefer mine fed through a hose stand that suspends it above my head. There may be other options that work too.

Hi LoyalFish

I don't think my CPAP (S9) has any auto on/off function so I really don't know anything about that, but I wonder if you can just take the machine back to where you got it, as safely as possible, and ask them to service or exchange the machine.

I know it won't fix the hissing air hose issues but I wonder if there is a way to avoid bloating whilst continuing to use the CPAP.

Personally I find that my machine delivers effective results at anywhere between 10 and 13 with very little change in comfort or events. The deciding factor for me is that by dropping from 13 to 12 I can pretty much eliminate bloating. Obviously this process is usually achieved through official channels but you should be able to have some input if you understand what you are aiming for.

Another consideration that I have not seen addressed as yet is that different masks might deliver different outcomes when it comes to bloating.

Logic would seem to imply that having larger outlet vents and a corresponding increase in airflow may make a difference so perhaps those masks that everybody complains about being too noisy could be worth a try.

Another option would be a larger hose or some kind of inline reservoir like what the plumbers use to prevent water hammer. I don't think any of those options exist as yet so maybe they don't work.

One option that might exist is a longer hose.

Any of those options (in theory) could act as a pressure moderator and limit the peak pressure created by expelling air that forces it's way into the digestive tract.

Of course Sierra will inform me that they would all interfere with the normal function of the machine. :(

Apparently only 10% of vaccines are really effective in the long term so the first vaccines that become available might just serve as a stop gap till we find a better one.

I'm beginning to think that the long term social effects could be more damaging and longer lasting than the health impact of the virus.

So what are the potential social effects?

Our efforts to restrain this virus will push our economies into totally new terrain but I suspect that most national economies were an artificial construct in the first place and can probably be re-invented with enough goodwill and global co-operation but the businesses and jobs are going to take a long time to rebuild and that will have profound effects over time.

Many of the readers in this forum are 'oldies' and can probably relate to the feeling that our value to the younger folk is not what it might have been for past generations. Any skills or wisdom that we may possess are largely irrelevant nowadays. Add to this the accelerated pace of life for younger people and this global catastrophe could easily be seen as a generational problem, us old folk destroying their world in a futile attempt to stop what, to them, is just a new version of the flu.

Probably the biggest contributor to social issues will be government restrictions, which cause uncertainty and resentment and adversely impact on the outlook and well being of many people.

Another element that has dangerous potential is the way in which this world is so 'connected' that the conspiracy theorists and scare-mongers, and anybody else who wants a moment of fame or infamy, can start an inflammatory process that travels faster than the virus and is equally contagious and incurable.

All of these factors combine to fuel a level of social unrest that may be irreversible, even in what would previously have been considered conservative, law abiding countries.

So what has this got to do with CPAP?

Perhaps, instead of buying toilet paper or stocking up on meat, I should buy a spare mask and battery, and I really shouldn't watch the news if I want to get better sleep.

Hi singingkeys,

I've been using the Nuance Pro for the past 6 years.

It's worked well till now. Growing Noses