I've had my Resmed 10 for about 5 months. To clean the tube I have a weight on a 12' string, which I thread thru the tube. A piece of scouring pad is tied to the middle of the string, which I pull back and forth 4-5 times in a solution of hot water and Dawn dish detergent, rinse and hang to dry. I do this about 1/week, and it seems to keep the tube fresh.
It is important to have the correctly sized pillow. My clinician started me on the wrong size, and I struggled between discomfort and good seal until I got the right size figured out (medium). Still it was uncomfortable for 1-2 weeks. I got the tiny pimples, red spots and rashes. Now acclimated to the medium pillow (3-4 months use) it's not sweat. Keep the faith.
Good to hear I'm not the only one to experience more fatigue after starting CPAP. I generally hit the sack around 10 and am up by 5:30 - 6:00, so ~7.5 - 8.0 hours sleep. I have two theories on why I feel more fatigue. One is that my wife is a very light sleeper and I am conscious of the slightest hiss that may leak from my nose pillow when I roll over, and wake up to adjust the fit. Therefore I suspect I don't fall into a deep sleep. Second, I wonder if maybe I am sleeping better and feel more energized by 6AM, lay awake thinking about all the cool stuff I want to do during the day, and get up before I should. Naa, I think it's theory #1. lol. I'm 64, 6'2", 195lbs, and in good condition. Doing CPAP because OSA gave me atrial fib.
I too am annoyed by the poor design and durability of the resmed components. OK. Replacing nose pillows might make sense, but my supplier (who deals with my health ins co.) charges $50/pillow. Outrageous!! Amazon sells them for ~$16. The headgear, tubing and reservoir should last indefinitely. The reasons for replacement, listed in the resmed website are ridiculous. My headgear is now creating leaks because there is no way to adjust tightness. Time for some garage mechanics. I intend to attach velcro to one, then the other of the two main straps leading from the nose fixture. You're correct sleeptech, "capitalism at work". Sweet dreams!
