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Noisy CPAP making me crazy

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SleepyMommy703 +0 points · about 6 years ago Original Poster Sleep Commentator

I had been sleeping in the livingroom for some time and often used the tv on very low to fall asleep (helped with anxiety) so I didn't notice much noise from my CPAP. Every once in a while if I laid a certain way I'd notice a loud almost vibration/humming that I assume was from the tube but if I moved to another position I didn't notice it as much.

Now I just finished some remodeling and have my own bedroom so no more tv for background noise and the CPAP noise is driving me crazy! I put it in the floor and it's a tiny bit better than on my night stand, but even with my ears covered with a chin strap I hear it like the noise just vibrates right through my bed and pillow. I hear my breathing which I can handle. It's like a quieter darth vader sort of sound. But this is more of a loud I guess humming is the best way to describe it. I don't think it's the actual machine I think it's the air moving through the hose (it's quiet as I inhale), but I'm not sure what to do about it.

I use a Resmed Airsense 10. I'm currently not using a heated tube (I think it was quieter with the heated one but I had a terrible time with rainout so I'm back to a regular hose. My current mask is an Eson 2 which I just started using a couple months ago. I get a MUCH better seal with this mask so I'm hoping that's not the issue. It may be worse because I'm on a wood floor now in a smaller room so sound travels and echoes a bit. Thinking about at least getting a rug for it to sit on and see if that helps.

Any other thoughts or ideas? I never had a noise issue with my Resmed 9 at all. Sometimes I wasn't even sure if it was on it was so quiet. Didn't hear myself breath or anything.

TIA

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jnk +1 point · about 6 years ago

I sleep with ear plugs. That allows me to hear more of my breathing and less of everything else. Our smoke/fire alarm is loud enough to wake me when I have ear plugs in, so I consider it safe. I got in the habit during my night-shift days in NYC.

Now that I live in the country, my bedroom is too quiet, which makes any sound too loud. So I keep an air purifier running to create some background noise going that can cover up other very slight but distracting noises. My mind tunes out that constant low noise of the purifier that, in turn, covers up the varying noises of everything else. AND sleep with earplugs. I've always been a sort of belt AND suspenders kind of guy. :-) Hey, just me.

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Dogman11 +0 points · about 6 years ago

My former machine an ResMed S9 Autoset was a very quiet machine that I used for 5 years until it failed. I consider my present ResMed S10 Autoset to be as quiet or quieter than the S9. About 10 years ago I had a machine that started making a fan noise after 5 years. It did not vibrate. Your machine cannot be old enough to have motor problems unless it fell off the nightstand. I just reread your post. If it is quiet when you inhale and noisy when you exhale perhaps your EPR is not enabled. This makes it so you don's have to push against any pressure when you exhale. The S10 has a superb EPR. Give it a try. Mine is set at a level of 3.

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sleeptech +0 points · about 6 years ago Sleep Enthusiast

I would not advise turning EPR on without some technical support. When you turn on EPR you are effectively lowering you CPAP pressure which can be enough to allow your airway to obstruct. Another problem is that the slight pressure fluctuation can be enough to hyperventilate you and induce Cheyne-Stokes respiration, which is a form of central sleep apnoea. EPR should be used with great caution.

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Dogman11 +0 points · about 6 years ago

Sleeptech has good advice. I would never recommend any changes without the approval of your sleep doctor. I don't think my doctor would let a machine out the door unless the EPR was enabled. I feel that a good working EPR is one of the best features of the newest machines. While the machines should be noise free, I do believe that there is always going to be some sound as the air enters the mask. While I only tried nasal pillows for a very short time while my nose bridge was healing I remember them as being very quiet. I guess that I am lucky in that the CPAP works for me as well as a sound machine or nature CD as it lets me slip in to sleep without much effort on my part. My wife just loves it because I do not snore when I am using the CPAP.

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