New CPAP user wondering is it suppose to be THAT LOUD?

Sorry to be one of those newbies who ask the question that has been answered 100,000 times before .. but here goes ...

I just got the CPAP machine yesterday, with a humidifier. When the person demonstrated the machine yesterday afternoon, we did it withou****er in the humidifier, and it was kinda quite.

 

Well last night I put in the recommended amount of water, and OMFG .. it was like sleeping next to a 40,000,000 fish tank with the water filter on !! There was no way I was going to be able to sleep with that much racket.

 

After about an hour of no sleep, I had enough and dumped the water. Needless to say, the machine was still trying to “pump" the remaining water through the system – and it sounded like a little kid sucking on a straw trying to get that last drop of chocolate milk. After about another 30 minutes I had to turn the machine completely off.

 

So my first night of “restful" sleep was anything but that. I slept a total of 2 hours !!

 

I am beginning to think CPAP stands for a Crappy Product that *ssholes Produced !!

Any information would be greatly appreciated !!

I have the humidifier on mine and it is no louder with the humidfier on or off. 

They should have filled it for you when they were showing it to you so you made sure everything was working properly.  It sounds like there is a malfunction somewhere, I would call the company that gave it to you and have them come back out.  Even when mine is almsot out of water it doesn't make a sucking sound. 

Thanks for the quick reply !! Will call the company

I have had the same problem. In the beginning, 26 months ago, I used silicone earplugs to be able to put up with the noise. Now  I am able to sleep without earplugs, but I do keep the CPAP on the floor on a rug. I also use a rubber band to hold the hose to the headboard and off my shoulder. Hope this helps.

Diana

Mine's pretty quiet. But on mine, there is an attachment I'm supposed to use if I don't use the humidifer.

I got my machine around 2-3 months ago, and it took me alot of calling and complaining to the salesman and therapists to iron out all the kinks.  Mine makes a sound, too, but it doesn't bother me.  Maybe your machine is malfunctioning.

I had to solve several problems since I first got it.  First of all, it made a knocking noise in my nasal mask because of too much condensation.  They told me I had the humidifier set too high.  After I adjusted that, I noticed an annoying whining noise coming from the machine.  I discovered that I was cleaning the parts often enough, so once I did, that problem was solved.  Then I discovered my straps were either too tight, or too loose, so I finally got those adjusted.  My final problem with the nasal mask was that it put too much pressure on the bridge of my nose, making it red and swollen the next morning.  So I ordered another type of mask, one that fit in my nostrils, instead of on my nose.  Unfortunately, the nasal pillows did not stay inside my nostrils, and leaked all night, disrupting my sleep.

I sent this back, and asked the salesman what to do about the pressure on my nose.  He suggested getting Moleskin, a thin strip to put on the mask itself, so it wouldn't hurt my nose.  I got some at a Walgreen's Drugstore, but discovered it was too thin to fully protect my nose.  Finally, I solved the problem - I bought special small, round bandaids for sensitive skin from Wal-Marts, and put four of them nightly to cover the bridge of my nose.  That solved that problem.  Lastly, I made sure the mask was down far enough so it lay on the bandaids on the bridge of my nose, so it made a tight seal, and didn't leak.  Now I sleep with it just fine.  Whew!

The salesmen and therapists told me these problems were very common with people who used a CPAP machine.  So hang in there, and don't give up, until your problems with it are solved.  Persevere, and you will be rewarded with a good night's sleep, like the rest of us who are now used to our machines.

Denise Phares/kitties4

Who makes your machine?

Sometimes, if you don't make sure tha****er tank is pushed in, it will make a horrible sound.  Or if the hose is not fully connected it will also make that hissing sound that drives everyone crazy..... 

Have patience, it take a lot of getting used to.
 

Thanks for suggestion. The folks came over and said "Yes it's kinda loud" so they gave me a new machine .. and guess what .. it was loud too .. then they said "try less water" (a few below the "fill line"). Once we did that, it was ok.

Still can't sleep with this thing. After 30 minutes I need to take the mask off, and fall asleep. It's terrible.

I just got mine and I'm having a difficult time sleeping with it. I can usually make it about an hour or 2 and then it has to come off.
Hugs, Tiffany

I've been having trouble again getting a good night's sleep.  Ever since I came back from our vacation, I've been off the regular schedule I had when I was working and at home.  I've had to be on sleeping pills, but unfortunately, now I'll have to be on them longer, since I've developed a severe back problem.  The CPAP works fine, but I can only lay on my left side, and if I turn even slightly to the right, I have stabbing back pains on my mid back right side.  When I finally sit up in bed, I have more excruciating pain there, and then it subsides, once I get up and move around.

I find that as long as I clean my CPAP parts regularly, they don't give me any problems.  If I don't, it gives me a strange whining noise that I just cannot sleep with.  I've also noticed that my sleep apnea operates even when I fall asleep sitting in a chair.  I always thought it was only sleeping laying down in bed.  Guess I was wrong.

Now my husband has his own CPAP, and he has a full face mask.  After a little instruction from me, he's gotten used to it, just that fast!   Figures he'd have alot less problems than I had, but oh well.  And guess who has to clean the parts every other day?  Me, of course.  But it really isn't hard to keep the parts clean - I just rinse them out with dish liquid and running ho****er, and let them dry, as well as hanging the hoses over the shower curtain rod over a rug in the bathroom.

Denise Phares/kitties4