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Cpap and the Spouse a Whine


TraciWA
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My dh just brought home his Cpap machine yesterday so last night was his first night sleeping with it. It was a bit like sleeping with Darth Vader! How long before I will get used to this thing! I know it is for his health, but I got to sleep! KWIM?

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My husband got a CPAP shortly after we got married 10 years ago. He didn't so much snore, but the choking and gasping for breath would scare the living day lights out of me. I am a light sleeper, too. Then I read about how dangerous it is for him. I was terrified when he went to sleep. I have always liked a bit of background noise for sleeping (like a fan). I don't think there was much of a problem getting used to it. Now, 10 years later, I can't go to sleep unless he puts his mask on. I don't really know if it is the noise from it or just worrying if he goes to sleep without it- he wount wake up!

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Most people I know with spouses who use a C-PAP get used to it quickly. It's a steady, rhythmic noise and generally preferable to snoring.

 

If you don't have to keep ears open for little ones, you might try earplugs.

 

Me, I'll sleep through anything unless it's something I know is supposed to wake me up.

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AMDG

 

WHAT???  I fell in love with my husband's cpap the very first night.  Even my daughter, who sleeps two rooms away loves Dad's CPAP so much she sewed a cozie for the hose (cozie + heated coil = condensation issue resolved!).  

 

I cannot imagine not loving a little white noise over . . . what we had before.  In fact, I feel this so strongly that I wonder if there isn't something wrong wiith your husband's CPAP.

 

 

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AMDG

 

WHAT???  I fell in love with my husband's cpap the very first night.  Even my daughter, who sleeps two rooms away loves Dad's CPAP so much she sewed a cozie for the hose (cozie + heated coil = condensation issue resolved!).  

 

I cannot imagine not loving a little white noise over . . . what we had before.  In fact, I feel this so strongly that I wonder if there isn't something wrong wiith your husband's CPAP.

 

Brand new CPAP. I am used to his snoring. (It's white noise for me) He does have severe sleep apnea, so I am glad he got it. He is a very restless sleeper and pulled the tube out last night. It made a whistling sound. I know he didn't get much rest last night either. Hopefully tonight will go better.

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Hmmmm.  I didn't find it too hard to adapt, but mostly because my dh snored so much without it.  It was actually quieter with the cpap.   ;)  We both slept better once he got it.  

 

Yep, this is how I felt, too. I like white noise, so it doesn't bother me. I felt like I was sleeping with a bear before, so Darth Vader was a great improvement.

 

Occasionally, though, if the mask is leaking, or the hose comes out, and there's a squeal or a buzz, I do find it annoying. I just poke him and he fixes it. :)

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We have always had white noise going, so I never hear DH's machine. On the other hand, I'd rather listen to the machine than DH's snoring. He could call the neighbors. With that, his machine doesn't make much noise either, but it can whistle from time to time if it's not sitting correctly or the hose is tweaked by the mask. It does take some getting used to for both, but beats the alternative.

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Yep, this is how I felt, too. I like white noise, so it doesn't bother me. I felt like I was sleeping with a bear before, so Darth Vader was a great improvement.

 

Occasionally, though, if the mask is leaking, or the hose comes out, and there's a squeal or a buzz, I do find it annoying. I just poke him and he fixes it. :)

Oh yes!  The squeal and buzz.  ;)  Or, if dh's mouth falls open then it sounds funny and I give him a nudge and he closes his mouth.  He's supposed to wear something to keep his mouth shut (kinda like Jacob Marley) but he hates it and won't wear it, so I end up giving the little nudge of "hey, close your  mouth so I can get back to sleep."

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It's not the noise of the machine that bothers me; it's the air put out by the machine.  When dh turns on his side, I get a breeze of air on my face that irritates the heck out of me.  FWIW, I am a very light sleeper. 

 

***Had to laugh at the Darth Vader reference;  both kids freaked out when they saw him sleeping with it for the first time. 

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Ugh, I hated the cpap when dh had one. (He did not have full on apnea, but was trying it to see if it helped with his sleep). I could NOT get used to it. Dh hardly ever snored before, so it was not an improvement to me. I was ready to move so I could have my own bedroom! So I understand how you feel. But, from what I heard searching the internet, most people do get used to it over time and actually miss it if it is gone (say their spouse goes on a business trip - they can't sleep without hearing the cpap because they are used to it!).

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My husband has sleep apnea but was/is a healthy weight, didn't snore much and it went undiagnosed for years.  When he first got his CPAP machine, it was a really big adjustment for me.  We sleep right next to each other, usually touching so having him attached to a noisy machine was a difference.  It was certainly loud.  Nothing was wrong with the machine, it's that not everyone's apnea has the same noise issues and snoring.  

 

It just took time to adapt.  Turning on a fan helped.  Scooting down the bed and sleeping next to his chest rather than shoulder/neck helped as well.  

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One of the major issues I had trying to adjust to a CPAP was the breathing noises you're describing. It didn't bother my husband. I moved to a dental device (I have/had mild apnea). But ask on a cpap support forum (like cpap talk) about things you can do to help with that noise. If I remember, it's largely conduction noise so ear plugs and similar may not help, or didn't help me. It was more about trying to reduce conduction of the sound by controlling what the hose was touching. We put it up off the bed (using towels, other furniture to the side) as much as possible. We added a white noise machine and that helped compete a bit. There may be some other great ideas. I'd ask.

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Does he have the full face mask? My dh does, and if it slips, then it makes quite a bit of noise. Otherwise, if fitting snugly, there's not much noise. F

ar quieter than that incessant, loud, house rattling snoring. It took dh somewhere between 2-3 mos. to adjust to the CPAP. It took me a night or two.

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Does he have the full face mask? My dh does, and if it slips, then it makes quite a bit of noise. Otherwise, if fitting snugly, there's not much noise. F

ar quieter than that incessant, loud, house rattling snoring. It took dh somewhere between 2-3 mos. to adjust to the CPAP. It took me a night or two.

 

AMDG

 

Oh, you're right!  I forgot about that.  My husband's first couple of masks didn't really go over very well with him but were definitely better than me spending the night feeling that I was the only thing standing (well, lying) b/t my husband and certain death.

 

My husband prefers the one that just goes over his nose.  We like it better b/c it's so much more fun to make fun of!

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We have this white noise generator: http://www.amazon.com/Marpac-Dohm-DS-Speed-Sound-Conditioner/dp/B000KUHFGM (husband goes crazy with electronic machines as they have little skips and/or repeating patterns).

 

The CPAP is 1000% better than his snoring, and with the white noise going the CPAP noises are barely noticeable. When the air blows on me, I just roll him over or prop up an extra pillow between us.

 

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My DH uses the nasal pillows mask and it's WAY quieter than the full face mask was.  I have to really listen now to see if it's on or not.  But like many PPs said, I adjusted pretty fast and it became white noise to me.  It took HIM longer to adjust to wearing it than it did for me to get used to the sound of it.  I slept through his snoring for 12 yrs and now if he falls asleep without the CPAP and starts snoring, it wakes me up.  I have to nudge him and remind him to put it on (he likes to get drowsy before he puts it on). 

 

We went out of town for 4 nights last week and forgot to bring the CPAP with us.  Neither of us were very happy about that.  Luckily I had a pair of earplugs in my toiletry bag, but that didn't solve the issue for him.  He was pretty wiped out by the time we got home. 

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Traci, I hope you slept better.

 

There are quieter machines and possibly masks if you two can't adjust to the one he has.  OR your dh's mask might need an adjustment.

 

(My dad has one now that you can't hear and my mom longs for the old one that added white noise, but anything is better than his snore/gasp/scary-breath sleeping pattern.)  If my dad visits without the machine, we can hear him through the walls, no one else sleeps and it's terrifying to listen to :grouphug: .

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We have this white noise generator: http://www.amazon.com/Marpac-Dohm-DS-Speed-Sound-Conditioner/dp/B000KUHFGM (husband goes crazy with electronic machines as they have little skips and/or repeating patterns).

 

The CPAP is 1000% better than his snoring, and with the white noise going the CPAP noises are barely noticeable. When the air blows on me, I just roll him over or prop up an extra pillow between us.

 

 

:iagree:

 

This. This. This.

 

My dh has the CPAP, which I detest almost as much as his snoring. I could not get used to it and could not sleep. The hive told me about this sleep machine and I *love* it. We both sleep well now.  :hurray:

I even take my sleep machine with us when we go away.   :lol:

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Okay, I just have to add this after our discussion and my experience last night.  Apparently another bonus of the cpap is it being so loud that dh does not hear you when you say the dog isn't feeling well and needs to go out at 1, 2, 3, and 4 a.m.    

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Traci, I hope you slept better.

 

There are quieter machines and possibly masks if you two can't adjust to the one he has.  OR your dh's mask might need an adjustment.

 

(My dad has one now that you can't hear and my mom longs for the old one that added white noise, but anything is better than his snore/gasp/scary-breath sleeping pattern.)  If my dad visits without the machine, we can hear him through the walls, no one else sleeps and it's terrifying to listen to :grouphug: .

 

I did sleep better last night! He didn't. It may take a while to get used to the mask. The machine itself is very quiet.

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Compared to my husband's snoring, the CPAP is quiet. ;) After almost 10 years of listening to that thing, I'm used to it. When he's away for work-related travels, I have a hard time sleeping. I think I miss the sound of Darth Vader in the room, LOL. So romantic, isn't it? :001_wub:

 

You will get used to it, and it's better than waking up to discover he stopped breathing. That's what I tell myself when his CPAP hisses or squeaks. I do wake him up when it squeaks, though, because he can adjust the hose and then we can get down to the business of sleeping!

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My dh just brought home his Cpap machine yesterday so last night was his first night sleeping with it. It was a bit like sleeping with Darth Vader! How long before I will get used to this thing! I know it is for his health, but I got to sleep! KWIM?

My mom sleeps with a noise machine and headphones.

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