Resmed Escape II S8 Machine

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Permalink Reply by Michael Smith on September 27, 2011 at 20:49

My suggestion is to goto 6 Ft. hose if you can. You should only use Distilled water in Cpap Machines. I use an S8 and only fill approxiamtly 1/2 way. You have to control the temperature as to what the room will allow as far as condensation is concerned. The newer machines have heated tubing that eliminates the condensation problem. You should also take your machine into a Cpap Specialists store to verify it is operating at the proper pressure. The S8 should run very quiet. Not silent like the S9 but verrrry quiet.

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Permalink Reply by Richard Mundy on September 27, 2011 at 20:51

Hi Martin,

 

If you are finding your CPAP machine is making so much noise it's stopping you getting a good night's sleep, can I suggest you get hold of some polystyrene sheets and make a sound-proofing box that fits over your CPAP.  Take care to leave an opening for the air to get through, but that should quieten things down a lot.

You can buy poly. sheets from B&Q and Wickes.

You are saying you feel there is too much air coming into the mask; is this a new characteristic of your CPAP machine?  I suggest you check the settings on your machine and contact the clinic that supplied you; they can tell you what the settings should be. 

 

Hope this works.

 

Richard

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Permalink Reply by Pippa Gore on September 27, 2011 at 22:15

I don't hear my S8 when it is switched on, in fact when I was showing my daughter what the whole thing looked like (me with mask on etc.) she asked when I was going to turn the CPAP on! I'd get it checked at your sleep clinic :)

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Permalink Reply by Rosemary Kemp on September 27, 2011 at 22:34

Certainly I have had similar problems to you but although 6 months seems like a good amount of time, it isn't really. I think the difficulties are continuous and eventually one comes to terms with the equipment and at least is better off than without the machine and masks at all.

My mask is not the same as yours but my loaned machine is virtually the same. It is noisy if the mask isn't sealing perfectly and even when the mask is sealing perfectly it is noisy compared to the apap machine I have recently paid for myself. My hospital will still be monitoring my use of both machines but the apap machine is incredibly quiet compared.

It costs so much more than cpap though. Apparently the hospital pays about £350 for the s8 and humidifier so they can treat loads more patients by buying that machine. The apap cost me about £750 (can't remember exactly) but the expense is one of the reasons the hospitals don't provide them. I suspect that the fact that one can have a little more control over one's treatment is another reason to encourage the use of cpap rather than apap. Perhaps ask the hospital if they will loan you an apap to at least try it out and compare?

I am wondering if you have too much water in your humidifier and perhaps it is set a little too high as well. Try turning the dial down a bit and using less water. I found it bubbled and filled the mask with water (and my face!) when I used too much water and used warm water from the onset. It seems to work better for me to put cold water in from the start. Have you ever tried that? Perhaps you have already.

The hose huggie (a hose cover you can get from Hope2sleep like all of these comfort products) helps to stop the steam in the hose from condensing and splashing us. Does that happen to you as well? I see that you already use one of these. The level of the machine to the pillow is also critical. Not everyone seems to have the same experience. Personally, I prefer to have the machine fairly high (higher slightly than my head) but I think that Kath (of Hope2sleep) may suggest something different.

The other gadget that I regard as a life saver is the hose lift / hoist. (You already have one of those I see). What a clever gadget! It hold the hose up; prevents tugging; seems to help to keep water from falling down onto your face if you have it at the correct height for your bed and bedside table and allows more freedom of movement in bed. I think it is an amazing invention and the inventor is truly brilliant! I have one attached to my bed permanently and one for travel. With all of these gadgets it is still about trial and error.      

I slept for two hours at a time last night and didn't clock up enough sleep, so even using an apap doesn't guarantee a perfect night of sleep every night. It is quieter though. I am interested in the idea of building a box with poly sheets but would be worried that it might restrict the air flow. I am inclined to think it is mainly the mask seal that keeps the noise down. The special cpap moisturiser is a help there and also well fitting headgear. I sometomes swap the headgear from one mask to another. Then there is also the filter on the machine but after 6 months I wouldn't expect that to have worn out completely. Worth asking though!  

Perhaps your hospital will let you try another mask in addition to the one you use currently. Perhaps the headgear could be changed? Experiment a bit within the limits that are imposed on us. The hospital may be prepared to let you try some new things without you having to purchase loads of stuff yourself. It is worth asking the sleep clinic and don't wait for your next yearly check (assuming you have yearly checks like I do).  

Good luck. I know it isn't easy. Cpap has saved my life though. I know that!

I just read some of the other replies to your post and agree that trying different hose lengths may be a good answer. Also they come in different diameters as well as lengths but that isn't just about trial and error and perhaps you need one size for the s8. The hospital should be asked whether a thinner or shorter hose might help or hinder. Not sure how helpful my answer is here.Best wishes to you.  

Rosemary

 

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Permalink Reply by Philip Dallinger on September 28, 2011 at 16:37

Hi Martin

I can agree with all the comments above but I have recently got my hands on a Resmed S9 complete with the H5 humidifier and heated hose and all I can say it is like a Rolls Royce so quite and all automatic. I did price this unit up and I think it was about £450 and if I had to I would have no hestitation in buying my own.

 

I have always used cooled boiled water in my equipment. Most of the noise you will hear is from the mask and that can only be solved by trialing the mask until you find one that suits you. I use the Resmed Mirage Quatro which is good for me but if the straps aren't adjust correctly it will slip and become noisey in use.

 

Cheers Phil

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Permalink Reply by Julie on September 28, 2011 at 18:57

Hi Martin, To be honest it's my hubby that finds the machine noisy as I usually crash the minute my head hits the pillow.  It took me a good 6 months to get used to the CPAP machine (Resmed Escape S8 and the Mirage Quattro) and the mask and like Phil says if the straps aren't just right you end up with mask leakage which can be very noisy and will most definately keep you awake.  I've used the same mask for a few years and even now I'm still fiddling with the straps from time to time to get it right particularly after washing them as they then need readjusting.  Only a few weeks ago I received the Quattro FX from my sleep clinic and I had a terrible nights sleep, in fact there was so much leakage from the bridge of the nose area that I had to get back out of bed and set up the old faithful Mirage Quattro.  This is a great pity as the FX is so much lighter and smaller on the face but I do plan to give it another go maybe over the weekend and after reading up some info on this forum...maybe I'm getting it all wrong ;(

It would be worth taking the machine to your clinic just to get it checked out.

Hope you get it sorted soon as it is just so frustrating and tiring when you are not getting enought sleep.

 

Julie

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