(Part 2) Top products from r/CPAP

Copypasta just to be sure nobody gets taken on this crap:

As a package, I'm not impressed. None of these are a viable alternative to CPAP. I've used 4 of the 5 items with some small success, but I see no reason to pay their astronomical prices for such mediocre products. Better products are available for less money on Amazon.

The pacifier thing I haven't used, but it doesn't seem to do much to actually open the airway. Even when custom made and medically supervised, these TRD devices aren't very effective. If you're seriously looking for an alternative to CPAP, look into some real oral appliances by checking with an ENT or oral surgeon who specializes in "sleep medicine". Keep in mind that these are all second line treatments to CPAP and that they aren't as effective with severe sleep apnea. Here's a couple examples:

http://www.dentalsleepsolutions.com/index.php/about-sleep-apnea/obstructive-sleep-apnea-treatment-three-types-of-dental-sleep-devices

http://finder.tapintosleep.com/patients-treatment-options-tap-therapy/

The chinstrap may be useful in combination with CPAP. Perhaps this could make CPAP more tolerable if it were more comfortable? Sometimes a chin strap can help people who breathe through their mouth use a nasal mask (which is less cumbersome and easier to use). I like the simple wide band variety that's $12:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006O8LVX2/

The eye mask looks cheap. It doesn't have deep sockets, so you eyelashes are going to hit the mask - something I can't tolerate. I've used this $8 mask and it works great with a full face mask (but not a nasal):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016OQYNL0/

For a nasal mask, this one is a luxury item at $50 but it's worth it. There really aren't many alternatives that can compete with this:

https://www.eyeeco.com/tranquileyessupsup-with-instants-for-moderate-dry-eye-relief-charcoal.html?cat-id=45

The little nose things can help get more air through the nose but don't expect miracles. The ones in the package could be adequate, but they only provide a single size of a single type. There may be better ones, but here's the assortment I've tried, which is a great way to see which size and type actually fits:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MSWZW0U/

Lastly, the earplugs look generic. It is absolutely nuts to pay $50 for something that's under $5 at any drugstore. Here's a better option:

https://www.amazon.com/Macks-Pillow-Soft-Silicone-Earplugs/dp/B003LZQGN6/

PS: with all the money you've saved, get a decent soundbar for your bedroom and get some ambient noise going. This is what I've been using:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opg3GeMhgPY

A battery does not have to be special built just for a CPAP, any battery that provides 12-volts DC will work (which is the same type of power your car battery provides). CPAP specific batteries are a scam. You just need to get the right DC power cord for your machine and hook it up to any 12-volt battery.

Now how many days will you need, and does your battery need to power anything else? Do you need it small enough to be legal to fly with (limit is 100wh (watt-hours) or 160wh depending on your airline).

The smallest and cheapest solution is the Easyacc Portable Power Bank 38000mah rated 144wh and costs $81. It is the size of medium paperback book and about 2lb. It has a built in cigarette outlet, usb ports, and a built in white light plus flashing red emergency light. Using my Dreamstation (without humidifier) it has enough power to give me approx 4.5 8-hour nights. Best of all, it's still under the 160wh limit the FAA has so it's legal to fly. It is also about 50% more capacity of a CPAP specific battery which are typically only 99wh.

Going larger you have the Renogy 222WH Laptop Power Bank or it's bigger brother the 266wh

If you need a built in inverter so you can get normal 120-v AC power (which will drain your battery quickly) something like the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240, or Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 500

There is also countless other chinese knockoff style power banks available. Most of them will be perfectly The only thing I would stay away from is anything that looks like this because they do not actually have a cigarette outlet (you have to get a barrel to cigarette adapter) and they tend to be actual garbage systems.

The gold standard for battery systems is the Goal Zero Yeti 400 Lithium Portable Power. I happen to also own this and it provides me with enough power for over 11 nights of power on my CPAP and still wasn't completely drained. It also comes in larger sizes. It is the most expensive option but the best designed. Weighs about 11lb, and can be charged pretty much from any solar panel big or small.

Other people will say the best thing to do is buy a lithium mobility scooter battery and build it yourself. Which I feel is only a good answer if you are handy wiring electronics. Some people just want a prebuilt answer.

A few things:

​

• You have one of the best machines (Airsense 10 Autoset) on the market. You should hear almost no noise from it.
  
• Your mask (Dreamwear full face) is a great mask and also shouldn't be making much noise. There are two "exhalation ports" on that mask - near your mouth, and at the top of your head where the hose connects. Make sure neither of them are blowing air at your pillow, headboard, etc as that will cause noise.
  
• Check your machine settings. Is auto-ramp on? CPAP will be louder at higher pressures, so lower pressure during ramp as you fall asleep will help keep noise down. Also, you may want to increase the minimum pressure (even during ramp) to 6 or 7 - many of us find we feel like we aren't getting enough air to breathe at a pressure of 4.
  
• Try running a fan or noise generator for background noise if you're still bothered
  
• Mask fit is very personal - even the "best" mask on the market may be terrible for you. Try a few out. You can find masks online pretty easily, often without a prescription and for much less than a DME would charge. Here's a Nuance Pro nasal pillow mask on Amazon for $40.
  
• Note that you can use most of your existing mask with a nasal cushion or pillows - the Dreamwear system is very interchangeable. You will need the different headgear and the cushion or pillow (note both come in Small, Medium, or Large - try Medium if you're unsure). Maybe this will work better for you, and the cost is minimal compared to another mask.
  
• You mentioned you're worried about paying for the machine if you don't meet compliance criteria. You mentioned the DME would charge $8000. That's nuts. You can have your doctor give you your prescription (they are legally required if you ask) and buy it from one of the online vendors for about $850. Just return the machine and buy your own if that becomes a problem.
  
• You mentioned your sinuses are messed up - definitely speak to an ENT specialist if you feel this is hurting your ability to use CPAP.
  
• Blood ox at 70% is very dangerous. Keep it up, it gets easier. Good luck!

From one of my posts in /r/vandwellers
https://www.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/comments/6flmy4/going_solar/dijcji9/?context=3

I'm going to try to make this easy for you. Here is a setup that will provide you with some basic solar power. Don't expect to run your laptop 24/7 , but this will give you plenty of juice to get a few creature comforts in place and you'd probably be able to keep a business class laptop going all day with it.

• 100w Solar panel, charge controller $167: https://www.amazon.com/HQST-Polycrystalline-Display-Charge-Controller/dp/B01GVVE2WI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496765420&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=solar+panel+kit&psc=1
  
• small battery box $13: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000B12YQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
• 35AH sealed battery to fit in box $64: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K8E0WAG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
• Power inverter with USB ports $37: https://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-Power-Inverter-Adapter-Charging/dp/B00UFERZKO/ref=pd_sim_86_2?
  
• solar cable connectors $8: https://www.amazon.com/Sun-YOBA-Pairs-Female-Connectors/dp/B00A8TRKJW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1496763777&sr=8-3&keywords=mc4+connector
  
• 100ft of cable to use as needed $30: https://www.amazon.com/Paradise-GL22132-landscape-lighting-protected/dp/B00378K8XG/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1496763822&sr=8-6&keywords=low%2Bvoltage%2Bcable&th=1
  
  Total cost is under $400
  
  
• Find a conveniently hidden and inconspicuous place to hide the battery and charge controller. Mount them both securely. Make sure you still have access to this space as needed to monitor power.
  
• Run a line from the battery terminals to the battery ports on the charge controller.
  
• Mount the solar panel to the roof using the provided brackets. Make sure you seal that shit up to avoid springing leaks. Run the power from the solar panel to your inverter and hook up the cable to the solar ports on the charge controller. Seal that shit too.
  
• Mount the power inverter wherever you find it convenient. Run a line to the charge controller and mount it to the load ports.
  
  Try to avoid leaving exposed metal wiring at your connections and make sure you have all the positives and negatives matched up and you now have solar power.
  
  When putting this together, I opted for decent starter solar panel, charge controller, and battery. I skipped details such as multiple outlets, custom lighting, and vent fans because that will add more complication as you're wiring multiple things. You could always upgrade to those later.
  
  Down the road, depending on your needs you may want to upgrade to a 100AH battery (it's much larger and heavier so keep that in mind), add a 2-3 more of the 100W solar panels, and add a vent fan and LED lighting.
  
  Keep in mind that heating, cooling, and refrigeration will not be viable with this setup. To run a good fridge/freezer setup like this one, you'd need probably 200AH of storage and 300W of solar panels to be safe.
  
  

Hm. I used to be a very restless sleeper, but once I got my CPAP I started waking up in the same position I fell asleep in. You might still have untreated sleep issues.

As far as getting tangled up in the mask/hose, do you have a hose support? I have an arm that holds the hose up above my head so that when I do turn over (I might wake up once in the night to turn from one side to the other) I'm not having to adjust the hose. This is an example of what I'm talking about, although you might be able to come up with some similar you make yourself.

I don't know what type of mask you're wearing; I couldn't tolerate the face masks because of the silicone so I changed to nasal prongs which are much lighter and don't require the heavy straps the masks do.

Keep at it, there's a fair amount of adjustment and figuring out what works for you, but once you do, your body and brain will thank you!

Good luck to you!

You could pick up some spotlight gels and tape red or amber over the LCD to give it less blue light and glare I would think. Or just tape over the LCD entirely. More hardcore nerd version (which I could see myself doing if I had this unit) would be taking the unit apart and stepping down the voltage on the backlight, but that's not for the faint of heart obviously. :)

I run mine off a jump pack and an inverter, but I have only done it for one night. Your solution is much more elegant!

https://smile.amazon.com/Stanley-J5C09-1000-Starter-Compressor/dp/B002X6VXL4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1493409610&sr=8-4&keywords=jump+pack

Use a very tiny bit of a neutral lotion around your nasal passages first. To soothe and make a better seal with lighter pressure. That will be step one.

this is the best and will last over a year:

https://www.amazon.com/CPAP-Moisture-Therapy-Petroleum-Free/dp/B00865UVHS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1521128363&sr=8-4&keywords=cpap+lotion

I have a hanger that raises the tube up so it doesn't get wrapped around. I'm an active sleeper.

edit
Like this item.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078HQ9RF5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_XPxKBb456ZWM4

I used this stuff when I first started out. It worked great.

A CPAP Hose Cozy is pretty easy to sew up, but you can get them on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Snuggle-Skins-Insulating-CPAP-Cover/dp/B007BUOINM?th=1

I use it to also keep the cold plastic hose from waking me up when it brushes against my face or arms.

In Canada it's also on sale ($390 CAD - $25 coupon), but not as nearly as good as US sale - https://www.amazon.ca/Jackery-Portable-Power-Station-Generator/dp/B07D29QNMJ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ref_

amazon.COM doesn't ship this product to Canada, at least to my location anyways...

this will also work if you’d rather have it faster and hassle free

>Price: $18.00 + $8.04 Shipping & Import Fees Deposit to Canada Details

Water Tank on amazon.com

​

still cheaper :)

If you don't roll around a lot in your sleep, these stands can help. They hold the hose up above your head.

https://www.amazon.com/Hose-Buddy-CPAP-Management-System/dp/B00866NTJY/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1542361621&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=cpap+hose+holder+hanger&dpPl=1&dpID=31QqqAWlnbL&ref=plSrch

Ayr Gel is what you're looking for. It works great. I had the same problem in the beginning and this stuff helped immensely. Eventually I didn't need it anymore, but I still have it around.

Link:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JCIGE6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For instance: https://smile.amazon.com/Snuggle-Skins-Insulating-CPAP-Cover/dp/B007BUOINM

Try using self-adhesive wrap instead of tape. Just wrap it around your head making a few passes over your mouth.

Anti Snoring Chin Straps,Ajustable Stop Snoring Solution Snore Reduction Sleep Aids,Anti Snoring Devices Snore Stopper Chin Straps for Men Women Snoring Sleeping Mouth Breathers https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZB323DL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_01.0DbDRA19Y2

I mean technically a nasal pillow. The Phillips Size Medium. Rn it's around $12 but I've have seen it drop to below $5 a couple of times

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CLE3DRY/ref=cm_sw_r_fm_apa_i_rE2BDbTRWR15G

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006O8LVX2

No discomfort with this YMMV.

Lanolin.

Buy it on amazon or wherever. You use a small layer of it on the irritated parts of your nose before you put the mask on and it creates a protective barrier to keep it from getting irritated. Its used most commonly for breast feeding moms and irritation, you can imagine how bad that must get, so its perfect for the same reason for cpap users.

Life changing one you try it for cpap users with this sensitivity.

Here's a link https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0011EB814

I had some really sucky camping nights with a shitty all in one battery jumper thingee. Don't get those. I cannot sleep without my CPAP machine so when it died at 1 a.m. I woke up didn't sleep the rest of the night. The whole trip was shit. Next camping trip I was better prepared because no sleep while camping is a surefire way to get everyone mad at you for being so crabby.

Shopping list:

Deep cycle battery (labeled as electric scooter, marine, avail at Walmart)

Battery box (Walmart)

Battery Tender 12 Volt Junior Automatic Battery Charger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_N-ApDb7T085YM

Battery Tender 081-0069-6 Ring Terminal Harness with Black Fused 2-Pin Quick Disconnect Plug https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NCOKZQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_mbBpDb5MNGQ4V

Battery Tender Black 081-0069-8 Female Cigarette Adaptor for Quick Disconnect https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0041CDPQO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0.ApDbYDKVCY1


Pick up a 12v power cord from an online cpap supplier. Check in the manual for your machine for the part number. My manual also told me not to run the humidifier while using this power cord, so check your manual for any limitations. I have bought several over the years (I lose things) and the generic version they try to sell you is always more expensive than the actual part the manufacturer makes.

Put the battery in the box for safety and easy containment.

Charge up the battery with the charger a few days before camping. It does it with a trickle charger so it's not a quick process. Disconnect, leave the charger at home, or bring with you if you're doing an extended trip and need to recharge during. I camp about 4 to 5 days max and have not had any trouble losing power and needing to recharge in this time frame. I do unplug my machine from the battery during the day while camping so that there is no power pull at all.

Hook up ring terminal. Plug in the cord with female 12v. Hang the 12v cord outside of the box for ease-of-use. Plug machine with shiny new power cord in. Done.

Make sure to tell the kids not to drain your battery charging their devices! The little buggers almost always try that with mine. (I don't think it would actually drain the battery or anything. We camp to get away from electronics even though the kids disagree and sneakily try to get a charge in.)