After reading the manual  I was made aware that my mask has an anti-asphyxia valve.
Well now alarm bells are ringing. Does this truly work, if so how?
I laid there last night during an electrical storm thinking not a nice way to die  
I know our brain kicks in to restart our breathing during sleep, but with the full face covering both nose and mouth would we get enough air through the vents?
I am guessing if the power did go out our brain would be kind enough to kick in  
Thanks in advance for advice and/or opinion. I need reassurance please.

Hapappy,
      All you have to do to figure out it works is put your mask on with the cpap connected and don't turn the cpap on, you should find that you have no problem breathing and would have no problem breathing if the machine goes off in the middle of the night.

SGN

hapappy wrote:

After reading the manual  I was made aware that my mask has an anti-asphyxia valve.
Well now alarm bells are ringing. Does this truly work, if so how?
I laid there last night during an electrical storm thinking not a nice way to die  
I know our brain kicks in to restart our breathing during sleep, but with the full face covering both nose and mouth would we get enough air through the vents?
I am guessing if the power did go out our brain would be kind enough to kick in  
Thanks in advance for advice and/or opinion. I need reassurance please.

Hi,

I believe that the valve you refer to is primarily an exhaust port (or ports) required to stop a build up of CO2. The system works very well. Without it you would be unable to breathe and exhale.

You needn't worry. In the event of a power failure you can continue to breathe as air is exhaled through these ports. The most likely outcome of a power failure is that you will wake up after a few minutes.

Just be reassured that the system works............no worries.


Daniel.


_________________
The untreated Sleep Apnoea sufferer died quietly in his sleep.......
Unlike his three passengers who died screaming !!!!!!

(Anon)

Hi Happappy (love that name!)

The exhaust ports are different than the anti-asphxiation valve.  They are specific valves designed to only function if the power to the CPAP is off.  All FF masks that I have seen have them.  They work just fine and, as previously posted, you can demonstrate this to yourself by turning off your CPAP and breathing.  It feels a little stuffier than plain room air, but you are not rebreathing much CO2 and will be perfectly fine (except for your apnea) if you lose power.  Post your model and I'll explain where it is and how the valve works if I'm familiar with it.  The principles and designs are really quite elegant.

Vicki


_________________
Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.
Marilyn Von Savant

That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

Vicki wrote:

Hi Happappy (love that name!)

The exhaust ports are different than the anti-asphxiation valve.  They are specific valves designed to only function if the power to the CPAP is off.  All FF masks that I have seen have them.  They work just fine and, as previously posted, you can demonstrate this to yourself by turning off your CPAP and breathing.  It feels a little stuffier than plain room air, but you are not rebreathing much CO2 and will be perfectly fine (except for your apnea) if you lose power.  Post your model and I'll explain where it is and how the valve works if I'm familiar with it.  The principles and designs are really quite elegant.

Vicki

I better get back to school.............didn't know that............about the FF masks.

One up to you Vicki

Daniel.


_________________
The untreated Sleep Apnoea sufferer died quietly in his sleep.......
Unlike his three passengers who died screaming !!!!!!

(Anon)

Just one to payback the ton I've learned from you Daniel!!!

Vicki


_________________
Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.
Marilyn Von Savant

That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

Hapappy,

Yes, your mask may have an anti-asphyxia valve. This is a rubber ring inside the elbow (where your hose attaches) to your mask.

When we breathe in, we breathe in oxygen. When we breathe out, we breathe out carbon dioxide. When your flow generator is on and blowing air, the rubber ring is open. The machine is helping you breathe in and out. If during the middle of the night the power went out, the rubber ring would close. This would allow you to breathe room air and keep you from breathing in your own carbon dioxide and asphyxiating.

If your flow generator stops working, most people wake up and take their mask off until the power comes back on. If you are a very heavy sleeper and won't realize that your flow generator stopped working, you'll be fine because you'll be breathing room air and won't asphyxiate. If you are a heavy sleeper and want to be awaked if the power goes out, you can buy an alarm that you can plug into any wall plug that will sound an audible alarm to wake you. You can find these at places like Radio Shack and they are about $40.

The anti-asphyxia valve is nothing to fear. You may never have an experience where you have to use it.