Embarrassing question

NyNurse33 · Post by **NyNurse33** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 7:33 pm

Ok, here it is: Two days ago, we had one of my friends toddler over and he took a nap in my room on my husbands side of the bed. Well last night, around 4 am, I awoke to this awful smell through my mask. It really smelled like urine! I ripped off the mask and somehow put on my CL2 and a minute later the smell returned through this mask. So now I was awake. I shut the machine off, checked the humidifier, the water had dried out and the humidifier chamber stunk like urine too or what I perceive as a urine smell. I rinsed out the chamber with vinegar and some dish soap and hot water. But I did the hose once with the same solution and it doesn't appear to be enough, had to do it again. I did my swift mask once and now its soaking again, b/c when I got home from work, the smell was there again both in the hose and the mask. I'm praying that the smell will be gone. I can't smell it in the 2 filters. And when I run the machine now with no hose I don't smell anything coming from the humidifier or machine. I put on another hose until the washed one dries. But I need to use the swift tonight. We washed the sheets and blankets, in case the baby urinated in the bed without us knowing. My husband works nights so no one slept on that side of the bed and we think maybe the urine dried up. But my question is if he did, why didn't I have this problem the night before and can an odor in the room really be absorbed like I've explained, into my machine and mask? DOes it maybe have anything to do with the fact that the humidifier ran dry with the heat plate still on?

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Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 7:44 pm

You can take the tank apart, slide the little green lock to unlock side, the tank will seperate in half so you can clean it good. If the tank dried out from lack of water it can turn into a water bottle that has been open for about a week.

I would only use dish washing liquid like Dawn to clean it. If you don't use distilled water the tank can turn rancid and critters can start growing.

You can also wash out the foam filter on the machine, just dry it good in a towel.

In Roman times they used to make Ammonia from urine, urine was actually a valuable commodity (seen it on the History channel)

Been using any Parson's Ammonia?

NyNurse33 · Post by **NyNurse33** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 7:47 pm

I did open the tank up that way and cleaned it well. I also only use distilled water. Haven't been using any ammonia.

Moogy · Post by **Moogy** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 8:50 pm

I get all kinds of odd smells in my unit--I think I have a more sensitive sense of smell than other people. Anytime anything unusual happens, I smell it for a while, and it drives me CRAZY.

A couple of nights ago, my unit smelled like TOAST. My hubby had grilled a toasted cheese sandwich that night, and I guess the smells wandered into the bedroom, even tho I didn't notice the odor elsewhere in the house. Now toast smells better than urine but still I didn't like it.

I have had really BAD odors if I run my humidifier dry. Also, any time I travel, the bipap comes back smelling "wrong," even after I change out the filters. I routinely change the filters now after an out-of-town trip, just to reduce the smells.

I am thinking of keeping some scented oil on hand, to put a bit on a cotton ball next to the air intact anytime I can't handle the smell. However, I am afraid that smell would bother me too!

Honestly, I think some people smell things more strongly than others. I have always been able to notice milk spoilage a day or two before the milk in the jug bothers anyone else. Ah, I know I am just too PICKY! !

bairdbeth · Post by **bairdbeth** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:15 pm

From what I have found, urine smells stonger once the water part has evaporated. Think about diapers. They certainly smell stronger when left longer. Pet accidents are the same way. You don't have any pets that may have been jealous of the baby in your bed? If so they could have marked their spot or territory right where your mask was. Good luck with the smell. That is one that is not pleasant!

-SWS · Post by **-SWS** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:25 pm

How do you think they make room deodorizers these days? They probably run fragrant odors through a CPAP machine for a night or two. Then I would kind of think the factory workers place the CPAP filter and perhaps a few "CPAP scrapings" inside the room deodorizer to activate it.

My CPAP machine sure seems to concentrate "foreign odors" when I travel. Yet I never notice them until after I return home. So I tend to change filters after returning from a trip also.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:42 pm

NyNurse33 wrote:I did open the tank up that way and cleaned it well. I also only use distilled water. Haven't been using any ammonia.

are you sure it don't smell like petroleum oil?

I've noticed that on my M series a few times right after turning it On, thought for a minute I was in the oil fields of Bakersfield or in Texas somewhere.

I thought it was good though, it showed I still had a sense of smell left

poopedknot · Post by **poopedknot** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:05 pm

Since you first noticed the smell half way through the night and that was also when the empty humidifier was discovered it would seem to me that the humidifier would most likely be the source of the smell. Possibly the heat on the plastic did a little chemical reaction.
Can you bypass the humidifier chamber on an M series and run your machine for a half hour or so without the chamber to see if you still get that bad smell? If not, it is the chamber. If it turns out to be the chamber, try soaking the chamber in dish washing detergent and water for a few hours during the daytime, rinse thoroughly two or three times and try it again. If it is still there after all that you may have to replace the chamber. Don't know the cost of that, but I'm sure you could get it here.

Just a thought.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 1:40 am

Maybe add a good soaking of the humidifier water chamber with a solution of baking soda/water.

NyNurse33 · Post by **NyNurse33** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:12 am

Thanks guys....I used another hose last night, washed my mask and humidifier thoroughly and I had no problems last night, other than the fact that I think all that soaking for my mask softened up the nasal pillows and they didn't seem to fit as well last night, but after a few more nights I'm sure they'll adjust. I just will have to check on my other hose and keep washing if necessary.

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cpapjack · Post by **cpapjack** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 8:01 am

I can't resist, but maybe the toddler peed in the hose?

Jack

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:07 am

I went there too-girl or boy toddler. And if the humidifier was on it would make the odor more pronounced.
If that happened-don't get too grossed out urine is sterile and you would not have breathed in anything except the evaporated water. The washing you have done will be adequate in the off chance cpapjack is right.

Offerocker · Post by **Offerocker** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 11:19 am

This may sound strange, but after the mentioning of cooking odors, etc., I have learned that the nasal hairs KEEP odors, and I've had to 'wash' gently the very inside of my nares. It helped trememdously.
The nasal hairs act as a filter, and filters keep things in place until removed.

NyNurse33 · Post by **NyNurse33** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 8:58 pm

No the kid didn't pee in the hose, if he did, I would of definetly noticed on the first night...lol...funny picture though. Offerocker...you are right about nasal hairs.

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 11:39 pm

Hmmm...a little boy...are you sure......