My Top 3 CPAP Machine Substitutes

Since the first part of 2022, I've been trying to sleep without my continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine for sleep apnea. Mind you, not because I wanted to. Not even because my CPAP is on the recall list. Instead, it is because of the noxious fumes it was giving off. This meant I needed to explore some CPAP machine substitutes for therapy.

Why I needed CPAP machine substitutes

One night while fast asleep, I woke up unable to breathe and was coughing!! On my CPAP machine, I use nose pillows instead of the full-face mask. When I took the nose pillows out, the horrific smell of some sort of gas was coming out of the nose pillows. The fumes were so intense that I could taste the gas!

My first substitute

That night when I went to bed, I used nothing special as a substitution for my CPAP machine.

We always have the ceiling fan on. It does not matter what time of year it is. My husband can't breathe right without the fan on. (He did just get diagnosed with mild obstructive sleep apnea, so now we know why he needed the fan.) My first CPAP substitute was using a fan to circulate air.

Anyway, my thinking was that I'd see if the fan helped me sleep because it used to help before I got the CPAP machine.

Well…. that worked OK for about a month! But you see, I also have a few health conditions besides sleep apnea. Without proper sleep, I literally cannot function. For 1 of these health issues, I have to take a pill every 2 hours just to be able to move because the chemicals in my body do not function properly. This pill is also given to military personnel and police officers if they are ever in a situation where chemicals are used that disrupt the nervous system. So just imagine what literally blowing that gas smell into my nose from my CPAP machine was doing to the chemicals in my body.

Second substitute: a small fan

So, then I tried putting a small fan on the nightstand. I aimed it so it would blow directly into my face while I slept.

Soon, I ran into a problem with that! Don't laugh – but between the ceiling fan on, now the little fan blowing directly into my face, along with it being summer so the central air conditioner is on, another issue began. I was getting really cold!!

So now at bedtime, picture this: I've got my sleep mask on to keep the breeze from the fan from drying out my eyes. In addition to this, I added a larger knitted dreadlock sleep cap pulled completely over my head and face.

Now, believe it or not, all that worked really well!

Third CPAP substitute: a mouth guard

Next, add a trip to see the dentist. Yeah, you read that right!! Apparently, I have a little TMJ going also. The dentist suggested I get to sleep mouth guard. When I told him I had sleep apnea, he told me not to use it with the CPAP machine.

Little did he know that I can't use my CPAP right now. While shopping, I went ahead and got the expensive sleep mouth guard. After all, it was $2! I also got some of those nose strips. Do you know which ones? Nose strips that you wear to prevent snoring.

I'm sure that would just be thrilling for any spouse/significant other to get it go to bed with! See a CPAP machine isn't so bad after all now is it!

Final unplanned solution!!

I called Philips to update my registration. They realized I had been on the wait list way too long. My new machine should be here in the next few weeks!

Have you ever needed CPAP machine substitutes for therapy while waiting for your replacement? Please tell us your story or share a comment.