Early morning rainout blues

[RoboLobo]

Up at 3:50 due to popping sounds caused by rainout. Arrgh. But I had a couple of questions/thoughts, wanted to get your feedback. 1) I've got my machine nearly on the floor, so I do have a nice vertical bend to my heated hose which also has a flannel cover on it. So I did that. I kinda decided this morning that the rainout was caused by cold air coming into my mask from outside due to leakage around my face, does that makes sense? Or at the very least the temperature differential between the outside air and my mask. In other words, nothing to do with the air temperature coming into the machine and nothing to do with condensation building up inside the hose. Does that make sense? It's early here. I was having some serious mask leakage last night, which brings me to my second point: does any else think Resmed Full Face headgear sucks? It's flexible enough for my Charlie-Brown-sized coconut head, but the Velcro seems to wear out after about a month. I did try a generic headgear bought off Amazon, but it was too tight for my big head. I did have a Padacheek mask liner, but I lost it at the laundromat (although I will get another one). Any other suggestions from the hive mind would be greatly appreciated! If it matters, I am using the Auto Setting for humidity/tube temperature.

[robysue1]

I kinda decided this morning that the rainout was caused by cold air coming into my mask from outside due to leakage around my face, does that makes sense? Or at the very least the temperature differential between the outside air and my mask. In other words, nothing to do with the air temperature coming into the machine and nothing to do with condensation building up inside the hose. Does that make sense?

Makes perfect sense.

Or more precisely, here's what is likely happening: You are exhaling nice warm body-temperature, moisture laden air into a mask and both the cold air outside the mask and any cold air making its way into your mask through leaks is causing that body temperature, moisture saturated air you are exhaling into the mask to get cold enough to have water condensing inside the mask.

A mask liner to absorb some of that condensed moisture might help. Or, silly as it sounds, sleeping with your head under the covers might help---just make sure the mask vents are not blocked by the covers lying on top of them.

It's early here. I was having some serious mask leakage last night, which brings me to my second point: does any else think Resmed Full Face headgear sucks? It's flexible enough for my Charlie-Brown-sized coconut head, but the Velcro seems to wear out after about a month.

I can see how that would be a real problem.

How do you wash the straps with Velcro? And how often are you washing them? Maybe there's something that you could do different in terms of the way you wash the straps that would help prolong the life of the headgear.

[ChicagoGranny]

I kinda decided this morning that the rainout was caused by cold air coming into my mask from outside due to leakage around my face, does that makes sense?

No. With the CPAP hose continuously pumping air into your mask, air from outside your mask cannot get in.

How cold is your bedroom? Which setting are you using for your heated hose? The thought is turning your hose heat up might keep the inside of the mask warm enough to prevent rainout.

You can also try turning your humidity down. How high is it set?

[ejbpesca]

My cpap machine makes my mouth dry as the Sahara since I mostly mouth breathe through my full face mask. To share humidifier experience: I have attempted to use the humidifier on my Airsense 10, and past two machines, without success. The highest humidity setting is not enough to prevent mouth dryness but does produce rainout. I never insulated the hose since even at high setting, I still wake with an extremely dry mouth. I just gave up.

Once in a while I wake without a totally dry mouth. I can only imagine that at least that night I may have used my nose to breathe. I gave up, but still open to suggestions of how I might get the humidifier of my machine to do what it is supposed to do.

I tried the Snugz mask liners which were quite comfortable but caused the leak rate to go to >50, so I gave up on them too.

Best of luck with your therapy.

[ChicagoGranny]

I gave up, but still open to suggestions of how I might get the humidifier of my machine to do what it is supposed to do.

CPAP humidifiers are designed to keep the nasal passages from drying. They do not deliver enough moisture to prevent dry mouth in mouth breathers. As little as five minutes of mouth breathing can dry the mouth badly.

Once in a while I wake without a totally dry mouth. I can only imagine that at least that night I may have used my nose to breathe.

Did you mean to say you used your mouth?

Maybe you want to start a thread "How to prevent draw mouth"? You will get lots of advice. Make sure to note which model mask you are using.