ResMed AirMini and HumidX humidity exchange

[Hoot]

I've been using a cpap with humidifier for about three years. Traveling on an airline with the bulky cpap was a problem and yearly trips to Europe packing a cpap was much too cumbersome. I tried a Transcend travvel cpap a year ago but couldn't use it more than a couple of hours because my nasal passages felt parched.
I've been using the AirMini for about a week with the P10 nasal mask. My biggest concern was if I could get enough humidity using the HumidX or HumidX Plus inserts. The first night I slept OK but my nasal passages were extremely dry so I thought the HumidX plus wouldnt work for me. Tried it a second night and the HumidX Plus was more than adequate. I guess you have to use a new HumidX cartridge for a night Before it gets primed so to speak. The last five nights have been perfect for me. I wear hearing aids so noise hasn't been an issue with thevAirMini or the mask. I put my hearing aids in while using the AirMini but still didn't notice a noise issue. Can't wait for my next vacation taking the small AirMini with me. No more waking up tired with a sore throats from snoring all night without a cpap !

[sburke91]

I just finished my first night with the AriMini, using the P10 and the HumidX plus. I slept well, but woke up around ~3 hours in with a pretty dry nose. A little saline spray and a glass of water let me go back to sleep until my normal wake-up time.

In the morning, I was amazed at the amount of moisture I saw in the short hose between the vent and the mask, as well as below the HumidX cartridge when I pulled it out to take a look. I think this thing's going to work out!

[Hoot]

My first post on the Resmed AirMini and HumidX Plus humidifier insert was November 30th. The first night I used the AirMini with the a HumidX Plus, my nasal passages were extremely dry so I thought the HumidX Plus would not work for me. The next seveal nights I got enough humidity with the HumidX Plus. After four or five comfortable nights in a row, I had two horrible nights were my nasal passages felt parched using the HumidX Plus. I gave the AirMini a rest and went back to my old cpap with humidifier to give my nose a rest.
I called ResMed for suggestions on how to make the HumidX Plus better but they were of no help.
Tonight, I put several drops of distilled water in the HimidXPlus cartridge and will give a report on how it goes. I really want the AirMini with Humid X to work so I can travel with an easy to pack machine.

[Holden4th]

A Heat Moisture Exchanger (HME) is the go. I bought the one that is provided with the Z1 and it can be purchased separately. It lasted two weeks while I was overseas. It will fit every machine as it works in line with your tubing. I've still got an extra one waiting for my next trip where I don't take my humidifier unit with me.

[sburke91]

A Heat Moisture Exchanger (HME) is the go. I bought the one that is provided with the Z1 and it can be purchased separately. It lasted two weeks while I was overseas. It will fit every machine as it works in line with your tubing. I've still got an extra one waiting for my next trip where I don't take my humidifier unit with me.

I tried a standard 'in-line' HME, with a standard mask (Airfit P10) but it didn't return enough humidity to prevent dryness, due to the vents in the mask itself. I've just finished my 4th night with the AirMini setup (2 test nights at home, 2 on the road), with the proprietary P10 mask. For me, at least, it makes a world of difference. My nasal passages were dry the first night (which is similar to others' experiences), but great since.

I'm curious as to whether Resmed will market the HumidX system for use with normal machines/hoses at some point. If the humidity modules actually last a full month, $5/module isn't insanely more than I spend on distilled water now, and would be worth it to be able to shed the chamber filling and cleaning forever.

[Hoot]

I posted this statement a few days ago “I put several drops of distilled water in the HimidXPlus cartridge and will give a report on how it goes.”
It didn’t go well. I woke up three hours later with extremely dry nose and nasal passages. I can’t figure out why I got three or four good nights using the HumidX Plus then three terrible nights of parched sinuses and nasal passage. Maybe my body isn’t well hydrated?

The internet retailer Where I bought the AirMini is sending another HumidX Plus cartridge for me to try. The cartridge is little more than paper that has extremely tiny honeycomb structure that is supposed to absorb moisture when you exhale. My guess the reason it is supposed to be replaced every thirty days has to do with sanitary reasons and maybe the paper gets clogged with tiny particles that reduces the moisture absorption.
I really hope the hydration issue can be solved because the AirMini will be perfect for traveling.
Anybody out there have any HumidX suggestions ?

[sburke91]

I posted this statement a few days ago “I put several drops of distilled water in the HimidXPlus cartridge and will give a report on how it goes.”
It didn’t go well. I woke up three hours later with extremely dry nose and nasal passages. I can’t figure out why I got three or four good nights using the HumidX Plus then three terrible nights of parched sinuses and nasal passage. Maybe my body isn’t well hydrated?

The internet retailer Where I bought the AirMini is sending another HumidX Plus cartridge for me to try. The cartridge is little more than paper that has extremely tiny honeycomb structure that is supposed to absorb moisture when you exhale. My guess the reason it is supposed to be replaced every thirty days has to do with sanitary reasons and maybe the paper gets clogged with tiny particles that reduces the moisture absorption.
I really hope the hydration issue can be solved because the AirMini will be perfect for traveling.
Anybody out there have any HumidX suggestions ?

I saw a note under one of the AirMini reviews out there that someone brushes their teeth and drinks a glass of water right before putting on the mask every night with their AirMini setup. I don't know if it really helps or not, but I've been doing that every night, and I have both condensation on the walls of the short hose between the vent and the mask, as well as enough water to puddle on the edges around the HumidXPlus cartridge, so something's working right for me.

[Pugsy]

I can’t figure out why I got three or four good nights using the HumidX Plus then three terrible nights of parched sinuses and nasal passage. Maybe my body isn’t well hydrated?

Is it possible that your ambient bedroom humidity is fluctuating a bit and maybe being a factor in the dryness?
Similar to how it affects water consumption in our regular machines. I recently had to turn the furnace on and I am now using almost a whole tank of water where before I was just using may 1/2 to 3/4 of a tank each night. I know that the ambient humidity is less with the furnace running. I have one of those gadgets in the bedroom to measure humidity and I am seeing 20 to 40 percent less humidity now than before the furnace was turned on full time. So cooler drier winter air means less ambient humidity and my machine has to make up the difference.

What is the humidity average for where you are planning to travel to and how does it compare with your ambient humidity where you live?

Sorry..no personal experience with the HumidX thing or the AirMini. Not interested because I am pretty sure that with my needs for maximum humidity from my machine that my nose wouldn't be happy with the minimal amount I might get from the HumdidX thing. I don't even want to try it.

[Hoot]

I started this thread about the Humid X humidifier for the ResMed AirMini.
I’m re-thinking my problem about the lack of humidity using the Humid X. I’ve used my old cpap with the water tank the last few days and have slept well but during the day, I noticed my nasal passages have been extremely dry. I bought some ‘nasal gel’ spray at walgreens to add some moisture to my nose. The problem with the lack of humidity may not be with the Humid X cartridge but with my dry nasal passages. I will try the MiniAir but use the nasal gel before putting on the P10 mask and see if the gel helps.

[sburke91]

I've been on a pretty serious travel stint the first 3 weeks of this year, which has given me some new insights into the behavior of the HumidX.

I bought my AirMini at the start of December last year, and used it 2-3 times, with pretty good results. I had dryness the first night the HumidX (plus) cartridge was open, but good results after that.

This year, I've made 3 trips with the AirMini, 2 to NJ and one to NC. I've discovered that the humidity retention of the HumidX is heavily impacted by the ambient humidity of the room you're sleeping in. On both trips to NJ, it's been very cold, and the hotel air exceptionally dry. I've woken up in the middle of the night at least once on both trips with extremely dry nasal passages, and had to use some saline spray to overcome it. Sleep has been decent, aside from the wake-up, but the dryness is pronounced.

On the trip to NC, with temps in the ~40's and normal humidity, sleep's been great, no dryness, no wake-up. I might pick up a cheap ambient humidity monitor next week, so I can get a bead on what levels cause the HumidX to stop retaining as much humidity.

[Thunder Road]

I have been using the AirMini since September and it is my primary machine. I have used it for about 1000 hours and I feel like my therapy is going great with it. I have been on cpap for 12 years and feel the Airmini algorithm is providing me with a quality treatment and the my airmini app is proving that each day. I realize the app is giving just a basic snapshot but it works for me. I have a different machine to use with more in depth software should I want to tweak things. I used the blue standard HumidX in the fall but now use the HumidX plus as I live in the cold and dry conditions of New York state. I have had zero problems with humidity not being sufficient. Just my two cents but I really like the AirMini.

[asteck]

I will try again but went through 2 humix2 filters and suffer for days afterward with burnt out nasal passages, sneezing and coughing. Currently fee it is the worst investment I have ever done. The previous post say give it time and an new cartridge which I will do tonight but don't give it high hopes...….I called resmed and they did nothing for me and no additional options.

[Goofproof]

Maybe you need to use it on a Lake or Outside in the woods where it is more humid, or You could buy a Full featured XPAP, meant for living in the house on the grid.

Also you can buy passover units, and even in-line HH units that are heated, Neither will extend the life of your unit. It's a "Silk Purse, Pig's Ear" type of thing! Jim