Thoughts on humidifier usage in travel

Another thread (viewtopic/t115172/train-travel-and-CPAP.html) regarding using CPAP on a train made me think of the potential downside of using CPAP in any moving conveyance. With travel by boat, plane, car, train, Van, etc. - it strikes me that using a humidifier in its normal configuration could be problematical. If one feels one must use humidification, under these circumstances how does one prevent water spills? This is, I think, the main problem. My thoughts took me to consider what if the water was somehow constrained from moving about in the tub? Hypothetically, if one were to turn off the heating of the humidifier and fill the tub with a washcloth or small hand towel that was saturated with water could it not serve as pass over humidifier? Since the water is constrained by the cloth it would not be able to move about and possibly spill. Yet, the water could still evaporate and provide humidification to the air passing over it. I think it is obvious the cloth would have to be removed when not in use and allowed to dry. Also, the material should be quite clean and without any chemicals to contaminate the air. To me, the concept is akin to the use of a damp towel around one's neck to help cool oneself on a hot day. I have never tried this, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Comments, please. If saying no, it would never work, please tell us why not - I really would like to know the flaws in my logic.

In that case, I would just forego humidity altogether.

Some people get completely congested w/o humidity.
I like your idea and think it will work.
But I also think the new cpaps from the top mfgs are made today so that water no longer leaks into the electronics so not filling completely full may work just fine w/o any cloth.

Hey give your idea a test drive and post your results.

Any large boat (ie cruise ship) that causes problems with your humidifier due to movement is one you don't want to be on and are probably praying to get off ASAP.

Jim, you brought up a great commentary. My BIL's brother takes his cpap everywhere, Amtrak, ocean fishing, flying. He cannot do without humidification. He's used both Resmed and Respironics machines and says if you only fill the humidifier bin 1/2 way, it takes all the movement fine except during a Nor'easter in a lobsterboat. He had trouble just getting the unit to stay in one place in that one.

BlackSpinner wrote:Any large boat (ie cruise ship) that causes problems with your humidifier due to movement is one you don't want to be on and are probably praying to get off ASAP.

We just got back from a cruise. We didn't have a problem with water and RC provided the distilled. You can't even tell the ship is moving.

Needed a cord tho as outlets in the cabin are limited. RC graciously offered a cord but I have my own.

BlackSpinner wrote:Any large boat (ie cruise ship) that causes problems with your humidifier due to movement is one you don't want to be on and are probably praying to get off ASAP.

I agree completely - however, the same cannot be said for Amtrak or many smaller boats. I spent many uncomfortable nights aboard very large boats during geophysical surveys in the Gulf of Mexico as well as the Arabian Gulf.

I can't do without the added moisture and I would just have to make it work some how. I tried the lower settings of 1 or 2 many years ago and the response from my nasal mucosa and sinuses was so ugly (and lasted days) that going without or using just pass over humidity is totally out of the question for me.

Fortunately the water chambers now in these machines have been redesigned so that water sloshing around is much less likely to get out of the chamber and into the electronics. The new "dry box" design is a huge improvement over past designs.

I have always said (and I mean it) that if I couldn't use the humidifier for some reason then I simply wouldn't use the machine because the symptoms I get from dried out nasal mucosa and sinuses is so much worse (and lasts for days) that I prefer the crappy sleep of a no cpap night over the nasal symptoms. Added humidity may be "just a comfort feature" but it is a necessary feature for me.

Jim, I think your idea about a wash cloth might work. I wrote a post about the train where I don't use my humidifier. Luckily, I don't need it. At home I use it only in the pass over mode and not taking it gives me more room in my bag. Not using it on the train also means I don't need to worry about orientation and I can put the machine in the little cargo net any which way. But if I did need the humidifier, I think (if the wash cloth didn't provide enough humidity) I would partially fill it (I don't think it likely much water will splash out as long as it is reasonably level) and put the machine on the bunk next to me at the head or foot, on the clean sheets, making sure the air intake wasn't obstructed. On some trains, there are steps or shelves close enough to use, but they're likely not very clean and Amtrak does get rough at times so care would have to be taken the machine didn't get jostled off.

Pugsy wrote:I can't do without the added moisture and I would just have to make it work some how. I tried the lower settings of 1 or 2 many years ago and the response from my nasal mucosa and sinuses was so ugly (and lasted days) that going without or using just pass over humidity is totally out of the question for me.

Fortunately the water chambers now in these machines have been redesigned so that water sloshing around is much less likely to get out of the chamber and into the electronics. The new "dry box" design is a huge improvement over past designs.

I have always said (and I mean it) that if I couldn't use the humidifier for some reason then I simply wouldn't use the machine because the symptoms I get from dried out nasal mucosa and sinuses is so much worse (and lasts for days) that I prefer the crappy sleep of a no cpap night over the nasal symptoms. Added humidity may be "just a comfort feature" but it is a necessary feature for me.

Have you x-papped in any steamy hot tropical places, Pugsy?

Grace~~~ wrote: Have you x-papped in any steamy hot tropical places, Pugsy?

No. My traveling to those sorts of places is probably not going to happen. I don't travel much anymore except to Las Vegas which is horribly dry.
But it's fairly humid here where I live though when compared to some other places. Even with ambient humidity in the house around 40% I would get those nasty dried out symptoms. It happens every now and then when I forget to add water and the chamber goes dry during the night and I wake up cussing because of the symptoms and the realization of why I am miserable.
If I was going to a hot tropical place I would still take my humidifier just in case. I wouldn't want my trip ruined by something easily prevented.