Humidifier Settings?

6PtStar · Post by **6PtStar** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:11 pm

I know ther have been a lot of threads about using the humidifier, not using it, but what kind of guidence can anyone give as to what do you look for when you set them. A lot of folks I have seen post seem to want as much moisture as they can get and a some use the heated hose to get more moisture and keep it from turning into rain out. When you start turning the heater up what should you look for to say that is far enough? I normally run mine fairly low. I know I ran mine without heat for a while and got a nose bleed. Added a little (2) heat and it went away. Seems like if I turn it above 4 I start getting gurgling in my sinuses and enough mosture that my canulla of my NAII starts to get leaks.

What do you look for when you say this is just right. My ENT almost insisted that I use a humidifier. I have turned it up but I really can't say that more is better. It does seem like some moisture does keep my sinuses from feeling dried out. I also know with a full face mask that it is important to keep the mouth from drying out and you most likely need more in this case.

Just wondering if I have it set right. Anyone got any sugestions besides when it feels good.

Jerry

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:18 pm

If it feels good......DO IT!

Den

dudley_doright · Post by **dudley_doright** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:38 pm

I still have dry mouth in the morning even when I have the humidifier at 5.
Does it actually work?

RipVW · Post by **RipVW** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:40 pm

I've been all over the map with the humidifier--started with the ResMed integrated, then purchased the M Series integrated when I got my auto--thinking I needed more moisture to keep my mouth from drying out, set them very high (max), then had rainout, got the heated hose, no more rainout, still dry mouth. So, I got the F&P 150--it REALLY does produce more heat, more humidified air. But, my sinuses began to swell, getting stopped up. SO, I took advice (from Den, I believe) to try cooler air to help keep my nasal passages open. Turned the heat down low, but that was just TOO dry. SO, my latest experiment is the Oasis Passover (LOTs more water surface area, so I get more cool moisture). Well, this seems to be the best I've found (for me!). Like Den said, whatever feels good . . .

carlitguy · Post by **carlitguy** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:47 pm

It took me a while to figure the humidifier out.
You are right when you say the settings affect what happens. HOWEVER, the settings only matter if you are talking about the same volume of water. I used to fill my humidifier and it would last a few nights. The setting on it when it was full may be just right. However, if it is low on water that same stting will heat the water higher. Does this make sense? Now, I fill it to the line each night and I am adaquatly able to maintain my setting.
Dean in Canada

Nodzy · Post by **Nodzy** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:56 pm

Jerry....
For a long time I didn't even use the humidifier. Then I used it for a long time as a passover... no heat... unit. Not long ago I started using it with heat. I set mine to 1 or 2.... as the house humidifier in the furnace ducting does a great job in winter.

But that's subject to change with weather and temps. I don't want notably heated air, so I won't use much heat on the humidifier.

It's simple... use what feels best for you, and allows you to get the best results from added moisture. But I have read that it's not advisable to use PAP without humidity added.... and I do believe that's probably best for most people.

Nodzy

6PtStar · Post by **6PtStar** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:56 pm

Yea, Dean I used to try to use my intergrated humidifier more than one night because it was such a pain to take the chamber out and refill. I did notice it seemed to get hotter with less water. Now with the F&P I do refill every night. I do seem to get the "one side of the nose stopped up" fairly regular. I know some have posted that this is a normal thing but I wondered if the humidifier setting could be effecting it.

Other than that I will use the "feel good" approach.

Jerry

alnhwrd · Post by **alnhwrd** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:09 pm

It seems to me that the control on my unit does not allow me to set the humidifer "just right" I am always either very dry in the morning or I have water running down my face. It also seems like I am very easily congested by too much moisture in the air.

I wonder if Cpap humidifiers of the future will have controls to set the level of humidity to a certain level, (say 50%?) and automatically adjust the heat and moisture levels to suit the patient, instead of the patient having to adapt to the air. Would this even work?

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dllfo · Post by **dllfo** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:14 pm

I have had my Respironics on one most of the time.

If you get rain out, you are probably set too high.

Never heard of Dry Mouth having anything to do with Humidifiers. Buy Oasis at Walgrees for $6.50, my oral surgeon says it will protect our mouths for at least a couple of hours. Too much dry mouth can cause oral problems.

For me, without my HH, I have a dry, irritated, cold throat in the AM.

I use distilled water with no problems.

One email to me suggested cleaning the hose by running vinegar thru the hose. I haven't tried that one. Hope some of this helps.

jerryinpa · Post by **jerryinpa** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:17 am

RipVW wrote:I've been all over the map with the humidifier--................up. SO, I took advice (from Den, I believe) to try

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Hi Mr. Rip,

I'm new here so I probably don't have any right to even speak, but... Do you drink an adequate intake of fluids throughout the day? Just a theory I have in general terms, not specific to CPAP therapy humidification issues, but sometimes I think that those of us living in the colder climates with a lot of central heating tend to be essentially de-hydrated all winter long.

Jerry.
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Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:11 am

alnhwrd wrote:

I wonder if Cpap humidifiers of the future will have controls to set the level of humidity to a certain level, (say 50%?) and automatically adjust the heat and moisture levels to suit the patient, instead of the patient having to adapt to the air. Would this even work.

This is kinda what the Ambient Tracking on the F&P 150 humidifier is suposed to do. It has a sensor that is suposed to adjust for changes in temperature and humidity to keep it at a constant level. I don't know if I can tell a lot of difference but at least someone is thinking like you.

Jerry

6PtStar · Post by **6PtStar** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:13 am

Oppps, sorry my log in went away.

Jerry

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:51 am

Jerry, you will find that your humidity level needs will vary w/the weather and humidity in your house.

As you KNOW, I use the Resmed S8s w/their integrated humidifier. I usually have it on 3. But that is subject to change, sometimes even during the same night. Easy enough, if I wake and the air is too warm or too cold I don't even open my eyes, just reach over and turn it up or down a notch or two and go back to sleep. During the summer I tend to have the humidifier set at about 1 and during a few days during the winter even the maximum 6 might not be enough for the integrated humidifier. In which case I switch to the faithful old F&P HC 100 stand-alone for a few nights or until warmer weather.

I can't breathe well if the air is too warm, but a cold nose will wake me up! The integrated humidifiers don't always have enough capacity to provide enough humidity all night long with really dry air in the house when the furnace is running almost constantly due to high winds and extremely cold weather.

trice54 · Post by **trice54** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 11:49 am

I've had the cold nose wake up some nights, also, and turn the control up a notch or 2. I usually start at 2.5 or 3 and usually stay with that, but when I get the cold nose I move it up to 4 or 4.5. The one time I tried it warmer I got rain out. I don;t think there is a constant 'right' setting, at least for me.
Trice

RipVW · Post by **RipVW** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:08 pm

jerryinpa wrote:Hi Mr. Rip,

I'm new here so I probably don't have any right to even speak, but... Do you drink an adequate intake of fluids throughout the day? Just a theory I have in general terms, not specific to CPAP therapy humidification issues, but sometimes I think that those of us living in the colder climates with a lot of central heating tend to be essentially de-hydrated all winter long.

Jerry.

Hello Jerry,

Oh yes, all have a right to speak here! It's a forum for us all to talk, ask questions, share what we've learned. Yep, I stay very hydrated, and I even have very active salivary glands. But, if my mouth opens during sleep while using my CPAP, even with my FF mask and my humidifier pumping, my mouth gets desert dry.

Humidifier Settings?

Humidifier Settings?

I still have dry mouth...