I need LOTS of humid air

[Quilter2]

Resmed VPAP Adapt SV + air filter. If placed in wrong- will it affect the flow and or volume of air I need? The blue side was facing out, then placed in filter cover. Not in machine first, followed by cover. Diagonal corner is correct.

2i humidifier- I feel as if I am BEGGING for moisture. Strip hose cover off, open windows (one at my head and 18 inches from hose support) and try all settings. Live near Seattle WA temperature 50 degrees and very humid. By 4am, setting 6, I can get my nose to stop whistling and feel unplugged. It is on the cusp of a full rainout when I feel comfortable. Am now wearing a nasal mask+ chin strap. One cpap pillow. I have 0 leaks. No congestion during day.

Exams by allergist and ENT reveal nothing. Each night use neil med salt water rinse. Started on a new spray - Omnaris- to help w/ congested nose from allergist.

Are there some humidifiers that are able to provide greater quantity of humid air? As I try to understand the comparisons of humidifiers, it seems so.

DME "checked" machine humidifier by running machine only-placing hand over air port and feeling heater plate.On phone, I told her the plate was barely warm to touch and water was warm.

With this expensive and complex machine isn't there something that would record data about humidifier?

[Julie]

Do you have software to check whether or not you're getting large leaks? They certainly could account for dryness (and loss of therapy).

[Quilter2]

Re: I need LOTS of humid air
by Julie on Sun Oct 10, 2010 2:46 pm
Do you have software to check whether or not you're getting large leaks? They certainly could account for dryness (and loss of therapy).

No software. I need to find out how to get some or maybe this machine isn't capapble? The 7 things I can always find through the clinician's menu-viewing efficacy are Leak, AHI,AI Resp.rate. VT,MV, and usage. Current leak is 0 according to this type of data.

Thanks for your reply.

[Julie]

You should know if your machine is data capable... look it up on Cpap.com, but there's generally a credit type of card, or a smaller doohickey in the machines, obviously removable (don't just pull it out though because it will tell you nothing by itself now). If you have one, then you'll also need a card reader (not all are compatible), a USB cable or similar thing depending on your system and the proper software for your computer (though if you have a Mac, you'll need an Intel, Boot Camp or Parallels and something like Win XP or Vista) to run it. Look at your manuals - they should say if your machine is data capable. I'm not sure what to make of your 0 leak rate... either you have a leak so large it gets interpreted as 0 (that can happen), or else you have no leaks at all. Can you not tell by holding your hand up to the seal all around to see if there are large, obvious leaks?

[roster]

Live near Seattle WA temperature 50 degrees and very humid. By 4am, setting 6, I can get my nose to stop whistling and feel unplugged. It is on the cusp of a full rainout when I feel comfortable. Am now wearing a nasal mask+ chin strap. One cpap pillow. I have 0 leaks. No congestion during day.

1. Why did you remove the hose cover?

2. What specifically makes you feel like you are "begging for humidity"?

3. How do you know you have no leaks?

4. Why did you open your windows? When the window is open what is the temperature in your bedroom?

5. You say you use a chin strap and I assume this is because you have a tendency to mouthbreathe. Are you aware that many people still mouthbreathe when using a chin strap? How do you know you are not mouthbreathing with the nasal mask?

6. You say you have no congestion during the day. You use a saline rinse at night. Then at some point the congestion starts. Why not discontine the saline rinse for a night or two and see what happens?

7. You say you have tried different setting on the humidifier. Have you tried very low settings? Have you tried zero humidity? Are you aware that too much humidity from a CPAP humidifier can cause congestion? I find where the room humidity is 40% or higher, there is no need to use the CPAP humidifier. This is consistent with current medical advice that a healthy room humidity is 40 to 60%.

[LoQ]

Resmed VPAP Adapt SV + air filter. If placed in wrong- will it affect the flow and or volume of air I need? The blue side was facing out, then placed in filter cover. Not in machine first, followed by cover. Diagonal corner is correct.

2i humidifier- I feel as if I am BEGGING for moisture. Strip hose cover off, open windows (one at my head and 18 inches from hose support) and try all settings. Live near Seattle WA temperature 50 degrees and very humid. By 4am, setting 6, I can get my nose to stop whistling and feel unplugged. It is on the cusp of a full rainout when I feel comfortable. Am now wearing a nasal mask+ chin strap. One cpap pillow. I have 0 leaks. No congestion during day.

Exams by allergist and ENT reveal nothing. Each night use neil med salt water rinse. Started on a new spray - Omnaris- to help w/ congested nose from allergist.

Are there some humidifiers that are able to provide greater quantity of humid air? As I try to understand the comparisons of humidifiers, it seems so.

DME "checked" machine humidifier by running machine only-placing hand over air port and feeling heater plate.On phone, I told her the plate was barely warm to touch and water was warm.

With this expensive and complex machine isn't there something that would record data about humidifier?

You might be interested in this post : viewtopic.php?f=1&t=56228&p=527676&hili ... ng#p527511
That will get you more humidity if dryness is what is really causing your congestion problem.


Or maybe that's a bad idea. Too much humidity does not cause congestion, but what can cause congestion is too much heat. When people turn up their humidifiers, then they are getting warmer air, which causes blood to move into nasal tissues, causing swelling. They have discovered that turning the humidifier down reduces congestion. It might work for you, too. In that case, you definitely should not be pre-heating the air that goes into your machine.


For me what works best is more humidity, so I turn it up when I'm congested. You may wish to experiment with both directions--more heat/humidity and less heat/humidity.

Why are you stripping off the hose cover? How does that help with your quest for more humidity? It seems counter productive. However, it might be cooling the air in the tube, which may be helpful to you if heat is really your problem.


I vote that you try the humidifier in pass-over mode. If that makes it worse, then you need to pursue heat in order to increase the humidity.

[Quilter2]

You should know if your machine is data capable... look it up on Cpap.com, but there's generally a credit type of card, or a smaller doohickey in the machines, obviously removable (don't just pull it out though because it will tell you nothing by itself now). If you have one, then you'll also need a card reader (not all are compatible), a USB cable or similar thing depending on your system and the proper software for your computer (though if you have a Mac, you'll need an Intel, Boot Camp or Parallels and something like Win XP or Vista) to run it. Look at your manuals - they should say if your machine is data capable. I'm not sure what to make of your 0 leak rate... either you have a leak so large it gets interpreted as 0 (that can happen), or else you have no leaks at all. Can you not tell by holding your hand up to the seal all around to see if there are large, obvious leaks?

Yes, it has a data card. It must look very different than my old machine which was exactly like a credit card. I dislike the fact I need to bring the machine with me to get it read prior to Dr. appt. It says Advanced Software Data : MSD; OS and Optional software is ResScan. I called the company which hosts(?) this site and nothing is available for purchase. Referred me to ResMed. I haven't called them. I get the feeling my machine may have had a very short time on the market...

I truly believe I don't have leaks at all w/ the mask- always get that 5 star readout on the user screen, 0 leak on the clinician screen and I feel no air coming from around the mask. Mouth leak is now minimal . My mouth isn't getting near as dry as what I have been complaining about.

I would never have dreamed about "a leak so large it gets interpreted as 0 ". What an eye opener.

Thank you for your reply.

[Quilter2]

Live near Seattle WA temperature 50 degrees and very humid. By 4am, setting 6, I can get my nose to stop whistling and feel unplugged. It is on the cusp of a full rainout when I feel comfortable. Am now wearing a nasal mask+ chin strap. One cpap pillow. I have 0 leaks. No congestion during day.

1. Why did you remove the hose cover? So I could maximize the moisture in the tubing , and hopefully maximize what enters my nose.

2. What specifically makes you feel like you are "begging for humidity"? My REALLY LOUD whistling nose (inspiration and exhalation) wakes me up. It seems the successful times have been with a really humid air coming through the tubing.

3. How do you know you have no leaks? The user screen of 5 stars mask fit and clinician screen of 0 leaks.

4. Why did you open your windows? When the window is open what is the temperature in your bedroom? Opened the windows to cool down the room to encourage water to condense in the tubing to get as much moisture as I can up to my nose. to bring very little water . Bedroom temp was 60 degrees.

5. You say you use a chin strap and I assume this is because you have a tendency to mouthbreathe. Are you aware that many people still mouthbreathe when using a chin strap? How do you know you are not mouthbreathing with the nasal mask? Mouth breather, absolutely. I expect I will always breath through my mouth to some degree w/ chinstrap . I do find I am not getting near the dry mouth I used to have.

6. You say you have no congestion during the day. You use a saline rinse at night. Then at some point the congestion starts. Why not discontine the saline rinse for a night or two and see what happens? Yes, will stop the saline for a week and see what that does. Also quit the Omnaris, I don't think it has accomplished anything in the 3 weeks I have tried it.

7. You say you have tried different setting on the humidifier. Have you tried very low settings? Have you tried zero humidity? Are you aware that too much humidity from a CPAP humidifier can cause congestion? I find where the room humidity is 40% or higher, there is no need to use the CPAP humidifier. This is consistent with current medical advice that a healthy room humidity is 40 to 60%.

Never tried the 0 setting. Had no idea that too much humidity would cause my nasal congestion. I haven't given the 1,2,and 3 settings a real thorough try.What I do know without a doubt, for me, without any humidity my nose totally dries out from the air movement alone then clicks audibly with each in or out breat. And I am "totally dry congested" . Thanks for your help and reply.

[roster]

I don't know the solution to your problems, but there are two things I would concentrate on if in your situation. First, the amount of humidity you are using is abnormal and I am not convinced that it is not part of your problem - too much humidity. Second, the mouthbreathing needs a solution. Maybe if the "dry congestion" is solved the chin strap will prevent mouthbreathing. If not, I would try a full face mask.

Here is a thread where some solutions for night time congestion are discussed. Dr. Falcon's posts in this thread may be valuable. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36483&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=15