DME knowledge question

[jranderson80]

I have a question for all you out there. Hopefully I can find a solution here. So I've been using my cpap since the 25th of December last year. Everything has been going great with exception of a mask problem which was fixed my first week by my DME. Over the past few weeks I have been have an increasing problem with condensation (rainout). I have done a lot of research on here and other websites to try and remedy this issue myself. I've lowered my humidity setting to 1, increased the temp in my room to where I can almost not sleep because of it being to hot, bought a hose cover and even placed my machine on the floor. Even after doing all this I still get woken up a few times a night from either inhaling water or it dripping all over my face. So today I went and saw my DME. I explained my problem and everything I've done to try a correct it. I asked them about heated tubing and whether my insurance might pay for something like that. Well imagine my surprise when my DME had not a clue what a heated hose was. I thought maybe I was explaining it wrong or something so I pulled this website up on their computer [ http://www.cpapsupplyusa.com/respironic ... ifier.aspx] and this one [ https://www.cpap.com/productpage/hybern ... -hose.html]. My DME said he had never seen those before and didn't know anything about them.
I guess my question to everyone is, have you ever had this type of problem with your DME? I guess I expected my DME to know a little more. I'm a little frustrated that a company that's been in business for as long as they have, specializing in sleep disorders they don't know what these products are or how to fix rainout. Oh, and by the way. My DME told me that rainout was a just a normal inconvenience that cpap wearers have to deal with.
I have a follow up appointment in a few weeks with my sleep doc so I will run this by him and see what he thinks. In the mean time, anyone gone through a similar problem or maybe have some suggestions. Is there something more I can do to try and stop this annoying rainout problem.
Thanks.

[Cpap momma]

It's not the Dme's fault. It is up to the manufacturers sales rep to inform the dme. On a side note, unless your humidifier has the adaptor on it to accept the heated tubing, it will not b able to handle the heated tubing.

[Pugsy]

Have you tried a barrel cozy from Padacheek.com?
One of the ones she makes works on the Optilife...email her and ask.
Try it before you spend the bucks on a heated hose.

Unless your machine is a 60 series machine the new Repsironics heated hose humidification system won't work at all. You can't add that humidifier in your link to a 50 series machine. They can't be mixed.
Now the Hybernite 2300 will work..I had one but sold it when I got my S9 with the ClimateLine. It works great.

If the only place you are seeing condensation is in the nasal pillow itself then it is likely more from the added moisture in your own exhaled breath mixing in with the added moisture from the humidifier and too much moisture for the air to hold.
I have know of people not even using a humidifier having condensation in the nasal pillows...so sometimes it is simply the moisture in our own breath.

Try the barrel cozy. It helps a lot and I use mine even with my Climateline and I use it year round because it feels so nice against my skin.

Edit: Regarding DMEs knowing what's going on. New stuff I am always the one to have to tell my DME about it. He just laughs about it. Told him about the Hybernite 2300....the Swift FX before it was even released in the US...the Pilairo...the Aloha.
They don't keep up on this stuff unless they are prodded for some reason.

[greatunclebill]

which system one model do you have, 550 or 560? the model number is on the bottom of the cpap machine on a sticker. the link to your equipment goes to a 550. i'm not aware of a 550 having a heated hose. i also got mine last december. i don't think 560 was available then. i could be wrong.

[Pugsy]

My DME told me that rainout was a just a normal inconvenience that cpap wearers have to deal with.

Yeah...and while it won't hurt us it sure is annoying and wakes us up when we get a cold shower from water out the vent or we snort water up the nose. I bet he/she doesn't use cpap.

It is an inconvenience but fortunately there are ways to pretty much eliminate it. No one should have to just accept it as something we just endure because nothing can be done...because something can be done.

[big_dave]

It's not the Dme's fault. It is up to the manufacturers sales rep to inform the dme. On a side note, unless your humidifier has the adaptor on it to accept the heated tubing, it will not b able to handle the heated tubing.

The Hybernite heated hose works with any humidifier. (OP's second link, https://www.cpap.com/productpage/hybern ... -hose.html). It comes with a separate power brick instead of drawing power from the humidifier. I'm using one with my S8 AutoSet II (with a hose cover) and it works great for stopping rainout.

[jranderson80]

Thank you all for the quick reply's. This has been a big help. Hopefully I can get this worked out. I've been sleeping so good since I started using my cpap, I would hate to have it ruined by a little condensation.
~Pugsy~ I contacted Padacheek about a barrel cozy. Thanks for the suggestion.
~Greatunclebill~ I have the 560. Still not sure if the humidifier with built in heated hose will work. Guess I need to do a little more research. But thanks for the info.
Again, thank you all for all your help. I feel a little less frustrated than I did earlier.

[Pugsy]

I have the 560. Still not sure if the humidifier with built in heated hose will work.

My understand is that if you got the 560 machine then you also got the 60 series humidifier because the 560 machine won't work with the 50 series humidifier. The heated hose part is/was considered an option. You can upgrade your existing equipment with just the upgrade kit...$75
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/pr-hea ... e-kit.html

[zoocrewphoto]

Back when I was struggling with standard headgear that was too big for me, I looked up smaller headgear. I found it on ebay and cpap.com. So, I asked my DME for it. They told me no such thing existed. I sent them the order info from Resmed. They responded that they could not special order it. I found a new DME. The smaller headgear was the key in finally mastering my mask.

[archangle]

I have the 560. Still not sure if the humidifier with built in heated hose will work.

My understand is that if you got the 560 machine then you also got the 60 series humidifier because the 560 machine won't work with the 50 series humidifier. The heated hose part is/was considered an option. You can upgrade your existing equipment with just the upgrade kit...$75
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/pr-hea ... e-kit.html

It's also possible he got everything he needs except the heated hose as well. I don't know how they bundle these things when they sell them.

[msla]

Is the title for this thread an oxymoron?

[Pugsy]

It's also possible he got everything he needs except the heated hose as well. I don't know how they bundle these things when they sell them.

Yeah but I bet he didn't get the needed power supply or special lid either. Easy enough to check though.
I bet they bought the least expensive "package" for that particular machine since the heated hose thing is considered an option.
I am thinking that there are likely 2 bundles available for purchase.
One is the 60 series machine and humidifier with regular hose and heating supply
and the other with the heated hose, higher end power supply and special lid.

While I suppose they might order all items individually...I am thinking that they would go for the cheapest way to purchase and I bet there's a price break for a package deal over each item individually.

[Sheriff Buford]

Quick question.... do you need the humidifier? No one seems to ever ask this...Sheriff

Ok: nobody beat me up... just askin'

[greatunclebill]

Quick question.... do you need the humidifier? No one seems to ever ask this...Sheriff

Ok: nobody beat me up... just askin'

it's entirely a personal comfort question. i use mine, my wife don't. same room, same air, different people.

[Pugsy]

do you need the humidifier? No one seems to ever ask this...Sheriff

Most people will need some added moisture...how much depends on the person. That's why the doctor pretty much always includes "heated humidity" on the RX.

I would pretty much do without my whole machine before I would spend a night without any added moisture.
I have forgot to add water and pretty much gone most of the night without added moisture and my nasal mucosa took 3 days to return to normal. It was horrible. Think of the worst allergy attack or sinus infection anyone could possibly have and multiply it by 10.

People that don't need the humidifier at all...statistically are in a very small minority.

Keeping the nasal mucosa and all the other stuff in the nose adequately hydrated also improves the bodies defense mechanism against germs. Its a filter of sorts. So there is also a medical reason for using the humidifier in addition to the comfort reason.