new CPAP user with a question

lfranek · Post by **lfranek** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:22 am

Hi. I am a newbie to this forum, sleep apnea and CPAP. I have only used the CPAP for two nights now but have had the same problem both nights. After about 5 hours of use, a "gurgling" sound appears when I inhale. I have tried to adjust the mask with no luck. It sounds just like blowing bubbles through a straw in a drink. I'm wondering if I have the humidifier set to high and water builds up in the tubing? In the morning when I rinse out everything, there is water in the tubing. Has anyone had this problem? Both nights I have taken off the mask after the 5 hours out of frustration. I live in Denver so I have the humidifier set around 4. Thanks for any help

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:33 am

It sounds like you are getting rainout in the hose, (the hudimity in the hose condenses back into water.) You can turn the heater down, or warm the room or buy a hose cover to keep the hose warmer, or they make a Aussie heated hose for around $100. Me, I don't like the heat so I don't use more heat than necessary. Even off with water in the HH you will get moisture added. Jim

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:37 am

Hi lfranek,

The problem is called "rainout". It's condensation forming in the hose when warmed humidified air hits the cold plastic of the main air hose. The air loses its moisture as droplets of water along the interior sides of the cold plastic hose.

Some remedies:

1. Turn the humidifier heat down.

2. Put a cover on the hose. There are commercial "hose covers" you can buy, or just make your own. A cheap way is to take old tube socks, cut the toe out, and slide the socks over the entire length of the air hose. Use velcro or tape to keep them in place.

3. If you don't want to turn the humidifier heat down, and if a hose cover doesn't get the job done, the Aussie heated hose is the best remedy of all. I've used the heated hose for three years. No rainout at all.

http://www.sleepzone.com.au

LINKS to Aussie heated hose - to prevent rainout

Those links also have many discussions about "rainout" and other methods of dealing with it.

divinfool · Post by **divinfool** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:40 am

Ifranek, Sounds like you may have the humidifier set too high. Along with the bubbling sounds do you also have water on your face (if using face mask)? you may want to trying gradulally lowering the setting until you find the lowest setting where you are most comfortable. Let us know how you make out.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:43 am

In addition to what Jim said, you want to make sure that your machine is below he level of your head/bed so any condensation will flow back to the humidifier.
If you want to look up "rainout" on this site, there's a "Search" button near the top of the page. You will find MANY discussions on the subject, but in fact the solutions boil down to just a few......lower (or turn off) the heat in the humidifier, lower the machine, hose cover/heated hose......that's about it.

Best wishes,

Den

lfranek · Post by **lfranek** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:26 am

Thanks for all the info...I'm assuming it is ok to put the unit on the floor? Right now it is on the nightstand next to my bed which is almost level with my head. Also, when suggested to turn the heat down does that mean turn the dial down from 4 on the humidifier?

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:39 am

lfranek,

That all depends on how dusty your floor is......
I wouldn't put MINE on the floor!
If it isn't ABOVE your head level, you might be OK with just turning the humidifier (dial) down.....just try it and see what happens. If you still get a face full of water, you'll know.....
You might fill in your "Profile" so we'll know what equipment you're using.

Best wishes,

Den

snoregirl · Post by **snoregirl** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:41 am

yes it is fine to put it on the floor. This way you won't pull it off the night stand and damage it.

I like to keep a hard item (in my case a plexiglass cutting board) under it. I have a rug in the bedroom and I figure the intake will pick up less rug fibers that way. Also guards against water spills when I fill or if you remove the tank to fill spillage when putting it back on.

I think the humidifier setting will vary with the season in Denver. I am in NY and I know in the winter my house is drier.

I have been using 2 this summer or just leaving it off. I was using 2 or 3 in the winter/early spring when I started (Remstar Auto).

When you say turn the dial I don't know what machine you have so I can't help you with how to adjust the humidity. You should have a manual though and even the DME's who won't give you both manuals will give you the one with that tells the user how to adjust the humidity.

You might also read about somehow hanging your hose too. When you put the machine on the floor gravity may make the hose drag some on your mask and you might want to clip it to the bedsheets or do an over the headboard hanger so it doesn't pull on your mask (lots of threads on these things on this forum).

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): humidifier, hose, DME, auto

byront · Post by **byront** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 1:35 pm

lfranek - I would turn your humidifier dial down to 2 or possibly even 1 and give that a try. I have the REMstar Auto M. You have a dial on the humidifier unit that goes from 0 to 5, the 0 setting turns the heat off on the humidifier (the blue light on the dial will go off), and what you then have is a passover humidifier. When the dial is turned up to 5 - that is maximum humidification - meaning the heating plate sitting under your water chamber is at its highest heat setting, causing more water to evaporate into the air as it passes over the water in your water chamber. This happens just before the air enters the air tube and is delivered to you. As you lower the numbers on the dial you are lowering the heat and also lowering the amount of moisture being evaporated into the air delivered. I have a snuggle hose on mine and that does help, but at a setting of 3 last night I was getting some water droplets in my nose during the early morning hours - so I lowered it down to 2. Also be aware of the position of your hose, if it runs down onto the floor by a heat vent and the air conditioning is on, or if you have it dropping down from above and you like to keep a nearby window open during the night - that will cause a rapid cool down of the air flowing through your hose, resulting in rain out. The basics behind all this are simply that warm air can hold more moisture than cold air can. As the warm air cools it can no longer hang on to the moisture it has, and has to drop it. So, as Goofproof said, there are primarily only two different ways to solve the problem - either decrease the amount of moisture being delivered into the air by turning down your humidifier, or warm up the air by warming up the room and making sure the hose is steered clear of any cold spots. If you need the extra humidification but like to sleep in a cool room, as many do, then your best option would most likely be to go to a heated hose as Rested gal suggested. Sorry if this was a bit long winded but it sounded like you needed to understand some of the basics behind the problem. Good luck. --- BT

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): humidifier, hose, auto

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 2:05 pm

snoregirl wrote:yes it is fine to put it on the floor. This way you won't pull it off the night stand and damage it.

Do you put Carrots in the corners of the bedroom, so the Dust Bunnies won't get sucked into the filters? Jim

Then Again, They might be Sneaking past the Rock I use for a door on my Cave. You probably don't have that problem.....

snoregirl · Post by **snoregirl** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 2:20 pm

No carrots, but I hate cleaning and have lots of those bunnies running around. Could be bad if they were jumping around in my APAP!

birdshell · Post by **birdshell** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:15 pm

I used to work with a custodian who thought dust bunnies were REAL! We wondered if he was in the beginning stages of Alzheimers.

So, the dust bunny things are not THAT funny--but they are funny!

new CPAP user with a question

new CPAP user with a question

bubbling sounds

Not Funny!