Advice for a Newbie?

[BDubb93]

Hey all! CPAP newbie here... Literally got my machine today. Fingers crossed to start getting some better sleep....

I've looked through the help files and things to try and get an answer, but I can't find what I'm looking for. Maybe I just missed it, but how do you long-time users recommend finding my ideal humidity setting on my machine? I've read a few stories about rain out, and distinctly remember the disgusting taste in my mouth the morning after my study as a result of not enough humidity. Is there any trick to finding the happy medium between the two without bouncing off one (or both) ends of the spectrum?

Also, I was expressly told by the tech at the DME to use distilled water in my machine for the humidifier. I travel for work (flying anywhere from every three days to every two weeks), so lugging around a gallon of distilled water isn't exactly in the cards. Does anyone here travel a lot that has a tried and true method of having non-tap water available to use, or am I going to be leaving a trail of partially used gallon water jugs everywhere I go?

Thanks all

[LSAT]

Humidity is strictly a comfort issue. Much depends on the relative humidity in the area you live. Start at about 3 and see what happens after a few days. If you wake up dry, crank it up to 4. If you find moisture in your tube or mask, drop it by 1. When you travel, I would use bottled water...just clean out the tub when you get home.

[Pugsy]

Welcome to the forum.

Just used bottled water when traveling or even the local tap water if it is drinkable and doesn't smell bad (sometimes odors travel through the hose and are magnified at the nose level which is why I mention it).
Worst thing that will happen is you have a little mineral build up in the plastic water chamber and its easily removed with some vinegar and water cleaning or even lemon juice.

Are you using a heated hose with your new DreamStation? If you are....set the humidity and hose air temps to auto and let the machine sort it out. Auto settings work well for the majority of cpap users...that's why they are the default auto settings.
If not using a heated hose...try a middle of the road setting for humidity and see how it goes. You will know pretty quickly if you need more or less.
Condensation/rain out....won't hurt you but it is annoying and normally isn't a huge problem unless your bedroom air temperature is really on the cool side.

I can't tell you what setting your nose will want or need. Everyone is different and this is just one area you need to try for yourself.
Heck...did you know that there are households where both husbands and wives use cpap...same house...same ambient temperature...same ambient humidity.....and one prefers maximum humidity and maybe the other prefers zero to minimal added moisture.

[BDubb93]

Are you using a heated hose with your new DreamStation? If you are....set the humidity and hose air temps to auto and let the machine sort it out. Auto settings work well for the majority of cpap users...that's why they are the default auto settings.

I was not shown the "Auto" humidity setting when I spoke with the tech at the DME. Do I have the wrong machine selected for my profile, or is this something that can be enabled in the clinical menu?

She did take the time to specifically mention I should not make my own adjustments to pressure as it's an actual prescription. Do I run the risk of my insurance handing me the bill for my machine in full if I make changes in the clinical menu (assuming the auto humidity is there)? I've had 4+ years of terrible sleep, I'm hesitant to risk getting hosed right when I get the chance to fix it! Hahaha

[Pugsy]

Auto humidity choice is available on all DreamStation machines that have the heated hose attached.
Heated hose MUST be attached though to even see that choice. If you aren't using the heated hose you won't see it.
Your insurance doesn't care about anything you do with any of the settings as long as you use the machine the minimum number of hours they want so that they don't feel like you are wasting your money.

Comfort features....exhale relief and humidity settings....have always been something that it left up to the patient to decide what they want to use for whatever comfort they feel they need.
Any DME or doctor who tries to tell me otherwise would get an earful of some not so pleasant words.

Mainly what DMEs don't want you to go changing on your own are the actual pressure settings....but even if you did it doesn't nullify anything with insurance. All you get is your hands slapped for messing with the pressure. There is no law about patients changing anything....and if someone tells you there is one...ask to see it. They can't provide it because it doesn't exist.
Now DMEs can't alter settings prescribed by a physician just like a pharmacist can't alter a drug prescription...but the patients themselves don't have the same restrictions...we get to do whatever we want to if we want to do it.

[BDubb93]

Auto humidity choice is available on all DreamStation machines that have the heated hose attached.
Heated hose MUST be attached though to even see that choice. If you aren't using the heated hose you won't see it.
Your insurance doesn't care about anything you do with any of the settings as long as you use the machine the minimum number of hours they want so that they don't feel like you are wasting your money.

Comfort features....exhale relief and humidity settings....have always been something that it left up to the patient to decide what they want to use for whatever comfort they feel they need.
Any DME or doctor who tries to tell me otherwise would get an earful of some not so pleasant words.

Mainly what DMEs don't want you to go changing on your own are the actual pressure settings....but even if you did it doesn't nullify anything with insurance. All you get is your hands slapped for messing with the pressure. There is no law about patients changing anything....and if someone tells you there is one...ask to see it. They can't provide it because it doesn't exist.
Now DMEs can't alter settings prescribed by a physician just like a pharmacist can't alter a drug prescription...but the patients themselves don't have the same restrictions...we get to do whatever we want to if we want to do it.

Good information to have! Thank you! I did some digging with the clinical menu (Hallelujah, YouTube!) and found what you were speaking about. They gave me a heated hose from the jump and had the adaptive humidity already turned on. I was confused because the tech showed me how to adjust hose and humidity while the machine is on and I could only set each to 1-5. I will leave both at 3 and let the machine do the thinking for me! The pressure I'm just gonna leave anyways - they've got me on 8-20, so I can't imagine I'll personally need to be changing much with regards to that. Lol

I also found a handful of other awesome features that the tech didn't mention, and I wish she had. Glad to have you guys around to help me make the most of this or I think I'd have gotten really frustrated thinking I was missing some things that would help me get the best start possible. Thank you very much for your help!

[Pugsy]

Go here and request the clinical/provider manual
https://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap- ... tup-manual
It will explain even more features than you saw on the you tube video.
You've got a nice machine...compatible with SleepyHead and/or OSCAR software so you can evaluate your results.
Setting of 8 to 20...a good place to start and might work out well for you...easy to check on using the available software.
See my little sticky in the top of the Announcements section "Newbies please read" for more explanation about the software and some links.

I have used Respironics machines in the past but not this DreamStation...so I am familiar with them....if you run into trouble I can usually help.
Flex exhale relief....play with it...use whatever feels the best to you ....off might feel the best or one of the other settings might feel the best.

I also have a lot of experience with rain out....because I prefer a high humidity setting and a cold bedroom...so I have some ideas to help there as well.

Use the machine with mask on for a period of time just to get used to it...watching TV or reading a book and not be under any pressure to go to sleep. It will make the adjustment easier.