Are Awakenings Recorded?

[renegade13]

Hello,

I've posted this on another forum but thought I would post here too.

I was diagnosed with mild/moderate sleep apnea about one month ago. I’m located in Canada and the provider of CPAP machines that I’m using allows trials of machines and equipment prior to purchase. I’ve been using a Respironics M Series with humidifier and Swift FX nasal pillow mask for the past month. According to the data card that the provider has downloaded, my RDI has gone from 20 to 5.5 which is great. However, I’m wondering if the machine (or other makes/models) also record awakenings that aren’t related to respiratory events. The reason I’m asking is because I’m waking several times during the night because of condensation in my mask. It’s great that my RDI is back to normal but it doesn’t help if I’m waking for different reasons. Anyway, as I’ve asked, are non-RDI events recorded?

Thanks.

[Janknitz]

The data doesn't show awakenings per se. If you turn the machine off or hit the ramp button, it will record that, but if you just lie in bed awake and do not turn off the machine or remove the mask it will not show that.

I read your other thread too, and I think you said that you have a hose huggy on to keep the hose warm. That will help. But I always get some condensation in my nasal pillows. It was really bothersome this past spring--we had a cool spring (you would probably think it's warm, but we're talking California here ) and the cold air caused immediate condensation in my pillows that was really bugging me.

I ended up kind of "tenting" a heating pad near the air inlet for my machine (where the filter is) and turning it on for a few minutes before and a few minutes after I turned on the machine (IMPORTANT: TURN OFF THE HEATING PAD AND UNPLUG IT 2-3 MINUTES AFTER STARTING UP YOUR CPAP SO YOU DON'T ACCIDENTALLY LEAVE THE HEATING PAD ON, THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS!!!!!!!!). The heating pad warmed the air going into the machine and though the hose, so I didn't get such a wet nose immediately after turning on the machine. It seemed to reduce rainout in the pillows for the rest of the night too.

I am a bit weary of the wet nose feeling when I wake--it makes me feel like a dog

[Janknitz]

One more thing you can do is either put your machine lower than your bed or hang the hose up over the bed (on the headboard or some other way) so that the hose runs "uphill". This will cause condensation in the hose to run downhill and back into the humidifier instead of your nose if the condensation problem is in the hose rather than the pillows.

[roster]

You may have your humidifier set too high. What setting are you using? What is the ambient humidity level in your bedroom?

[renegade13]

You may have your humidifier set too high. What setting are you using? What is the ambient humidity level in your bedroom?

I have another post with a bit more detail. Here's the info from that post - The first couple nights were horrible. I had so much water in the hose that I would dump it out on the carpet at 2 AM and the carpet was still soaked at 6:30 AM. The hose has a “bootie” around it. I’ve also placed the hose under the blankets with me and reduced the humidifier temperature to 2. These steps seem to have eliminated the condensation in the hose but I still get it in the mask which is the only part of the system that is exposed to the air in my room.

I'm not sure about the humidity in my room. I'll have to measure it. The area where I live averages between 50% and 70%.

[renegade13]

One more thing you can do is either put your machine lower than your bed or hang the hose up over the bed (on the headboard or some other way) so that the hose runs "uphill". This will cause condensation in the hose to run downhill and back into the humidifier instead of your nose if the condensation problem is in the hose rather than the pillows.

Please see my previous post above. I seem to have eliminated the condensation in the hose by tucking it beneath my covers. The condensation that still exists is located within my mask.

[roster]

I'm not sure about the humidity in my room. I'll have to measure it. The area where I live averages between 50% and 70%.

This varies a little, but most medical professionals recommend a room humidity level of 40 to 60%.

The humidity level in my bedroom is typically between 40 to 50% and I find it is best to turn the CPAP humidifer off and leave the tank empty of water.

On the coldest days in the winter when the central gas furnace runs a lot for several days, the humidity in my bedroom will occasionally drop below 35%. Then I will put water in the tank and run the humidifier at a setting of one or two. When the room humidity goes back up above 35%, I empty the tank and turn the humidifier off.

I suggest you try CPAP with no supplemental humidity. Since you are at setting of 2, you might drop it to setting of 1 for the first night and check if you have nasal dryness overnight. If not, dispense with supplemental humidity and see how things go.

Please fill out your equipment profile (text, not images).

[renegade13]

Please fill out your equipment profile (text, not images).

Will do. But I'll make a note that it's rental equipment only.

Thanks for all the advice. I'll definitely record the humidity in my room and if it's above 35%, I'll turn it off and see how it goes for a night or two.