Experience with HME? How to figure out if it will fit?

[bcemail]

Doing some camping soon, and was thinking of using an HME so I can turn off humidifier and save some battery power. Any experiences with these? The site I was looking at (I think cpap.com) mentioned that it has some limitations for connecting to masks:
"will not work with masks that have a short tube extended from the mask frame, such as nasal pillow masks. It is also not compatible with the Dreamwear masks, as the elbow is not close to the nose. The HME must be very close to the moisture of exhaled air to function properly. It must be connected to a mask with a simple elbow in order to give optimal results."
Can't really tell what this means. I use the Amara View, which has a short tube between the mask and the main tube. But I think it also has an elbow connector?

Help me out so I don't buy something useless. Thanks! Love all the info around here!

[Pugsy]

The HME thingy has to be able to be relatively close to the face so that it can catch the moisture in our exhaled breath and have that moisture get used to help with moistening the air.
So if there isn't a way to slip the device in the mask/hose connection that is really close to the mouth...you won't get the optimal benefit from capturing the moisture in your own exhaled breath.

You can do it with any mask that has a hose to mask attachment that is close to the face...like your Amara View.
Masks like the P10 nasal pillow (or other nasal masks that use a short hose built into the mask frame) offer only a long hose to mask connection much further away from the face/mouth. Like the P10 short hose is about 18 inches long....no way to connect up by the pillow itself. Sticking the HME down away from the nose 18 inches away....you won't catch much moisture down there.

So you want the HME as close to your mouth as you can get it...Masks that have short hoses built into the frame system won't let you do that. Most full face masks won't use any short hose as part of the frame system though.
The DreamWear masks...the exception because the hose attaches to the top and not in front of the face.
You could stick the HME up there on top of the head but it's not going to catch much moisture up there.

[ChicagoGranny]

Doing some camping soon, and was thinking of using an HME so I can turn off humidifier and save some battery power.

At home, have you tried turning the humidifier to a low, or even off, setting? You could try it for one night to see what happens. Another way to do it would be to turn it down a notch per night. Also, think about the difference in your bedroom conditions and where you will be camping. If you camp in an arid place, you might need a lot of humidity.

Some of us do not use a humidifier and have no problem with nasal dryness. YMMV.

[grayghost4]

The HME thingy has to be able to be relatively close to the face so that it can catch the moisture in our exhaled breath and have that moisture get used to help with moistening the air.
So if there isn't a way to slip the device in the mask/hose connection that is really close to the mouth...you won't get the optimal benefit from capturing the moisture in your own exhaled breath.

You can do it with any mask that has a hose to mask attachment that is close to the face...like your Amara View.
Masks like the P10 nasal pillow (or other nasal masks that use a short hose built into the mask frame) offer only a long hose to mask connection much further away from the face/mouth. Like the P10 short hose is about 18 inches long....no way to connect up by the pillow itself. Sticking the HME down away from the nose 18 inches away....you won't catch much moisture down there.

So you want the HME as close to your mouth as you can get it...Masks that have short hoses built into the frame system won't let you do that. Most full face masks won't use any short hose as part of the frame system though.
The DreamWear masks...the exception because the hose attaches to the top and not in front of the face.
You could stick the HME up there on top of the head but it's not going to catch much moisture up there.

I don't think it will work with the Amara View... it does not have a hose connection close to the mask... the hose will disconnect from the mask elbow .... but it is not a standard hose connection.

[Pugsy]

I don't think it will work with the Amara View... it does not have a hose connection close to the mask... the hose will disconnect from the mask elbow .... but it is not a standard hose connection.

Are you sure it won't work? It does use a short hose but it will detach at the mask unlike the P10 and some of the others that have the short hose built into the mask frame.

Why won't the HME fit between the end of the short hose and the mask frame?

I no longer have the Amara View so I can't test out my theory...and I sure don't have an HME nor do I want to go buy one.

I could be all wet...wouldn't be the first time.

[bcemail]

Thanks for the help! I was worried about the connection as well, since the hose attaches to my mask with a little squeeze clip. If not there it would have to be down where that hose meets the main hose. Maybe I could experiment with an old mask and hose and try and insert it after the clip with some cutting and duct tape.

I'll try less humid air as well. I can usually tell when the reservoir has run out at night, but I wake up with dry mouth a lot. It's not terrible, and I try and keep water next to the bed.

[grayghost4]

Thanks for the help! I was worried about the connection as well, since the hose attaches to my mask with a little squeeze clip. If not there it would have to be down where that hose meets the main hose. Maybe I could experiment with an old mask and hose and try and insert it after the clip with some cutting and duct tape.

I think that may pull the mask sideways during sleep and cause leaking. One of the reasons that mask is so good is because of the flex hose.