Resmed humidity output (or lack of it)

[ExpatDave]

Hi guys! I'm new to the forum but have been lurking for a while and figured it was time to ask for some advce

Anyway, to the point; I've had my machine for about 6 weeks now and cant sleep more than 3-4 hours without tearing the mask off as I am dry as a bone. I am a mouth breather - got my nose broken boxing and and then a car wreck modified it some more so, it's pretty much a permanent feature

I've had two different humidifiers and even set to max the air really doesn't seem that moist - to the point that I wish it would rain out on me just so I could experience an excess of moisture

Accordng to my wife the mask seals well and I toss and turn much much less with it on so I know it's doing its job; I just need to figure out how to get more moisture into the air.

My health care provider and insurance Co think I'm insane as according to them I'm the only patient that's complained about this. So, their only suggestion was to get used to it (Well duh! if after 6 weeks ithe situations not improving ... oh you get the point) or to switch to a ResMed III BiLevel which I'd happily do if the humidifier is better but, once that happens its game over and I'm stuck with it so, I'm hopng some of you gurus can help me come up with a solution or tell me if the ResMEd will be a better option.

Cheers,
Dave

[Slinky]

I've read (and don't hold me to it) that the integrated heated humidifiers such Resmed's Humidaire 3i and Respironics (both "classic" and "M series") do NOT seem to supply as much humidity to the hose air as the stand alone heated humidifiers.

I was loaned a Fisher & Paykel HC 100 stand alone heated humidifier and that baby puts out the humidity at a much lower setting than my Humidaire 3i at maximum. I love it. Its only available used now, there is a newer model, the HC 150, and I think even the 150 has been "upgraded".

Check out stand alone heated humidifiers at cpap.com and see what is available and the literature on them. That might be the way you want to go rather than w/an integrated humidifier.

[Wulfman]

ExpatDave,

I believe you need to check that the humidifier is properly plugged into the machine and wired correctly.....AND that the "legs" of the machine are inserted into the holes in the humidifier base.
The power cord needs to be plugged into the humidifier base and then the short cord from the humidifier base needs to be plugged into the machine where the power cord would normally plug into.
There's also some sort of sensor in a hole in the humidifier base and a leg of the machine that need to communicate.

Den

[ExpatDave]

I've double checked everything, Den and the healthcare people came and checked it twice also (they must think I'm an idiot I guess) so I know its working (at least to a fashion).

Maybe I'll look into a stand alone humidifier, Slinky although I was really hoping someone would come along and tell me the ResMed was a superior machine and I'd benefit from changing.

[Wulfman]

....I was really hoping someone would come along and tell me the ResMed was a superior machine and I'd benefit from changing.

Probably not too many from THIS crowd.

I assume your humidifier has a short cord on it?
If it doesn't, there's an integrated passover humidifier that looks identical to the heated one......but apparently without the cord.....but I assume they checked all of that.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... ifier.html

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... ifier.html

I use mine in "passover" mode all year round.

Den

[ExpatDave]

....I was really hoping someone would come along and tell me the ResMed was a superior machine and I'd benefit from changing.

Probably not too many from THIS crowd.

I assume your humidifier has a short cord on it?
If it doesn't, there's an integrated passover humidifier that looks identical to the heated one......but apparently without the cord.....but I assume they checked all of that.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... ifier.html

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... ifier.html

I use mine in "passover" mode all year round.

Den

[billbolton]

Why is that

Some people here don't like the commercial policies of Resmed, which are primarily a result of the intrinsic nature of the US healthcare system, and beat up on the company at every chance they get.

I'm using an Humidaire 2i with a Resmed S7 and a Humidaire 3i with aresemd S8 and have no trouble gtting very moist out of both humidifiers when set full on. I normally run them at about 50%!

Feeling very dry is often a sign of mouth leakeage. Are you certain that isn't a problem for you?

Cheers,

Bill

[MandoJohnny]

I have to crank up my 3i to get anything out of it and I have read posts from others who have had the same experience. I keep mine on "5" most of the time and occasionally I max it out if things are really dry, although sometimes that results in rainout, even with a non-heated hose cover.

ResMed's policies aside, I like my S8 well enough.

[dsm]

Best advice I can offer is to buy a F&P HC100 or F&P HC150 and add this to the H?H already in use. I am more than confident you will get all the humidity you want.

For my own experience I always liked my Remstar H/H - I have had no issues with using a Resmed 2i (not all that easy to fill but doable) & have used Resmed 3i without complaint.

But, the F&P HC150 outdoes all the others.

There is another thread currently going where someone from Arizona uses an added HC150 + an Aussie heated hose & loves it.

#2 viewtopic/t16955/Humidifier-strategies.html

DSM

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[Slinky]

You can find the HC 100s & 150s at eBay and yahoo auctions quite reasonably. I just missed out on a 150 by $1. It went for $51 and shipping. Grrrrrrr. I've been told the "grey" tank is somewhat better than the "clear" tank but I sure had no complaints w/the loaner "clear" tank and the 100.

[msteve]

I am a mouth breather - got my nose broken boxing and and then a car wreck modified it some more so, it's pretty much a permanent feature

I've had two different humidifiers and even set to max the air really doesn't seem that moist - to the point that I wish it would rain out on me just so I could experience an excess of moisture

Dave, I have a surgically repaired hare lip and cleft palate, so I doubt that the modifications to your nose are any more severe than mine. I, too, was unable to use the nasal mask; but in my case that was because I still have a defect through my palate between my nose an the inside of my mouth -- the air just wasn't going where it was supposed to.

So, I started out with a FF mask and the dry mouth that I got from 3-4 hours was just unbelievable. My lips would literally be glued to my teeth and my throat was so dry I was actually unable to swallow. But that doesn't surprise me because my mouth was open, virtually all my breathing passed through there, and my CPAP pressure is set at 13 (that's a heck of a lot of mouth breathing I think).

In desperation, I switched to a nasal mask and between using a chin strap and taping my lips, I've eliminated the mouth breathing so effectively that the defect in my palate is now a non-issue. Dry mouth gone completely! Some nights I get uncomfortable with the mask and actually switch back to the FF mask in the middle of the night (leaving the tape in place, of course) and finish the night with the second mask.

If you are physically able to actually breath through your nose at all, look into the tape solution. I know it sounds bizarre and uncomfortable; but it works for me. And it seems to work even when I'm wearing the FF mask but breathing through my nose nonetheless.

[ExpatDave]

Thanks for all the answers guys I'll be trying different things out as time goes by but here's the first update.

Last night I used a nasal mask and taped my mouth shut - after less that 30 minutes I felt so light headed that I actually took some oxygen so I'm thinking that isn't the solution. I will try it again albeit during the day just to make sure last night wasn't a freak event but it actually scared me

[ExpatDave]

Well wow! I got to use my new hybrid mask last night and managed 6 hours plus of sleep before pulling it off; it seems the nasal pillow design works much better with my mangled nose and the chin cup keeps my mouth partially closed which I guess is preventing me drying out quite so fast.

I have a stand alone humidifier on the way also but this morning was such a huge change as I was up and running within 15 minutes versus my regular 60- 90 minutes of morning drudgery!

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): humidifier, nasal pillow

[Slinky]

Well, great!!! Congratulations on the hybrid working so well for you. What the hay, that stand alone humidifier that is on the way, won't be a waste tho. Its there when you need it. Use it a few times just to make sure it works properly, sometimes even brand new has problems, and then just pack it away in safe storage and enjoy your hybrid!!!!

[TANSTAF1]

When you run the ResMed humidifier on high, don't you run out of water by morning? The tank is not that big. I only run mine on 1 or 2 and the water level is usually quite low by morning.