New to Cpap and dreading another night.

[DJD52]

I am sorry, I don't know how I misread the number, I should have known to put on my glasses that are JUST for computer and reading. The machine is a 460. It states REMstar Pro C-Flex+ on the top. I know it has an SD and I know the hose is heated as I have felt it. (it doesn't stay real heated when the room is icy cold tho ) Evidently it is a Series 60. It sure isn't marked well at all! It is the machine displayed in the link you posted.. silver/gray around the lcd dislplay. My GP is a stickler and she'd want the med supply to deliver exactly what the pulmonary specialist prescribed after reading the sleep test results... so I didn't even really think about it as long as they said it had the humidifier and heated hose that I'd been told I would need. Newbies... so much to learn. I was ecstatic when I got up the first morning and stated " I DID IT!!" I thought I had a handle on this Cpap stuff.......well the next night humbled me and my nose. Guess I need to figure out how to fix this on my profile. I'm also a little computer illiterate at times.

[Pugsy]

Check out my signature line for PR S1 software options. Your 460 is a full data machine...loads of goodies to look at.
I can get you an Encore software that will work with your machine.
You can also use SleepyHead but you need the special Patch file to make SleepyHead compatible with the 60 series machine.

I will send you a private message in a few minutes...so look for it.

[wardmiller]

Sorry, Pugsy. I should have read more carefully.

But I'd still like to shove it to my DME for selling me a used $2000 machine without even telling me it was used. Then lying about it.

[DJD52]

Another night in the Pilairo. This morning my nose isn't feeling like we ran into a tree, but is drier than usual. It definitely helps for me to hang the hose up so it isn't dragging down and/or off to the side, putting pressure on the Mask that is not only annoying, it's hard on my nose. I don't think the humidifier works as well this way tho. The tank is usually almost empty each morning but it seems to have used very little water last night even tho I set it a little higher. Of course I wonder if I could have done something wrong and it isn't working. The last time I hung the hose up I used the whole tank and by morning I was getting a snoot full of cold air. Major wake call before the dog jumped on me!

Thanks for the info Bugsy. Now I need to see if I can "process" any of it. I seem to have left the gate open to the process part of my brain and bout all the processing has escaped me. Mr. memory is absent most of the time too. I'm told these are part having sleep apnea. Wonderful. I just hope I can coax them back into use.

[Pugsy]

Do you have the heated hose or regular hose?

What is the current setting on the humidifier? Are you filling the tank daily because

I don't think the humidifier works as well this way tho. The tank is usually almost empty each morning but it seems to have used very little water last night even tho I set it a little higher.

half empty and appearing to use little water doesn't compute. Amount of water used is affected by ambient room humidity, pressure used, leaks and humidifier setting.

If you are using a higher setting on the humidifier and still getting a cold dry nose then we need to change something.
If you don't have the heated hose...that would be the first change I would make...get one.
It will let you regulate the temperature better as well as the added moisture.

[DJD52]

I have been doing exactly what the respiratory therapist who set me up tells me from set up till now other than trying to get that figging hose to stop pulling down on my mask. He thinks wearing it down in front of you under the covers is THE way to go. I would agree if I slept in ONE position all night and the mask was stable enough to just sit there. The Pilairo is NOT, at least not for me. If it was, I'd be pretty happy with it, considering I'm new to this and am actually making it through each night.

My doctor ordered what the specialist who read the study indicated was best and I was told on delivery that this was a great unit with heated humidifier and heated hose, and it certainly seemed to be. (the med supply is very reputable) If the hose is under the covers, it can feel quite warm, actually too warm. The settings on the humidifier: the R suggested I start at 2, but when I called with irritated 'nares', he suggested I go up to 3, maybe 4, stating trying it was the way to know what was right for me.
Keeping the hose down and mostly under covers seems quite different than it being totally bare hanging from a wrist loop above my head. As I said before we always keep a cool to cold room. (the dober dogs sleep under a quilt)
What I said was usually the tank is "almost" empty in the morning. (when the hose is in reg position) I keep the setting at 2 or 3 if I let the hose drag all night.
Keep in mind that I've only been using this whole deal for a total of 6 nights, not exactly experienced. The 'other' time I hung the hose up, I started at a humidity setting of 3, then turned it up in the night, (half asleep in the dark) and the next morning found it on 5, and the tank empty after I woke to really cold air blowing in my nose. (a very cold room as the window was open and it was in the teens outside)
'Last' night I hung the hose with more thought, set the machine at 4. This morning the water level was 1/2 inch (at MOST) down from the fill line. I thought that odd. The air in the mask was neither warm or cold start to finish.
Actually most things don't compute for me yet about any of this. I am confused that the humidifier didn't use more water last night. I can't imagine that 4 to 5 setting would make that much difference. Only diff being I know the room didn't get as cold as the other time I hung the hose up. In fact the room wasn't as cold as it has been so far period.
It seems I'm not able to think and word things coherently? I try but I'm usually in a hurry and I can't think straight period! (It's spring and lots to do and half of it I forget)
I'm going to turn that thing on and see if the hose heats right now. My luck it might have quit working properly.

[Pugsy]

Does your hose have a black coupler on one of the ends?
If it does...you have a heated hose.
If it doesn't and you have white or gray couplers on both ends...you don't have a heated hose.
Your machine has a heated hose option but not everyone supplies the machine with that option.

If you have a heated hose you should be able to route the hose anyway you want to.
If you don't have a heated hose you should still be able to route the hose anyway you want to.
We just have to figure out what settings take care of humidity needs and temperature needs.

I have a PR S1 machine that doesn't have the heated hose option...sure wish it did.
The new system one humidification mode on it doesn't offer enough heat at top setting of 5 to take care of ice cube nose.

Amount of water used by any of these newer machines that take the ambient room humidity into it's delivery can vary quite a bit depending on conditions.
We had rain last night..I had bedroom window open so I know that my bedroom humidity is already fairly high and that explains why I didn't have much water used last night.

[DJD52]

Yes, the hose has a black 3 pin connector and the tabs to lock it. It's in my paper work that an optional heated hose came with the heated humidifier and it is shown in my book. (so it better darn well be heated!!) My machine's top setting is 5. Does this mean anything? I've read posts that say their humidity it set on say 80%... and I'm thinking WHAT/where is that.

What do you mean with a heated hose I should be able to route the hose anyway I want? What would I want to do different? Being so ignorant of this whole apnea/cpap thing is starting to be as frustrating as a sore nose and facing another night with no options other than to hang or not to hang.

Could I actually touch the hose and feel extreme warmth if it wasn't a heated hose? Can a heated hose feel really cold in a very cold room? I do understand that the humidifier would use more or less water depending on the humidity in the room...but I hate to admit I do not understand why the hose is very warm under the covers and cold if it's not. It's heated supposedly but obviously not enough to stay toasty below 70*? My hubby says I'm just dense. I tell him that's what the cpap is for, to treat that! My doctor laughingly told him I had good reason for being bitchy and forgetful as she left us last visit.

I really thought I could just do what the respiratory therapist told me to do and it would work out. He's known for really working with his patients but as usual with my luck I started just as he is trying to cover another therapists patients and take care of his own area so he's running circles and not returning phone calls like normal. Add to that that I hate to be the squeaky wheel. Thankfully I found this group and have found really good tidbits of do and don't that have been so helpful.
Thanks Bugsy.

[Pugsy]

What do you mean with a heated hose I should be able to route the hose anyway I want? What would I want to do different?

I thought your RT was wanting you to route under the bed covers and you were wanting to route overhead.
My meaning is that no matter what hose you use..you should be able to route it however you want to. That's the way we do things....we fix it and use it the way that we (in this case you) want to use it. You don't have to do anything you don't want to. If you didn't have a heated hose..we would have a little different discussion about how to keep the air warmer if you didn't want to route it under the covers.

No...the heated hose doesn't feel all that warm when you touch it. It doesn't get that warm. Even at the highest setting it is still likely going to be cooler than your body temperature (unless you like a really warm bedroom)...so it will feel somewhat cooler especially in room air.
Unless you are routing under the bed covers and the bed covers act like an insulator...the warm air from the heating function doesn't cool off as quickly as it does outside the covers.
If you use a heating pad under the covers it is going to feel warmer than if you use it outside the covers.

ResMed machines using their heated hose and set to automatic humidity delivery will deliver 80% humidity at whatever temperature is selected.
Your machine does it differently.

Your machine have different numbers. 1 equals 70%...2 equals 80% and 3 equals 90%
Temperature delivered is based on room temperature as a starting point. So 5 choices for temperature with 5 being the warmest.

From the spec page
Use the on-screen menu to select one of three available levels of relative humidity (70, 80 or 90 percent). Next, adjust the control dial to choose from 5 levels of heated tube temperature, ranging from 4 to 16 degrees above room temperature.

[jdm2857]

I like it!

Let's all start calling the Pugmeister "Bugsy".

"Hey, Bugsy, how's my leak line?"

(Puffs on cigar.) "It's like this, see ..."

[DJD52]

Ah!! Yes, he does think I should use the hose down the front of me and under the covers because that is what HE does. So that is routing!! I am really dense, thinking it was something complicated rather than just where the hose is placed between machine and your face.

The hose can feel surprisingly warm when the room is warm (warm day) but is just that extra warm under the covers as I use a heated mattress pad and keep the room very cool at night. I don't know why I expected the hose to be at least a little warm in a very cold room set on 5. (just dense as hubby says)
As long as it doesn't blow icy cold air in my nose who cares. At least when it's "routed" to hang off the headboard that relieves that uncomfortable squeezing of my nose from the downward tug of the hose. The air in the mask is a bit on the cooler side maybe can work on that.
You certainly are a patient soul to deal with me! I have to try and see if I can do what you posted. Thinking I need a temp/humidy gauge right off to set in the bedroom. It takes me time to add 2 and 2.
Thank YOU!! again.

[Pugsy]

When in doubt about the settings to choose from...whatever you are using now...if your nose is happy with the humidity range (believe me, you would know it if it wasn't) keep it and vary the temp 1 through 5 depending on where you like the hose...if outside the bed covers and routed up so not to pull on the mask...and bedroom is cool...and you feel the air is just slightly too cool...go up one number and see if that resolves the issue.
If you still think air is too cool for comfort (I like to call it ice cube nose) at a setting of 5 which is the max you can set...then we maybe talk about a hose cozy of some sort.

You don't need to change the humidity setting based on room humidity. The machine will make the adjustments for you and try to maintain the % you have decided that you like. Air temp is strictly what feels the best to you.
In the summer cooler feels good to me (even with air conditioner on) but in the winter warmer feels better.

I don't have the PR S1 60 series model...My PR S1 is an older model. I hope to one day get a chance to use a 60 series machine so that I can play with the humidity and temperature.

[jdm2857]

I use a PapCap and find that attaching the hose to the top of the cap, and then up to my homemade sliding
hanger system prevents the hose from moving the mask at all.

Without a chinstrap, you could attach the hose to a headband that goes under your chin and over the top
of your head.

[DJD52]

First off, Pugsy, I'm so sorry I didn't get your user name typed correctly. As often as I see it, to not remember it shows how extremely brain fogged I am. That said, Bugsy is cute too.

I had another crap night, and it increased the discomfort from the dry knot up high in my nose/throat that ya just can't swallow to moisten. (even going up to 5 on the ajustment for the hose) I started by hanging the hose, just to take it down after a few hrs but ended up just removing the mask but sleep was impossible due to that dry lump. It is still really uncomfortable 5 hrs later! I didn't have this when I first started. I was/am ticked/upset, so, called the RT. He told me to go into the settings and change the humidy setting from 1 to 3 and let him know how that does after a few nights. I was told by my Doc and this RT not to change the inner settings unless I talked to him, so I made sure I talked to him! I'm too tired to even try to understand.

Thank you jdm for the suggestion to use a headband to hold the hose in place. It would help immensely if that hose wasn't putting pressure/pulling on the mask when I move from side to side. Now I have to think of something to tie the hose to the headband. Suggestions?

[Pugsy]

Now I have to think of something to tie the hose to the headband. Suggestions?

Bread tie? Rubberband? Piece of Velcro (needs to be skinny though)? Cotton twine? Dental floss with a few loops around?
Something that you can maybe make a figure 8 design out of to hold the hold in place once you have the tension set so it doesn't pull on the mask.