How much condensation is considered rainout?

[mgaggie]

Hi everyone,

Just curious as to what you consider as rainout? Is a little bit of condensation in the hose and mask ok? I have the humidity set to 4 and have made covers for my hoses and every morning there is a little bit of condensation in the hose and mask. I did turn the humidity up to 5 and was woken up by water sloshing up my nose, so went back to 4.

Still getting used to the machine, will yank the mask off halfway through the night, but according to my stats I'm managing to keep it on a bit longer each night. Except for 2 nights ago, for some reason I could only use the machine for 10mins, I was so frustrated. I certainly paid for it the next morning, felt like someone had split my skull in half and I was so nauseas. Sorry to dump this here, you regulars must be so sick of newbies whinging about using their machines.

[quietmorning]

As long as it isn't waking you up is perfectly fine. I get a little bit here and there - but as long as it doesn't end up up my nose or sounding like a drummer forgot the beat - then I'm fine. I just wipe it out in the morning and go on with things. Whether it's considered 'rain out' or not. . .I'm pretty sure any condensation is that. . .but I could be wrong. . . .but if it isn't waking you up - it's a non issue.

[mgaggie]

thanks for replying quietmorning

[caffeinatedcfo]

Ditto above ... I get a tiny bit once in a while due to exhaled air in my nasal pillows. However, it is minimal and usually goes away quickly.

[Pugsy]

I also have a bit of moisture in the nasal pillows sometimes.
If it doesn't wake you up it isn't a big deal.

Now if you get a cold shower back on your face from the moisture blowing out the vent holes...that's annoying because it wakes you up. If you snort a bit of water...that's annoying because it can wake you up.
The main problem with rain out (which is pretty much any condensation) is when it wakes you up often.
Sometimes if there is enough moisture in the hose it can make an awful lot of noise. Even wakes my husband.
So it's a problem if it disturbs sleep. If it's just a small amount that you notice when you remove the mask and you have slept right through it without being annoyed then it really isn't a big deal.

[Sheriff Buford]

Make sure you machine is LOWER than your head. Hose covers also help. If you order some hose covers, you can make some temporary covers out of some old tube socks. Also, hose management (Hose Buddy, etc) will route the hose above your head. Water cannot travel up hill, The only way you'll get rainout with the hose above your head is if the condensed water condenses at the mask, which can and will happen.

Ask away and work you issues. We are here to help you thru your cpap journey. Hopefully, some of the long-term forum members feel the same way, or they wouldn't still be here. Either that... or they don't have a life...

Sheriff

[BlackSpinner]

The definition of rainout is up to you. I don't mind a drop or two, it may drive you up the wall.

[cobra4x4]

As mentioned above, however have you tried lowering your humidifier to 3 and possibly even 2 ?

I recall having to adjust the humidifier setting depending on the season, now with my S9 autoset and heated hose I don't have to do that anymore.

[Pugsy]

BTW...rain out or condensation at the mask level from the moisture in our own exhaled breath will not necessarily be relieved by reducing the setting on the humidifier.
There are people who don't use the humidifier at all that experience rain out in the mask. So there is enough moisture in our own breath to cause some rain out issues if the temperature of the bedroom is cool.

For me reducing the humidity level create much worse symptoms (nasal problems with congestion, runny nose, sneezing, sinus pressure etc) than a little moisture in the mask might annoy me.

Padacheek makes a great little barrel cozy for most of the nasal pillow masks.
http://www.padacheek.com/PACSwiftII_Barrel_cozy.html
Something similar could be made for just about any mask...just make sure the vent holes aren't blocked. Just some little something to help insulate the mask so that the air temp inside the mask doesn't cool to the point that condensation occurs.

I used the Padacheek barrel cover for my Swift FX nasal pillows pretty much continuously for 2 years (same cover all this time) until recent change to the Tap Pap from the Swift FX. Even used it during the summer when I didn't really need to. The material feels like silk against the nose...super comfy. Not that I had a problem with the feel of the silicone but the material feel was a nice plus.

[Todzo]

Room temperature will also have a part in this.

[mgaggie]

Thank you everyone for your replies. At my current settings the condensation doesn't bother me, I will look into getting a cover for the pillows.

My machine is lower than my head, and I have made covers for the hoses. As for the temperature of the room, well it does get very cold at night here (winter has started), unfortunately I can't justify the expense of heating my bedroom when I'm toasty warm under the covers during the night.

I really appreciate the time everyone has taken to reply. This is one newbie that is thankful for all the advice given here

[maestrogn]

I find that condensation in the support body for the pillows in the TAP PAP creates a very disturbing problem. Because of the little moisture droplets near the vent holes, the mask will actually faintly whistle (the acoustic mechanism of a flute!!) and one can clearly hear it inside the head. Of course, lowering the humidity helps.

My question is, are the vent holes too small -- I know that, from an engineering standpoint, the number and size of the holes is critical in the balance of the relief of pressure versus the pressure delivered to the airway of the patient, but, can the holes be reconfigured so the moisture doesn't set up this acoustical side effect?

I hope the designers of TAP PAP read these posts and see that last question.

mGN

[locust78]

If you keep having nightmares that Moe or Curly are spritzing you in the face with a seltzer bottle–you're getting too much rainout. That's what it felt like for me before I got a heated hose. Nothing else beat back the rainout like the heated hose, and my sinuses just wouldn't let me go without humidification.

[knightlite]

I am really surprised that the mask companies have not come up with a design to wick out the moisture. Maybe It would interfere with humidification . I keep my humid control at 1, but sometimes I have to slip a dry paper towel under the mask and let it wick up the moisture from the bottom . I can do this without too much trouble . I thought about drilling a small set of holes at the bottom and velcroing a paper towel there but I only have a couple of masks to risk and I'm not sure which mask I'll end up with .
I have the hose cozy and have hung the hose over my head to keep the weight from hurting my neck . My machine is lower than my bed . I just got the pad-a cheek liners but I miss laid them somewhere so when I find them it may solve the issue. Its a senior moment thing(67).
I love my bedroom to be cool to sleep and I don't like to breathe warm air . But I'm doing everything I can to get quality sleep . I really like that the cpap has reduced my loo runs . I feel lucky that we have these things our grandparents didn't have.

[John from Brookston]

Haven't experienced it, but I always thought if the water in the hose sounded like a kid trying to get the last of the milkshake up the straw, then that was rain-out.
I like my bedroom cold, and in the winter I run the hose heat.