Wet vs. Dry mask use

[BearVet]

Good morning...I would like, please, to tap the collected wisdom of the site.
Is there a big difference between Wet and Dry mask use ?
By wet I mean humidifier attached, water filled, but NOT overfilled, 2 hoses, mask loose and comfortable, and bedtime.
Dry is NO humidifier, 1 hose, mask loose and comfortable and bedtime.
Having just now used this for a week, I'm mindful of having a lot of opinions I can relate to...

[Sheriff Buford]

It's a personal thang. Some folks have severe allergy issues and the humidifier helps their therapy. Some folks prefer using a humidifier for no particular reason.... they just do. About every 6 months I end up proposing to members in this forum to ask themselves if they really need the humidifier. Early on, my humidifier broke, and I went some time before it was repaired. I realized that I didn't really need the humidifier and all the hassle we go thru that goes along with using one. Hassles such as handling distilled water, possible rainout, possible damaged done by slinging water all over the bedroom, temperature settings, health issues with possible hygiene conditions, etc... If you need or want the humidifier, then by all means use it. I propose, especially to newbies, we ask ourselves if we really do. Cpap therapy requires a lot time, patience, expense and sacrifice. If we can rid ourselves of something we may not really need, then we should consider doing so. So... there is no solid answer to your question.... but you will get a lot of personal opinions.

Sheriff

[chunkyfrog]

When I started, I was advised (by the DME, no less) to find my comfort level on the humidifier,
(and they showed me how to do it, too.)
Within a few nights, I found that one setting that keeps me moist and comfy.

[BearVet]

Wow you hit it outta the park. This was *exactly* the question I was trying to ask. Thanks for the reply, and the info.
I'm seriously thinking of going "no-humidifier" for the next week, just to see how I fare. I have about a hundred questions, none of which did I get an answer for at the time I was "issued" my machine., so I'll just read and bug til I'm good-to-go.

[knightlite]

In Florida it gets very humid in the summer so I use passover mode --no heat set at 0. But if I let water run out, I feel dry mouth effects. Also the humidifier acts as a a noise muffler on my machine and it bothered my wife when I took it off. Its all personal taste, everybody is different, you must feel your own way with this.
In winter I must use a setting of 1 or I get dry mouth. Setting of 2 gets moisture build up on my face. Another thing is the humidifier helps hold the machine in place when I'm tossing and turning. I have gone to a longer hose and hose hanger on headboard to stop pulling on unit.
Too much humidity can cause rainout in hose and mask --not a pleasant thing.

[Pugsy]

What do you mean 2 hoses with "wet" mask use?
I use a humidifier but I only use one hose.

Humidified air is extremely important to me and my nasal mucosa. For me its a critical need and I would just as soon sleep without the machine before I would go without the humidifier. I have had on occasion forgot to fill the water tank and know first hand how my nasal mucosa react to being dry and it isn't very nice. The symptoms were awful and took 3 days to go away and I was miserable 24/7 until the symptoms abated.

Humidification needs are a personal preference thing. Some people do great with minimal to none added moisture and some people are like me.
There also can be some medical reasons for having at least some added moisture though. So not entirely a comfort thing.
If the nasal mucosa are inflamed, irritated, dry then they not only make a person miserable...they can't do their job properly. It's a warming agent and a filter to keep unwanted stuff from entering the respiratory system.

http://www.fphcare.com/sleep-apnea/educ ... ification/

http://www.worldsleepday.org/wp-content ... hure-1.pdf

From ResMed..
http://www.resmed.com/au/service_and_su ... c=patients

at cpap.com FAQ page on humidifiers
https://www.cpap.com/cpap-faq/Humidifiers.html

So the final decision on whether to use humidified air (and at what moisture level) is really a personal choice based on how a person's own body reacts to the possible drying effects of the cpap air. For some it's a huge factor and for some it's no factor at all and for some they are somewhere in between...and each person has to figure out where in the scheme of things that they fall and what do they want to do about it...if anything.

[robysue]

For those like Pugsy and me whose noses really, really want and need the extra moisture, all it takes is having a night without the humidifier for whatever reason---or even just running out of water and waking up dry, parched, and dreaming of the Sahara.

For others, it's not that important.

For some (like by brother), any humidity at all bugs them and they prefer to go "dry".

So,yes, it's reasonable for a newbie to spend some time playing with the humidifier settings. Sure, try it for a night without any water in the tub and the humidifier off.

If you can't get to sleep until you get up and put water in the tub because you feel like your nose or lips are going to crack open in the dry, dry air, you'll know you can't live without the humidifier.

If you get to sleep, but wake up parched, you'll know you need the humidifier.

If you get to sleep and wake up feeling pretty much the way you normally do (or better than normal), you'll know you're one of those people blessed with a nose that likes it dry.

[Krelvin]

In the beginning... I filled and use the Humidifier all the time....

Over the past couple years, I normally don't even fill the humidifier and keep it off. In the Winter (AZ Desert here), I sometimes will fill and turn it on but not on a regular basis.