Drying out... what to do?

nomad · Post by **nomad** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 8:37 am

For some reason I'm drying out at night. Specifically, the area that's drying out is above the very back of my soft palate where the air I breath in through my nose passes over. I breath through my nose for the most part (as best as I can tell - the mask keeps my mouth shut). I'm not sure how else to describe it. I hope this makes sense.

It usually takes a couple of hours each morning for the dryness to subside.

Btw, I've got my HH maxed out at 5. When I check the water level in the morning, it has gone down. So I know the water is getting to me. Any ideas? Thanks.

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 9:19 am

The length of time it takes for the problem to clear in the morning is puzzling to me. It makes me think it is not just a drying out issue (but then I haven't been on CPAP that long) Do you have any problems with post nasal drainage. Try nasal irrigations before bed and when you get up in the AM.

You have some conflicting info regarding your humidifier-I'm 99 % sure you have an integrated heated humidifier-but you called it a passover. The passover is not heated & humidity is picked up when air blows over the water. The heated one ---heats---and the air blowing over heated water picks up more humidity.

With the Remstar you must turn on the HH and the blower every time you turn on the CPAP. While you have to push two buttons starting up-if you stop the CPAP for any reason pushing the ON/OFF button stops BOTH the blower AND the humidifier. when you restart it again you must push BOTH buttons. I thought this was poor design---but it allows you to use your humidifier in passover mode (no heat) or with heat. And you won't walk away from your CPAP in the AM without turning off the heat.

roster · Post by **roster** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 9:51 am

How much water do you "take in" each night? In our hot humid summers I am using about 8 ounces and during winter about 13 ounces per night in order to keep the air passages comfortable.

nomad · Post by **nomad** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:03 am

Krousseau, you're right, I did have the wrong humidifier in my signature. I changed it. I make sure the HH is turned on after the machine is running (green light beeps and come on). I also have made sure the light is still on in the mornings when I get up. It stays on all night. But to answer your other question... no I have no drainage nor anything else out of the ordinary. No other problems to speak of... not even anything minor.

I've got around 1100 hours on my CPAP so far and this has only started in the last 2 to 3 hundred. The mask is the same, the hose is the same... nothing has changed as far as I know.

Rooster, I've never measured the amount of water I use. Perhaps I can make some marks on the side of the tank to gauge it. Thanks for the idea. I'll let you know tomorrow.

nomad · Post by **nomad** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 6:40 am

I measured the water last night and for an 8 hour period, I used right at 9 oz. of water. I was still a little dry, but not as bad as I have been the least several nights. I'm still not exactly sure what's going on.