Tubing vs. humidity

I’ve used the ResMed Airsense 10 since starting Cpap 3 years ago. Have gone through multiple mask trials due to continued leaking and stuck to the roof of your mouth dryness. Would wake multiple times throughout the night. Currently use ResMed f30 mask and love the comfort, but it hasn’t solved the leaks or dryness. I average 4 hrs usage due to these problems. Recently, due to upcoming travels, I borrowed a DreamStation Go. The first night, NO leaks, minimal dryness, and slept 8 hrs. Pattern continued for next 3 nights. Got home, used ResMed, and leaks and dryness returned. Retried the DS Go, and sleep returned with minimal leaks and dryness. I was able to conclude that the problem was with the weight of heated tubing with my ResMed Airsense, causing the mask to break its seal. Got a light-weight tubing, turned off humidifier in ResMed, and have had great nights of sleep with no leaks and minimal, tolerable dryness. Two questions. 1. Is this a common problem of leaks due to the weight of the tubing? And 2. I’m ok now with minor, tolerable dryness, but am concerned, come winter, when the air is much dryer. How do I get humidity with a lightweight tube?

1. Yes, several of us have noticed the tubing on the F30 tends to pull the top of the mask away from the face. A tube support/hanger sometimes helps.
2. Not completely sure, but is the heated tube the heavier one? Seems to me that you can use a lighter tube with no heat to add humidity.

Randybbsa wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 29, 2019 6:08 am

How do I get humidity with a lightweight tube?

You can turn the humidity level up. A heated hose does not provide more humidity. It's purpose is to prevent rainout. (Some people also like warm air.) If you get rainout with your slimline hose, there are strategies to deal with it. The first two are to use a hose cover for insulation (adding weight) and make sure the hose runs down from your mask to the machine.

Randybbsa wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 29, 2019 6:08 am

Is this a common problem of leaks due to the weight of the tubing?

The problem is poor hose management. Observe how the hose runs from the mask to the machine. There should be slack in the hose. The hose should be placed so that it is not pulling on the mask.

And BTW, the humidifier is designed to prevent nasal passage dryness. It is not suitable to prevent mouth dryness. Use a dry mouth gel. Or use a foam cervical collar to help prevent jaw drop. (I do both.)

Good luck.

Hose management is very significant.
Hose hangers can be ready-made, any price (look online)
I have used a variety of homemade devices, from my fancy home version,
(consisting of a plant hanger, fly rod, duck tape, and scrunchies)
to duck tape on a motel headboard, holding a chain of scrunchies,
and clothespins holding the same scrunchie chain from my brother's curtains.
Some folks simply drape the hose over their headboard.

I’ve tried pinning the heated tube to my shirt to try and reduce drag, but it didn’t work. And regarding the light tubing, I was told by my sleep guy that humidity cannot be used with the light-tubing on the ResMed Airsense. That it must be turned off.

What exactly do you mean by "light tubing"? Do you mean a hose that is not heated? Or something else?

Every night I use humidity with a non-heated hose on my ResMed Airsense.

Randybbsa wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 29, 2019 1:01 pm

I’ve tried pinning the heated tube to my shirt to try and reduce drag, but it didn’t work. And regarding the light tubing, I was told by my sleep guy that humidity cannot be used with the light-tubing on the ResMed Airsense. That it must be turned off.

BULL!

Randybbsa wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 29, 2019 1:01 pm

And regarding the light tubing, I was told by my sleep guy that humidity cannot be used with the light-tubing on the ResMed Airsense. That it must be turned off.

Well, that's a flat out lie.

As is much of what those bozos say.

Randybbsa wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 29, 2019 1:01 pm

I’ve tried pinning the heated tube to my shirt to try and reduce drag, but it didn’t work. And regarding the light tubing, I was told by my sleep guy that humidity cannot be used with the light-tubing on the ResMed Airsense. That it must be turned off.

That is not correct. You can use the humidity with any tube. You may need the heated tube to prevent rain-out, but the humidifier will work just the same.

As far as tube routing... I have 2 pillows. One, is a my pillow for my head. The other is a King Size that I stand up against the headboard of the bed. I drape the tube behind and over the top edge of the pillow to route the tube back to my mask. It works for me. Easy Peasy!

Thanks. I’ll try the pillow technique. My headboard was too high to drape the tubing over. And will turn the humidity back on.

One thing that helped when I was still using the F30 was to use a piece of the micropore tape to keep the hose from swiveling. It prevented me from unhooking the hose easily using the clips but it helped a little, once I found "the right angle".