New AirMini - Problems

After about 5 years lugging around a traditional Respironics machine, I bought a Resmed AirMini for travel, starting with a trip next week to the tropics. Just got up from my 2nd night with it (not consecutive). Again, I feel like I have a vicious cold. Last time, I had 2 days of nose running, sneezing. Sure I had a cold, but those don't clear up in 2 days!

Presumably this has to do with the AirMimi. Using the waterless HumidX filter, but I've never had this reaction from using my Respironics machine without the humidifier, which I often leave home when travelling.

Suggestions? Right now I think I'm going to take cpap.com up on the 30 day return & take my Respironics machine with me. But I'd still like to have a smaller travel machine.

Maybe even the little added humidity that the Humid X thing gives you is something your nasal mucosa don't like since you don't normally use added moisture. Some people get nasal congestion that acts like a cold or allergy attack just from too much humidity.

Can you take the Humid X thing out of the line and use the machine without the Humid X and see if the nasal symptoms persist or not?

Thanks. I might try that, since I have nothing to lose, but I normally use the regular humidifier turned all the way up in Colorado -- and the first night I used the AirMini my mouth was unbelievably dry as well as the nasal symptoms so I think it's likely to be not enough humidity. However, if you're right and that works, I might still be able to salvage use of the AirMini for my trip next week!

I may have misunderstood you...I thought you didn't use the humidifier regularly...so if I was mistaken and you do normally use the humidifier set to maximum....then you are probably right...not enough moisture.
It's one of the reasons I won't try one of these tiny masks. I tried a setting of 1 once on my humidifier and my nose raised all sorts of hell. Over the years I have forgotten to refill the water tank and have it go dry...and a return of the same ugly nasal symptoms.
So I know that my nose needs LOTS of moisture and I just won't give up the moisture for a tiny machine.

The Humid X thing...that's minimal added moisture at best. I won't even go there myself.

Now if you are going to the tropics there may be enough humidity there to get you by but if you live in Colorado there probably isn't a way to make your current humidity more like the tropics humidity to see how it might work.

You could try a nasal gel before use and see if that adds enough moisture to help. I found the gel lasted longer than the spray.

cfiverson wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 02, 2018 1:31 pm

After about 5 years lugging around a traditional Respironics machine, I bought a Resmed AirMini for travel, starting with a trip next week to the tropics. Just got up from my 2nd night with it (not consecutive). Again, I feel like I have a vicious cold. Last time, I had 2 days of nose running, sneezing. Sure I had a cold, but those don't clear up in 2 days!

Presumably this has to do with the AirMimi. Using the waterless HumidX filter, but I've never had this reaction from using my Respironics machine without the humidifier, which I often leave home when travelling.

Suggestions? Right now I think I'm going to take cpap.com up on the 30 day return & take my Respironics machine with me. But I'd still like to have a smaller travel machine.

I have had the AirMini for about 2.5 months and I have had more cold-like symptoms and events than I have had in the last 3-4 years, combined. Tonight I took out the HumidX disk and I can already tell my current symptoms are clearing. I am using the AirMini about 3-4 nights a week on the road and my S10 when I'm home and I have had about 6 episodes of post nasal drip, congestion with only clear mucus, coughing, sneezing, etc. Which is totally out of the ordinary for me. I've been staying in the same hotels that I was using my S10 before without these problems. My upper respiratory system must not like rebreathing the moisture from my own breath. I have always used the S10s humidifier and never had this much of a problem with colds and congestion.

I too have problems with cold like symptoms when using the humidifier cartridges. When I don't use them I wake up with a dry throat and when I do use them for a few days I either get a head cold or a very clogged up chest. This only happens with my AirMini.

I tried a new Resmed air-mini with no Humidex and had burning throat and nasal passages. Tried with a Humidex Plus and woke up with severe allergies - sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes. Took a Zyrtec and next night used my regular cpap and had no problem. Next night, tried the travel AirMini again and had the same allergy symptoms so bad I couldn’t use any cpap last night. Is the burning and dryness from lack of humidity? What causes the cold/allergy reaction? It can’t be dirty equipment. It’s brand new and I cleaned it.

Marylynn35 wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 08, 2018 12:18 pm

Is the burning and dryness from lack of humidity? What causes the cold/allergy reaction?

It's the lack of adequate humidity to keep the nasal mucosa happy that is the problem.
When the nasal mucosa get unhappy about anything they react with the typical allergy like responses....itchy nose, congestion, drainage, swelling, etc.
Some people nasal mucosa just need more humidity.
Google "cpap rhinitis".
Why some people need more and some people need less...one of life's mysteries I guess.
I know households where both spouses use cpap and one needs pretty much maximum humidity and the other is happiest with minimal humidity added. Same ambient humidity so can't blame that.

The humid X thing simply can't put back enough moisture in the air to keep your nasal mucosa hydrated and happy.
This is one of the reasons I won't even try one of the tiny cpap machines....I know my nose won't be happy and when it acts up I am miserable with the allergy like symptoms.

Has anyone figured out how to get around the lack of humidity problem for the AirMini? I don't want to send mine back as I love to travel but I will if I don't keep getting these horrible nasal reactions which last for several days. I guess it's lack of humidity based on what others have written. I live in Colorado, sleep in a cool/cold room and do fine with my regular machine with the heated tube and water tank. Based on the retailers recommendation, I installed the HumidX Plus. But still not good enough. Would it work to put a little filtered water in the tube or something else? I wish I only vacationed in the tropics but that's not so!!
I'd love to hear others thoughts and hopefully, remedies! I have to return it this coming week if I can't find a fix! Thanks!!!

Try putting the device next to a wet wash cloth so the air intake grabs that moistened air?

Thanks, johnmcguirer, for thinking outside the box! I'll try that this eve as I'm getting close to return time. I'm assuming I shouldn't be putting any filtered water into the hose, either side of the HumidX Plus thing? Or wetting the HumidX Plus thing? Thoughts on that? Thanks so much for getting back so quickly!

No....you don't want to be putting water in the hose itself. You won't like what happens...makes an awful racket and you will likely end up getting a cold shower out the vent holes or snorting water. Won't hurt you but sure is annoying.

Now I seem to have read where someone pre-moistened the HumidX thing and that did help. I don't remember who it was though.
Couple of months ago maybe.

Thanks so much!! It's great to have ideas and thoughts from those whom have gone before....!

I use the F20 with AirMini so no HumidX.. I just place the AirMini so it sucks air over the wet wash cloth.