One Year Anniversary! But I need help with rainout...

Hi All,

One year!!!! And I can't imagine sleeping without. Honestly. For those of you just getting started, stick with it. It is a big process. Finding the right mask. Figuring out what to do with the hose. Getting used to the feeling of it. But it is so worth it. One year, and it is just part of my life. I "slap on" the mask and drift off within minutes. It is a different quality sleep. I actually feel the air getting to my brain! My husband laughed when I told him the number of hours of sleep on my machine since I got it - I don't remember exactly but it is more than 2,000 hours of happy sleep!

Now, for my problem. Rainout. This is my first full Winter with the mask, so I guess that by the time I started it last year the weather was already getting warmer. In the past week, I have woken almost every night at around 3 or 4 am with water up my nose. I am not currently using the humidifier. I have a radiator/heater on a low setting by my bed all night. I live in a moderate climate where at night the temp goes down to about 10 degrees celcius or the 40's farenheit. I have a fleece cover on the whole hose except the mask part.

Any other suggestions? Besides the Australian Heated Hose, which won't help me for tonight, anyway (though maybe I should get it for next Winter...).

Thanks!

AII

Actually, none of this will probably help you tonight. But just in case you aren't doing all of these things, here's my pre-printed remedies. Sorry I can't be of more help.


Rainout occurs when you are using a heated humidifier and start getting condensation in your hose. It's caused by the steamy air coming from the humidifier at a higher temperature than the surrounding room air, so it cools on the way to the mask. While it leaves the humidifier as "humid air" when it cools, it reaches the mask as condensed fluid / "water" and you get a damp face.


Ways to try to avoid rainout:

1. Keep your xpap machine below the level of the mattress, as low to the floor as possible.
2. Use hose covers – flannel or fleece tubing to cover your hose. Use as many as necessary. (I use three covers on my Aussie heated hose and I still get a few droplets of rainout using my Aura – but I appear to be an exception, not the rule).
3. Run your heated humidifier as low as you comfortably can.
4. If your hose runs up over your head, try not to raise it really high to where it has a long drop back down to your head.
5. Raise your room temperature as high as you are can and still sleep comfortably.
6. Nasal pillows are usually more prone to rainout than masks.
7. If all else fails, purchase an Aussie Heated Hose from Australia. Not only does it help prevent rainout, but it also warms the air before it hits your face and/or up your nose. Here’s the site:
http://www.sleepzone.com.au

Thanks!
I already have one idea for tonight - I will lower the CPAP machine below head-level - presently it is on my night table at head level. I am thinking that the increase rainout might be because we have had very rainy weather -that is Israel's version of Winter - so there is more humidity in the air - as if I am running the humdifier...

Thanks again,
Will let you know,
AII