OK Its Time to Vent....

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:40 am

I have moderate OSA and am currently using the following: RemStar w/cflex heated humidifier (setting 4-10), FP Flexifit.

I am so frustrated i can't even see straight! It seems like it has taken forever to get used to a mask and find one that works. I know, everyone says that... trial and error. Then when I found one that worked for a while I suddenly started to get condensation in my mask. when I first got my RemStar (4/05) i didn't have the humidifier. But because of condensation problems I asked for a humdiifier. I thought that would be the answer to the problem. I guess not....

On the first night I set the heated humidifier on 3... that seemed to work well. The second night I started to get more condensation in my mask and ended up taking it off because it was whistling at me. The third night I decreased the setting to 1 and ended up with whistiling again. Last night I turned off the heat, but still had the humidifier connected... I slept about 6 hours with my mask on, but woke up to dripping on my nose.

I keep seeing threads advocating the aussie heated hose and I think that this is my next step.

I live in near Santa Cruz, CA, and thank god we don't have high humidity. We typically don't get very hot weather because of natures air conditioning (the fog).

Well I just needed to vent. I am relativly new at this cpap thing and would really like just to have a magic pill instead. I guess that is not possible. I know that this all takes time, but I am not a patient person, especially when I don't feel well.

Thanks for letting me vent.
TLC

tlc95066 · Post by **tlc95066** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:42 am

I guesss I got kicked off... this post was from me.
TLC

Maskedmechanic · Post by **Maskedmechanic** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 11:21 am

You have learned a lot about cpap already. You can master this tool.

The problem of condensation forming in the mask without a humidifier is an common one. Is the room you sleep in cool? As you exhale, the humidified air from your breath cools and reaches the dew point and condenses in the mask. There is only one solution, warm the room up a few degrees each night until the problem goes away. The heated humidifier will likewise fill the hose with water if it is set too high. A heated hose can be useful but your existing problem is much more basic.

Blocking the exhalation ports in the mask can also cause excessive condensation in the mask.

tlc95066 · Post by **tlc95066** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 11:35 am

Hi Maskedmechanic,

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunatley, my wonderful husband (and he really is!) is a hot sleeper and he likes to sleep with the room a little cooler, otherwise he can't sleep. No since in both of us not sleeping. Do you think that the hose covers (not heated) would help?

I will keep trying different things to see if I can remedy the condensation. I have really been enjoying the whistiling though

Thanks again!
TLC

stetsongirl · Post by **stetsongirl** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:38 pm

I feel your frustration! Are you renting your CPAP? In a couple of months Fisher Paykel will have a new one on the shelves; The humidity level constantly changes as the temp and humidity in the room changes. They're taking orders for it now but will not be ready to ship out for a couple of months. As soon as it's on the shelves, I'm getting one! In FL it's warm and humid late at night and cooler and less humid toward the AM. You might want to check it out.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 9:55 pm

There is only one solution, warm the room up a few degrees each night until the problem goes away. The heated humidifier will likewise fill the hose with water if it is set too high. A heated hose can be useful but your existing problem is much more basic.

Only one solution??? A heated hose is much more than just useful, imho. Yes, the existing problem is basic. Keeping a cold plastic 6 foot hose warmer is a rather basic way to solve that basic condensation problem -- especially if a person happens to sleep better in a cool bedroom and uses a heated humidifier.

You can try all kinds of things, tlc95... but if cheaper solutions like hose covers don't stop the rainout, pack that cold plastic air hose away in a discards drawer and get the surest way to prevent rainout from disturbing sleep.

The Aussie heated hose from sleepzone.com.au

The heated hose is one of the few products that actual cpap users can recommend to each other without reservation. Almost all who have bought it agree it really does exactly what it is advertised to do ...prevents condensation inside the main air hose. I have one. It's wonderful!

mikemoran · Post by **mikemoran** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:57 am

It really does work and is worth every penny. Used mine in a variety of environments now with the humidifier cranked up. No drip and no fuss.

tlc95066 · Post by **tlc95066** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 8:57 am

I currently own my machine, so I won't be getting a new one anytime soon. Fortunately for me, my insurance covered the lions share of the cost.

So it sounds like a heated hose cover is what i will be ordering.

Again, thank you all for your responses and allowing me to vent my frustrations. I was in tears this weekend, because I really thought that the heated humidifier would solve most of my problems. Although it seems to be causing some as well. I know that I will get through it, i just don't thave the patience for it.

Best,
TLC

Maskedmechanic · Post by **Maskedmechanic** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:37 pm

Fisher & Paykel will have a combination cpap/heated humidifier/heated tube machine available within a week or so. A computer chip controls things to deliver maximum absolute humidity without condensation in the hose. I think this feature will be copied my many as time goes by.

Janelle · Post by **Janelle** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 8:12 pm

The FP humidifier I had before the one came out for the 420s had Ambient Tracking. Isn't this the same thing you were talking about that will be on the new one?