Re: Introduction
Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 6:50 am
Ppharman......
Welcome to our group of cpap tweakers and experimentors.
By all means purchase the software to go along with your machine. I suggest purchasing the software/card reader package from CPAP.com (the fine people who provide this forum). You'll find that running your own software allows a "poor man's titration" every night if you want to do so. Using software allows you to tweak your therapy so that you achieve the maximum effectiveness with the least discomfort.
About the exhaust......be careful with modifications. The exhaust is designed to work with your cpap machine to help purge your exhaled breath......and changing the flow rate of the exhaust might adversely affect your therapy. Rested Gal's suggestion of considering the Aeiomed's Headrest Mask (with its "upward exhaust") is something you might want to try out. NOTE: I consider Rested Gal the "mother superior" of this forum....and I "listen" very closely to what she says.
About the "rainout"......you might want to think of it as two problems tangled together. Moisture that forms inside the hose is caused by moist, warm air from your humidifier coming into contact with a cold hose. This causes a "wrong-side-out iced drink sort of condensation" that forms on the inside of your hose. This problem can usually be solved by insulating your hose with a cover available from CPAP.com. If that doesn't do the trick, a heated hose may be in order.
An associated rainout problem....is moisture that forms inside your mask. Mask condensation is usually caused by exhaled breath condensation (which is somewhat related to how much moisture you're getting from your humidifier). A few tiny droplets inside the mask is not a problem....UNLESS they "decide" to get together, form a couple of big drops, and "party way up inside your nose". I use the same Headrest mask as the one Rested Gal suggested....and I put a double strand of thick, cotton string inside my nosepiece....to act as a WICK. The string absorbs tiny droplets before they can get together to form the pesky big drops.
Welcome to our group of cpap tweakers and experimentors.
By all means purchase the software to go along with your machine. I suggest purchasing the software/card reader package from CPAP.com (the fine people who provide this forum). You'll find that running your own software allows a "poor man's titration" every night if you want to do so. Using software allows you to tweak your therapy so that you achieve the maximum effectiveness with the least discomfort.
About the exhaust......be careful with modifications. The exhaust is designed to work with your cpap machine to help purge your exhaled breath......and changing the flow rate of the exhaust might adversely affect your therapy. Rested Gal's suggestion of considering the Aeiomed's Headrest Mask (with its "upward exhaust") is something you might want to try out. NOTE: I consider Rested Gal the "mother superior" of this forum....and I "listen" very closely to what she says.
About the "rainout"......you might want to think of it as two problems tangled together. Moisture that forms inside the hose is caused by moist, warm air from your humidifier coming into contact with a cold hose. This causes a "wrong-side-out iced drink sort of condensation" that forms on the inside of your hose. This problem can usually be solved by insulating your hose with a cover available from CPAP.com. If that doesn't do the trick, a heated hose may be in order.
An associated rainout problem....is moisture that forms inside your mask. Mask condensation is usually caused by exhaled breath condensation (which is somewhat related to how much moisture you're getting from your humidifier). A few tiny droplets inside the mask is not a problem....UNLESS they "decide" to get together, form a couple of big drops, and "party way up inside your nose". I use the same Headrest mask as the one Rested Gal suggested....and I put a double strand of thick, cotton string inside my nosepiece....to act as a WICK. The string absorbs tiny droplets before they can get together to form the pesky big drops.