CPAP Basics - 3

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"Our" is the forum owners.

SleepWellCPAP wrote:Hello All and happy Sunday afternoon!

In order to highlight the fundamentals of equipment usage, I started this post a few weeks ago to cover just the basics of what new users need to know.

So far we've discussed initial mask fit, cleanliness, data collection, being educated on your condition and tube control. This weeks question,

What do you believe to be the third most important element of success for a new PAP user?

In my opinion, the third most important factor in optimizing the use of this equipment is humidification. Your upper airway provides moisture for your lungs. If your humidity isn't set right, or you have leakage letting the humidity out, you will not feel much if any benefit from your device.

Please post any and all opinions you have on this subject, it will be very interesting to see what you all think.

Jim

The current way of doing things is “give them a pill” and then “be ready to give them a cream if they get hives”.

So with xPAP therapy you are likely to destabilize breathing – which will increase the breathing – which will tend to dry out the airway and likely inflame it – which may lead to mouth opening – which may further dry out the throat - - and - - all that breathing is likely to cause arousals, leaks, and hypocapnia.

I wish that instead of using a cream for the hives they would research the cause of the hives. Better yet that they would find the systemic cause of the symptom they were trying to treat with the pill.

So then the xPAP induced symptoms of dry mouth, nasal inflammation, and scratchy throat are currently “treated” with humidification.

Yet I know that if you get the breathing volumes under control it matters very little where you set the humidifier. If you are breathing less you dry things out less. With hypocapnia under control circulation is good as well as metabolism. You end up with a much happier nose.

You also have less arousals so you feel better in the morning.

SleepWellCPAP wrote:Wow, I didn't thing this post was going to go viral.

Don't flatter yourself, Carpetbagger. 2000 views a week is hardly "going viral", and they're not coming to see you anyway.

Hello mollete,

I can't help but be flattered.

Just think, now two thousand people will be aware of how important humidification is when using their CPAPs.

Most importantly, all those folks will also see just how polite and professionally people conduct themselves on this blog is.

Thanks for posting!

Jim

SleepWellCPAP wrote:Just think, now two thousand people will be aware...

That's two thousand views there, Archimedes.

There's only nine people actually following this thread.

Jim,

With all due respect, there are still some unresolved issues that you haven't addressed in my opinion that are causing the negative posts. I appreciate you removing the link to your book but not addressing the issues in this post is causing those of us who have negative reactions to continue to feel that way.

Kaiasgram said in the thread that you introduced yourself:

Since you have just joined the forum and announced that you've written a book, it would be helpful for us to know that you are here to do more than get exposure for your book. I'm not usually this skeptical up front, but something about the vagueness and brevity of your responses to posters thus far (in this and two other threads) make me wonder.

In response, you said,

Another post had to do with my qualifications and my "grandios" claim. A very fair question certainly. First I am not a doctor, RT or sleep lab tech. I am however a person who has worked with thousands of PAP clients over the years and have ended up with an almost 100% success rate. The interesting thing is that proper instruction and follow up is a big part of successfully using these devices. The primary responsibility for that falls on equipment providers, like myself, rather than the doctors or sleep labs. Over the years, I have figured out what I believe are the specific steps necessary to using this equipment successfully as my livelyhood depended on it.

In my opinion, you still haven't answered the question as why you joined this forum if it wasn't to sell your book and the one you're now working on. You also never directly responded to JNK's thread in which he told the story of a character like you who was honest about his intentions in selling a book.

Also Tooter mentioned that he had sent you two PMs since he lived in your area and wanted to come visit. Perhaps you responded but you never mentioned that in the thread.

49er

Don't forget the "giving it out for free" part.

mollete wrote:Don't forget the "giving it out for free" part.

Good point.

49er

Hello 49er,

Thanks for pointing that out.

When I first joined I had no link to my book in my signature line. While introducing myself I mentioned that I had written about the subject of CPAP and if anyone was interested, I would share the title. Though I was asked and did reveal it, my primary purpose was help people use their devices and maybe I would learn something as well. In my short time here by the way, I have decided to include a glossary.

Would I like to sell books? Sure, wouldn't any author? That however, isn't why I'm here. I think my posts speak for themselves.

I have responded to Tooter.

And mollete, I am again humbled. To be compared to the likes of Archimedes? Thanks ever so much!

Jim

Thanks for responding SleepWellCpap.

49er

SleepWellCPAP wrote:Hello 49er,

Thanks for pointing that out.

When I first joined I had no link to my book in my signature line. While introducing myself I mentioned that I had written about the subject of CPAP and if anyone was interested, I would share the title. Though I was asked and did reveal it, my primary purpose was help people use their devices and maybe I would learn something as well. In my short time here by the way, I have decided to include a glossary.

Would I like to sell books? Sure, wouldn't any author? That however, isn't why I'm here. I think my posts speak for themselves.

I have responded to Tooter.

And mollete, I am again humbled. To be compared to the likes of Archimedes? Thanks ever so much!

Jim

SleepWellCPAP wrote:Thanks ever so much!

No prob, I got your back, CB!

SleepWellCPAP wrote: (I be a) author..

So listen here Tolstoy, you might want to do a little editing, cause authors do NOT say

SleepWellCPAP wrote:Most importantly

SleepWellCPAP wrote:
In my opinion, the third most important factor in optimizing the use of this equipment is humidification. Your upper airway provides moisture for your lungs. If your humidity isn't set right, or you have leakage letting the humidity out, you will not feel much if any benefit from your device.

Jim

Hi Jim,

I have lived, breathed, and slept in environments ranging between less than 10% to 100% humidity without a humidifier.

Apparently the excessive breathing volumes induced by xPAP bring forth the requirement for humidification.

What can you do to treat that?

Thanks,

Todzo

Hello Todzo,

I'm not sure I am understanding completely. Do let me know if I'm off base.

My theory on humidification is that when the upper airway is taxed by an xPAP machine, it can react by swelling up and causing a restriction in flow. If you've been able to adapt without a humidifier, I think that's awesome. In your case nothing would need to be treated. In fact, we used to have a physician that only prescribed PAP machines without the heaters initially. If the patient complained, only then would it be added.

I agree with you about excessive breathing volumes, the lungs will draw that moisture. The question for the average user of xPAP would be, is that moisture being replenished adequately, or is the upper airway becoming irritated? And if irritated, is that resulting in a less than satisfactory night's rest?

Thanks for the post!

Jim

SleepWellCPAP wrote:Hello Todzo,

I'm not sure I am understanding completely. Do let me know if I'm off base.

My theory on humidification is that when the upper airway is taxed by an xPAP machine, it can react by swelling up and causing a restriction in flow. If you've been able to adapt without a humidifier, I think that's awesome. In your case nothing would need to be treated. In fact, we used to have a physician that only prescribed PAP machines without the heaters initially. If the patient complained, only then would it be added.

I agree with you about excessive breathing volumes, the lungs will draw that moisture. The question for the average user of xPAP would be, is that moisture being replenished adequately, or is the upper airway becoming irritated? And if irritated, is that resulting in a less than satisfactory night's rest?

Thanks for the post!

Jim

Hi Jim,

Things which move us away from eucapnia are not good for our health. If nothing else the arousals are a problem.

I suppose if you make one more comfortable there is likely less central nervous system activation and so less over breathing. Still it seems more like cream on hives than a true cure.

I hope we find real cures.

Todzo