What CPAP would you recommend?

As I posted earlier, I have a Remstar 150P CPAP machine with a heated humidifier. I also use the Mirage Quattro Mask. I have been told I have a BRICK which I totally get.

I have the dry mouth within 2 hours; I constantly wake up with it. My machine is set on 8. I run the humidifier at 4-5 with the System one humidification off.

Thanks in advance. I need to make this work. I have persistent AFIB.

smackman wrote:As I posted earlier, I have a Remstar 150P CPAP machine with a heated humidifier. I also use the Mirage Quattro Mask. I have been told I have a BRICK which I totally get.

The cheapest quality solution for you would be to buy a PR series 50 System One Pro with C-Flex+ (450 model) or a PR series 50 System One APAP (550 model). That would allow you to continue to use the same humidifier unit and still get full efficacy data. And the Series 50 System Ones are fully compatible with SleepyHead so you'll be able to monitor your data.

If you go with the newer PR Series 60 models or a Resmed S9 Elite or AutoSet, you'll have to replace the humidifier as well as the blower unit.

I have the dry mouth within 2 hours; I constantly wake up with it. My machine is set on 8. I run the humidifier at 4-5 with the System one humidification off.

Sounds like it could be mouth breathing. While you're not using any therapy pressure because you are using a FFM, heavy duty mouth breathing inside a FFM can still lead to dry mouth problems. The humidifier is really designed to keep the nasal cavity happy and for some people that's just not enough to keep the mouth happy even if they're using FFM so they can breath through their mouth without losing pressure.

I usually recommend an S9 Autoset with H5i and climate control tubing or a Respironics System One auto with their proprietary heater and heated tubing.

In your case, with such a low pressure I wonder if a nasal pillow/cushion mask and some practice keeping your tongue on the roof of your mouth might work just as well as a new machine.

Any nocturnal mouth breathing by the way, can easily cause dry mouth and dental issues so the full-face mask solutions are often disappointing. If you prefer to keep the full-face, I hope it's the Quattro Air you are using. That particular one is really working well for many people.

I would suggest keeping your humidity level high and also watching out for leakage. Little leaks are the worst because they are hard to hear/feel, but evacuate the circuit of moisture. I read a study not long ago that pressure therapy circuits can drop to less than 15% relative humidity almost instantly and just a few seconds of breathing dry air can cause your sinuses to start to swell up. Before you know it, you are breathing through your mouth.

Hope that helps. Good luck!

Robysue: I'm sure you meant, "full face masks prevent you from losing pressure."

chunkyfrog wrote:Robysue: I'm sure you meant, "full face masks prevent you from losing pressure."

You're right of course.

What amount of money can you comfortably afford to spend for an upgraded machine and/or humidifier?
Do you have a copy of your CPAP RX or if not, can you easily get a copy? It would be needed for an online purchase from a place like cpap.com or secondwindcpap.com. Secondwind has some gently used low hour machines or even new open box deals.

I don't know if the better humidity delivery with either the PR S1 60 series or S9 will solve your dry mouth issues (which we have already talked about) but they would stand the greatest chance of it helping.
The 60 series offers the greatest amount of humidity delivery....at 90 % and is also likely to cost less than the S9.
With either of those 2 machines you need a new humidifier though.
If you use your existing humidifier then you are limited to another 50 series machine (450 or 550 model) and you would get added data that you don't have right now but you will have the same humidity delivery.

If you find a S9 machine that suits your needs and pocketbook...I have a used S9 humidifier I could sell for $60 plus shipping...used about a week. Looks brand new.
Don't think I have a Climateline hose that is new though.

Climateline is ON SALE right now!
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... ntrol.html

smackman wrote:As I posted earlier, I have a Remstar 150P CPAP machine with a heated humidifier. I also use the Mirage Quattro Mask. I have been told I have a BRICK which I totally get.

I have the dry mouth within 2 hours; I constantly wake up with it. My machine is set on 8. I run the humidifier at 4-5 with the System one humidification off.

Thanks in advance. I need to make this work. I have persistent AFIB.

Hold up here -- you have a brand new, +$300 System One standard CPAP machine and are complaining about the machine because you have dry mouth.

Well dry mouth has nothing really to do with changing the machine in this respect. Some people just get dry mouth, including some people with nasal masks, and some people with FF masks. It just happens, often due to other issues like medications people take that dry their mouths out.

Regarding the machine being the cause, your System One machine, while a base model, still has many of the other benefits of all System One machines, including "System One Humidity Control" that has sensors to analyze room and system humidity to tailor the humidity output. Same as on the fancier machines. Some people want a lot of humidity, and you can get even higher humidity levels by shutting the auto humidity sensors "off" on your control panel, and switching to "Classic" humidity mode. Using the 'classic' manual humidity settings will kick out more moisture, and use up more water, but can also cause rain-out which the auto sensor system is designed to prevent.

If you wish to hot-rod your machine, you may be able to able to upgrade the lid of the humidifier to accept a heated tube system, assuming you have a 60 series model humidifier. See https://www.cpap.com/productpage/pr-hea ... e-kit.html With the upgrade kit you can kick up the humidity to even higher levels, while preventing rainout via the heated hose.

If you want to do it old school, you can always just add a hose cozy to a plain, unheated hose, or get an add-on heated hose system. More cumbersome, but may work as well.

So basically, at the end of the day, you do NOT need a brand new, fancier machine just to deal with issues of humidity or dry mouth. Plus once you become accustomed to cpap and start sleeping more with your mouth closed, even using a FFM, your dry mouth should lessen on its own anyway.

Good luck!

Hyperlexis,

As an FYI, the OP has a brick.

49er

hyperlexis wrote:

smackman wrote:As I posted earlier, I have a Remstar 150P CPAP machine with a heated humidifier. I also use the Mirage Quattro Mask. I have been told I have a BRICK which I totally get.

I have the dry mouth within 2 hours; I constantly wake up with it. My machine is set on 8. I run the humidifier at 4-5 with the System one humidification off.

Thanks in advance. I need to make this work. I have persistent AFIB.

Hold up here -- you have a brand new, +$300 System One standard CPAP machine and are complaining about the machine because you have dry mouth.

Well dry mouth has nothing really to do with changing the machine in this respect. Some people just get dry mouth, including some people with nasal masks, and some people with FF masks. It just happens, often due to other issues like medications people take that dry their mouths out.

Regarding the machine being the cause, your System One machine, while a base model, still has many of the other benefits of all System One machines, including "System One Humidity Control" that has sensors to analyze room and system humidity to tailor the humidity output. Same as on the fancier machines. Some people want a lot of humidity, and you can get even higher humidity levels by shutting the auto humidity sensors "off" on your control panel, and switching to "Classic" humidity mode. Using the 'classic' manual humidity settings will kick out more moisture, and use up more water, but can also cause rain-out which the auto sensor system is designed to prevent.

If you wish to hot-rod your machine, you may be able to able to upgrade the lid of the humidifier to accept a heated tube system, assuming you have a 60 series model humidifier. See https://www.cpap.com/productpage/pr-hea ... e-kit.html With the upgrade kit you can kick up the humidity to even higher levels, while preventing rainout via the heated hose.

If you want to do it old school, you can always just add a hose cozy to a plain, unheated hose, or get an add-on heated hose system. More cumbersome, but may work as well.

So basically, at the end of the day, you do NOT need a brand new, fancier machine just to deal with issues of humidity or dry mouth. Plus once you become accustomed to cpap and start sleeping more with your mouth closed, even using a FFM, your dry mouth should lessen on its own anyway.

Good luck!

49er wrote:Hyperlexis,

As an FYI, the OP has a brick.

49er



Yes, he has a brick -- but so what? He has it and owns it and has paid a good amount of money for it. Plus its a good solid, quiet System One machine. Basic no frills blower. Ideal? Nooooo. But if he's stuck with it then he may as well try to make lemonade out of lemons. His problem was dry mouth and that has nothing at all to do with the fact the machine isn't data capable. That problem he can address without having to get a new machine. And a lot of people do perfectly well on a basic machine. They may require more frequent titration tests and rechecks to determine the effectiveness of their pressures, etc., but people can certainly get by on them. Problem patients, no, but many people can do so perfectly fine.

OP has a model 150...not able to upgrade it to the 60 series with the kit. The 50 series machines and the 60 series machines are NOT compatible at all.

If OP wants to buy himself a different machine for whatever reason he wants...then that's good enough reason for me. "want" is more than sufficient reason in my book.
Not my job to preach a sermon or tell someone what to do...my job is only to explain options and choices available.

Pugsy wrote:OP has a model 150...not able to upgrade it to the 60 series with the kit. The 50 series machines and the 60 series machines are NOT compatible at all.

If OP wants to buy himself a different machine for whatever reason he wants...then that's good enough reason for me. "want" is more than sufficient reason in my book.
Not my job to preach a sermon or tell someone what to do...my job is only to explain options and choices available.

and a fine job you do at that///

You are my hero! If you were not here making all these posts to read I would have gave up long time ago and died I am about sure of it.

Although the op didn't come right out and say so, I'm sure this person wants to be able to see their data so they can control their sleep apnea which they can't do now with their brick.

Well, After reading the different comments, I am some what confused. Some say I have a Brick, Some say it will work and no machine will help with the dry mouth issue....

To me, CPAP is a struggle I need to overcome. I have AFIB and sleep apnea is a known trigger of AFIB. I am currently in Normal Sinus Rhythm, bur I am also on Blood thinners, rate and rhythm control drugs that are horrible prescription meds.

Some ask how much I spent on this machine; I paid approx. $10 a month for 10 months and I now own it. No one monitors how much I use this machine; This machine does not even have a SD card installed in it. Lincare delivered the machine, Gave me a mask and a 10 min. tutorial of how to use it. They actually left it on 11 and I found out my Pulmonary Specialist wanted it left on 8. I found this out 1 year later. I was not titrated for a year because of another illness I have been struggling with.

Since AFIB has been kicking my ass over the last 2 months, I decided I would give it my best shot to make this CPAP work for me. I have 3 different mask; 2 full face mask (Amara and Mirage Quattro) and one CPAP nasal mask (GoLife for women).
I use the Mirage Quattro.

I definitely sleep with my mouth open. What do I need to do or what should I be doing to help myself with this issue?

I could pay for another machine out of my own pocket if necessary. I am not filthy rich but I am not poor; Lets say we live a very comfortable life. I am retired at 55 from a back injury sustained in 2003 but my wife has a good job with a Telecommunication Company she has worked for 35 years this coming Jan 2014. We are debt free, empty nest meaning our 2 children age 32 and 30 have there own lives; We are blessed financially. I say all this not to brag but to also let you know I am able to buy better equipment IF it will help me. IF my issue is sleeping with my mouth opem, then I need to fix this and am open to suggestions.

I do not "blow" money; I am considered a tight azz and I can squeeze blood out of a turnip LOL.

I also take medications that cause dry mouth. I will list them in my signature.

Thanks in advance

If you know that some medications may cause you to have dry mouth, I would look at the Biotene range of products - you might find something there that works for your situation. Adjusting the mask is the most difficult part of all this; you need to have the straps tight enough to stop leaks, but not so tight that they distort the mask and cause leaks. You probably need to go through a careful adjustment each night (while lying down) for a couple of weeks until you find the "goldilocks" position for the straps. Keep in mind that straps stretch, and the cushions on the mask need replacing after a while.

For the mouth breathing, has anyone suggested a chinstrap? If not, it is worth considering. To find out if one might work, try a self-adhesive elastic bandage (ACE, for example). Get one that is at least 2, preferably 3 inches wide. Wrap it around your head to include the jaw - 3-4 times may be needed. Needs to be put on before the mask. If that helps reduce the mouth leaks/improves your AHI, then you can purchase a chinstrap for around $20.00 or so.

Sorry for the confusion about the machine, but it does appear that your machine is the bottom of the System One range, and you are going to find it tough to make the kind of tweaks you may need to make to get your therapy optimized. Unfortunately, the only data it will record is compliance data, and you know how many hours you use it each night. You do not, and will not, know what your AHI is on a daily basis to know if the machine is working or not. This thread viewtopic/t90544/Problem-with-new-machi ... -150P.htmlseems like it might be useful to have a look through, including some of the links in it. This should be a discussion you have with your docs, because you are "failing" therapy with the basic machine and probably need something that is more advanced (like an automatic PAP machine, which is actually billed to the insurance companies at the same rate as the one you have, but the DME makes less profit by supplying one to you).

I would also ask your docs to make sure that your AFIB medications are working correctly with the dose as low as possible to make sure the side effects are kept to a minimum. I am not a doc, but I do know that treatment of arrhythmias is always a challenge.