Too much humidity or too little?

[MichaelWD64]

New to CPAP. on it (with Auto-SV) for a little over a week. Doing well with it, sleeping 7 hours a night or so, and feeling better during the day.

I am coughing more though, and having mucus in my lungs. Can't figure out if it's too much moisture or not enough. I do have to wake up and take the mask off a few times a night to drink water, my mouth gets dried out.

I have my humidifier set at 2. Higher than that and it splashes water in my mouth at first.

Also, is there a difference from how much lower than me on the bed the machine is? I have it a little below my head level on a side table. Tried it much lower one night, like six inches above ground, that night I was more dried out, but could have been any of the medications I'm on too.

What are the variables here? And if I'm suddenly coughing a little bit during the day and have a bit of mucus in my lungs, is that too much humidity or not enough?

I live a mile above sea level, in a town that's very dry in the winter. Though the relativity humidity on weather.com says 69% (we had a lot of snow this week and it's very cold).

Any experience on any of this is appreciated.

Thank you!
Michael

[trish6hundred]

Hi MichaelWD64,

You might try turning your humidity up a notch and see if that helps. Hopefully, just turning it up one notch won’t splash you too bad.
You shouldn’t need to have your machine too low, just an inch or 2 below your bed should work fine.
Hang in there for more ideas.

[MichaelWD64]

Hi MichaelWD64,

You might try turning your humidity up a notch and see if that helps. Hopefully, just turning it up one notch won’t splash you too bad.
You shouldn’t need to have your machine too low, just an inch or 2 below your bed should work fine.
Hang in there for more ideas.

Thank you Trish!
MWD

[Sleepster]

I have my humidifier set at 2. Higher than that and it splashes water in my mouth at first.

That's weird. The humidity setting has nothing to do with what happens at first. That setting just raises the temperature of the warming plate below the tank. Are you using the warm up feature? If so, that could cause it. Of it could be too much water in the tank or water left in the hose or mask from washing or from the night before.

What are the variables here? And if I'm suddenly coughing a little bit during the day and have a bit of mucus in my lungs, is that too much humidity or not enough?

That sounds like an upper respiratory issue, like from a cold. That's best treated with humid air. I would raise it to the highest you can go without getting rain out (condensation).

Another option is a heated hose. You can get one for your machine. Alternatively you can insulate the hose with a wrap.

[MichaelWD64]

I have my humidifier set at 2. Higher than that and it splashes water in my mouth at first.

That's weird. The humidity setting has nothing to do with what happens at first. That setting just raises the temperature of the warming plate below the tank. Are you using the warm up feature? If so, that could cause it. Of it could be too much water in the tank or water left in the hose or mask from washing or from the night before.

What are the variables here? And if I'm suddenly coughing a little bit during the day and have a bit of mucus in my lungs, is that too much humidity or not enough?

That sounds like an upper respiratory issue, like from a cold. That's best treated with humid air. I would raise it to the highest you can go without getting rain out (condensation).

Another option is a heated hose. You can get one for your machine. Alternatively you can insulate the hose with a wrap.

Not using the warm up feature. How do I acess it and what does it do?

I get rainout when I fill the humidifier to the "max" line. When I didn't fill it quite full one night, I ran out of water before I was done sleeping 7 hours, with the humidifier set on 4.

My doctor has prescribed a heated hose, at my request. I'm still waiting on insurance and delivery for it.

thank you,

MWD

[Sleepster]

I get rainout when I fill the humidifier to the "max" line.

Only when you fill it to the max line? If so, I can't understand how that could be the cause of rain out.

When I didn't fill it quite full one night, I ran out of water before I was done sleeping 7 hours, with the humidifier set on 4.

If you get a room humidifier for your bedroom then your CPAP humidifier won't have to work as hard and it will use less water.

[MichaelWD64]

I get rainout when I fill the humidifier to the "max" line.

Only when you fill it to the max line? If so, I can't understand how that could be the cause of rain out.

When I didn't fill it quite full one night, I ran out of water before I was done sleeping 7 hours, with the humidifier set on 4.

If you get a room humidifier for your bedroom then your CPAP humidifier won't have to work as hard and it will use less water.

Thank you! Will do.
MWD

[OMyMyOHellYes]

I don't understand the "splashes water" part. Humidity settings have nothing to do with mechanical movement of liquid water. As Sleepster said, all it does is raise the temperature of the water, making it a little easier for the water to evaporate. If there is water in the tube/mask at start up, it is likely either condensation from the night before or water left from cleaning. Water level in in the tank, in and of itself, cannot cause condensation in the tube. And should not blow through. Just curious - do you put the mask on and then turn the machine on or do you turn the machine on and then put the mask on? But if it were water blown through, it would not matter what the humidification is. Another thought - during the day, is there a low spot where any condensation would form (ie, not drain back into the unit)? A humidifier temp too high that causes condensation that would collect in the tube from the night before?

What temperature do you keep the room at while you sleep? That will have a definite impact on condensation.

When you get the climate line tubing, you might try auto humidity. That doesn't set a humidity level so much as a temperature. The relative humidity delivered is a function of the temperature differential. Pick a temp that is a couple degrees higher than the overnight room temp. See if the water in the mask is not resolved then. Meanwhile, you could try wrapping the tube in a towel like a tube cozy to prevent condensation.

Position of the bed relative to the unit should not have any impact on the humidification. The only thing that does is keep condensation from running down into the mask. If you have condensation, the tube should be set so that it has a relatively straight run downhill from the mask to the unit, without dips where condensation can form.

OK on to the other part of the question regarding stuffiness. Try something one night. To some, it is counter intuitive. More humidity is not always the answer. I find that I have more sinus stuffiness and mucous most of the time if I increase humidity settings. If I set the humidifier settings on the PR 560 to "1", I am generally comfortable and use very, very little water (a tank can last me 3-4 days). If I set it at "2" I use more water and I wake up with a snoot full of snot. I once tired a "3" setting and it was uncomfortable to the point I was startign to feel suffocated.

Using a FFM I assume you are a mouth breather at night and I don't think the humidity settings are ever going to be enough to keep your mouth from drying out to a certain extent. And if could, it may be too much for your respiratory system comfort. I have a much easier time breathing outside on a cold, clear morning than I do in Houston in the summer.

Note that the RH reported by weather.com is outside at the cold temp, not inside heated air which is far drier.

Probably too much rambling before coffee.

Oh, is WD64 24 points better than WD40?

OMMOHY

[MichaelWD64]

I don't understand the "splashes water" part. Humidity settings have nothing to do with mechanical movement of liquid water. As Sleepster said, all it does is raise the temperature of the water, making it a little easier for the water to evaporate. If there is water in the tube/mask at start up, it is likely either condensation from the night before or water left from cleaning. Water level in in the tank, in and of itself, cannot cause condensation in the tube. And should not blow through. Just curious - do you put the mask on and then turn the machine on or do you turn the machine on and then put the mask on? But if it were water blown through, it would not matter what the humidification is. Another thought - during the day, is there a low spot where any condensation would form (ie, not drain back into the unit)? A humidifier temp too high that causes condensation that would collect in the tube from the night before?

What temperature do you keep the room at while you sleep? That will have a definite impact on condensation.

When you get the climate line tubing, you might try auto humidity. That doesn't set a humidity level so much as a temperature. The relative humidity delivered is a function of the temperature differential. Pick a temp that is a couple degrees higher than the overnight room temp. See if the water in the mask is not resolved then. Meanwhile, you could try wrapping the tube in a towel like a tube cozy to prevent condensation.

Position of the bed relative to the unit should not have any impact on the humidification. The only thing that does is keep condensation from running down into the mask. If you have condensation, the tube should be set so that it has a relatively straight run downhill from the mask to the unit, without dips where condensation can form.

OK on to the other part of the question regarding stuffiness. Try something one night. To some, it is counter intuitive. More humidity is not always the answer. I find that I have more sinus stuffiness and mucous most of the time if I increase humidity settings. If I set the humidifier settings on the PR 560 to "1", I am generally comfortable and use very, very little water (a tank can last me 3-4 days). If I set it at "2" I use more water and I wake up with a snoot full of snot. I once tired a "3" setting and it was uncomfortable to the point I was startign to feel suffocated.

Using a FFM I assume you are a mouth breather at night and I don't think the humidity settings are ever going to be enough to keep your mouth from drying out to a certain extent. And if could, it may be too much for your respiratory system comfort. I have a much easier time breathing outside on a cold, clear morning than I do in Houston in the summer.

Note that the RH reported by weather.com is outside at the cold temp, not inside heated air which is far drier.

Probably too much rambling before coffee.

Oh, is WD64 24 points better than WD40?

OMMOHY

Hi!

I turn the unit on, then put the mask on.

I keep the room coldish, like 65 when I go to bed, and it's probably 59 or 60 when I get up.

I'll try a humidity setting of 1 tonight. Thanks! I've tried 2, 3, and 4 before. 3 and 4 use up all the water before I get up, which ends up sort of cooking my lungs.

>Oh, is WD64 24 points better than WD40?

yes. Yes it is.

Thank you!

MWD

[PoolQ]

make sure the CPAP is level when in use so the water level is still at max and not above that by the bed.
Rainout takes a while. it's caused when warm, moist air goes through a colder tube and has to condense out, build up, and then get to the end of the hose.
I also need low to NO humidity or I get congested. I also set the temp at 63, cold for me is better than hot.