Climateline tubing question

[GrammaBear]

I've had my S9 Autoset for only a short time, so still learning about it. The machine was delivered to me with the slimline tubing, although the invoice said climateline. I called the DME and they sent me a corrected invoice.

The DME person that delivered the machine and demonstrated it told me I wouldn't need the climateline tubing if I set the humidifier number toward the high end. Since I woke often with a dry throat and mouth, I did set the number at 5 and eventually 6. Raising the number has helped with the dryness some, but has not eliminated it. I never had this problem with my 'M' Series machine, so not sure how to solve this - if there is a solution.

Would the climateline tubing help with the humidity issue? I would have to pay out of pocket for the tubing as the insurance will not pay for a 2nd tubing so soon after buying the first. I am quite certain the humidifier on my S9 Autoset is working ok as the humidifier chamber is empty every morning. Any suggestions?

[oldteddybear]

I would contact the DME and demand the correct tube that your insurance has paid for, or you will contact the insurance for possible insurance fraud. The standard tube comes free with the S9 so if they charged your insurance for the climateline then you should have it.

[PaulaO2]

The climate line tubing is to prevent what is known as rainout. It keeps condensation from building up inside the tube. I don't think it would help get more moisture to your nose.

Since dryness is an issue, there's a few things you can do.

Crank it all the way up and go down vs slowly going up. If, at all the way up, the dryness is gone, then you know real fast if that is the cause. However, too much humidity can also dry out.

Use a nasal rinse before going to bed. There's several different kinds available. There's the neti pot and there's the bottle. I use the bottle. You can either make your own mix or get the pre-made packets.

And as the other poster said, the tubing comes free. There should not be a charge for the plain tubing.

[GrammaBear]

I'm sorry that I didn't explain myself very well. When I called the DME two days after I got the machine and realized that I had been charged for the Climateline tubing, I told them I wanted that charge removed and the proper charge for the Slimline tubing put in, and I wanted a copy of the revised invoice. They did send the revised invoice as well as another card for my machine (I had complained about the RAMP speed being too low) before I 'learned' how to fix that problem here on the forum. So now I have the card that is currently in my machine and an extra new one

Paula ~ Never considered that too much humidity can cause nasal dryness. I have the nasal rinse bottle because of a recommendation from my ENT doctor. The nasal rinse bottle helps a great deal with my seasonal allergies, but again - did not consider it for my sleep apnea. I am happy to be able to learn something - Thank You for your responses

Some sleep apnea problems seem easy to fix, now if my high blood pressure were also that easy to manage I would be very happy.

[PaulaO2]

I am so with you on the blood pressure! For many years, I took beta blockers for my hypertension until the side effect of causing asthma got too much. Then for many more years, we struggled to find just the right medication (or combination) to get it under control again. A few years ago, I was complaining to my doc how nothing seemed to work as good as the beta blockers. Come to find out, they had invented new ones without the asthma side effect! now it is wonderfully controlled.

Whenever it has gone bonkers, it is almost always because my sleep apnea is not being properly treated.

[GrammaBear]

I am so with you on the blood pressure! For many years, I took beta blockers for my hypertension until the side effect of causing asthma got too much. Then for many more years, we struggled to find just the right medication (or combination) to get it under control again. A few years ago, I was complaining to my doc how nothing seemed to work as good as the beta blockers. Come to find out, they had invented new ones without the asthma side effect! now it is wonderfully controlled.

Whenever it has gone bonkers, it is almost always because my sleep apnea is not being properly treated.

I can't blame my BP problems on asthma because of yet that is one problem I don't have (I think). I currently take a beta blocker (Toprol XL), an ARB (Micardis) and a diuretic (HCTZ) and it still doesn't want to come in under 140/80. It is more like 165/90 at the Doctor's office. I've tried so many different ones that give me horrible headaches like Clonidine, Norvasc etc. I am also diabetic, so that seems to complicate things further.

I have no idea if my sleep apnea is properly treated because it has been a year or more since I've seen my sleep doctor who is also a Pulmonologist. He told me at my last appt that since I wasn't cooperating and losing weight that he didn't want to see me for another year I would like a new sleep doctor however there are not very many of them in the area where I live. I will probably have to go out of state in order to find a decent one. At any rate, thanks again for your help and support.

[PaulaO2]

Oh yeah, you need another doc. If he wants to blame everything on your weight, he's not a good doc!

There are skinny people who have sleep apnea, too.

Toprol XL is what I take now. It keeps my hypertension in check. I was first diagnosed with hypertension when I was 15 but no one wanted to treat it because of my age. I was a farm kid so exercise was not the issue. And no, it isn't the asthma that causes my high bp, it was the medication that caused the asthma so I had to stop the medication.

And, by the way, if you have a humidifier on your S9, it is the H5i humidifier. (you say unsure on your profile)

Try the nasal rinse for several nights and see how it goes. Leave the humidifier setting where it is so you can tell if the rinse works or not.

There's also some stuff you can put inside your nose. I sometimes use a product by Ayr (its a nasal gel) but others use something that has lanolin in it. Neither one will harm the nasal pillows.

[GrammaBear]

Thanks Paula for the info on the humidifier for my S9. I corrected that information on my profile. Also, thanks for the tips on the humidifier and nasal rinse. Will try to remember to let you know how that works for me.

[zonk]

You can buy the climate line out of pocket from any of the on-line suppliers (see the list) $51 and its worth it as you can set the temp to your preference and no moisture or rainout...peace of mind

[Dawei]

Grammabear and Paula02-- After reading this thread, I thought I might put in just two quick thoughts with the possibility that they might be of some use.
Re: the sleep doc who focused on weight; of course, as you said, Paula, there are plenty of folks who have apnea who are not overweight. We all know that.
Just recently, a doc I know socially told me that apnea in people who are not overweight "is actually more serious." Unfortunately, there wasn't time for me to ask him to please explain that, but I will do so the next time the opportunity arises.
Paula, you mentioned that you've already found your bp med of choice, great. So, the following probably won't be of much interest.
I, too, have hypertension. After doing all the right things to try to get in under control and not being able to so, I began taking meds. At first, I was put on a beta blocker; then the doc tried an alpha blocker, I believe. Problem was, the side effects of the blocker meds were making life quite miserable.
That's when a cardiologist suggested that I be put on Cozaar, and that proved to be my solution. I am still on it now in its generic form--Lorsartan. I have no negative side effects at all, and 100mg/day controls my bp well. This sartan drug works in a different way than the blockers to control bp.