Dreamstation Humidifier Question

[Beej]

I cannot understand why if machine is set to adaptive there are still adjustable  humidifier & heat settings

The adaptive refers to the pressures. Humidity and heat are mainly comfort settings. I use humidity and heat as it helps keep my lungs from drying out over night and exacerbating my asthma.

[MitchS]

The fixed mode keeps a constant heat on the humidifier plate. Under certain conditions the fixed setting can allow condensation in the hose causing rain out. The adaptive mode adapts the heat applied to the humidifier plate to the surrounding conditions in order to prevent condensation. The humidity settings, 0-5, allow the level of humidity to be selected in either mode. The adaptive mode works very well for me, especially when using a heated hose.

[Sleeprider]

I have always used manual settings. They result in generally higher humidity than the automatic or adaptive settings.

[Hydrangea]

I switched it to manual for one night. The rainout experience made me decide to never put it on manual again!

So adaptive is where it's at for me.

[MitchS]

That is what happens to me, Hydrangea. It works best for me if I put my machine in adaptive mode with a setting of 2 or 3, depending on the season. If I use a setting over 2 in the cooling season my tank will run dry every once in a while. I'm able to run a setting of 3 during the heating season unless a cold front drives the ambient humidity down.

[SarcasticDave94]

The fixed mode keeps a constant heat on the humidifier plate. Under certain conditions the fixed setting can allow condensation in the hose causing rain out. The adaptive mode adapts the heat applied to the humidifier plate to the surrounding conditions in order to prevent condensation. The humidity settings, 0-5, allow the level of humidity to be selected in either mode. The adaptive mode works very well for me, especially when using a heated hose.

That's my understanding as well. I'm assuming our units are basically the same here. I've got the DreamStation Auto BiPAP. Should be same setting wise. I'm waiting on the heated tube scrip that my pulmonary doctor normally prescribes but it was missed on mine.

My understanding is that even though Adaptive and Fixed both have settings of 0-5 they can give differing results. Mainly this is due to the Adaptive setting being capable of sensing and making adjustments to the humidifier heater on the fly. Fixed is just that: FIXED. Due to that, any Fixed number might seem hotter and more humid than the equal number on Adaptive.

For reference, I tried Adaptive 3-5 and Fixed 3-5. My best setting with a 73°F room is Fixed 5 for breathing. For me, the other settings don't cut it. BTW I'm not only OSA but COPD too. Regardless, I can't wait on the added comfort of the heated tube.

[MitchS]

I think the humidifier is the same for all of the DreamStation series.

I tried the same experiments with the same results. I can't run a setting over 2 in the summer when we are running the air conditioner, however, or my water tank will run dry.

Just for future reference, I recently received a replacement heated hose. The first I had came in a package with a factory label stating it was for a DreamStation. The last one I received came in a package stating it was for a PR System One. While they looked slightly different, they looked close enough that I went ahead and tried the new one. It is compatible with my DreamStation.

[SarcasticDave94]

I think the humidifier is the same for all of the DreamStation series.

I tried the same experiments with the same results. I can't run a setting over 2 in the summer when we are running the air conditioner, however, or my water tank will run dry.

Just for future reference, I recently received a replacement heated hose. The first I had came in a package with a factory label stating it was for a DreamStation. The last one I received came in a package stating it was for a PR System One. While they looked slightly different, they looked close enough that I went ahead and tried the new one. It is compatible with my DreamStation.

Thanks for info on heated tube. I was just informed my Doc wants me to wait on a heated tube until he goes over my recent sleep study results. I'm still pushing for one to be included. I'm most comfortable with higher humidifier settings, which results in the tube having condensation. I'm considering a cover as well. Best to all.

[turtlez]

Was having the same issues, and I am in a warm country (Singapore), with temperatures in the range of 28-31 degrees Celcius in the night. Not sure about the range in the automatic "adaptive mode" when heated hose is inserted, but it seems like at this temperature, the humidifier plate and tube won't heat at all, maybe only at some nights when it reaches 28 degrees celcius, I can feel the tube warming up, but most the times when I wake up from a almost completely BLOCK NOSE, it's cold

Waking up, it seems like the tank doesn't have any change of water level even at heating hose and humidification at level 5 for both.

Seems like my nose is reacting such that, it will start blocking my nose when I "overbreathe" from my usual, to reduce the loss of moisuture? I think I have central sleep apnea, and I breathe very shallow from my own videoing and sound recordings. The "professional" hospital reports doesn't says things clearly anyway, saying mine is not serious. Am having really bad nightmares most of the nights, waking up screaming and "really" angry sometimes, over bad memories which doesn't matter, compared to when I am awake and aware (I guess meditation techniques doesn't work at night when I am confused from lack of oxygen). From my own videoing, it seems like I will breath shallower and shallower, then stop breathing for 10 seconds, then start a small squealing, then shout my way till I awaken. When I am awake in the day, I realised that I may forget to breath when I am in deep thoughts as well, or breath really shallow.

Anyway, here's the hospital sleep report (can't post links when I am a new member, remove the space at www, sorry for the trouble )
w w w.photos.app.goo.gl/5EobdYQYdhtpF9kC8

And for my CPAP machine results:
w w w.goo.gl/E7R7tn (zipped directly the whole folder on the dreamstation SD card)

For my future plans, am getting the CMS50D+ (Finger Tip Pulse Oximeter), so I can understand my results better with the AHI.
Will also try out Traditional Chinese Medicine, some said that sleep apnea can be treated with this....

So a summary of my problems again....
1) The more I breathe, the more block my nose becomes, rendering dreamstation treatment useless (since it will just increase pressure blowing harder and harder, and wake me up eventually)
2) Humidifier and tube doesn't seems to work in Singapore weather, rendering it useless since it's Adaptive by default, guess I will have to go online to search for "Aussie Heated Hose" from Sleepzone. Singapore is already humid, but I do wake up with a dry mouth (if there's a leak sometimes when I realise some nights, my mouth opened slightly and air start to go out from nostril, and out from the mouth). So would like to try increasing humidity see if works better.

Any advice from reading my situation, let me know. Thanks for helping out one another here!