Humidity level vs heated tube?

[Dyssomniac]

After four nights with my new AirSense 10 Autoset mostly with a Dreamwear nasal cushion mask, I've got sore-feeling nasal passages today and blood in one nostril. (The air in our area is pretty dry right now.) The sleep clinic started me out with the humidity level on the AirSense set mid-range at 4. The doctor also recommended a heated tube, but it hasn't arrived yet.

So I thought tonight I'd up the humidity level, maybe to 6. Or I suppose I could go even higher.

Two questions:

-- What kind of symptoms do most people get when they've set the humidity level of their machine too high?

-- What exactly is the purpose of the heated tube? What's the relationship between use of the heated tube vs how the humidity level is set?

Just wondering how to try to optimize all of this --

[Sleeprider]

With the Airsense 10 humidifier in "Climate Control Auto" mode you can't set humidity too high. Many of us set humidity to manual which allows much higher humidity levels. Basically, my recommendation is to set the machine to Climate contro Manual and back off if you get condensation, or too much humidity. The Auto humidity is very conservative.

[SarcasticDave94]

After four nights with my new AirSense 10 Autoset mostly with a Dreamwear nasal cushion mask, I've got sore-feeling nasal passages today and blood in one nostril. (The air in our area is pretty dry right now.) The sleep clinic started me out with the humidity level on the AirSense set mid-range at 4. The doctor also recommended a heated tube, but it hasn't arrived yet.

So I thought tonight I'd up the humidity level, maybe to 6. Or I suppose I could go even higher.

Two questions:

-- What kind of symptoms do most people get when they've set the humidity level of their machine too high?

-- What exactly is the purpose of the heated tube? What's the relationship between use of the heated tube vs how the humidity level is set?

Just wondering how to try to optimize all of this --

For myself, I cannot go too high. Normally that is. IF I suspect my humidity setting is too high, and it does occasionally, I can tell by getting a stuffy nose that is above the normally expected.

The heated hose is used to combat rainout. Basically this rainout is condensation in the hose. It likes to migrate into your mask or make disturbing gurgling noises contrived to wake you at 3:30 AM.

As for settings, user preference rules. Personally, I found I prefer higher on both humidity and hose. The way I started was to choose a middle setting on both, then edit them until I got my preferred results. Hope this helps you. I can clarify that if needed, just ask.



PS I run humidifier in manual mode.

[Gideon]

Just to show a difference I use the heated hose in full auto mode.

[Dyssomniac]

With the Airsense 10 humidifier in "Climate Control Auto" mode you can't set humidity too high.  Many of us set humidity to manual which allows much higher humidity levels. Basically, my recommendation is to set the machine to Climate contro Manual and back off if you get condensation, or too much humidity.  The Auto humidity is very conservative.

That's odd, in the AirSense 10's "My Options" menu there's a setting for Humidity Level (which I've now bumped up from 4 to 8), but I'm not finding a setting for "Climate Control Auto" anywhere.

In that user menu, the choices for settings are Ramp Time, Humidity Level, Pressure Relief, SmartStart, Mask, Tube, Run Mask Fit, Run Warmup, Airplane Mode and About.

In the Clinical Menu, the settings are Mode (CPAP vs Autoset), Max Pressure, Min Pressure, Mask, Response (Standard vs Soft), Ramp Time, Start Pressure, EPR, EPR Type, EPR Level, Humidity Level, Tube, AB Filter, Essentials ("Plus" vs "On," whatever those are), SmartStart, Reminders, Language, Date, Time, Pressure Units, Temperature Units, Restore Defaults, Erase Data and About.

Is there another hidden location for the Climate Control setting? Does that option only appear when a heated tube is connected, for example?

[Walla Walla]

I don't believe the auto climate control setting works unless there's a heated hose connected. You'll have to use just the humidifier setting until your heated hose arrives.

[CB91710]

-- What kind of symptoms do most people get when they've set the humidity level of their machine too high?

Rainout.  Either excessive condensation in the mask, or it will collect in a low spot in the hose and "pop pop pop" as air bubbles through, waking me up.  Easy enough to lift the hose to allow it to drain back into the machine.

I vary mine between 4 and 6 through the year.  If it's too low, I also get some blood encrusted, and congestion worsens.  I try to keep mine right "on the edge" of rainout.

With the Airsense 10 humidifier in "Climate Control Auto" mode you can't set humidity too high.

Ours do not have that option with the Slimline hose (that I can find).  I always assumed it self-activated with the heated hose.
I have to adjust mine as ambient humidity and temperature change.

[Sleeprider]

For those of you without a heated hose, and even with it, a fleece hose cover can really increase comfort and improve delivery of humidity. A fleece cover feels a lot better against your skin or your face and prevents condensation. The corrections that "auto/manual" humidity control is only available with a heated tube are correct.

[Dyssomniac]

-- What kind of symptoms do most people get when they've set the humidity level of their machine too high?

Rainout.  Either excessive condensation in the mask, or it will collect in a low spot in the hose and "pop pop pop" as air bubbles through, waking me up.  Easy enough to lift the hose to allow it to drain back into the machine.

Boy, did I ever learn this last night. To counteract dry air I set the humidity on the AirSense up to the max of 8 to see how that would go. After about 4 1/2 hours of sleep I started getting that persistent pop-pop-pop. I'm looking forward to the arrival of the heated tube.

For those of you without a heated hose, and even with it, a fleece hose cover can really increase comfort and improve delivery of humidity.  A fleece cover feels a lot better against your skin or your face and prevents condensation.   The corrections that "auto/manual" humidity control is only available with a heated tube are correct.

Is there a good source or brand for the fleece cover?

[SarcasticDave94]

For fleece covers, example is in our supplier list, 1800 CPAP AKA Supplier #10 has a hose cover for $15. Others probably offer similar. IMO most any brand ought to be OK. ResMed even has one, if you so choose.