Rules we may not know about.
Hi everyone,
I was just reading in another Thread that a machine with a humidifier should be set up lower than the height of the bed you are sleeping on. Is this true and what is the rule? Mine is currently about the same height as the top of my pillow.
Secondly are there any other rules like this that I / we ( newbies) should know that we may not? Perhaps we can make a list of things that you guys think of as obvious but we may not know.
Thanks,
Don
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Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.
Thomas A. Edison
RE: Rules we may not know about.
Enh. If you have rainout and the machine is above your head, water might run down into your mask. If it is lower, it might run back to the tank. Or to the lowest point in the hose.
I don't worry about it. Above, below or at head level.
K9 flatulence. That you should worry more about.
OMMOHY
RE: Rules we may not know about.
I don't worry about it either. Mine is the same height as my bed. Never had any problems.
RE: Rules we may not know about.
I would call them "clever practices" rather than rules Don. I have found under some conditions that, even with a temperature-controlling air hose, water condenses in the lowest part of the tube. If you are at the lowest part of the assembly, you may get water running into your nose while sleeping.
Second tip is to be willing to try alternative masks. I started with half-face masks but found that any time I tried to lay on my side, the mask became dislodged and loud air noises would wake my partner. On my third attempt, I locked onto Nasal Pillows plus a chin strap to keep my jaw closed while sleeping. The combination is perfect for me.
Cheers
Ron
RE: Rules we may not know about.
Don't assume that because you have a deviated septum and/or other nasal issues that you can't wear a nasal/nasal pillow mask. I paid big time for that mistake and don't want others to have the same experience.
On a different note, a dry mouth does not necessarily mean you are having a significant problem with mouth breathing and need a full face mask if you are using a nasal pillow/nasal mask. As a first step before making any switches, always check your data, (assuming you have a data capable machine) to see first, if there are any significant leaks. If there are, it may only be a very small percentage of your hours of sleep and if you are sleeping through it and feel fine, I would focus on trying to find a product that addresses the dry mouth issue like orajel.
Now if the leaks are disturbing your sleep and or compromising therapy, then you do have a problem and need to take steps to solve it such as using a chin strap or another method to keep your mouth shut or switching to a full face mask.
49er
RE: Rules we may not know about.
(10-24-2015, 09:20 PM)OpalRose Wrote: I don't worry about it either. Mine is the same height as my bed. Never had any problems.
The night stand my machine is on is just a tad lower than my bed. I too have never had any problems.
RE: Rules we may not know about.
I keep mine on the floor and on a padded mat to cut down on the noise. I found out that the machine was twice as loud on the bare hardwood floor.
RE: Rules we may not know about.
Condensation in the tube itself is not really a problem unless it reaches the mask. The normal problem with condensation in the tube is that it collects in a low spot (a hanging loop) and eventually blocks the tube. Then, every time that you breathe you will hear air gurgling through the collected water.
The idea is to have the hose leave the humidifier and go for at least several feet in a continual upward direction so there are no low spots. If water condenses in this section of the tubing, it will just run back into the humidifier. No harm, no foul.
You can achieve this condition with the machine at one of many different levels. Conversely, if you never get condensation in the hose, it does not make any difference at all.
Best Regards,
PaytonA
RE: Rules we may not know about.
Last couple of weeks I have put my hose through a loop up high on the wall by my bed around the middle of the slimline. I figure it won't matter at what height the machine is while doing this cause the middle of the hose is always going to be at least a foot higher and therefore there won't be any rainout problems. I also find the added bonus that it is more comfortable to turn over in bed with the hose raised up. I know there are special poles you can buy that will do this.
I actually have my machine down at a level of my mattress but find it difficult to read the display on the CPAP machine. I plan to move it up higher.
APNEABOARD - A great place to be if you're a hosehead!! 
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EVERY ACCOMPLISHMENT BEGINS WITH THE DECISION TO TRY!
RE: Rules we may not know about.
A real important self-critiquing suggestion is NEVER to put the machine above your head. It is self-critiquing in that if you roll over and pull on the tubing, you could pull the machine off the top and on top of you.
BTW, mine sits on the nightstand next to my bed and I have a sleep buddy and a 10 foot hose. No problems with pulling the machine off the nightstand.
Homer
