Will I need humidifier in the tropics?

[SuperSleeper]

[parts of this thread were copied from the old forum]

I am having a holiday in the Philippines soon and will be travelling with CPAP for the first time. It would be really handy if I didn't need to take my humidifier in order to save baggage weight. I am wondering if the need for humidification may be less in the tropics (although the room I am in could be air conditioned).

I have only just bought myself a Resmed S9 so intend to try a night or two without the humidifier just to see how it goes. However if I choose not to take the humidifier on my trip I will be stuck with that decision for the whole trip if things don't workout.

Anyone had experience with travelling without a humidifier?

[SuperSleeper]

It's hard to tell. Even in "the tropics," your humidity may vary a lot. If you're sleeping in an air conditioned area, it may be dry there, even if it's humid outside. Different air conditioners dry the air to very different degrees. Inside air may actually be dryer inside during humid summer months than during the cooler months due to air conditioning.

[SuperSleeper]

Really, that is a question that can only truly be answered by you. Everyone has differeny preferences for humidification. Some of the people here never use it, some only use it in the winter when it is drier, and some always use it. There are also a few who back down their humidification during the summer, but still use some level of it.

I live in a very humid climate and use a pretty high level of humidification year round. You certainly should try this out at home first, because some people get pretty disruptive sinus symptoms without humidity- you don't want that to happen on vacation. I would think just biting the bullet and bringing the humidifier along is the safest thing to do.

One thought- you might check to see if medical devices count against your baggage. I know there are often special rules for medical items.

[SuperSleeper]

I think you are on to the right idea. And that is... Go without for a few days and see how it goes.

However!!! I'm on the side of "better to be safe then sorry". The added weight or size of the humidifier is small change considering the pain you may suffer without humidification if you need or are use to it. Makes no sense to me to risk a sour vacation by not taking along the humidifier.

[SuperSleeper]

When I visited AL on the Gulf Coast I found that my normal humidity settings produced rainout, even in an air conditioned room. I personally feel that unless your trip is going to be a long one doing without the humidifier shouldn't be a problem. Of course it's all about comfort and if you use high settings (I use two, decreased to one during my trip and I could have done without it entirely) you might want to take it along. Trying the machine without it for a few days will help you gauge your reaction, but I believe the effects would be felt more over a longer period of time.

[SuperSleeper]

I'm on the side of "better to be safe then sorry". The added weight or size of the humidifier is small change considering the pain you may suffer without humidification if you need or are use to it. Makes no sense to me to risk a sour vacation by not taking along the humidifier.

That is my thinking also.

If it were for just 2 or 3 nights, I would risk going withOUT the humidifier. I have personally done that more than once.

But, since it is a longer trip, I would bring the humidifier.
3 nights seems to be the maximum for me withOUT a humidifier & I always run my humidifier only in passover mode (NO heat).

[SuperSleeper]

Thanks for the feedback.

I tried going without the humidification last night and it doesn't seem to have caused any issues. I was a tiny bit 'sniffly' this morning, but I sometimes get that way anyway so doubt it is related to the CPAP/humidification. I have another 4 sleeps before I go away so I am hoping that will give me a fair idea of how I will cope without humidification.

The reason I am particularly concerned about the weight of the humidifier is because my holiday is a scuba diving trip and I will be carrying a large amount of dive gear and underwater camera gear. With a 20kg baggage allowance weight will be crucial. I have learned to pack creatively over the years in order to keep weight down as much as possible.

[SuperSleeper]

IMO..
It sounds like you'll be just fine without the humidifier.a couple of more nights of trial will help with your decision. Good Luck on your trip.'

Maybe you could post a couple of pix under the 'Off Topic Forum"...up top.. when you get back.

[SuperSleeper]

Well it turned out that the day after the night I went without the humidifier my nose was running all day long. I can't say for certain what the cause was, maybe some hayfever, but I guess it could be linked to CPAP without humidification. So the last couple of nights I have used the humidifier and the runny nose has stopped. Tonight I will try again without humidification and see what happens.

Cheers.

[SuperSleeper]

Blue Devil,

Not a lot of people use their humidifiers in the Philippines. I don't, and neither does any of my friends. One just gets by with a quick fix taking two glasses of water before going to bed. However, how long is your trip? If it's not that long, you might as well leave your humidifier, but if you're staying long, wouldn't you rather bring it to be on the safe side anyway?

Humidity in the Philippines stays at the 60-80% range, but air conditioning cuts that substantially. If your room is not air conditioned, you wouldn't really have a problem. Note though that this time of the year, Philippine weather ranges from 25-35 degrees Celsius (77-95F), so you might not want to sleep without air conditioning.

Enjoy your dive holiday. If you're going to Tubataha, it's simply among the best in the world.

Regards,
Tsubs