Hi all, looking for a little help here.  I have a doctors appoint next week for a review after two weeks on cpap.  I do ok on the machine at night except for the fact that I now seem to wake up alot!  And, my mouth is dried out like I am breathing through my mouth some of the time.  The bad news is I can not tell that this is making any difference in my being tired during the day.  One additional question is the use of distilled water for the humidifier part of this "thing".  I travel and carrying distilled water is a pain.  Does everyone with a humidifier use distilled water or is tap water ok?
Thanks for any help for the new kid on the cpap.

BC

Hi Bill,

I just started feeling less tired, and I've been using CPAP for over a month . . . it's not necessarily instantaneous for everyone!  So give it some time, be patient, and I bet you will feel a difference soon.

I do use distilled water for my CPAP . . . I think I have read that some bottled waters can be used once in a while.  But I would get a small leakproof bottle (Nalgene, I think the containterstore sells them), and pack some distilled with you!

The main problems with tap water is the build up of minerals and the chlorine in the water.  Use distilled, demineralized or purified water if you can.  You can look for bottled drinking water that is treated to remove the main minerals then they add a small amount of minerals in for both taste and health.  I just had my sleep study done.  If I am issued a cpap I will run into the same issue.  Dasani water is purified but may have more minerals than other purified waters it is readily available in the US and comes is small easy to carry bottles.  If you need to use tap in an urban (chlorinated) area leave it out overnight or heat or boil it to remove the chlorine which can be an irritant.

What about taking a portable water filter with you? Just be sure to get one that filters minerals, not just taste and odor.


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