I have a REMstar Auto BiPAP. I'm a heavy mouth-breather with full-face mask, currently the Liberty but I'm trying the Oracle tonight. With my nose closed, humidification is a big importance... But I'm already experiencing extreme dry mouth with the Liberty. I have my machine humidifier on 5/5 and it isn't enough.

I do live in Arizona, with lovely dry air. I'd consider a room humidifier but our master bedroom is about 12x30 since it is open to the bathroom and walk-in-closet. That's a lot of air to humidify.

What if I bought a small humidifier to sit in the corner near the machine? Or, is there a 'heavy duty' humidifier that I could hook up? Respironics was no help, claiming their tests show it is fine. Baloney. Even if I wasn't waking up from dry mouth, I am waking up to refill the damned chamber.


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Mike
104 AHI

Respironics BiPAP Auto M series
Oracle 452 mask

Rx history:
1. 20cm CPAP
2. 25i/21e BiPAP
3. Auto-BiPAP range 12i/8e to max

This should help.

http://www.fphcare.com/osa/hc150.asp

Try turning the heat on the humidification down all the way.... no heat. I use that when in desert areas like Arizona when sleeping in the truck.. It seems to help so I can get all the way through the night without the humidification chamber running out.

Another thing to try.. fill the humidification chamber with crushed ice. I like it if no air-conditioning in dry climates.  At least it makes me feel cooler.

Last.. some really OLD models of Respironics CPAP had an in-line humidification chamber. The hose came out the CPAP.. through the humidification chamber which was just passive humidification.. no heat in a separate thing that sat next to the CPAP.  Some truckers on CPAP have fought to keep their old in-line humidifiers to use in tandem with the new CPAP's with heat-humidification. You might be able to do some of your own reaearch on-line to see what's out there.

Just remember the more humidity you put into the CPAP hose - air the higher the risk of "rain out" - where you get that moisture condensing in the tube. Getting a slug of water blown up your nose is no fun.. been there done that.. and won't do it again.

The FP system Violet mentioned... is neat.. I don't know any truckers using it because the heated hose etc draws too much amperage to deal with in a truck...so...

Keep experimenting.. its how we all have solved our problems with CPAP.


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Just a truck driver with sleep apnea

violet wrote:

This should help.

http://www.fphcare.com/osa/hc150.asp

Very nicely done. This company is very well known for its humidification. Nice post.

violet wrote:

This should help.

http://www.fphcare.com/osa/hc150.asp

That looks like a great solution to humidification. I have a question, though - does the air go from humidifier to the xPAP or the other way round?


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SleepyToo
Philadelphia Area
Newly diagnosed, Respironics M Series Pro w\ humidifier
Zest nasal mask, also have Full Life ff mask, and FlexiFit 407
(Also have a FlexiFit 405 that damaged the bridge of my nose)