Humidifiers

Snooter · Post by **Snooter** » Sat May 05, 2007 10:52 am

I purchased my machine with a heated humidifier. Several times I ran the humidifier empty and noticed my mouth was a little dry. However, I started an experiment where I would use the CPAP without the humidifier. I seem to do fine. The problem with my mouth being dry has seemed to disappear. Possible I have adjusted for it. I live in Arizona, so the air is dry here to begin with. The only time I had a problem with rain out was when I was up in a mountain cabin and used the HH.

The reason I’m posting this is to see if others have tried running their CPAPs without the humidifier. Maybe they thought it was necessary like myself. Just one more thing I don’t have to think about each night.

Snooter.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Sat May 05, 2007 10:58 am

I think it also depends on the type of mask you use ... more specifically the CO2 exhaust flow rate which is a function of pressure use too.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Sat May 05, 2007 11:39 am

Snooter wrote:I purchased my machine with a heated humidifier. Several times I ran the humidifier empty and noticed my mouth was a little dry. However, I started an experiment where I would use the CPAP without the humidifier. I seem to do fine. The problem with my mouth being dry has seemed to disappear. Possible I have adjusted for it. I live in Arizona, so the air is dry here to begin with. The only time I had a problem with rain out was when I was up in a mountain cabin and used the HH.

The reason I’m posting this is to see if others have tried running their CPAPs without the humidifier. Maybe they thought it was necessary like myself. Just one more thing I don’t have to think about each night.

Snooter.

Are you sure you're not leaking air out your mouth? That might account for the dry mouth. What mask do you wear? Do you tape your mouth shut if you're using a nasal mask? That also might account for your humidifier going dry during the night, too.

Other than my sleep study, I've never used a CPAP without a humidifier, but beyond that I use mine in "passover" mode.....without heat. I also live in a dry climate and it still gives me some humidity.....I really didn't like that warm, moist air at night. The cool air also shrinks my nasal passages so it's easier to breathe. The water level goes down about a quarter of an inch per night, so I top it off about every 3rd night or so.

Best wishes,

Den

snoregirl · Post by **snoregirl** » Sat May 05, 2007 12:13 pm

I generally run with my heated humidifier as passover in the warm weather, and heated in the cool weather.

Only twice now in a year I have run into a situation when I didn't heat the water and my nose got very irritated and runny, itchy and sneezy. Took me a couple days to recover both times.

I am still trying to figure out if that is the lack of humidification or just allergies. Both times it happened were change of season one in the spring and one in the fall. I don't mouth breath as my mouth is taped shut tightly.

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Sat May 05, 2007 1:44 pm

Never used it, never felt the need and still don't.

Nitro Dan · Post by **Nitro Dan** » Sun May 06, 2007 10:37 am

CPAP would be pure torture without my humidifier, heated or not!

Humidifiers

Humidifiers

Re: Humidifiers