Without CPAP For A Week - What Position To Sleep?

[dangerousdave]

Following my cleaning of my Resmed S9 heated tube with white distilled vinegar & water mixture two days ago, I'm getting water on my face nightly. So I guess I mishandled the tube or perhaps damaged the 3 copper electrical connections on the end. Also, I don't know if I could have somehow changed a setting on the Resmed but I didn't go into Clinician Setup Mode. I'm hoping to get an appointment on Monday to request to be sent a new tube & mask but I'm going out of town for a week on Tuesday. I've replaced nothing previously in the over 2 years of ownership of my cpap.

While I'm gone, what is the best sleeping position in general, that I might try to possibly keep my airway from closing AND maybe lessen the chance of snoring? I usually sleep alone however, I may be with someone else in bed. I've never really slept on my stomach and if I sleep on my side I might need a pillow to keep me from rolling over onto my back. If it matters I'm in my 50's.
Thanks

[Julie]

The best position would be in a recliner, semi, if not fully upright, but if it's not practical, then a side or stomach would be better than back sleeping. I'd definitely pick up a soft cervical collar as it helps to keep your head up and your airway open, but all that being said, have you considered trying to rent a machine, even a plain cpap, for the time you'll be away? You may not realize how lousy you could end up feeling by not doing it.

[englandsf]

Have you tried it without any water in the humidifier? Better than no CPAP perhaps?

[Lukie]

I don't know how severe your sleep apnea is, but I, for one, would not be without my cpap even for a nap. It would be wise for you in the future to keep at least a back up hose. I would take your equipment with you and run it without a humidifier. This may give you a dry nose and mouth but at least you are keeping your airway open thus lessening your chance of dying from an apnea that you just don't wake up from.

[PST]

There is a study that claims right side beats left side. Either side beats back. I've slept on my side in an emergency and lived to tell the tale, but I don't like it.

Many of us find humidifiers to be more trouble than they're worth. It is a very subjective issue.

[LSAT]

If you have any problems with acid/Gerd you are better off sleeping on your left side all the time. Otherwise it doesn't matter.
Anytime I have slept without my CPAP(surgery), I used a recliner.

[palerider]

put the cpap down low so there's no dips in the hose between your head and the machine, lower the humidity level some, then if any water condenses in the tube, it'll run back down into the humidifier, and not get blown up into your face.

[Drowsy Dancer]

I don't understand why you are even considering not using your CPAP for a week. Turning off the humidifier would be a far better option.

[Wulfman...]

I don't understand why you are even considering not using your CPAP for a week. Turning off the humidifier would be a far better option.

RIGHT! ....and +1
The condition you describe indicates there is too much warm humid air cooling in the hose and resulting in "rainout" (water vapor condensed back into liquid by the cooling).


Den

.

[chunkyfrog]

When you replaced the hose onto the machine, did the usual Climateline recognition message appear?
I'm wondering about the possibility that the cuff may not be turned all the way and the contacts are not touching.
If the problem is the hose, do you have a non-heated hose you can use?--with a quick homemade hose cozy,
you would not need to run without water. Dry running is still better than no blower, though.

[Pugsy]

Assuming the ClimateLine hose is attached properly...go into the Clinical menu and see if the S9 even recognizes it.

If the Climateline is not working and not recognized by the machine it essentially becomes a non heated hose so make sure the setting choice on the S9 is for the smaller diameter hose...and remember that you can still use a hose cozy on the Climateline. No no need to switch to a different hose even if the ClimateLine isn't working.

Condensation in the hose or mask when the Climateline doesn't want to work...treated the same way we have treated it for years before the heated hoses spoiled us.

Options..you can use one or a combination of choices.

1...reduce the humidity out put choice if your nose permits
2...put the machine lower than the bed mattress to allow gravity to help any condensation in the hose to run back into the humidifier if at all possible. Note that depending on the mask used..if there is condensation in the mask sometimes the water sort of pools in the lowest area and sometimes that area is not where the hose enters the mask and thus the gravity thing doesn't always help for condensation in the mask.
3..if nose permits you can try passover mode where water is in the chamber but no heat is added and there's less chance of condensation anywhere because the humidity added is minimal
4...if the bedroom air temp is warmer then there's less chance of the air in the hose and/or mask cooling and condensation forming...so increasing the bed room temp might help. Back before my heated hose I put a little space heater turned on very low on the floor near my machine when I didn't want to heat the whole house by turning up the thermostat. Often just a couple degrees warmer will prevent condensation.
5...the addition of a homemade hose cozy to the hose will help insulate the air in the hose and maybe prevent it from cooling to the point to where it is annoying. If the condensation is in the mask itself insulation any short hose might also help. Doesn't have to be a fancy hose cover. Old socks with the toes cut out so the sock slides over the hose works well and secured by bread ties or scotch tape...anything to keep the socks in place.

Option 6....Not using the cpap machine...isn't an option. There are too many ways to reduce or eliminate condensation in either the mask or hose. People have battled rain out successfully for many years long before we got spoiled with the heated hose. Sometimes takes a bit of detective work to sort it out but it can be done and not using the cpap machine was never an option.

[dangerousdave]

When you replaced the hose onto the machine, did the usual Climateline recognition message appear?

Yes I just checked that it said Climate Control Enabled.

Have you tried it without any water in the humidifier? Better than no CPAP perhaps?

I don't understand why you are even considering not using your CPAP for a week. Turning off the humidifier would be a far better option.

Tried it last night and it was not too bad. I'm going with this option.

Thanks everyone for your sleeping sides suggestions, other machine options and to not go without my CPAP. I'm taking it on the plane with me Tuesday and use it without water but with the pan in place I guess.

[RogerSC]

I'd add that if you had a copy of your sleep study results (do you?), you could see what your AHI was sleeping on your side or your back. For a lot of people, sleeping on one's side is much better. For example, in my sleep study, on my back my AHI was about 42. On my side, it was about 6. That's quite a difference for me. However, it may be different for you. If and when I have to sleep without a cpap machine, I obviously sleep on my side *smile*. Not hard to figure that one out.

None the less, I agree with making an effort to use your cpap, whether that means putting it on something on the floor (like a piece of wood or cardboard) and trying that to see if cuts down on the rainout, or trying a hose cozy, or just playing with your cpap to see if maybe things aren't quite assembled properly, or turning down the humidifier. Or a combination of a couple of these alternatives. Or whatever else you can figure out. Much better for you.

[mike1953]

You say you have a S9 AutoSet with the HI5 Humidifier so just disconnect your humidifier and connect a regular hose to the blower unit.

[dangerousdave]

You say you have a S9 AutoSet with the HI5 Humidifier so just disconnect your humidifier and connect a regular hose to the blower unit.

Thanks for the suggestion however, I've only had one hose since I got this unit a little over two years ago. I'm just going to run my CPAP without any water in the reservoir.