Respironics humidifier what settings re post nasal drip?

Hi,
I have been using a Respironics REMstar Auto A-Flex machine with heated humidifier for about a year. Previously I had a ResMed S8 for 5 years. I have had a cough for over two weeks and it is getting worse. It might have started as post nasal drip or some non-infection and I may be getting a cold now. I want to change the settings slightly to see if that improves things and would appreciate suggestions.

1. Heated tubing: When I first got this problem, I brought a Hibernate heated tube out of the cupboard. It hasn't improved things. I haven't had much rainout since living in the UK so I had stopped using it. Is it a mistake to use that tube with the REMstar? Tonight I will try the unheated tube again.

2. I had set the humidifier to 4, but I don't know why. I suspect the hospital may have set it to 2 and told me I need 3 if it's hot, but I couldn't understand why I would need more humidifier in summer than winter. Tonight (it's night here) I will put it on 3 again.

3. I have read that I might try the classic humidifier settings, and I can see where to do that. If the above changes don't help, what classic setting should I try - C2?

In the past, I've had a few nasty nights when I had a severe cold and could scarcely breathe, but that isn't what this is like. Maybe this has to do with my sinuses, which I am not really aware of.

Many thanks for any suggestions.

Zeppa wrote:Hi,
I have been using a Respironics REMstar Auto A-Flex machine with heated humidifier for about a year. Previously I had a ResMed S8 for 5 years. I have had a cough for over two weeks and it is getting worse. It might have started as post nasal drip or some non-infection and I may be getting a cold now. I want to change the settings slightly to see if that improves things and would appreciate suggestions.

1. Heated tubing: When I first got this problem, I brought a Hibernate heated tube out of the cupboard. It hasn't improved things. I haven't had much rainout since living in the UK so I had stopped using it. Is it a mistake to use that tube with the REMstar? Tonight I will try the unheated tube again.

2. I had set the humidifier to 4, but I don't know why. I suspect the hospital may have set it to 2 and told me I need 3 if it's hot, but I couldn't understand why I would need more humidifier in summer than winter. Tonight (it's night here) I will put it on 3 again.

3. I have read that I might try the classic humidifier settings, and I can see where to do that. If the above changes don't help, what classic setting should I try - C2?

In the past, I've had a few nasty nights when I had a severe cold and could scarcely breathe, but that isn't what this is like. Maybe this has to do with my sinuses, which I am not really aware of.

Many thanks for any suggestions.

Sorry you are going through this. Colds can really drag a person down, so can infections. Since you've had a cough for over two weeks, I encourage you to see your doctor or go to an urgent care. Two weeks for a cough could be a lot of things and really should be checked out by a medical professional.

I am not familiar with your equipment so I don't have a lot to contribute with humidity settings and what you can do there. I do know I like to rinse with some saline solution with my stuffy nose and have turned up the humidity on my equipment. I did a search of your equipment and found several posts dealing with humidity and post nasal drip and congestion - I don't think they had much to add. You can search the topic in the search line at the top of the home page to maybe find more advice from other threads.

Best of luck (and after two weeks coughing - see a doctor)

Zeppa wrote:have been using a Respironics REMstar Auto A-Flex machine

Which model....550 or 560 (the number is on the bottom of the blower)?

When using the Hybernite hose they suggest changing to Classic mode. Don't really understand why but they do (or at least that's the information that came with my Hybernite heated hose).

The default humidification system on these machines doesn't put out nearly as much moisture as Classic Mode puts out.
I found a setting of 5 in the new humidification system mode put out maybe around what a setting of 2 or 3 would in Classic mode. It's kinda hard to tell for sure because a lot of it depends on the ambient room humidity for the new humidification system mode.
What I also found that even with the setting of 5 in the new mode the air was uncomfortably cold to my nose during the winter (bedroom temp in low 60s and upper 50s) and that's the main reason I bought my Hybernite...to eliminate the cold nose syndrome because it was causing too many wake ups.

So sometimes it isn't all about the need to control rain out...sometimes is just air temp comfort.

Your persistent cough may or may not be related to the humidity settings but worth playing around with them in an effort to see if one way is maybe better than another way.
If you have always used on the lower side of the machine choices (and the setting of 2 or 3 on the PR S1 new humidification mode is going to mean a low setting for sure) then trying higher setting or even Classic mode might be worth a try.
Sometimes the cilia in the airway just need more hydration...that's one of the reasons when we have upper respiratory issues we are advised "drink lots of fluids" because when the cilia get a bit dry the response is to cough that dry sort of cough that is so irritating. I have been having it a bit myself...lots colder here right now...furnace working really hard....humidity in bedroom is at its lowest and despite my machine being set for maximum humidity that little dry irritating feeling is present (and my nasal mucosa feel a little dry) sometimes comes around. Goes away in the AM when I drink some water and get rehydrated.

Worth trying....if you try Classic Mode...I would try 3 or even 4 with the hybernite hose and see if it helps.
If you don't use Classic Mode...I would try 5 with the hybernite.
If you don't use the hybernite...I would try 5 and see what happens.
Individual preferences vary greatly and the only way you will know what works best for you is to try it.

Thanks, GettingBetter and Pugsy,
I can't find that number anywhere. I turned the machine upside down but maybe I don't understand what the 'blower' is.

I will note the suggestions and information. At the moment I took the Hybernate off and set the humidifier to 3. It seems OK that way too. I will try out the other settings.

The cold I have really is a cold, not the result of CPAP therapy. It was weird as it started as a dry cough for a week then got worse. I have never had a cold like this but they do vary. I could not sleep well two nights ago but it is getting better. It sounds just like mild whooping cough, where the cough gets worse, but I haven't got a temperature and I'm not vomiting. So I will continue for a while and if it's worse after the weekend I will see a doctor. If my self-diagnosis is right, and they usually aren't, I would not be given antibiotics after three weeks.

Most years I have had a totally blocked nose and a night where CPAP was as bad as no CPAP, but the symptoms here were unfamiliar.

I will print out the suggested C2 etc. settings and try them out when I feel better. The Sleepyhead readings were much better last night than the three nights before.

Btw I had already done those searches and not found what I wanted - I always search before posting, but it's a huge forum.

Guest wrote:Thanks, GettingBetter and Pugsy,
I can't find that number anywhere. I turned the machine upside down but maybe I don't understand what the 'blower' is.

it's the part with the air filter and power cord attached to it. not the part with the water tank.

Well, there are three labels under the blower and I have photographed them, but those numbers are not on there as far as I can see. Might the European models be different from the US ones?
I did go to a walk-in centre and they confirmed I only have an ordinary cold. I am still coughing massively and I have woken up in the night coughing and spluttering. I had been using an over-the-counter remedy which I thought helped me to bring up phlegm. I was told that no over-the-counter remedies work and prescribed a solution if I wanted anything that would 'take the edge off' the coughing - if I liked, instead of three times a day I could take it at night only. It is is labelled Codeine 15mg/5ml linctus. I was told it would be better not to stop the coughing too much or I would finish up with pneumonia. I have no idea if it is good with sleep apnoea. Will I be in an even worse state if I sleep through without coughing? Only one way to find out, I suppose.

I keep appearing here as Guest instead of Zeppa. If I try to sign in as Zeppa, I am told the name is already in use. So I choose nothing!

Look for REF#XXX. What numbers did you see?

There is a 3.XX somewhere, but that is all. And it does say 'Made in USA'.

Guest wrote:I keep appearing here as Guest instead of Zeppa. If I try to sign in as Zeppa, I am told the name is already in use. So I choose nothing!

it's already in use because you signed up, if it keeps telling you that it's already in use, then it appears you're trying to signup as a new user, instead of logging in as a current user.

Zeppa wrote:There is a 3.XX somewhere, but that is all. And it does say 'Made in USA'.

If you have picked the correct Humidifier that goes with an S8 Resmed machine which is an older model. If it is data capable and has a Smart Card, about the size of a credit card, it requires a special card reader to read the data. When you get home let us know the numbers and if there is any name on the machine.

Hi,

I did have a card reader when I used a ResMed S8, but as I wrote, I now use a Respironics REMstar Auto A-Flex. Maybe that is why it does not have the numbers Pugsy said. Anyway, I am not sure where this thread is going. As I mentioned, I have been doing Sleepyhead readings but I was wondering whether I should change the humidifier settings, and if so, in what direction, and whether it would be better to stop using the Hybernate heated tube or whether that affected the settings I needed.

At the moment I am just hoping this cold will go away some time.

Thanks, palerider. I hope I will get it right logging on next time. I may need to register my name as well, it appears.

Did you try the Classic mode and different settings with the Hybernite? It is trial and error with the humidity. By knowing what machine you have it helps to know what options are available. It sounds like you have a 560 maybe and if you do they have their own heated hose. It may take an upgrade kit to use the 60 series heated hose.
I hear you about the cold. I had bronchitis over the holidays and was miserable. I don't think I would have been able to get any sleep without my CPAP.