Dry nose, even with humidifier

I'm on day 13 with my CPAP. The past two nights I just can't get the humidity right. I wake up around 3 and my nose feels really dry. Last night I turned the machine off for about a minute, then turned it on, and I felt humidity and could go back to sleep. Is this the default way to fix this situation, or should I be looking at something else?

right now, as a reboot, just like with a computer modem, disconnect the humidifier from the cpap, then unplug every electrical plug to the cpap and humidifier. leave it for a few minutes, then put it back together and plug it all in. sometimes electrical connections lose the connection even though they look plugged in. this should help, but you shouldn't have to do it every night. let us know tommorrow how it worked.

When you turn it off for a bit, humid air collects in the tank and hose.

The only control the machine has over humidity is heating the water. It can't change the water temperature quickly enough to make fast adjustments.

Turn the humidity up if you need more.

You may also be mouthbreathing or have a leak.

Do you have the right machine listed in your profile? Does your machine say "Philips" anywhere on it?

Thanks.

Yes, my machine says Philips Resprionics on both the main machine and the humidifier. The CPAP is a REMstar Pro C-flex+, which is why I chose what I did from the drop down menu.

I will try unplugging everything today.

Has California solved their electric supply problems?
It is summer, and usage may be unusually high this year.
Your community may be experiencing voltage drops.

chunkyfrog -

I live on the far North Coast of the state. We do not have electricity problems at this time. I think we are one of the coolest places in the country most of the time, so our electricty use is relatively low and we just rarely if ever experience that problem, except of course when there is an earthquake (knock on wood).

As long as distribution is not state-wide and controlled by the area likely to be hit hardest;
you should be golden. Now back to your equipment.

The correct choice for your machine in the equipment drop down menu is either
PR System One Remstar Pro CPAP with CFlex or PR System One Remstar 60 Series Pro CPAP...

the PR is Phillips Respironics that you see on the machine.

It will either say 450 or 460 on the bottom sticker for model number or it may say reference number.

The 60 series machine has the 460 model or reference number. It is the newest model and has the heated hose with its humidifier that the other model doesn't have.

If you look in the machine drop down menu there is a grouping for the PR System One Remstar machines and both are available.
The one you have chosen hasn't been made for over 5 years and won't even work with the PR System One Heated Humidifier.

Pugsy - it says 460 at the bottom.

Thank you.

Sheez. I absolutely admit I am a "forest" person. I like getting overall picture. The "trees" (details) sometimes elude me. I have been working on this all my life. Hence this is the third different choice I have made on the drop down menu but with your help I hope I've finally gotten it right.

eaglett1111 wrote:Pugsy - it says 460 at the bottom.

The 460 machine is the one with the heated hose and it has a lot more settings available to maintain a comfortable humidity level.

The machine you have is called the PR System One 60 series Pro CPAP in the drop down menu of your equipment list.
It ships with and without a heated hose apparently. So not everyone gets a heated hose. Do you know if you have the heated hose or the standard hose? Do you know how to get to the clinical menu to check your settings?

To help with the dry nose in the middle of the night you may just need a little increase in the humidity level delivered by the machine.

Okay so I changed it. Again. But it DOES say REMstar Pro C-Flex+ on the manual.

Did I get it right this time? Yikes. Fourth change.

eaglett1111 wrote:Okay so I changed it. Again. But it DOES say REMstar Pro C-Flex+ on the manual.

Did I get it right this time?

Yep, that is what the 460 is and I know that is what the manual says. Respironics has always used Remstar in every model they have ever used and they have had a Pro CFlex model for probably 10 years.. They don't change the names but the model numbers they do change. Remember we are supposed to be nice little sheep and just put the mask on and turn the machine on and not even think about all this name and model stuff.

It makes a difference to us here because the answers that we might offer you for a problem is influenced by the actual model you are using. It is kinda important. It helps us help you better and faster.

If you have a heated hose you have multiple options on what to do about your dry nose.
If you don't have a heated hose you still have some options but not as many.

With the machine you had chosen the first time....we glance at it and say to ourselves..."Old Pro Legacy machine, only thing she can do is turn up the humidifier which increases heat which increases humidity"...Our responses are geared to the equipment you use. The PR System One Pro with CFlex (model 450) that you had chosen prior to this last change has a different humidification system than the 60 series machine. We want to give clear cut ideas to help you and when we don't have the right equipment to base our ideas on...then we are wasting our time typing and your time reading and possibly causing more confusion to you in the long run.

Thanks Pugsy.

I wasn't complaining at you. I was frustrated at myself that I couldn't get it right.

I do have a heated tube. It doesn't come into my nose as heated air (thank goodness, cuz it would play havoc with my hot flashes), but there is an option for the heat to be on or off and it is on.

I have an appointment on Tuesday to see my DME. It's Apria. Is there something glaring you see that I should be asking them?

Thank you for your help. I do understand the need for accuracy in the type of equipment. I did NOT do my homework on CPAP machines before my sleep study. Oh I looked into sleep apnea, and even more closely into it after they put the machine on during the study, but I had absolutely no idea about the complexities and possible choices in equipment. It is an eye opener, to say the least.

Hey no problem, you aren't the first to find that machine names and models are confusing and I know you won't be the last.
This has been going on with Respironics ever since they started changing models and not changing the names and not offering an easily identifiable method to verify models.

Talk to your supplier about your problem with the dry nose. I am not familiar with all the settings available with the heated hose machine. There should be a way to increase the humidity a bit without heating the hose all that much. In the winter time if you keep your bedroom rather cool you might like a bit of added warmth. I had ice cube nose last winter when I use my PR S1 machine (it doesn't have the heated hose) at the highest humidity setting. I ended up buying a stand alone heated hose.
I like a cold bedroom for sleeping but having cold air blow up the nose creating ice cube nose doesn't promote good sleeping.

The new heated hose machines have ways of adding moisture without much added heat. A more controlled delivery of the humidity. Less chance of rain out and more comfort.

chunkyfrog wrote:Has California solved their electric supply problems?
It is summer, and usage may be unusually high this year.
Your community may be experiencing voltage drops.

The power brick for the machines (or their internal powersupply) is supposed to allow for some minor power quality issues.