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[Equipment] Phillips Dream Station
#1
Phillips Dream Station
Hi All,

I just got a Phillips Dream Station CPAP machine.  Last night I woke up with dry mouth and throat.  I looked that the humidifier chamber and obviously the humidifier is not working.  After 4 hours of sleep, the water is still at the full mark.  I felt around the mask and there was no moisture.  No moisture in the hose either.  I checked all of the settings and I believe everything there is ok.  

Has anybody had this experience with the humidifier from this machine?

Thanks,

Ray Thanks
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#2
RE: Phillips Dream Station
Ray,

No, I have not experienced a problem like this with my machine. Check to see if any device alerts are displayed as described on pages 17-20 of the owners manual. I'd be concerned with those pertaining to the humidifier, heated hose (if equipped) and power supply.

Best wishes in your identifying and resolving this.
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#3
RE: Phillips Dream Station
Hi WSHenry,

Thanks for your response.  I appreciate it.  

Yes, I did check the manual for error message and got none.  So, I turned off the modem and filled the humidifier to appropriate level.  Then I ran the machine for 4 hours and found that have the water was gone.  So, it worked today.  We will see about tonight.  

The funny thing is that when I did a test run (stated above), I put a Kleenex tissue in my nose piece to see if it would collect any moisture.  There was no moisture on the Kleenex whatsoever.  I thought there would be moisture on it since half that water had to go somewhere.  Perhaps, the moisture created is so low that it does not coat the tube or inside of the nose piece I wear.  I thought that kind of odd.  

Am I supposed to see water droplets in the hose and nose piece?

I assume that you have the same machine I do.  The Phillips Respironics DreamStation.  

Thank you.  I am really new at his apnea game.  This is my third night using it.  I only get about 4 hours a night since my nose, mouth and throat dry out.  I thought the humidifier was to provide moisture to these areas all night so I would not wake up dry.  

R Dillinger
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#4
RE: Phillips Dream Station
Ray,

Humidification is subtle and not necessarily noticeable. If the "hotplate" is warm to the touch right after use, it's working. If you have a heated tube, it may feel slightly warm to the touch during use, particularly for the first few minutes of use.

I typically find I only use 2/3 of a tank of water in an eight-hour night. That is with the humidifier heater and tubing settings at 2 and in an "auto" temperature setting. Usage seems to be most dependent on room temperature and time used.

Regards.
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#5
RE: Phillips Dream Station
The answers to your questions are dependent upon what settings you're running the device humidifier and whether you have a heated or standard hose.

You should have a setting to run this in Auto or Manual, along with humidity and heated hose temperature settings. In Auto for the ResMed, as an example, there's a sensor to set the humidity for you. That's fine for some, but others like myself require higher humidity.

Bottom line is if you want more humidity than currently providing, you probably will need switching to manual. And yes you've got "permission" to set the humidity however you wish. It's for YOUR comfort.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#6
RE: Phillips Dream Station
Having a dry mouth and throat with a nasal mask probably indicates that you are breathing through your mouth.  I used to wake up with a mouth that felt like roasted sandpaper.  Mouthing breathing can be treated a few ways: chin strap, soft cervical collar, or taping.  I've tried the first two, the collar works best for me.

The amount of water used depends on the humidifier setting and the relative humidity in the room.  If it is very humid where you sleep, it might not use much.  The usage in mine has been very erratic, so I am probably not a reliable source of exact measurements.
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#7
RE: Phillips Dream Station
Hi Dave,

I do not think my Humidifier is working.  I filled it to appropriate level last night and no water was used.  I am taking it to the CPAP store tomorrow to check it out.  

Also, I have an important question for you.

I am still having trouble upon exhaling resistance.  I have my Phillips DreamStation on FLEX 3 which is the least resistance.  

I have heard that there are masks with a built in "VALVE" that opens when you exhale to make it easier to exhale without fighting resistance.  I have some heart issues and the resistance I get on my machine causes my heart rate to increase and I do not need this routine as I already am prone to some Tachycardia (rapid heart beats).  

Do you know of any of these "VALVE" masks that I can purchase or the machine that may accommodate them.  My son in law says he has one of these "VALVE" masks and I will see him today.  He has a different make and model of CPAP machine.  Otherwise, I may have to give up this CPAP experiment although it would probably help me if I had the right equipment.  

thanks

R Dillinger
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#8
RE: Phillips Dream Station
Hi Chill,

Thanks for the tips.  I will experiment.
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#9
RE: Phillips Dream Station
RDillinger,

Welcome to AB. And I hope I'm deciphering your question accurately. A CPAP mask with an exhale valve would likely be a full face mask like what I'm using. I have a ResMed F20. In the case of full face masks, this valve is in reality an anti-asphyxiation valve to not suffocate the user if the power goes out. To me it does not reduce exhale exertion.

Having said that, a quick Google search yielded this:

Respironics Plateau Exhalation Valve

Maybe this can help you. I suggest investigating before paying so you're certain it's what you're after. Just like a car's test drive, product research pays back with knowledge.

Others will likely chime in too. Let's see if they can add to your knowledge base on this.

PS There's ventilation machines out there not within the CPAP family that need masks for a closed circuit. These have a valve for proper operation that's not the anti-asphyxiation valve in CPAP full face masks.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#10
RE: Phillips Dream Station
(06-15-2019, 09:52 AM)R Dillinger Wrote: Hi All,

I just got a Phillips Dream Station CPAP machine.  Last night I woke up with dry mouth and throat.  I looked that the humidifier chamber and obviously the humidifier is not working.  After 4 hours of sleep, the water is still at the full mark.  I felt around the mask and there was no moisture.  No moisture in the hose either.  I checked all of the settings and I believe everything there is ok.  

Has anybody had this experience with the humidifier from this machine?

Thanks,

Ray Thanks

Ray, I have the same machine with the nasal mask too. First of all, the only time I wake up with a dry mouth/throat is if I'm sleeping with my mouth open. The machine won't humidify your mouth as it looks like you have the nasal mask too. Secondly. I've sometimes wondered if the humidifier is working also. But over the years I've found that it empties slowly sometimes and not at all other times. I figure it depends on how I'm breathing (mouth?) and the humidity in the room at the time. i.e. during the summer when it's more humid it won't  humidify, as it doesn't need to, so I often don't even fill the reservoir. I never, ever, get moisture building up on the walls of the tube, so I don't think that's an indicator of anything.

Also, My humidifier never goes down that much in 4 hours. It takes me about 3 days to empty it at the least.

If your nose and passages aren't dry then it's working. You might need to concentrate in getting your mouth to stay closed. Lots of ways to do this. My solution was to suck my tongue to the roof of my mouth before I go to sleep. So far it works. Others might need other solutions.
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