Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

Humidifier ran dry
#1
Humidifier ran dry
Last night my humidifier ran dry. Don't know when but I was awake from 2:00 to 6:00. While awake, I felt very comfortable and did not notice any dryness at all.
I only mention this because my AHI went from <1 to 6.5 for no apparent reason. Good pressure, leaks, flow limits etc. Most were CAs and in the last part of the night.

I know you can have bad days but this is the worst day since starting therapy. Earlier that day I took a 1 hour nap, best nap ever.

Can lack of humidification (even though I was very comfortable) cause this or did just have one of those bad days.

Any help on causes of a "bad" day would be apreciated.
CPAP is a journey like “The Wizard of Oz”. It’s a long slow journey. You will face many problems and pick up many friends along the way. Just because you reach the poppies, it doesn’t mean you are in Kansas. 
Post Reply Post Reply
#2
RE: Humidifier ran dry
Try to side sleep. If you roll onto your back, likely your events will increase.
Make sure you didn't get a water tank that leaks -- there were some defectives in the supply chain.
Admin Note:
JustMongo passed away in August 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
Post Reply Post Reply
#3
RE: Humidifier ran dry
How much water was in the humidifier tank when you went to bed last night? If it was freshly filled, I would examine it for cracks.

You could also compare your daily SleepyHead graphs for last night and the previous night to see if you spent lots more time at a high pressure for some reason.

Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: Humidifier ran dry
Rcgop,

It sounds like your increased AHI was due to events occurring between 2:00 and 6:00 AM while you were awake. This is typical of awake breathing or sleep/wake junk and should be ignored. I don't think that lack of humidification had much to do with the AHI simply the fact that your events during that time were awake apnea not sleep apnea. People tend to stop breathing for short periods many times during the day while they are awake. It is normal.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

Admin Note:
PaytonA passed away in September 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
Post Reply Post Reply
#5
RE: Humidifier ran dry
I agree with PaytonA. I misread your original post. I was focusing more on the problem of the humidifier running dry than on your question of why the AHI was elevated.
Post Reply Post Reply
#6
RE: Humidifier ran dry
Thanks Paytona,
I am very curious about your reply. This makes sense to me since I have also noticed that while awake I will have sudden unexpected gasp for air. Kinda like a hiccup only I take in a lung full of air. I told my Dr. And he discounted it. Also I was under the understanding sleep apnea could only happen while you were asleep. The last half of the night is full of episodes and waking moments.

Is this likely to get better as time goes on and I get used to therapy.
CPAP is a journey like “The Wizard of Oz”. It’s a long slow journey. You will face many problems and pick up many friends along the way. Just because you reach the poppies, it doesn’t mean you are in Kansas. 
Post Reply Post Reply
#7
RE: Humidifier ran dry
The daytime thing might be a mild form of Air Hunger, I do that too. Mostly when I concentrate and forget to breathe. Awake breathing is under partial conscious control, while sleep breathing is automatic (autonomic). So what is a Central Apnea when you are sleeping is called Holding Your Breath Grin when you are awake.

Sleep Apnea does only happen when you are asleep. Awake breathing is naturally inconsistent and varied but the machine does not know you are awake so it scores it as if it happened while you were sleeping. It is not a health problem, it just means you are awake.
Post Reply Post Reply
#8
RE: Humidifier ran dry
Apnea is a suspension of breathing. Sleep apnea is a suspension of breathing only while asleep. As I said, everyone stops breathing temporarily for a number of reason while awake. This is completely normal and nothing to be concerned about.

Scoring apnea events while lying in bed awake will get better if you quit lying in bed awake with the CPAP on and operating. Good sleep hygene says, if you wake up and can not get back to sleep in a short time, get out of bed and the bedroom and do something else until it feels like you might be able to get back to sleep.

Your doctor probably discounted what you told him because it is not unusual nor is it anything to be concerned about as long as it is occasional. If you start gasping fro breath while awake more often, then you need to get back to your doctor about it.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

Admin Note:
PaytonA passed away in September 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
Post Reply Post Reply
#9
RE: Humidifier ran dry
I agree. This situation might require tough love to fix. See this post for some ideas: Sleep Compression

That cured me of a "can't fall asleep, can't stay asleep" problem. I then slept though my worsening OSA.
Post Reply Post Reply
#10
RE: Humidifier ran dry
(06-11-2016, 02:48 PM)PaytonA Wrote: Apnea is a suspension of breathing. Sleep apnea is a suspension of breathing only while asleep. As I said, everyone stops breathing temporarily for a number of reason while awake. This is completely normal and nothing to be concerned about.

I guess if you stop breathing too much when you are awake this will not be good for you. But I imagine if that happened you'd be fainting or getting chest pains.

Some people I know are on O2 all day long because they don't get enough oxygen from the air alone even when they are awake. I am on O2 when I sleep because even though my AHI is typically below 1 and often 0 my oxygen levels still fall well below 90% without it.



Quote:Scoring apnea events while lying in bed awake will get better if you quit lying in bed awake with the CPAP on and operating. Good sleep hygene says, if you wake up and can not get back to sleep in a short time, get out of bed and the bedroom and do something else until it feels like you might be able to get back to sleep.

I think this is absolutely right. Shut the machine off and get up and stay up until you are sleepy again. Keep the lights dim and maybe listen to some quiet music, but don't just lie there trying to sleep. You can't get to sleep by trying.




Ed Seedhouse
VA7SDH

Part cow since February 2018.

Trust your mind less and your brain more.


Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Humidifier Chamber Leaks - Resmed 10 Old Mike 20 764 02-23-2024, 10:44 AM
Last Post: robbob2112
  [CPAP] Dry mouth despite humidifier and full face mask Tactful3149 2 446 02-13-2024, 03:25 PM
Last Post: Tactful3149
  AirSense 10 heating & humidifier issue Wingnut Warrior 2 353 02-08-2024, 11:13 PM
Last Post: Wingnut Warrior
  Extra Humidifier Water in Arid Climates DFWdude 19 2,160 12-13-2023, 08:23 AM
Last Post: car54
  AirMini with Dreamstation Go humidifier chwang733 0 319 12-12-2023, 03:53 PM
Last Post: chwang733
  Humidifier wattage - Anyone know Pse? Kingsway 10 786 11-22-2023, 03:31 PM
Last Post: Kingsway
  Document request: ResMed humidifier settings rpierce 2 514 10-21-2023, 01:28 PM
Last Post: rpierce


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.