Problems with rainout in my mask

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Permalink Reply by Txarly on March 23, 2017 at 9:52

No problem at all, Sleep2snore.

And i think that my problem is similar than yours.

I only have condensation in my mask, not in the tube.

Tonight i have faced the problem again. I had condensation and some droplets in my mask, but the hose was fine, with no condensation.

The machine is placed lower than my bed (but not directly on the floor) and i have the hose cover placed (since 2 nights ago).
The humidity level is 3.

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Permalink Reply by Sleep2snore on March 23, 2017 at 10:31

That is interesting.  It may be in your case that most of the condensation is going back down the tube and back into the machine.  Now that you have a hose cover, it may not be condensing in the hose, but reaching the mask and condensing in the mask.  It may be that because of the hose cover, the coldest thing now is the mask itself.

You now have much the same problem if there is no condensation in the hose and only the mask!

I was not using a hose cover when this first started and because the hose went in a downward loop I knew there was no condensation at all in the hose, just the mask.  Maybe the mask was just slightly colder, though I find it hard to believe in my case as I tried sleeping with the duvet over my head and it still did it!

In my set up I always had the tube in a loop, still have, so if there is condensation happening in the hose/tubing it will collect in the loop at the bottom.  This does not stop me breathing, but I always waken to a popping/gurgling noise when the hose/tubing gets almost full at the bottom of the loop.  I have the machine at head height with the tube dropping towards the floor and coming back up to me, so any condensation would collect at the bottom.  I did try a Hose lift (Home made with a bungee hanging from a hook) but it didn't work for me and I still got the problem, plus, any condensation that did occur in the downward part of the hose/tubing on a the odd night when I did get rain-out, it had no where to go but down into the mask.  This is when I has condensation in the hose/tubing, but this didn't always happen when I got it in the mask!

I now do not use a Full-faced mask, part because the only solution I found was a bit messy and did have a bit of a smell and it did have its own problems.  I now use Nasal Pillows and only get the problem if I get condensation/rain-out in the hose, though I did get some water droplets being blown through, but the droplets form in the joints that allow the hose to swivel, then they drip down onto my face and waken me.  It does not happen very often now, just the odd night.

I just wondered if anyone had this problem and if they found a solution to it forming inside the mask and not the hose?.

I found it strange that I had NO condensation in the hose/tubing at all, but only in the mask! 

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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on March 23, 2017 at 10:37

Ah this is a different problem then for both of you.  This is a lot rarer because it's coming from your own breath.  Txarly, contrary to what I said yesterday about turning up the humidifier, I would now turn it down and hope dry mouth doesn't occur.  If it does, the Xylimelts are working very well for 95% of people http://www.hope2sleep.co.uk/xylimelts-dry-mouth-discs.html

I'm no expert on this, but repeating what we've found to be the problem with a few others:-

Occasionally it appears that people with shallow breathing get this problem which can be caused through a host of issues such as COPD, weak chest muscles etc.  A non-invasive ventilator (NIV) can help with this, but of course they are very expensive so aren't often issued without a very good reason.

I'm a little stumped by your observation Sleep2Snore when you say it's in the summer mainly, as I would expect it to be in the winter when the bedroom air is colder as opposed to your warmer breath.  However, if you're sleeping with the bedroom windows open or a fan to cool the room, then I suppose this can happen.  Another reason keeping a hose cover on all year or using a heated hose would help.

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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on March 23, 2017 at 10:41

One other thing I forgot to say, is that even if you're using a full face mask, opening your mouth can cause this, so trying to keep your mouth closed (perhaps with a chin strap) can help.  Having said that, it's not possible for me personally to sleep with my mouth closed as it's not physically possible to nose breathe all night, but the only time I get condensation in the mask is when I forget to switch the machine on when I'm reading before sleep Although I am on a non-invasive ventilator myself, as opposed to CPAP.

Kath Hope said:

Ah this is a different problem then for both of you.  This is a lot rarer because it's coming from your own breath.  Txarly, contrary to what I said yesterday about turning up the humidifier, I would now turn it down and hope dry mouth doesn't occur.  If it does, the Xylimelts are working very well for 95% of people http://www.hope2sleep.co.uk/xylimelts-dry-mouth-discs.html

I'm no expert on this, but repeating what we've found to be the problem with a few others:-

Occasionally it appears that people with shallow breathing get this problem which can be caused through a host of issues such as COPD, weak chest muscles etc.  A non-invasive ventilator (NIV) can help with this, but of course they are very expensive so aren't often issued without a very good reason.

I'm a little stumped by your observation Sleep2Snore when you say it's in the summer mainly, as I would expect it to be in the winter when the bedroom air is colder as opposed to your warmer breath.  However, if you're sleeping with the bedroom windows open or a fan to cool the room, then I suppose this can happen.  Another reason keeping a hose cover on all year or using a heated hose would help.

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Permalink Reply by Sleep2snore on March 23, 2017 at 11:33

No, trust me it does happen in the summer (or did when I used the Full-faced mask), there was no fan and windows not open, most or the time anyway, I can't remember a time it happened with a window open.  We have Midges even though they tell me they are not in Aberdeenshire don't believe it!  Though these are a lot less, but the little devils are here and around at night along with the odd mossie!  I don't think it is breath, yes there is sometimes condensation from breath, but it goes almost instantly with the air passing through the mask and out the vent.  The pressure I am on there is a lot of air passing through.

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