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pittsburghgal

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Lost a loved one
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Pittsburgh
My husband, Frank, has a trach and uses the Trilogy with attached humidifier only at night. Saturday we lost power for 5 hours during the night. The Trilogy switched to battery but the humidifier was off due to loss of power. He claimed that he felt like his trachea felt like it was burning due to the unhumidified air being blown into his trachea and complained of pain requiring Tylenol throughout the following day.

Is there another way to humidify the air for the Trilogy when the attached humidifier can not be used due to loss of power?

Sharon
 
I have an HME, Heat and Moisture Exchanger, which is in my Trilogy hose. It has been all I need for humidity for years. It is disposable, small, requires regular changing but no cleaning. Apparently, it isn't enough for everyone, but it is so simple, not an infection risk, no electricity, no machine to deal with, inexpensive (about $2) and definitely worth a try. Your Respiratory Therapist can get one for you and add them to the list of supplies you get if it works for him.
 
Some ultraportable CPAPs with EPR (up to 3 cm difference between IPAP and EPAP) leverage HMEs as well, including the Z1 that we used.

Not to hijack, but that is another reason why I suggest those facing any awake situation where the Trilogy's bulk might be cumbersome, e.g. transfers, toileting, day trips, consider that option.
 
Sharon, Brian was never satisfied with and HME from the get go and then after using the humidifier like Frank, says the HME doesn’t work at all. Everyone is different though as you can see from Diane’s post. Give them a try. Otherwise, you could try filling the tank with water, the air will still flow through and pick up some moisture, but it won’t be heated like the machine does it. Worth a shot there too.

Hugs
 
Sharon, HMEs weren't enough humidication for Job either so we used the humidifiers day and night. But we did have and use an HME when power wasn't available primarily when we left the house. Kate
 
After a quick search, it appears that HMEs require exhaled air to function, does this mean that they won't function on a single tube setup?
 
Greg,

if your single tube reference is regarding a BiPap, I have no idea since my husband totally skipped over a BiPap. If you are referring to a trach/vent circuit, my husband had a single tube with an exhale valve in it. We would attach an inline suction catheter directly on to the trach, the HME attached to the side port of the in line, and then the vent tube to the HME. So the HME would be in between the trach and the exhale valve.

Kate
 
i don't want to hijack but the humidifier my trilogy has, which im using for bipap, has only a temperature dial, not a moisture dial. you know how with a regular humidifier from the drug store you can increase how much moisture is added to the mist? How do I increase the moisture on the trilogy humidifier? I frequently wake up around 4am in discomfort because my mouth and throat are bone dry. Which is saying something considering pre-bipap i was drooling a lot at night!
 
I have HME's just for the reason.
 
The Trilogy humidifier is not all that. Unfortunately, unlike the ResMed humidifier, it does not have a moisture control.

I have never explored attaching a ResMed humidifier to a Trilogy, but the thought just popped into my head. I am not sure if the connectors are compatible.

Anyway, back to the Trilogy's lame humidifier... The best way I know to get around that is to consider a room humidifier as well, and/or adjust your furnace to compensate. And keep all filters, machine and room, clean. You might also try Biotene, saline, GSE or another throat/mouth spray just before bed.

PS -- yes, you can use an HME with a single circuit. In either case, you may need to turn off some alarms and/or adjust settings due to condensation from the HME that can change flow rate a little.
 
Last edited:
XyliMelts tablets worked much better for me than Biotene. Does not last the whole night, ~4 hours
 
Thanks for all the good advice. We will ask the respiratory therapist to set us up with a HME.

Sharon
 
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