It is Fall and I feel the need for Moisture

[Joe S.]

Usually by this time of year the humidifiers are on. for some of reason I have not switched it on yet. I will do that later today.

I came to this understanding after visiting my GP yesterday for a sinus infection and months of a dry cough. When she looked in my mouth she exclaimed "OMG! Your mouth is dryer than any I have ever seen!" I replied, "Remember I  have Sjogren's." I got my prescription for antibiotics and headed home.

We have a humidifier attached to our furnace. You need a degree in heating and cooling to turn it on and off. Turn air valve from summer to winter. Turn water on. Turn motor on. Adjust humidistat.

So, what do you use to humidify your air? A room ultrasonic unit? A big water wheel unit? Or a whole house unit? Do you also have a personal humidifier? Does it sit on your desk or do you wear it around your neck?

[SjoGirl]

We use an ultrasonic humidifier in our bedroom. I actually said to my husband today that it's time to turn it on.

I had a small one for my office, a personal size, it was useless. I do need one in there because it is very hot and dry, but I share my office and would need to confer with my office mate.

Do you take Evoxac or Salagen?

[Joe S.]

No, I do not use Evoxac or Salagen. I have no scripts for these. Are they over the counter?

Thanks for your input about humidifiers.

[irish]

I bought a personal humidifier at Menards a couple of years ago and I love it. It uses a plastic water bottle--can't remember which one but think 16 oz. I use distilled water in it cause it keeps it clean and is cleaner to breath. It does cost a little bit but it makes it easy to clean and saves the wear and tear.

This is a small unit and you just place it by your bed or chair and adjust it to the high or low and it works. Awesome and just clean it about once a week with soap and water with a little vinegar and rinse well. Replace the water bottle when you need to. It is made by Hunter.

There are some other small personal humidifiers out on the market since then and I have seen them at Menards and around. Not too spendy and check on filters---mine doesn't use a filter. Good luck. Irish

P.S. Joe, I do something weird but it really does help. Sometimes extra moisture doesn't help enough so I buy the face masks that come 20 in a packet at Walmart. I wear one at night and it helps to keep the lungs/mouth more moist as you rebreathe some of the moistures that you exhale. You get enough fresh air to breath as this is not a tight fitting mask. The old fashioned rectangular type mask.

[Joe S.]

The face mask is an interesting idea. I used to scuba dive. Moisture was removed from the air before it was compressed. 30 minutes of dive time left you very very dry. Almost as dry as when the doctor saw me.

I will check Menards next week.

[SabbraCadabra]

I've tried humidifiers a few times, but I might have gone overboard a bit, because we started getting water damage in the room...

[Pete0211]

Since suffering from what I believe is Primary Sjogren's (July of this year, still awaiting a positive dx), and living in the South where the AC can run for long periods day and night, I've been using my humidifiers all summer. Prior to this, I was using a 'medium room sized' evaporative humidifier (rated by the manufacturer at 700 sq ft) in my bedroom during the winter months, and a larger wheel type evaporative humidifier for my living room.

I have an ultrasonic that I use in my home office (room above my garage), since it has built in controls to turn on/off automatically to hold a preset humidity leve. I'm thinking of replacing it with an evaporative that has this same feature as I'm not impressed with the performance of the ultrasonic. This room is difficult because in the summer it gets very humid when the AC doesn't run, so I have a dehumidifier up there, too.

[Joe S.]

Welcome to the forum Pete0211.

[SunshineDaydream]

This time of year hits me hard - summer humidity is gone, air is dry inside and out, but not cold enough yet for central heat which has whole house humidifier. My throat is so dry I'm coughing a lot and having to take a bottle of chloraseptic spray with me wherever I go.

I use a humidifier in my room year round, including summer when we use a whole house dehumidifier. Lots of competition there! My husband got a Venta for me which is good for easy cleaning. Sometimes I prefer my Seneo 1.3L ultrasonic, though. The latter is small enough to travel with, too, though not as small as the water bottle style ones.

[Judie P]

I am in California and it is the late spring through September that does not get any moisture in the air.  I suffered through it by using lots of nasal spray and gels.  What was interesting is that we are having early rain.  It rained very heavily on Friday and by the time we got to the cemetery for clean up on Saturday, I was having no problems.  Also, since I have restless legs, I find that going into the shower and holding the steam in, that it helps me a lot.  Warm humidity and I do not get along at all.

[Joe S.]

I hope to be driven to Menard's soon. My story got a little complicate. I have been coughing for sometime. When I started the antibiotics I had severe diarrhea. I thought it would stop after the antibiotics but it did not. Imodium did not help. I put my old computer on life support so I could try the frequency generator to kill C. Diph. and Diarrhea tones that cannot play on the computer sound system. It helped but it still continued. I went back and reviewed side effects of my medication. The new Blood Pressure med has a side effect of Diarrhea. I quit taking it and I am doing better today.

I will purchase a Win 98 computer to run the higher frequency tones.

[irish]

Joe, I hope that you are going to take a blood pressure pill of some type. I know this has been an issue for you over the years.

You can eat yogurt--the Greek yogurt has the best cultures of bacteria and this helps to get rid of the loose stools from the antibiotics. The combination of the blood pressure med along with the antibiotic may have kicked up the bowel. Also the probiotics can be bought at Walmart and are not too spendy. Ask the clerk to see what it best. I always have to read all the labels. Good luck ad hope you feel better. Irish

[Joe S.]

The BP med is the second. I am still on the first BP med. I go in twice per week for cardiac rehab and my numbers are good so far. I will see if they are still good on Tuesday when I go back to rehab.

I am on probiotics and eating yogurt. I am also using tones on and off. A new computer is soon to be on order that is a win 98 machine so I can continue using the frequency generator to kill parasites.

Thank you very much for your concern, Irish. I will be starting it again when the diarrhea is managed. I was tolerant before on a light dose maybe I will be again.

[gurs]

Alot of the medications will also cause you to be extra dry..antibiotics, BP pills especially. Also, when you have infections going on, notice Im so much drier. My sinuses feel infected and I cannot get any relief from the dryness. Its so bad right now too with the weather.

A whole house humidifier helps, and also some type of warm mist humidifier works good for me. Cool air ones have fans and dry me out even more. Just find one that is easy to clean. You dont want mold problems.

Gursie

[Navigator]

Hi Joe
To your question on Evoxac or Salagen . They are not over the counter. And it is one or the other...not both.

I take Evoxac and it has helped with saliva production for me.  The only side effect I have experienced is I can not take the recommended three times a day because I break out in sweat.  I take one in the am and one at bedtime.