CPAP users

[Dan in MI]

I'm assuming there are a few CPAP users here. I have a question/observation and I wonder if I'm alone in this.

When I started using it almost four years ago I wondered "What am I going to do if I get a cold? There's no way I can breathe through my nose when it is totally blocked."

I have yet to answer that question as I have not had a cold since I started using it. Is this unique?

Now, I admit I do some things a little differently. I use a just a nose mask (not full face, or the little pillows) I have not put a drop of water in it since about 2 weeks after I started using it. I also haven't cleaned it since I quit using water. I quit using the water because 1- I didn't need it. 2- it just creates the bad bacteria situation they warn about. 3- it's a PIA. I haven't cleaned it mostly due to being lazy, but again I'm not creating a biohazard environment with it, so I haven't felt compelled since I quit using water. (plus I've had no issues)

So anybody else not getting sick using one?

 

[bigfuzzy]

i was the same way when i started with it. when I was stopped up I would blow my nose to clear. even if I didn't get it all the way open it would
open up the rest of the way when i was asleep. I have more trouble now that I am off it than I did when i was using. I didn't use full face mask,
I used the nose pillows with a setting of 12/14. I had to use water in mine or I would wake up with a bad headaches. used distilled water in mine
with a hose cover or a heated hose. Before i got the cover I woke up 1 night & thought I was droning.

 

[BearBiologist]

1. I use the So Clean cleaner.
2. Use distille3d water.
3. Use Nasonex. I haven't had a cold but have a deviated septum and get sinus infections (also hay fever)

 

[mike7mm08]

Suffering through a sinus infection right now. I just take a break from the cpap, no way to sleep otherwise. Doubt it's from the CPAP first time I have been sick sick since I started CPAP. I use distilled water get to dried out otherwise. I am not a cleaning fanatic but try to keep it fairly clean. Especially the mask. Get a much better seal with a clean mask. Other thing I do fairly regular is a saline flush. Buy canned compressed saline from walgreens. Any stuffiness or irritation of my nose and I give it a good flush.

 

[rugerguy211]

I've used a CPAP for the past 18 years. Always with distilled water. My newest machine has both humidity and a temperature settings.
Both my wife and I sleep MUCH better since I've been using the CPAP.

The last CPAP I had was one of the Phillips recalled machines. They claimed the So Clean and other ozone cleaners were causing the noise dampening foam material in the CPAP to degrade. Some people were getting cancer from the specs of material being blown in the tubing and into their lungs while they slept. Supposedly you can see tiny black specs if you wash out your tubing and that is how you can tell if the foam is breaking down. I never had any visible specs, but decided to get a new ResMed CPAP to be safe.
Just fyi...

 

[azleite]

I’ve had mine for four years. I use distilled water also, I dump the old each morning & rinse and refill the tank daily. I wash the mask & part that clicks to it with warm soapy water each morning as well. I flush the tank and hose once a week with white vinegar then purge that out with distilled. This is how the Folk’s who gave it to me said to care for it. I also change the little intake mesh filter when it needs it. Never had any issues. As for the plugged up snoz I’ve been using Mucinex spray for too damn long. Looking at that navage thing to possibly keep me unplugged-Dave

 

[redhawker]

I've been using one for maybe 6 years. I also have an O2 generator that the doc has me hook up to it with 2 liters of O2 as my level gets low when I'm asleep without it. I use distilled water in it and still wake up with a very dry mouth (don't know if the O2 flowing into it has anything to do with that or not). I use a full face mask as I'm pretty much a mouth breather when asleep. I clean it with a SoClean about every 3 days (give or take). I dump any water left in it in the morning and leave it opened up to dry out then run it through the SoClean after it's dry. I do still get colds once in a while but I will say they I don't seem to get them as often and I haven't (knock on wood) got my usually thrice-yearly bronchitis for a couple of years now (which is really a blessing if the CPAP is responsible for that). One thing it did do was solve what I thought was a prostate issue. I used to get up to pee 4 or 5 times a night. With the CPAP it's usually only once, if at all. Apparently what was happening there was that my apnea would wake me up and my body would say, "well, you're up, you might as well pee". I do have some prostate issues but that's not what was causing the nightly multi-bathroom visits, that alone made the CPAP worth it.

 

[Pat-inCO]

I used one for about three months. MAJOR problem every night when I had to use the
little room. It would take about an hour to re-establish a sleep situation after using the
"little room".

My "fix" has been to sleep in my recliner. That keeps me sleeping without the CPAP
(thus NO cleaning, or drying, or filtering, etc.). YES I really want to sleep in the bed,
but I have been doing this for more than a decade, and I have . . . not . . . woken up
with a sore throat, AND far and away, most time I wake up having come through a full
dream cycle (I have read that means you are fully asleep).

Is it a "good" solution? Probably not, but it costs FAR less than all of the other options.
Additionally, and VERY important to me, I am FAR better rested! YMMV!

 

[Colonialgirl]

I got two* of the Phillips machines they said to stop using; I'm STILL waiting for the company to send cash and reclaim them.

* One is Mine and the other one belonged to my spouse Ashley whose heart failed him about two years ago.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I have had a Phillips for about 4 or 5 years and use the nose mask. I wash the mask and drain the chamber and let it dry every other day and the hose and humidifier chamber once a week. Like the others I use a nose spray, Flonase, when I have a head cold or allergies. My machine has an adaptive setting for humidity but it doesn't seem to do much I think I will try going without water in the future and see what happens. I haven't used the SoClean so hopefully the insulation isn't breaking down. I am waiting on the recall.

There have been a few times I stopped using it for a while like when I was really sick or when I had a root canal. I just prop my head up with 3 pillows and suffer through it.

 

[brutus]

Dan. I've been using a CPAP for almost 10 years now. Stopped using distilled water after the first or second year. Sometimes in the middle of the night I would breathe in a nose full of water. Quit the water altogether and your observation is correct as I can't recall having a cold in years. If I have a stuffy nose it usually clears up with using the CPAP.

 

[badge851]

I have used a CPAP since 06/2006; always a ResMed®. Like BearBiologist...
1. I use the SoClean® cleaner daily.
2. Use distilled water daily.
3. Use Nasacort® daily.

While I clean the humidifier as well as the machine daily with the SoClean® I "Deep Clean" the humidifier weekly to include boiling water and several effervescent denture cleaners. Works extremely well.

 

[mrmag00]

8 years on a BIPAP machine wear a full mask and clean it every other day with a so clean. Can't remember last time I had a cold.

 

[173rdLRRP]

I'm assuming there are a few CPAP users here. I have a question/observation and I wonder if I'm alone in this.

When I started using it almost four years ago I wondered "What am I going to do if I get a cold? There's no way I can breathe through my nose when it is totally blocked."

I have yet to answer that question as I have not had a cold since I started using it. Is this unique?

Now, I admit I do some things a little differently. I use a just a nose mask (not full face, or the little pillows) I have not put a drop of water in it since about 2 weeks after I started using it. I also haven't cleaned it since I quit using water. I quit using the water because 1- I didn't need it. 2- it just creates the bad bacteria situation they warn about. 3- it's a PIA. I haven't cleaned it mostly due to being lazy, but again I'm not creating a biohazard environment with it, so I haven't felt compelled since I quit using water. (plus I've had no issues)

So anybody else not getting sick using one?

A CPAP does have two filters so it should decrease allergies. I put a COVID filter over entrance port to reduce lint clogging first filter

The CPAP has saved my life. My wife has not killed me for snoring

 

[173rdLRRP]

A CPAP does have two filters so it should decrease allergies. I put a COVID filter over entrance port to reduce lint clogging first filter

The CPAP has saved my life. My wife has not killed me for snoring

Need to sanitize these things fairly often. I use a simple cheap ozone device that sanitizes hose and nasal piece.

The water tray should be dried every day and sanitized with Clorox fairly often x otherwise, a pink mold will form.

If you wear a mask (and I do since wife has very compromised immune system and colds and flu are quite dangerous for her as we approach 82 years) it is advisable to sanitize masks when you sanitize CPAP. Just put masks in same plastic bag when you sanitize hose and nasal).

 

[Colonialgirl]

I'm still waiting for the ReCall on my units and replacements or cash to be sent !

 

[173rdLRRP]

Quite satisfied with mine after 2 1/2 years. A lot of folks cannot handle them. My favorite cousin had claustrophobia

 

[Mobuck]

I feel so sorry for those who can't sleep w/o life support.

 

[dreamer]

on 3 L O2 at night since 2008, added Bipap after a PE and heart failure in 2014
Resmed Aircurve with nose pillows Flonase when congested

 

[JackAsinus]

I switched to a full mouth piece and it continues to work when I breath through my mouth.

 

[any ruger]

Have a Cpap take a drug for my heart causes runny nose. I mean it drips all the time . How am I to use a cpap.

 

[173rdLRRP]

Would a full face work?

 

[cwo4uscgret]

I’ve had a CPAP continuously since 1994. It works. When my allergies kick up or I am congested I use Afrin or some other nasal spray. Between that and the CPAP machine it works.

Although I don’t all the literature recommends daily cleaning. My wife cleans her’s and mine weekly; she has an electronic device that sanitizes the tubing. We also have air tubes that are heated that seems to help as well.

I have severe obstructive apnea and my CPAP(S) travel with me. It’s been to India, England, France, Germany, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, it’s flown so much I’m thinking about naming it and getting a frequent traveler ID for it!

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I've probably used my CPAP for 20 years. I just use the piece over the nose. It took a while to get used to as I'm originally a mouth breather. I've made the adjustment quite well. When I went on Medicare they had me retest and get a new CPAP but stayed with the nose piece. I rarely get colds but when I do I use Alka Seltzers Night time relief medicine and it seems to take care of the problem. My mask has a replacement cover that goes over the whole breathing system. I put a new one on fairly often and things seem to stay pretty clean. I also empty the tank and dry it out every morning then set it upside down so any residual moisture runs out. Snoring is gone, but I also know if I'm not careful I can still stop breathing when I take a nap or something. This is serious business and a number of people have had strokes as a result of not using them, and they stop breathing.

 

[173rdLRRP]

I've probably used my CPAP for 20 years. I just use the piece over the nose. It took a while to get used to as I'm originally a mouth breather. I've made the adjustment quite well. When I went on Medicare they had me retest and get a new CPAP but stayed with the nose piece. I rarely get colds but when I do I use Alka Seltzers Night time relief medicine and it seems to take care of the problem. My mask has a replacement cover that goes over the whole breathing system. I put a new one on fairly often and things seem to stay pretty clean. I also empty the tank and dry it out every morning then set it upside down so any residual moisture runs out. Snoring is gone, but I also know if I'm not careful I can still stop breathing when I take a nap or something. This is serious business and a number of people have had strokes as a result of not using them, and they stop breathing.

May have written earlier but cannot find reference.

My CPAP has saved my life. My wife has not killed me for snoring

 

[stanley_white]

Quattro FX full face mask going on nine years. Having spent some time sleeping with a gas mask on in the USMC the transition was easy. I love my mask and love my machine.

-Stan

 

[rimmer1]

22 years here. My biggest problem is the central apneas.

 

[Ethang]

I have one with a full face mask due to mouth breathing. I have tried several different ones and none will give a good seal. Air leaks around my nose into my eyes. The noise keeps my wife awake more than the snoring, and even with the humidifier wake up after a couple hours with the worst dry mouth you can imagine.

I will just deal with the apnea.

 

[buckshotshorty]

I got two* of the Phillips machines they said to stop using; I'm STILL waiting for the company to send cash and reclaim them.

* One is Mine and the other one belonged to my spouse Ashley whose heart failed him about two years ago.

My bi-pap was finally replaced after 7 months from when I first stopped using my Phillips machine because of the recall. I received no notice or anything the new machine just showed up at the door after 7 months. Thank goodness my 4 year old Resmed got me through the 7 months. They sent the new pap with a mailing label to send back the machine in question.

 

[NDAR15MAN]

I was one if the first 100 people in the USA to use a CPAP machine. I was paid $100.00 a month for 24 months than $500.00 for year 3.
A lot of data collection devices on it.
1st machine was the size of a small college dorm refrigerator. Ha ha. I am sure you probably talked to your Dr about a pill change , some pills kick in harder at night than in the day time. Maybe you could switch the time you take your medication to keep nose from dripping. Another thought would be to some how add a absorbent pad in side the mask that would soak up your runny nose. I What to give you some good advice with your condition you need to keep your CPAP machine , mask , Hose as clean as possible other wise you will get infection. I would spend money and get a CPAP machine cleaner and keep everything clean as possible. Once you get the correct mask you will feel so much better. Try as many mask as you can. MD