Join Our Newsletter

New? Free Sign Up

Then check our Welcome Center to a Community Caring about Sleep Apnea diagnosis and Sleep Apnea treatment:

CPAP machines, Sleep Apnea surgery and dental appliances.

CPAP Supplies

Latest Activity

Steven B. Ronsen updated their profile
Mar 5
Dan Lyons updated their profile
Mar 7, 2022
99 replied to Mike's discussion SPO 7500 Users?
"please keep me updated about oximeters "
Dec 4, 2021
Stefan updated their profile
Sep 16, 2019
Profile IconBLev and bruce david joined SleepGuide
Aug 21, 2019

Just heard from a sleep tech that her sleep center, located within a  highly prestigious hospital in one of America's largest and most affluent metropolitan centers, fills patients humidifiers with tap water on CPAP titrations.  furthermore, a 7 year-old child contracted Legionnaires Disease and died from being titrated with a CPAP humidifier filled with tap water.

Make sure you insist on distilled or reverse osmosis/ purified bottled water for your CPAP titrations in the sleep center.  The life you save may be your own.

Views: 4822

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

I know of many, many sleep labs that use only tap water in PAP humidifiers.

scary stuff, my friend.  they should know better.

Rock Conner said:

I know of many, many sleep labs that use only tap water in PAP humidifiers.

OMG!  Thanks for the heads up!  I'll take my own bottled water with me to my next test.  Wow!  How sad - and totally preventable!

the sleep center i had my sleep study done filled the humidifier with tap water, this never crossed my mind this could happen but yes they should know better , i never put tap or bottled water in my humidifier at home, i use distilled water . guess the sleep labs try to save money evey way they can. 

is it a good idea to go to a sleep lab that also has their own DME dept or do all sleep labs have their own  ?  just wondering ,  makes me think about them trying to make money on all the equipment we as sleep apnea patients need to get hopefully a good nights sleep . 

Rock Conner said:

I know of many, many sleep labs that use only tap water in PAP humidifiers.

Yes, during one of my sleep studies the tech used water from the tap.  I was too stupid to comment.  She also wired me up incorrectly  and the sleep center only had one TV remote to share between four patients.  It was owned by my former doctor who was clearly interested in it for the money.  I know better than using tap water and didn't speak up.  Can you imagine what happens with those who do not know any better?  A seven year old died.

i did not know better, was just diagnosed with sleep apnea and did not know anything about this diaseas at all except what little reseach i had done about the symptoms .

i like knowing as much as i can about whatever i am experiencing at the time and that is why i love this website , people like you guys have no motive except really wanting to help others

i appreciate all this info everyone puts on here so we as newbies can learn as much as we can and trust the info that is put on here    

Mary Z said:

Yes, during one of my sleep studies the tech used water from the tap.  I was too stupid to comment.  She also wired me up incorrectly  and the sleep center only had one TV remote to share between four patients.  It was owned by my former doctor who was clearly interested in it for the money.  I know better than using tap water and didn't speak up.  Can you imagine what happens with those who do not know any better?  A seven year old died.

No Comment

      When a tech came to my home from my DME to teach me how to use my CPAP, he told me that I could use tap water.

      I'm not sure where I found out that I should use distilled water only, but I did. I called the tech and advised him that one should never use tap water.

      I wonder if that tech still tells people that it's acceptable to use tap water....

     

I never knew you had to use distilled water until I read it here.  As of a week ago, I was using tap water because the tech from my medical product company said I didn't need to use anything else.  I used the tap water for over a month.  Yeech!!

Now that I know better I'm curious to know what is wrong with using regular tap water?
 
Mary Z said:

Yes, during one of my sleep studies the tech used water from the tap.  I was too stupid to comment.  She also wired me up incorrectly  and the sleep center only had one TV remote to share between four patients.  It was owned by my former doctor who was clearly interested in it for the money.  I know better than using tap water and didn't speak up.  Can you imagine what happens with those who do not know any better?  A seven year old died.

There is a lot of controversy over in the UK as to whether to use distilled water or not.  The manufacturers recommend it, but it's hard to get over here.  Quite a number of clinics/hospitals tell people to get deionised water instead (for car batteries etc) but this isn't the same (as I discovered to my horror after using it for a good year).  When I tell people that most people in the US used distilled water, I normally get told that it's because your water isn't as good as here in the UK (their words, not mine!!).

People here tend to use pre-boiled tap water, water straight from the tap or bottled water.

What's the real story?

Water has been treated to reduce "bugs" You Are getting residuals if you use tap .Steam distilled should be"sterile" no bug killer or "rust from your pipes. Good Sleep,Chris

Hello everyone,

It says right on my S9 water tank to use only distilled water.  This is in plain English 

imprinted on the tank.  Can't people read?  Also it is not difficult to make your own

distilled water.  

Thanks  H. Hampton

Reply to Discussion

RSS

© 2024   Created by The SleepGuide Crew.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service