"please keep me updated about oximeters "
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CPAP Sinus Infection?
This is from a correspondence I've been having with Susan McCord, who gave me permission to share it with all you on the forum. Italicized emphasis is my own... Will be interested to hear what you guys think she should do:
"I've been sicker than a dog with this CPAP/sinus stuff since the day after Christmas. Nobody, including my sleep doc will really discuss it with me or else they just dismiss it. This has been going on, off and on, since shortly after I started CPAP in July.
Today I was at my cardiologist for a checkup, and was telling him about all this ongoing. Usually it goes away spontaneously in 2-3 days--this time it's hung on for 10 days so far. Can't stand it.
Anyway, cardiologist, who's also an internist prior, told me it's not uncommon at ALL for pts. on CPAP to have this and that I have an infection. I asked him why the MDs don't tell us about it--he and I have a VERY open relationship and he knows I can't stand having smoke blown up my ass--he told me it's because the sleep docs are so worried about compliance that they don't tell pts. about the possibility of sinus complications AND that it's not uncommon for them to avoid talking about it even if pts. bring it up. They tend to assign the sinus problems to something else.
I was mildly horrified and, frankly, I think he is too. He told me to talk to my PCP and get started on an antibiotic and whatever else PCP recs. He also said people usually stay off CPAP for a week or so till the infection clears. THAT scares me to death. I don't think I'm gonna do it. Internet says to d/c too, but I don't think I can......what do you think I should do???"
"I've been sicker than a dog with this CPAP/sinus stuff since the day after Christmas. Nobody, including my sleep doc will really discuss it with me or else they just dismiss it. This has been going on, off and on, since shortly after I started CPAP in July.
Today I was at my cardiologist for a checkup, and was telling him about all this ongoing. Usually it goes away spontaneously in 2-3 days--this time it's hung on for 10 days so far. Can't stand it.
Anyway, cardiologist, who's also an internist prior, told me it's not uncommon at ALL for pts. on CPAP to have this and that I have an infection. I asked him why the MDs don't tell us about it--he and I have a VERY open relationship and he knows I can't stand having smoke blown up my ass--he told me it's because the sleep docs are so worried about compliance that they don't tell pts. about the possibility of sinus complications AND that it's not uncommon for them to avoid talking about it even if pts. bring it up. They tend to assign the sinus problems to something else.
I was mildly horrified and, frankly, I think he is too. He told me to talk to my PCP and get started on an antibiotic and whatever else PCP recs. He also said people usually stay off CPAP for a week or so till the infection clears. THAT scares me to death. I don't think I'm gonna do it. Internet says to d/c too, but I don't think I can......what do you think I should do???"
Views: 23942
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by BeeAsleep on
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GREAT info Jeff, thanks! As always I learn something new here on SleepGuide.
I was able to use my CPAP for 6 hours last night even with a sinus infection and coughing. Then I got up and rested upright in a lounge chair. As I say, this too shall pass. I just try to do the best I can and eventually I get to feeling better and am able to wear my mask all night long.
I am interested in asking my sleep specialist his take on the increased risk of upper airway infection debate. Just for hoots.
Hope you are feeling better Susan! bee
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Permalink Reply by Mary Z on
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I have never had a sinus infection in my 21 months on CPAP.
Since the Cardiologist gave his ok, I think I would stop providing I could get the ok within a few days by my sleep doc.
And I'm one of those reluctant to stop for a few days to let my nose heal up. I'm scared, like you Susan, to stop treatment.
So you have cardioologist's ok, hopefully you can get to the sleep dr and explain the circumstances, including abx and ok from cardiologist and get a good answer with explanation of yea or nay.
Good luck, get feeling better,
Mary Zimlich
Mike said:To keep this conversation on track, I think Susan would benefit from 2 things:
1. Has anyone else (like Bee) experienced these kind of sinus problems?
2. She NEEDS to try to figure out whether to go off CPAP for a week. What do you all think in light of all the circumstances?
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Permalink Reply by susan mccord on
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Good ideas, 99. I do change my filters regularly but I'll go check them again just to be sure they seem okay at the moment. Thanks.
Susan :-)
99 said:thinking about cleaning the rear air intake filter
give it a good dusting and then expose the filter to uv light for 20-30 mins do not worry if you do not have a uv light as sun light will do the same
or just change them that is easyer
also insert a filter into the hose as a regulare user i do not use a filter because it my machine
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You're absolutely right, 99. Actually that's one thing I AM clear about these days!! I've been a big water drinker for a long time. Thanks......
Susan ;-)
99 said:you should also drink plenty of H2O
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Just got some antibiotics, and a nebulizer asthma treatment. Hope to be back to my old self soon. Sure grateful to have insurance and the ability to get medications. Now I am off to wash my CPAP and change my filter.
b
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Permalink Reply by Kathleen Rentel on
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Mike said:To keep this conversation on track, I think Susan would benefit from 2 things:
1. Has anyone else (like Bee) experienced these kind of sinus problems?
2. She NEEDS to try to figure out whether to go off CPAP for a week. What do you all think in light of all the circumstances?
If I had a sinus infection I would try to sleep upright in a comfortable chair to keep my airway open.
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Hey Bee, Irma put me onto a local place where I can buy Ayr gel nasal spray, which is what I've been looking for. Her ENT told her to use it, but she had to order it from the internet. She got checking around, found a link for stores that sell it--there's only one kind of store in Indy that carries it in stock and there's one less than 4 miles from where i live. It's a huge chain but not one I ever shop at. I called over there and they, indeed, have it in stock. Let me know if it's anything you want to try and I'll send you the link. I can't wait to try it!! My saline spray does help some but not greatly.....cross your fingers!!
Susan :-)
BeeAsleep said:Just got some antibiotics, and a nebulizer asthma treatment. Hope to be back to my old self soon. Sure grateful to have insurance and the ability to get medications. Now I am off to wash my CPAP and change my filter.
b
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Permalink Reply by Tim on
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Thanks for the links, j n k.
The Respiration article was very interesting. It would be useful if a study were done that included culturing the humidifier water and the mucus of people who contracted a bacterial infection to see if the humidifier contains the same type of bacteria that caused the infection in the patient. It would also be useful to see if pollen and other allergens made it through the CPAP equipment and caused allergies in patients.
I had always wondered if a "dirty" humidifier could cause infections in CPAP users, it seems that it does. Luckily, I don't use a humidifier and I don't seem to have a problem with dry air -- I grew up in Colorado, where 20% RH was considered horribly humid. I wonder if a manufacturer will ever do something to reduce the possibility of bacteria growing in a humidifier, perhaps something involving silver or UV.
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Tim, now THIS idea fascinates me to no end. Don't you wonder why this kind of study hasn't been done with so many PAP machines in circulation? Sure makes ME wonder.....I'm also interested in the humidity factor. I started getting much more symptomatic when I got home from 2 weeks in AZ December 5th. I've wondered if something about the humidity/temperature change and/or the pressurized cabin in the plane exacerbated this thing with me.
Susan :-)
Tim said:Thanks for the links, j n k.
The Respiration article was very interesting. It would be useful if a study were done that included culturing the humidifier water and the mucus of people who contracted a bacterial infection to see if the humidifier contains the same type of bacteria that caused the infection in the patient. It would also be useful to see if pollen and other allergens made it through the CPAP equipment and caused allergies in patients.
I had always wondered if a "dirty" humidifier could cause infections in CPAP users, it seems that it does. Luckily, I don't use a humidifier and I don't seem to have a problem with dry air -- I grew up in Colorado, where 20% RH was considered horribly humid. I wonder if a manufacturer will ever do something to reduce the possibility of bacteria growing in a humidifier, perhaps something involving silver or UV.
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I think that a takeaway from that study is that doctors and DMEs should emphasize to patients who use a humidifier that the water chamber and hose has to be kept clean.
One problem I read about is that DMEs tend to give cleaning instructions that do not agree with the manufacturer's instructions, and this confuses patients.
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Jeff, I agree with everything you've said on this particular reply. Speaking only for me, I don't honestly think I "caught" this from my CPAP or the humidifier. I keep my stuff pretty well cleaned although not obsessively so. My gut feeling is that, again for me, the pressurized air blowing into my sinus cavity night after night is an overload for my sinus system, so it reacts in some kind of protective way. I recall my cardiologist said something to that effect too, when we were talking about it. About high pressure air blowing up into patients' noses and beyond.
The reason I think this is that I take heart meds that are pretty hard on my body in general. I have blood tests every 3 months because of the slowly-rising #'s on my labs, which are directly related to especially one of the meds. He lowered the dosage for the second time to see if it would make a difference on my next labs in April. All of which is to say, I'm chemically altered, for sure, and will be for the rest of my life.
Do you think that kind of thing could make me more susceptible to this sinus irritation which has now turned into a blazing infection? It IS getting better, slowly, since I've been on antibiotics for two days now, so I know it's something bacterial or antibiotics wouldn't work. I don't know--I'm just hypothesizing here. But that's the way I'm tending to interpret the way these symptoms have evolved and now exploded.....my overall immune system is very strong, always has been. But if Rx medication can have a negative effect on internal organs, and can make some of my hair break off (which it has), I have to think my sinuses could likely be affected in some negative way as well.
What do you guys think?????
Susan :-p
I AM curious to know if anyone knows enough about body chemistry to have some kind of thought about this.
j n k said:Any time, Tim.
My simple theory as a patient is that PAP therapy creates a new environment that the upper respiratory part of the immune system has to adapt to. Until that adaptation takes place, the immune system is somewhat compromised. Some adapt quickly. Some have ongoing problems.
Personally, I do not consider PAP humidifiers to be a big risk for bacterial infections, as long as hoses and masks and humidifier tanks get washed using common sense approaches. But that is only my personal opinion based on my interpretation of what I've read.
jeff
Tim said:Thanks for the links, j n k.
The Respiration article was very interesting. It would be useful if a study were done that included culturing the humidifier water and the mucus of people who contracted a bacterial infection to see if the humidifier contains the same type of bacteria that caused the infection in the patient. It would also be useful to see if pollen and other allergens made it through the CPAP equipment and caused allergies in patients.
I had always wondered if a "dirty" humidifier could cause infections in CPAP users, it seems that it does. Luckily, I don't use a humidifier and I don't seem to have a problem with dry air -- I grew up in Colorado, where 20% RH was considered horribly humid. I wonder if a manufacturer will ever do something to reduce the possibility of bacteria growing in a humidifier, perhaps something involving silver or UV.
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