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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???"

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Someone mentioned heating the tube.  I did exactly that with a home made rig.  I had 60 ft. of tubing around a piece of stove pipe, with another stove pipe around the outside.  Inside the center of the rig I had a ceramic light socket.  Ceramic can stand a lot of heat.  I used a 100 watt light bulb as the source of heat.  Naturaly the top was closed off.  There was little heat on the outside of the rig.  Everytime I got up during the night that thing would be extra warm.  Exactly the opposite of what you would expect since there had to be a higher air volume flowing while I was gone.  It quickly went down to normal when I put the mask back on.  The bulb only lasted about two or three months due to the higher operating temperature inside the stack.


Mike, i agree with the replacement of  the hose etc. at least once a year. twice is even better
Mike said:

I think this calls all of our attention to the importance of cleaning and replacing our CPAP supplies, and emptying our humidifier reservoirs of all water each morning, and replacing with distilled water ONLY each evening. The idea is to keep as much bacteria out of your CPAP system as possible.

Personally, if I were you, I'd throw away my hose, CPAP cushion, filters, and replace them with new ones. Then I'd clean my humidifier tank, and I'd continue withe the CPAP even while using the antibiotics. That said, if i couldn't breathe out of my nose, i wouldn't bother. I have a nasal mask, so there would be no point.

hummm, it appears quite common for sinus infections for CPAP users then. An infection of this type is not good for the immune system to have on a chronic level. Eventually sinus infections can affect the brain negatively. Look it up on the internet.

Beverly, the control of sinus infection is important. I am on CPAP since 1997. 

I learned to get my infections under control with room temperaturre, or the temperature of the air blown into my nose. I also rinse my sinus with Saline for sinus.

With respect, 

If you climb into the cage of a lion you will die, but under a controled environment you   can enter the cage. 

By rinsing my sinus frequently and controling the air temperature you can manage the infection.

It takes up to 6 months to get used to the CPAP. Going for an operation you may loose parrt of your taste and the Sleep apnea will return.

By not using the treatment you will end up with a heart attack or the other illness.

You can get control over the sinus. After one night or month's use cannot be the measure. 

it may sound harsh, but the question of continued use and address the sinus problem is the answer. I sleep with my CPAP, an my wife with out the CPAP has worse sinus problems due to our environment.

The answer to the Sinus infections lies under control and finding solutions.

Kind Regards

Jan van Niekerk 

Well, I hate to say it, but I am not going to give the CPAP mask another try. I have been really sick for 10 days and finally had to go to the dr. She's a great internal med. dr. She said some people just don't do well and apparently I'm one of them. I don't remember being that sick for that long. There is no doubt my sinuses reacted to the constant oxygen. I have had trouble with them (mildly) for many years.

So now I am getting a sleep apnea mouth guard. I haven't found one yet, but that's what she wants me to try. I sure hope it works.

You can  try the mouth guard. 

With my 15 years experience, with CPAP and sinus infections, I managed to get mine under control.

I finally have mine under control, which is simple. 

Please try the mouth guard under a tritration test, just to make sure it really works?

Jan van Niekerk

who or how many have sinus infection with a humidifier

who or how many have sinus infection without a humidifier 

please insert consecitive number plus 1and inset word with/without

eg if last number was 6 you would put seven

1.  Have had no infections using humidifier.  However, before the septoplasty/turbinate reduction I had considerable stuffiness and blockage. GONE now.

99 said:

who or how many have sinus infection with a humidifier

who or how many have sinus infection without a humidifier 

please insert consecitive number plus 1and inset word with/without

eg if last number was 6 you would put seven

I don't have sinus infections with the heated humidifier. I do rinse my sinus frequently with the Saline sinus rinse solution, I do regulate my room emperature, to be slightly heated, clean the equipment frequently, make sure that the room is vacumed frequently, and frequently clean my machine intake filters.

We stopped using certain cleaning fluids, which agrivates, especially, fungal sinus infection.

I reacted on advise from my ENT that I could stop using my machine after a sinus op. Fell asleep behind a car steering wheel. For those who want to try it, there is concequences.

I started on a pure Auto CPAP, with agrevating cicumstances, because of my Obstructive and central Apnea. Also resulting in concentration and depression problems.

I am now on the Phillips/Respironics BiPAP Auto SV Advanced. with a ComfortGel Blue mask.

No leaks, I weak up fresh in the mornings again.

 

I started in 1997 with a Sullivan V with passover humidification. I understand sinus problems. Cold Air Blowing into the nostrils is not good.

I then bought a seperate heated humidifier, it was better.

I changed to the F&P 608 with heated tubing. It was much better.

Was told that the Icon Auto was the latest technology. bought it, and had a slight fall back, because of my central apneas.

Room Temperature or the air Temperature flowing into the nostrils, plays an IMPORTANT part.

In summary, heated humidification helps, but the room temperature playes a role. We stop using amonia cleaning materials in the house, invested in the top of the range vacume cleaner and cleaning my machine and rinsing my sinus with saline sinus rinse frequently.

The combination makes me symptom free.

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