horrible air quality...need advice

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
kb81
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horrible air quality...need advice

Post by kb81 » Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:00 am

I'm deployed to the middle east, and using my CPAP has been impossible. I wake up sneezing horribly all throughout the day, and nose bleeds nonstop. I stopped using my CPAP machine and it went away. I thought maybe it was allergies. Used my CPAP for another night and same thing. Here is what I'm thinking about doing: Taping a coffee filter to my machine in front of my filter and black sponge as an added filtration system. I'm out of ideas. Also, my living situation is indoors w/ AC blowing (can't shut it off and don't want to), and horrible sand/dust in the air. Help. Any advice is welcomed.

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Julie
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Re: horrible air quality...need advice

Post by Julie » Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:18 am

You can get fine white filters (cheap) to fit behind the black sponges - see on Cpap.com - but don't know about your access capabilities. Sounds like you've got awful conditions though. Are you using a humidifier and if so, on a high or low setting? Sometimes you need more (or less) in diff. climatic situations.

kb81
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Re: horrible air quality...need advice

Post by kb81 » Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:06 am

I have the white filter and the black sponge...

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Julie
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Re: horrible air quality...need advice

Post by Julie » Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:13 am

Have you discussed the air quality with a pulmonologist/respirologist there - someone who knows the conditions, deals with other pts who have resp. problems and who might know some tricks?

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Pugsy
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Re: horrible air quality...need advice

Post by Pugsy » Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:22 am

Are you using a humidifier with your cpap machine?
If so, at what setting?
If not using a humidifier...get one.

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kb81
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Re: horrible air quality...need advice

Post by kb81 » Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:22 am

Will have to check on the distilled water...
Last edited by kb81 on Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:26 am, edited 2 times in total.

kb81
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Re: horrible air quality...need advice

Post by kb81 » Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:24 am

Pugsy, I do have a humidifier, but we don't have distilled water. I might use bottled water. Thanks for your reply

kb81
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Re: horrible air quality...need advice

Post by kb81 » Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:27 am

Julie wrote:Have you discussed the air quality with a pulmonologist/respirologist there - someone who knows the conditions, deals with other pts who have resp. problems and who might know some tricks?

Lady, I don't meant to be disrespectful, but what kind of amenities do you think I have over here in a war zone?

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Pugsy
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Re: horrible air quality...need advice

Post by Pugsy » Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:31 am

The distilled water thing is to save the water chamber from having mineral build up and to lesson cleaning chores but even with mineral build up a little vinegar will clean it up if things get too gross.

At this point where you are at...who cares about a little mineral build up...so use bottled water.

The symptoms you describe go along with nasal mucosa that simply get too dried out from the air coming from the cpap machine. It's a funny thing about the nasal mucosa but they respond the same way no matter what makes them mad. They swell up and give us nasty allergy like symptoms.

Add some humidity to your cpap air and they should settle down...now how much you might need...I don't know because that's an individual thing. I need lots (maximum) of added humidity to keep my nose happy and Julie doesn't need any.
But if going with the odds...slightly more people lean towards the "more than the middle of the road setting" than they do to the less moisture settings.

I would suggest starting with a middle of the road setting and go from there.

Thank you for your service.

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

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chunkyfrog
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Re: horrible air quality...need advice

Post by chunkyfrog » Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:43 am

Is it possible to get the filter on the AC changed? (Or cleaned)
If that filter clogs up too quickly, someone may have chosen to dispense with it entirely.
There should be a permanent sponge or fiber filter in the AC,
some are washable, and should be--in this case, OFTEN!
Note; washed AC filter must be dry before returning to operation.
Again, thank you for your service.

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nanwilson
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Re: horrible air quality...need advice

Post by nanwilson » Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:55 am

This is what a friend did.... he just got back from (over there) He used bottled water in his humidifier but had to clean it out more often to keep the grunge away. When he got back he took his machine into the supplier and had it cleaned inside. He used the regular black foam filter and white one and just changed them out more often . He also used a couple of black plastic garbage bags tapped to his window to keep out some of the sand. Hope this helps.......
Thank you for serving, you are keeping us safe from the likes of those fanatics.
Cheers
Nan
Started cpap in 2010.. still at it with great results.

kb81
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Re: horrible air quality...need advice

Post by kb81 » Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:58 am

I couldn't believe how much sand and dirt got into my mask. It was nasty. I truly appreciate all your guys' responses. Do you think the sand is getting in past the black sponge AND filter? That's so weird. I will crank my humidifier all the way. It was in the middle section for a while.

nanwilson
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Re: horrible air quality...need advice

Post by nanwilson » Wed Sep 02, 2015 8:06 am

kb81 wrote:I couldn't believe how much sand and dirt got into my mask. It was nasty. I truly appreciate all your guys' responses. Do you think the sand is getting in past the black sponge AND filter? That's so weird. I will crank my humidifier all the way. It was in the middle section for a while.
I know, try the garbage bag trick with lots of tape to seal out as much sand as you can. That sand is damn nasty, drink lots of water, and you will be fine. My friend washed out his mask in the shower every morning to try and keep it clean. During the day he just threw a towel over this machine to keep it covered up and that helped immensely.
Nan
Started cpap in 2010.. still at it with great results.

kb81
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Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2015 5:54 am

Re: horrible air quality...need advice

Post by kb81 » Wed Sep 02, 2015 9:05 am

nanwilson wrote:
kb81 wrote:I couldn't believe how much sand and dirt got into my mask. It was nasty. I truly appreciate all your guys' responses. Do you think the sand is getting in past the black sponge AND filter? That's so weird. I will crank my humidifier all the way. It was in the middle section for a while.
I know, try the garbage bag trick with lots of tape to seal out as much sand as you can. That sand is damn nasty, drink lots of water, and you will be fine. My friend washed out his mask in the shower every morning to try and keep it clean. During the day he just threw a towel over this machine to keep it covered up and that helped immensely.
Nan

Pardon my retarded question in reference to the plastic bag, but will there be enough oxygen flow???? EDIT: SORRY, THOUGHT YOU WERE REFERRING TO PUTTING THE CPAP MACHINE IN THE PLASTIC BAG

kb81
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Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2015 5:54 am

Re: horrible air quality...need advice

Post by kb81 » Wed Sep 02, 2015 9:10 am

NANWILSON, do you think I should bother trying to tape a coffee filter in front of my black sponge???? Do you think that would be beneficial?