Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

[laotzu]

Some ten years in and on my second machine. I have never cleaned the mask unless it felt greasy or smelled bad. An issue I did have with the old masks but don't have with the newer gel masks as long as I'm not humidifying. Never clean the hose if I'm not humidifying. I've replaced the filter once in a blue moon. My first machine didn't have a humidifier. On my newer machine (about 2-3 years old), I tried the humidifier for about two months. Now I leave the reservoir empty because filling it and cleaning it was a hassle and I detected no real difference in dry sinuses. This works for me. I'm not saying it'll work for anyone else. If you are worried about getting sick from viruses and bacteria the strongest step you can take is to wash your hands frequently with warm soapy water, dry them thoroughly, and keep your fingers out of your eyes, nostrils, and mouth.

[Julie]

Do you understand that replacing the filter routinely, if not nearly as often as new supplies might be available, is to keep the machine clean as much as to protect you? I also am horrible when it comes to other features, but can't afford my machine's insides to get wrecked.

[mgaggie]

[quote="ShelaghDB"

honey is a good anti-bacterial agent

wasn't aware of that either, good to know........ive never used anything myself for cuts as i always just heal but after that one frightening incident i watch him closely when there is a cut, etc[/quote]

Shelagh, in Australia there is a product called MediHoney. I believe its available worldwide. A quote from their website;

Two of the largest randomized, controlled, multi-center trials ever done on wound dressings were done to evaluate whether Active Leptospermum dressings were useful as wound healing dressings in addition to their antimicrobial activity. The encouraging results were presented at the EWMA 2006 in Prague, and then at the EWMA 2007 in Scotland. These results will be published in the Fall of 2007, and show that the Active Leptospermum Honey, when compared to a standard hydrogel, significantly improved the rate of healing and reduction in MRSA, and also effectively assisted in debridement. To date, there are no published large scale randomized controlled trials for the leading topical antimicrobial dressing, including none that suggest any reduction in healing times.

I bolded the most important part (IMHO). Honey has been used for thousands of years

Oops almost forget the website http://www.dermasciences.com/products/a ... e-the-u-s/

[archangle]

I've replaced the filter once in a blue moon.

A dirty filter actually filters out more gunk than a clean filter. However, it restricts the air flow and can cause the machine to overheat. This is particularly a problem with the fine white filters on Respironics machines. It's been reported to cause a lot of machine failures.

[ShelaghDB]

Shelagh, in Australia there is a product called MediHoney

thanks, i shall check it out and read this link in a few moments

I have never been one to worry about bacteria, or sterilizing things in general.

Nor I.
Father was a commissioned officer with the British Royal Naval Fighter Pilot, Air Arms Division from WW2 all his life until he passed away. Mother was a WRENS officer until motherhood.
With parents like this you don't take anything for infections. You just heal.
Never

Never been ill. Still have tonsils.
Did catch some melanoma in the earliest possible stages and know i may likely die of it than anything else.
Too many years living in the Malaysian,Jamaican, Florida + Toronto sun..
I had problem from a blood transfusion when almost killed having my wisdom teeth pulled but nothing i would have died from.
Still have tonsils, never broken a bone, think I might have had the flu as a child 2/3x only

But that said? Above and beyond everything, I WOULD change the filter on these machines monthly.
I don't worry about the hose. Its perfectly clean.
My mask is perfectly clean. I don't have oily skin. It gets cleaned once every 5 days or so and its clean.
My hair however, I wash every second day. It needs it more than my mask does.

But i don't understand not changing the filters. For me that is the #1 job i must do once every few weeks.

So, we are all different...........

Do you understand that replacing the filter routinely, if not nearly as often as new supplies might be available, is to keep the machine clean as much as to protect you? I also am horrible when it comes to other features, but can't afford my machine's insides to get wrecked.

Agreed BUT then I read this........

A dirty filter actually filters out more gunk than a clean filter. However, it restricts the air flow and can cause the machine to overheat. This is particularly a problem with the fine white filters on Respironics machines. It's been reported to cause a lot of machine failures

How does that work? The dirty filter theory?
So on an S9 Autoset, what is the generalized theory pertaining to the changing of these filters? How often?
The DME told me once a month......?

I can get masks or hoses galore from my DME but these filters, its like pulling teeth to get any more than 2 a visit.

[palerider]

So on an S9 Autoset, what is the generalized theory pertaining to the changing of these filters? How often?
The DME told me once a month......?

page 27 of the clinicians manual.

[Guest]

I change my filters once a month.

[archangle]

How does that work? The dirty filter theory?
So on an S9 Autoset, what is the generalized theory pertaining to the changing of these filters? How often?
The DME told me once a month......?

Dirty filter/cleaner air is a well known phenomenon in air filters in general. In particular, it's well known in industrial filters. That's a general rule with air filters, not an absolute rule in all cases.

Think of the clean filter as a plate with a certain number of holes of a certain size in it. The dust gets filtered out because it won't fit through the holes. As dust builds up, it partially plugs some of the holes making them smaller and blocks smaller particles. It also builds up a layer of dust fibers on the front of the filter. This layer of dust also acts like a filter. Dust often sticks to dust better than it sticks to the filter.

The problem is as the filter gets "better" and thicker, it makes it harder and harder for the air to get through. It requires more pressure and reduces the volume of air.

ResMed says replace S9 filters every 6 months. Respironics says 1 month on the optional white filter. Wash the grey foam filter every two weeks and replace after 6 months. Replace more often if they get too dirty earlier.

[Justin Case]

Oh, to have a bucket to P in and a window to toss it out of.
Let passers-by moan all they like, especially with wet shoes.

P is actually sterile, I was told.

[palerider]

Oh, to have a bucket to P in and a window to toss it out of.
Let passers-by moan all they like, especially with wet shoes.

P is actually sterile, I was told.

newer research has proven that it's not, even in healthy individuals with no UTI problems

[Justin Case]

Just a thought. Much information has been available on how to disinfect and clean your xPAP hoses, masks, humidifiers. Yet, I have never found any literature on how to actually disinfect the xPAP itself. In my little brain, me things it stands to reason that if you have staph bacteria that it will be transferred to your xPAP. That's always been my fear of considering a used xPAP.

newer research has proven that it's not, even in healthy individuals with no UTI problems

How credible is this newer research?

[archangle]

Just a thought. Much information has been available on how to disinfect and clean your xPAP hoses, masks, humidifiers. Yet, I have never found any literature on how to actually disinfect the xPAP itself. In my little brain, me things it stands to reason that if you have staph bacteria that it will be transferred to your xPAP. That's always been my fear of considering a used xPAP.

You don't clean out the insides of a PAP machine. It's not really necessary because your exhaled air doesn't usually "swim upstream" against the airflow that far, and there's nothing inside the machine for germs to feed on and multiply.

[Sludge]

[Sludge]

CPAP Masks are Sources of Microbial Contamination

Alex Horowitz, Sandra Horowitz MD FRCP(C), and Chinhak Chun MD from the SleepHealth Centers, Division of Sleep Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston: APSS Poster 2009

Introduction: 24 consecutive Sleep Apnea patients brought their CPAP masks with them to have them swabbed.

Results: Bacteria on CPAP equipment could be managed effectively with regular soap and water cleaning up to six months. However, increased levels of bacteria were found on masks that had been used for six months or more regardless of cleaning frequency, implying that bacteria build-up on the masks is unavoidable.

Conclusion: After 6 months of use the CPAP masks cannot be properly cleaned regardless of the disinfection method or frequency. This data suggests we must insist on regular cleaning and mask replacement every 6 months.

This study provided two possible reasons for the unavoidable bacteria build-up:

• During each CPAP mask use a small ‘biofilm” of microscopic debris adheres to the silicone in the mask and the head strap, which breeds bacteria, fungi and occasional yeast.
• The silicone surface becomes pitted and resistant to disinfection over time.

[ShelaghDB]

Dirty filter/cleaner air is a well known phenomenon in air filters in general. In particular, it's well known in industrial filters. That's a general rule with air filters, not an absolute rule in all cases.

Not familiar with this direction of thought but i shall worry less about changing it monthly although the 6 month rule seems an awfully long time but I will give it a bit more research now you have mentioned it.

Results: Bacteria on CPAP equipment could be managed effectively with regular soap and water cleaning up to six months. However, increased levels of bacteria were found on masks that had been used for six months or more regardless of cleaning frequency, implying that bacteria build-up on the masks is unavoidable.

Conclusion: After 6 months of use the CPAP masks cannot be properly cleaned regardless of the disinfection method or frequency. This data suggests we must insist on regular cleaning and mask replacement every 6 month

As I am not a scientist nor a germ a phobe, i honestly haven't any idea if that information is true or not.
It seems a bit excessive to me and showing photos of the various germs seems like scare tactics put out by an industry that makes money selling these masks.
BUT in my case I am given a mask every 6 months for free and I havent yet been on this 6 months to see how one appears after that time period but I know looking at my mask, the Quattro FF that I believe the main part, which pops out of the brace and headgear could likely be replace and thats all one would need to do every 6 months. I imagine that the "brace" and straps, etc would last much longer.

So the thought of wasting a whole mask every 6 months, contributing to huge amounts of plastic being wasted isn't a pleasant thought so I do hope people at least have a system of garbage as I do and I assume most as well do, one for garbage and one for recycling.

That said I feel very badly for seniors, or anyone that is on a form of welfare/disability/etc for that is one hell of an expense for them every 6 months?

I sell many electronics online. One series of products i sell wholesale to people through Craiglist/eBay/etc are Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean Rechargeable toothbrushes. They sell for $229 in the stores and one box of replacement heads sells for $46 + tax so i sell them for about $150 for both.
They sell well.
But there is another one that i can't keep on the shelves by Philips called the Flexcare as it is advertised ( By Sonicaire itself) as having a UV Sanitizer. They make it known that when one flushes their toilet in the bathroom, germs from the toilet bowl get flushed up into the air and then settle on your toothbrush.
LOL
I can't keep that one in stock. Its so popular I even tell customers they needn't worry but it doesn't slow down sales.

i could drive myself insane if I had to worry about every little microscopic bug that rests on our used surfaces.
Did you know that the bottom of a woman's handbag is one of the filthiest of all?
From being put down on the floor...........

I guess I will have to look at my mask at the 6th month mark and see it for myself. or give it to a doctor friend and see if she can tell me whats on it........BUT the fact that the insurance companies DO allow them to be changed every 6 months tells me that there must be something to what you are saying.........as I would imagine if they were able to last a year, the insurance companies would not be so willing to pay at the 6 month mark but i cannot yet tell from personal experience what it is as I have not yet hit that mark myself