Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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ShelaghDB
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Re: Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

Post by ShelaghDB » Sat Jul 26, 2014 8:31 pm

I suggest everyone get at least one spare hose, water tank, mask, etc

LOL
I could open a store with all the extras i keep being given that i don't pay for.
I guess I am fortunate
I have 3 masks still brand new in sealed packaging, Swift FX Nasal + 2 extra Quattro FFF masks not to mention about 4 or 5 hoses, 3 of which are the heated climate controlled versions BUT for some reason, whenever I ask for filters, I get only 2 at a time LOL
id be fine just buying them and think I will source out a place so i can buy a lot of them at once

BUT, the water tank?
Why would it be necessary to have more than one?

I have the one with the snaps on it and it has a 1 little plastic piece on it on the underside of the lid so you now where to measure your water to.
But I can't imagine that this needs any cleaning if you use distilled water, or am I wrong?

It seems perfectly hygienic from what i can see, looking at it????

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Re: Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

Post by jencat824 » Sat Jul 26, 2014 10:30 pm

ShelaghDB wrote:
I suggest everyone get at least one spare hose, water tank, mask, etc

LOL
I could open a store with all the extras i keep being given that i don't pay for.
I guess I am fortunate
I have 3 masks still brand new in sealed packaging, Swift FX Nasal + 2 extra Quattro FFF masks not to mention about 4 or 5 hoses, 3 of which are the heated climate controlled versions BUT for some reason, whenever I ask for filters, I get only 2 at a time LOL
id be fine just buying them and think I will source out a place so i can buy a lot of them at once

BUT, the water tank?
Why would it be necessary to have more than one?

I have the one with the snaps on it and it has a 1 little plastic piece on it on the underside of the lid so you now where to measure your water to.
But I can't imagine that this needs any cleaning if you use distilled water, or am I wrong?

It seems perfectly hygienic from what i can see, looking at it????
Water tanks can break. It comes in real handy to have an extra when you drop it and it cracks just as you are getting ready for bed. Without an extra your options are super glue or no humidifier til you can get one, usually the next business day, two business days if you have to get it via mail.

I learned this the hard way, dropped my old M-Series tank on a Friday night of a holiday weekend. My DME was mail order so I was without a humidifier from Friday night to the following Thursday night. Not exactly the end of the word since I use light humidity, but it made me really appreciate what I do use. Ever since I've kept a spare tank. My hubby uses the same machine, so I keep only one spare, but it give me a sense of security.

Jen

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Todzo
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Re: Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

Post by Todzo » Sat Jul 26, 2014 10:58 pm

ShelaghDB wrote:
A little journey "outside the box..."

My very healthy husband got a Staph infection of some sort at 47 due to a cut on the back of his hand that turned into an obvious infection. I told him to go to the doctors one night. I was out of town that night and it unfortunately got worse later that night. Had I been there or known that it had I would have taken him in right away but he let it go figuring he was fine until morning

When I got to the hospital at 6pm the next day they had his arm tied up over his head and were pumping him full of all different types of antibiotics and told me we had about an 8 hour wait to see if they were going to take otherwise he was likely going to lose his hand up over his wrist.

Just from a very simple cut that could happen to anyone. They were concerned that the infection was working its way down into the muscles of his hand........he was so out of it at that point i am not even sure he knew i was there but i stayed the night in the hospital with them, much to my surprise they let me and by morning it broke and he was going to be ok and not lose his hand/wrist and lower arm.

I can't even being to describe the shock I experienced thinking any of this could possibly happen to him. If we had lived in squalor, or even had animals, anything that could make me understand how he of all people managed to get so ill from a simple cut, I certainly wasn't aware of it.
He fully recovered but I will always watch any cut he gets with more scrutiny then anyone else.

Do I believe the Posters DME and the bacteria story?

No, but thats not to say I would lazy about cleansing habits but I believe they were using fear to make more money and that alone is despicable act.
But don't ever make the mistake and think any of you could not get such an infection. I understand they are becoming more and more common..........
A family member recently had some hand surgery done for similar reasons.

I have noticed that some cuts and some bug bites become red fast. I do such a simple thing that consistently reduces the redness fast. Prevents the nasty puss phase and all. I am consistently amazed.

The simple thing is plain no growth hormone (usually greek style) yogurt. Dab on, let dry, dab a bit more..

Apparently when there is a whole bunch of bacteria the body is used to it makes finding the invaders easier. Well that is my thought.
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mgaggie
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Re: Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

Post by mgaggie » Sat Jul 26, 2014 11:19 pm

honey is a good anti-bacterial agent

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Sludge
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Re: Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

Post by Sludge » Sun Jul 27, 2014 3:12 am

palerider wrote:because the only place you're going to get 175c water is in an autoclave.
Not even.

Meanwhile:

http://www.cmaj.ca/content/early/2014/0 ... l.pdf+html
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ShelaghDB
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Re: Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

Post by ShelaghDB » Sun Jul 27, 2014 4:19 am

Water tanks can break. It comes in real handy to have an extra when you drop it and it cracks just as you are getting ready for bed. Without an extra your options are super glue or no humidifier til you can get one, usually the next business day, two business days if you have to get it via mail.

I learned this the hard way, dropped my old M-Series tank on a Friday night of a holiday weekend. My DME was mail order so I was without a humidifier from Friday night to the following Thursday night. Not exactly the end of the word since I use light humidity, but it made me really appreciate what I do use. Ever since I've kept a spare tank. My hubby uses the same machine, so I keep only one spare, but it give me a sense of security.
Dumb Question Alert:

i don't use humidity. I have it turned off nor do i use any heat, at least now in the summertime as i am presently having the same weather as NYC.
It just dawned on me. If I don't use water Do I still need to put water in that tank?
Ive seen people say they could buy the S9 Autoset without the humidifier but I just naturally assumed that the water kept the machine from getting too hot......but I really haven't had time to actually give it any thought until now when i saw your message.
Is it possible I don't even need to be putting any water in that tank?

I don't lift mine out. I just pour the water in carefully so it doesn't spill over the sides so i wouldn't need to worry about dropping it.
Ok I guess i will get an extra one next time i am at the DMEs office

Thanks.......
The simple thing is plain no growth hormone (usually greek style) yogurt. Dab on, let dry, dab a bit more..
Interesting. That makes perfect sense. When one thinks of what antibiotics can do to a woman IF you don't eat yogurt daily........I do eat it daily, albeit fruit ones with peach in it but i will remember that with the plain yogurt should such a cut ever develop...Good to know, thanks.
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

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palerider
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Re: Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

Post by palerider » Sun Jul 27, 2014 1:01 pm

Sludge wrote:
palerider wrote:because the only place you're going to get 175c water is in an autoclave.
Not even.
industrial steam plant?

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Re: Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

Post by chunkyfrog » Sun Jul 27, 2014 2:32 pm

" . . . i don't use humidity. I have it turned off nor do i use any heat, at least now in the summertime as i am presently having the same weather as NYC.
It just dawned on me. If I don't use water Do I still need to put water in that tank?"
You are using water; it's just passover humidification--you get what evaporates at room temperature.
If you are comfortable, the rest does not matter. Find your happy combination, and enjoy.

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archangle
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Re: Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

Post by archangle » Sun Jul 27, 2014 3:01 pm

ShelaghDB wrote:Dumb Question Alert:

i don't use humidity. I have it turned off nor do i use any heat, at least now in the summertime as i am presently having the same weather as NYC.
It just dawned on me. If I don't use water Do I still need to put water in that tank?
Ive seen people say they could buy the S9 Autoset without the humidifier but I just naturally assumed that the water kept the machine from getting too hot......but I really haven't had time to actually give it any thought until now when i saw your message.
Is it possible I don't even need to be putting any water in that tank?
As the frog says, you do get a little humidity even with the heater turned off. You can try with no humidification if you want.

First warning, take the tank out any time you move or pick up the machine.

Be sure the humidifier heater is turned off. The light inside the S9 humidifier will glow blue instead of orange. Turn the knob a time or two to see which light I'm talking about and watch it go from blue to orange.

Be sure the heater is turned off, and empty out the water tank. Use it a few nights and see if you still feel OK. If so, you can leave the tank empty. The S9 will still blow air if you leave the tank out, but that might affect the mask pressure and apnea sensing.

You can also disconnect the humidifier entirely and have a smaller piece of machinery to deal with. The hose will connect into the side of the blower unit at the same place the humidifier attaches.

Even if you don't need humidity this time of year, you might need it in the winter when your inside air is dryer.
mgaggie wrote:honey is a good anti-bacterial agent
I think that's mostly a new age myth. Bacteria doesn't tend to spoil honey because the sugar concentration is so high it sucks up the available water. It's "dry" as far as biochemical reactions are concerned. Once you dilute it by mixing it with water, it doesn't kill off bacteria.

Honey can actually contain dormant bacteria and other germs that will become active and maybe dangerous. It's dangerous to feed honey to infants because it may cause botulism. You can also kill hummingbirds if you use honey to sweeten water in a hummingbird feeder.

Honey may be "healthful" in some ways, but don't pretend it's a magic elixir. Also, even if it's "natural", it's still sugar, and it contains a lot of fructose, which is the "devil sugar" everyone makes a big deal about in high fructose corn syrup.

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Re: Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

Post by archangle » Sun Jul 27, 2014 3:10 pm

Todzo wrote:The simple thing is plain no growth hormone (usually greek style) yogurt. Dab on, let dry, dab a bit more..
More dangerous new age nonsense.

Yogurt has bacteria in it. Hopefully, it's mostly "beneficial" bacteria, but there's no guarantee there's not some other nasty bacteria in there. Even if the mix of bacteria in yogurt is harmless or even healthy when eaten, that doesn't mean it's OK when you rub it into a cut. Your digestive system is designed to deal with various nasty things. A cut in your skin isn't.

Yeah, yogurt is "natural". So are bird droppings and stagnant pond water. Don't rub them in your cuts.

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Re: Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

Post by palerider » Sun Jul 27, 2014 3:17 pm

archangle wrote: The S9 will still blow air if you leave the tank out, but that might affect the mask pressure and apnea sensing.
you're right, the way the inner seal works, it will seal with or without the tank.

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Last edited by palerider on Sun Jul 27, 2014 4:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

Post by palerider » Sun Jul 27, 2014 3:20 pm

archangle wrote:
Todzo wrote:The simple thing is plain no growth hormone (usually greek style) yogurt. Dab on, let dry, dab a bit more..
More dangerous new age nonsense.

Yogurt has bacteria in it. Hopefully, it's mostly "beneficial" bacteria, but there's no guarantee there's not some other nasty bacteria in there. Even if the mix of bacteria in yogurt is harmless or even healthy when eaten, that doesn't mean it's OK when you rub it into a cut. Your digestive system is designed to deal with various nasty things. A cut in your skin isn't.

Yeah, yogurt is "natural". So are bird droppings and stagnant pond water. Don't rub them in your cuts.
yeah, no shit...

more natural things I don't advise... mercury, arsenic, todzo. (though I'm not sure about how natural the last is, but I do advise against.)

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Re: Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

Post by archangle » Sun Jul 27, 2014 3:49 pm

palerider wrote:
archangle wrote: The S9 will still blow air if you leave the tank out, but that might affect the mask pressure and apnea sensing.
the inner seal in the lid requires that the tank be in place, there's no seal around the edges of the door... so it'll leak like a sieve wthout the tank.
not as bad as the PR would, but still. not good.
Interesting. Mine doesn't leak a bit of air. I guess YMMV.

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Re: Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

Post by palerider » Sun Jul 27, 2014 4:12 pm

archangle wrote:
palerider wrote:
archangle wrote: The S9 will still blow air if you leave the tank out, but that might affect the mask pressure and apnea sensing.
the inner seal in the lid requires that the tank be in place, there's no seal around the edges of the door... so it'll leak like a sieve wthout the tank.
not as bad as the PR would, but still. not good.
Interesting. Mine doesn't leak a bit of air. I guess YMMV.
nope, you're right, I was wrong about how much the lid seal covers, and have edited out the misinformation in my above post.

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Re: Bacteria, oh the horror! Sleep supplies and myths

Post by MINItron » Sun Jul 27, 2014 5:31 pm

I'm one of those people who grew up on a farm. I have never been one to worry about bacteria, or sterilizing things in general. I do clean my mask thoroughly at least every other day, and wash out my hose at least once a week. My humidifier tank gets a trip through the dishwasher every week or so. Even though we use distilled water it can still contain spores of nastiness. Not to mention what may settle out of the air into the tank while walking back to the bedroom from filling it in the kitchen.

Antibiotic resistant bacteria are on the rise as well. May people are unwitting carriers of MRSA. I had to be tested before having surgery a couple years ago. Where to we carry MRSA? In our nasal passages.

Is there some dire need to replace everything on a regular basis just because of the threat of bacteria? For most the answer is no. Basic hygiene takes care of it. I use the mask wipes because my water leaves spots on the mask, and the spots themselves are irritating. The wipes do a very good job of cleaning everything up. If someone had a more delicate immune system than mine then more attention would need to be placed on making sure everything was kept clean.

Just my $.02

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