Fungal Infections & BI Pap

Just before turning my 10 yr old BiPap machine into the VA for a new one last October of 2016, I came down with another sinus infection and subsequent bronchitis. A usual problem with an old machine that has been everywhere from the Bahamas to Tahiti. I probably wasn't as good about cleaning it as I should have been. I was issued a new machine that I was only able to use a few times as it was like blowing oxygen across a fire with the sinus infection. In December I went through a round of antibiotics, which helped somewhat, except for the tightness in my chest (I also have asthma and GERD) and continued sinus drainage, constant headache, cough, off balance, fatigue, etc.

It is now February, and not much has changed except for more chest tightness and drainage and discovering black thready looking things and grayish purple mucous on my kleenex on occasion. Mostly it just drains down the back of my throat 24/7. No fevers, however. The nurse tells me the black stuff is not normal, and they are concerned about the length of time I've been sick, and go to the ER if I develop a fever, but I've been tempted to go a few times without one. I suspect my old machine had mold in it after traveling to various places on the globe and picking up who knows what--I understand you can also get mold on the inside of your machine that you can't get to to clean.

The sleep clinic wants me to try to use my machine when I can. My ENT said I shouldn't use it when having sinus issues. But it's been over 4 months of issues now. I'm exhausted. I tried last night again and after 1 1/2 hr, I was a mess again.

I have other problems since this has all started from severe edema in the legs, circulation issues, etc., and I am wondering if there isn't a connection. I see the doctor next week, hope to get referred to ENT.

I also am wondering if you can infect your new machine with fungus while you are infected with it yourself? Which is why I have also hesitated to use my new machine at all since I might have a fungal or mold infection already. Can't find any info anywhere on this. I did recently purchase a So Clean Machine that sterilizes my new machine.

Also, is there any chance that if left untreated long enough, a fungal infection in the sinuses could infect the bronchial and lung areas?

Anyone have any ideas or thoughts on this?

Thanks!

Are you using a humidifier? Have you tried high settings, low settings and none at all? Very often people think it's mandatory when, if they live in humid climates, they might not need it, at least at certain times of the year, and may in fact give themselves real cold symptoms and congestion. It's certainly not mandatory.

I'm a bit surprised that you don't have an ENT 'on call' already considering your situation... I would hate to think Cpap could possibly be at fault, but certainly you need to keep the mask and humidifier tank clean (if you use one). And change your filters often.

Thanks for responding!!
I am using a humidifier. I have tried all settings. I live in the Pacific Northwest. Due to the cold winter and the heat running in the house, things do dry out when you are living more inside than out. I have tried not using it, as well. I wake up more dried out when I do, and I already have an issue with that even with the humidifier. I can't think of any instance I haven't had repeated infections with even with nasal irrigation, inhalers, Flonase, decongestants, etc.

I switched all my care over to the VA due to financial reasons, and am having to go through the process of referral to an ENT, which can sometimes take awhile unfortunately with them. So i am waiting.

And yes, you are absolutely right as far as sanitizing my machine. I was only doing it every couple of weeks before. I did purchase the So Clean Machine for just that purpose, but of course, the horse is already out of the gate with the infection by the time I got it.

The logistics involved in contaminating a machine with anything will make it extremely difficult. Think about how far the "germs" or whatever would have to travel to make their way to setup residence in the machine itself and they would have to travel "upstream" against the air pressure.

Now the mask...that might be a different story and maybe the end of the hose attached to the mask if someone was doing a lot of forceful coughing or sneezing directly into the mask.

Now some years ago (pre cpap) I was reinfecting myself (bad sinus infections) with the bottle of nose spray I was using.
But that was skin on the bottle of nasal spray tip contact...
For that reason I toss any nasal spray bottles in the trash once any sort of respiratory illness has passed.
Especially bacterial sinus infection...verified by cultures.

You really need a thorough work up from an ENT doctor to find out exactly what you are dealing with so you can then decide on the best way to kill it and make sure it doesn't come back.

Please do not count on the SC to do diddly! It's been debunked by thousands for yrs and it could be lulling you into thinking it works. See all the stuff on the forum re it, going back yrs. Total scam, totally useless.

Thanks, Pugsy!
I think it was Dr. Stephen Park's website that I read somewhere about the inner filter of the machine that could conceivably be infected with mold or fungus, but wouldn't swear to it. And it is reasonable to think it could have been the mask or hose, too, given all the places I traveled to and as many infections as I have had. He did say that some people just are not able to use their machine due to continuous infections no matter what they do. But that is besides the point. Yes, you are right, I do need an ENT to determine what this is about. And I appreciate how you mentioned infecting your tubing or mask by sneezing or coughing into--I'm quite sure I've done a lot of that! Which makes me reluctant to use my new machine until I get this cleared up, which hopefully, is soon. I have better things to do in life than be sick for months at a time and exhausted, too, from lack of sleep, which I can only believe does not help a person get well.

I didn't think about the bottles I use, like Flonase or Albuterol inhalers, etc., that I have infected with germs. That can get to be expensive. Sigh...

Anyway, thanks for much food for thought!

Thanks, Julie!

I know I read that after I bought it and after I received a barrage of calls and emails from well meaning friends who had seen the ad and were concerned about my health. ha! But since I spent the money already, I'd like to at least think or pretend that it is doing something even if its not. Desperate times call for desperate measures, I guess! I don't know what my next desperate measure might be in trying to find answers! ha ha!

wakeuplaughing wrote:That can get to be expensive. Sigh.

I hear you. But getting sick all the times isn't cheap either.
Now I don't know that contaminated bottles are a 100% factor or not but logic alone tells us that it isn't impossible.
Much more possible than germs traveling up a mask and down 6 ft of hose to go take up residence in a cpap machine.
Don't forget the toothbrush either...at least that's cheap to swap out.
There are some things you can do though to decontaminate those pricey medications and they just involve a bit of cleaning immediately after use.

I am not going to blast you about the So Clean device. You've already spent the money and it seems to give you some semblance of peach of mind and that might be worth something.
I liken using the So Clean to using the atomic bomb on a fly when a good fly swatter can get the job done just as good...and there's no nuclear fallout to worry about with a fly swatter. I am not so comfortable with all that ozone thing ..and that's assuming it really even works at the level of ozone that the device produces.

On the So Clean machine, I'm not sure how the ozone compares with the ozone in a room air cleaner but here is an EPA article on the room air cleaners possibly causing lung problems. https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality- ... r-cleaners
Maybe you would want to do the basic cleaning for awhile and see if things improve.

I have many thoughts and suggestions; unless I missed it you haven't listed your machine, mask or sleep data. I can tell you from my own experience early on when I was having problem, I was instructed by the Dr's technician to bring all my equipment in, the 1st thing he did was read and print out the data on the SD card. Problem solved, I was pushing air thru my nose and out my mouth all-night long. I don't want to sound harsh but IMHO it sounds like operator error. There are so many individual things to achieve maximum success at this point any suggestions would be a shot in the dark. Lest I forget to mention, the 1st thing I did was get software and every morning for several years with out fail I would check it, you will never achieve maximum success until your leakage flat lines. Now maybe once a week I read the SD card but I do check the AHI and usage at the machine every morning. Like auto crashes the auto is rarely at fault. Your no Newbie so my suggestion is "help us help you", give us something to work with!

If you still have the old machine, try cleaning it thoroughly and using it rather than the new one. The old one was working for your before. It's possible that some idiosyncratic difference is the problem. Not really sure about this, but give it a try.

Also, you should wear anti-embolism socks for you Edema, lest you develop (or exacerbate) leg problems.

D.H. wrote:If you still have the old machine, try cleaning it thoroughly and using it rather than the new one. The old one was working for your before. It's possible that some idiosyncratic difference is the problem. Not really sure about this, but give it a try.

The very first line of the first post said....."Just before turning my 10 yr old BiPap machine into the VA for a new one last October of 2016,"

I would first go to the VA or ER and find out what the black stuff is. If you have chronic rhinitis and GERD, you should be taking at least 40 mg of stomach acid reducer. However, if you have fungus in your sinus, nothing will help that unless you are treated. So my suggestion is to get that addressed first since it is unlikely, at this time, that your Bipap is going to be reinfecting you with anything (you have a new one, after all).

HI

xxx wrote: "February, and not much has changed except for more chest tightness and drainage and discovering black thready looking things and grayish purple mucous on my kleenex on occasion. Mostly it just drains down the back of my throat 24/7. No fevers, however."

My Question:

Wondering if you have identified what the black rod-like threads where that you were coughing up? I have them too. They are like discoloured tastebuds that grow on the back of my tongue. I can scrape them off with a tongue scraper. They look like thick black hairs.

They are not normal. I have been to 3 respirologists and 3 ENTs and no one knows what they are. (Including up at UBC).

If you have identified what it is let me know. I have a Malassezia furfur infection on my skin on and off for over 15 years.

I have had tropical bacterias and yeasts in my sleep machine. One of the bacterias that gave me a 6 month run of bronchitis was from Grand Cayman trip.

Currently, my sleep machine water has Ralstonia picketti in it. Research on that is scary. It can come in with your distilled water from contaminated manufacturers or be picked up at the hospital. It is a water based bacteria, and can cause everything from septic blood infections, meningitis to cardiovascular complications - nothing to mess with and of course there are aspects of anti-biotic resistance and not responding to hospital grade disinfectants.

Please get back to me on the black thread hairs.