Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
midwaybrit
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Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

Post by midwaybrit » Sat Mar 26, 2011 11:31 am

I have been using a Cpap machine for 4 months. I use a pressure level of 13 and am using a ResMed Elite machine with a Climate Control and a heated hose with a humidity setting of 81. I use a Swift FX Nasal Mask.
Five weeks ago I started withn an Upper Respiratory illness, tickly throat and blowing my nose. This progressed to Bronchitis and now Pneumonia. My Doctor has prescribed a Z pack and Mucinex. In addition I now have Conjunctivitis. During this period I have gone a few nights without the Cpap, but have to tried to continue with the regime.
I have recently searched online and there appears to be a clear link between Cpap users and repeated bouts of Bronchitis/respiratory illness. Most 'posters' are being told they are not keeping their equipment clean enough and/or are not using Distilled Water. I am doing all of the above and yet I am convinced Cpap is the cause of my current complaints.
I also worry that it is difficult to get an honest point of view, as the Cpap industry brings in millions of dollars for manufacturers and DME companies. I wish a unbiased medical professional would honestly compare the benefits and drawbacks of using Cpap machines so that the patient can make an informed decision.
As for my illness, it seems strange that I have never suffered anything like this in the past and it all seems to much of a coincidence. Does anyone out there share my opinion, or indeed shed any more light as to the cause of my illness ?
Many thanks,
Andy

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BlackSpinner
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Re: Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

Post by BlackSpinner » Sat Mar 26, 2011 11:43 am

midwaybrit wrote:I have been using a Cpap machine for 4 months. I use a pressure level of 13 and am using a ResMed Elite machine with a Climate Control and a heated hose with a humidity setting of 81. I use a Swift FX Nasal Mask.
Five weeks ago I started withn an Upper Respiratory illness, tickly throat and blowing my nose. This progressed to Bronchitis and now Pneumonia. My Doctor has prescribed a Z pack and Mucinex. In addition I now have Conjunctivitis. During this period I have gone a few nights without the Cpap, but have to tried to continue with the regime.
I have recently searched online and there appears to be a clear link between Cpap users and repeated bouts of Bronchitis/respiratory illness. Most 'posters' are being told they are not keeping their equipment clean enough and/or are not using Distilled Water. I am doing all of the above and yet I am convinced Cpap is the cause of my current complaints.
I also worry that it is difficult to get an honest point of view, as the Cpap industry brings in millions of dollars for manufacturers and DME companies. I wish a unbiased medical professional would honestly compare the benefits and drawbacks of using Cpap machines so that the patient can make an informed decision.
As for my illness, it seems strange that I have never suffered anything like this in the past and it all seems to much of a coincidence. Does anyone out there share my opinion, or indeed shed any more light as to the cause of my illness ?
Many thanks,
Andy
Most people here have the opposite experience. I found I have less colds/flues/asthma issues. The one time I did get pneumonia, it was over faster and much easier then the previous pre-cpap time, mostly I cranked up the humidity, used a Full face mask and sometimes even wore it during the day while reading because it made breathing so much easier.
You catch this stuff from people, from not washing your hands. The only reason to use distilled water is to prevent mineral build up.
Another thing to consider is if you end up in the hospital with pneumonia the first thing they do is put you on a machine to help you breathe.

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Re: Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

Post by HoseCrusher » Sat Mar 26, 2011 11:47 am

Andy, You may find this thread an interesting read...

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=58490

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Re: Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

Post by Wulfman » Sat Mar 26, 2011 12:09 pm

midwaybrit wrote:I have been using a Cpap machine for 4 months. I use a pressure level of 13 and am using a ResMed Elite machine with a Climate Control and a heated hose with a humidity setting of 81. I use a Swift FX Nasal Mask.
Five weeks ago I started withn an Upper Respiratory illness, tickly throat and blowing my nose. This progressed to Bronchitis and now Pneumonia. My Doctor has prescribed a Z pack and Mucinex. In addition I now have Conjunctivitis. During this period I have gone a few nights without the Cpap, but have to tried to continue with the regime.
I have recently searched online and there appears to be a clear link between Cpap users and repeated bouts of Bronchitis/respiratory illness. Most 'posters' are being told they are not keeping their equipment clean enough and/or are not using Distilled Water. I am doing all of the above and yet I am convinced Cpap is the cause of my current complaints.
I also worry that it is difficult to get an honest point of view, as the Cpap industry brings in millions of dollars for manufacturers and DME companies. I wish a unbiased medical professional would honestly compare the benefits and drawbacks of using Cpap machines so that the patient can make an informed decision.
As for my illness, it seems strange that I have never suffered anything like this in the past and it all seems to much of a coincidence. Does anyone out there share my opinion, or indeed shed any more light as to the cause of my illness ?
Many thanks,
Andy
I don't know where you're getting that garbage. As BlackSpinner mentioned, the majority of folks find just the opposite. I know I did. There have only been a couple of times in the last six years that I've had a respiratory illness and it was the flu and it was transmitted to me by some other people at work. Prior to this therapy, I've had some kind of annual respiratory ailment since I contracted some kind of bronchial pneumonia in high school (mid 1960s).

Maybe you're using too much heated humidity and need to turn it down or Off and use "passover" (cool) humidification.

PS: As far as "cleaning" goes, I'm in the "minimalist" category. I've never actually "washed" my humidifier tank or my hose......just dump, rinse and refill. I do wash my mask "occasionally"......a few times a year. However, I do rinse my air intake filter out at least once a month. And, I've always used distilled water in my humidifier tank.


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Last edited by Wulfman on Sat Mar 26, 2011 2:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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BlackSpinner
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Re: Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

Post by BlackSpinner » Sat Mar 26, 2011 12:44 pm

Another thing I want to point out is that when you are sick, especially with a respiratory problem, the last thing you need is to reduce the amount of sleep and O2 to your system so this is the absolute worst time to NOT use your cpap machine!

Also as far as water is concerned, if you are not using distilled but tap water, this stuff is safe to drink. You can get very sick from bad water but you don't get pneumonia or bronchitis from it.

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Re: Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

Post by Hawthorne » Sat Mar 26, 2011 1:51 pm

I don't think there is any connection between your using cpap and your current condition.

I have been on cpap for 8+ years now and I also have Rheumatoid Arthritis. The drugs I take for RA compromise my immune system. In the time I have been on cpap I have had way fewer colds, flu or bronchial conditions than I used to. While I used to get at least one bad bug a season, now I rarely have anything and it clears up very quickly and is milder than in the past.

I have always used distilled water in the humidifier tank. I clean my nasal pillows daily but my other cpap equipment only gets cleaned about once a month. I used to clean everything more often but it doesn't seem necessary. One thing I am very careful about is the filters in my cpap machine. I use the hypoallergenic white filters and change them monthly. I also use the foam filters and I change and wash the foam filters for my machine every 2 weeks.

This seems to work well for me.

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Re: Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

Post by Janknitz » Sat Mar 26, 2011 8:14 pm

Prior to CPAP I would have 5 to 8 respiratory infections per year, often progressing to bronchitis and occasionally pneumonia. Then I started CPAP and went nearly an entire year with NO respiratory infections whatsoever. I'm not an obsessive cleaner. I do clean, but not as regularly as recommended.

I did end up with a one-two punch of bronchitis this winter, but my husband came home sick and "shared" the first bout and then my daughter came home sick the second bout. Their germs, not my CPAP, caused the mild respiratory infections that touched off my bad asthmatic responses.

Meanwhile, the CPAP really helped. I was able to sleep all night, every night comfortably in my own bed (except for one bad drippy night with a runny nose during the "cold" phase). My coughing even stopped with the CPAP on. Without CPAP I'd be sitting up in the recliner NOT sleeping for days on end. I'm sure I would have been much sicker without it.

I've seen on the OSAA board where people insist that they "caught" a respiratory infection from their CPAP, but I don't think there's any evidence to support that theory.
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Re: Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

Post by edsuzy » Wed May 11, 2011 1:30 pm

My husband has had repeated bouts of bronchitis over the last year & has missed a great deal of work. He has a CPAP machine & uses distilled water. I, too, think there is a link.

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Re: Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

Post by Janknitz » Wed May 11, 2011 4:12 pm

When talking about CPAP causing or not causing “bronchitis”, I think it’s really important to distinguish between the types and causes of bronchitis.

Bronchitis means “inflammation of the lungs”. Most of us assume that bronchitis is an infectious process—you get a viral or bacterial infection that causes inflammation of the lungs. This is known as acute bronchitis. This is actually not as common as people think, though it certainly occurs.

There is also “chronic” or “asthmatic” bronchitis—that is inflammation of the lungs as a result of an irritant or trigger. As someone with asthma, a cold or other trigger (i.e. smoke) will often cause inflammation of my lungs that becomes a full-blown bronchitis—this does not necessarily mean that there is an actual infection in my lungs. Chronic/asthmatic bronchitis is very common.

In chronic/asthmatic bronchitis, the lungs fill with mucous—kind of an allergic response just like an allergic response to pollen can make you sneeze and your nose will run. The trigger causes the symptoms, not infection, and at that point an antibiotic or anti-viral will not help. The usual treatment is bronchial dilators and steroids.

However, a secondary infection can occur because all the mucous pooling in the lungs is a nice, cozy breeding ground for bacteria and viruses. This can lead to pneumonia. But the primary cause of chronic/asthmatic bronchitis is NOT an infection. So cleaning or not cleaning the CPAP isn’t that much of a factor in chronic/asthmatic bronchitis. In fact, I think CPAP helps me avoid a lot of triggers that could cause bronchitis because of the fine allergy filter I use with it. I’m breathing clean, filtered air all night.

It makes sense to keep the CPAP clean because it is involved with your respiratory tract and there can be viruses or bacteria lurking, but it’s not such a huge problem in a person of ordinary health that the medical community would advise not using CPAP.

Midway says “there appears to be a clear link between Cpap users and repeated bouts of Bronchitis/respiratory illness.” but doesn’t state if these are evidence-based studies or anecdotal observations of CPAP users. If evidence-based studies, it would be important to read the studies to see if causal links have been considered. For example, evidence-based studies have shown correlations between people who use PPI’s to treat GERD and bronchitis and pneumonia. Note that a high number of individuals on CPAP also have GERD and may use PPI’s. The studies linking GERD with bronchitis and pneumonia haven’t yet determined if the PPI’s are causing the bronchitis and pneumonia, or—more likely-- if it’s simply that people with GERD are more susceptible to bronchitis and pneumonia because they are the group of people who have a higher chance of aspirating stomach contents into their lungs because of the GERD.

Anecdotal reports that CPAP users have repeated bouts of bronchitis/respiratory illness don’t necessarily mean that CPAP causes these illnesses, it only means that individuals who need CPAP in the first place may also be in the group of individuals who are more likely to develop bronchitis and respiratory illnesses regardless of their CPAP use.

Likewise, the fact that your husband has had repeated bouts in this year since he started CPAP doesn’t mean that there aren’t other factors that may be concurrently causing frequent bouts of bronchitis. Has his physician evaluated the possibility that he may be developing some reactive airway disease, if he doesn’t already have an asthma diagnosis? That is a more likely reason for repeated bouts of bronchitis and it can be objectively assessed with a pulmonary function evaluation. It’s something that should be discussed thoroughly with his physician.
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Re: Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

Post by deerslayer » Wed May 11, 2011 6:40 pm

never saw this thread before today
before starting pap therapy i had 3 bouts of chronic bronchitis/pneumonia . up till last thurs had not experienced any since.
have been able to keep the sinus drainage/ post nasal drip dried up where not to escalate to larger problems .
i recently started on bipap and certainly not citing machine for condition.
coincidentally 2 days before i fell sick my new Rhemalologist put me on a new script- Plaqunil 1 tablet twice a day. was coming off a 2 week feel good trip also from Prednisone .
i wouldn't wish this crap on worst enemy & am terrified every time i am faced with trashed lungs, coughing up blood w/ infected sinuses.
if it weren't for my machine at night i'd be totally screwed. going to try tonight without taking the hydrocodone to go nite nite...& waking up in that drug fog
tim

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Re: Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

Post by howkim » Thu May 12, 2011 7:31 am

I am getting over my first bout of bronchitis in years. When I lived in the NorthEast, I had a bout every winter - all winter. Didn't seem to have anything do to with my PAP as a source. However, when I got my PAP, I quickly learned to crank up my humidity AND to use a room humidifier. Well, I got rid of the room humidifier when I moved here (really don't need it in South Florida). With this bout of bronchitis, I did crank up the humidity and it certainly helped.

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Re: Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

Post by Muse-Inc » Sat May 14, 2011 1:00 am

Like BlackSpinner, masking up and turning on the machine was the only 'good' breathing I had when I got a bout bronchitis that became what the doc called asthmatic bronchitis -- was very glad to see it go, take the fever with it, and being able to stop taking antibiotics, prednisone, and using the rescue inhaler, nasal irrigating twice a day. Used so much saline to keep my nose cleared out and drained, I shoulda bought stock in Ocean The one thing the doc insisted on was using my machine without fail while sleeping/napping and washing everything well inbetween uses.

My 30+ yrs of chronic respiratory allergies, chronic sinusitis, frequent sinus infections are vastly improved since CPAP therapy. In fact I haven't had a sinus infection since starting therapy Aug '07.

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Re: Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

Post by Mimmie » Sat May 14, 2011 2:42 am

I agree. I HAVE to use my machine when I have bronchitis or pneumonia or both or together or anything else! I also have COPD. I HAVE to use snuffle. There is no way around it. If there's a sinus infection then I work with it till I have an airway open and then slap that mask on and go to sleep. Crank up the humidity and the air temp, it helps the sinus infections and the lungs feel much better. It's the only thing that helps me feel better too!

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Re: Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

Post by imsleepynomore » Sat May 14, 2011 7:57 am

Seems to me you looking for an excuse to stop CPAPl I sure hope not as your health will be better with CPAP. You will need to wash equipment more frequently during this bout of illness but please continue with your therapy. Using you CPAP when sleeping will make your airways more comfortable and allows you to get better much needed rest. Hope you are on the road to recovery in a few days.

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Re: Cpap and Bronchitis/Pneumonia

Post by rick1234 » Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:51 pm

Cpap Related respiratory illnesses. 12months of usage wt. 4 very persistant bronchial / chest illnesses beginning in Sept. lasting 8-14 days. heavy cough, yellow phlegm, severe cold systems pretty sick. Last winter similiar problems wt. 3 episodes. I initially thought I had lymes disease. Could I be catching my own cold?