Outline of black particles on face after using CPAP

[bfanguy]

I made a posting yesterday about having bad body odor since I started using a cpap machine (see section below). I had thoroughly cleaned my mask and hose Friday morning and put in a brand new filter. When I woke up this morning I had a 1/2'' ring of black particles around the bottom of my mouth where my masks fits on my beard. I had the same thing Yesterday morning (causing me to clean everything and change my filter. Could there be something in the machine breaking down causing the. La k particles? Could this be related to my new moldy body odor?

Again any help would be greatly appreciated


(Previous post)
3 months ago i started using a CPAP machine with a humidifier. I will admit that I did not clean the humidifier every week like i was told, I believe I cleaned it, the mask and hose 3 times in 3 months with vinegar and water.
My wife has been complaining that lately I have a bad sour body odor similar to mold.

I quit using the humidifier 2 weeks ago (thourghly cleaned the mask and hose and replaced the filter (first time in 3 months - when i washed the old one it had a lot of "black" dust in it), and she tells me that I still have the "mold" odor.

[BlackSpinner]

There is 2 options - one that it is coming from the machine. Check your humidifier for then immediately - the air hits it first. If so the black particles should be all over your face under the mask but closest to your mouth & nose and not under the seal.
The second is that it is coming from your body - in which case it will be under the seal of your mask because it can't get away, it is trapped by the seal of the mask.

[LSAT]

I made a posting yesterday about having bad body odor since I started using a cpap machine (see section below). I had thoroughly cleaned my mask and hose Friday morning and put in a brand new filter. When I woke up this morning I had a 1/2'' ring of black particles around the bottom of my mouth where my masks fits on my beard. I had the same thing Yesterday morning (causing me to clean everything and change my filter. Could there be something in the machine breaking down causing the. La k particles? Could this be related to my new moldy body odor?

Again any help would be greatly appreciated


(Previous post)
3 months ago i started using a CPAP machine with a humidifier. I will admit that I did not clean the humidifier every week like i was told, I believe I cleaned it, the mask and hose 3 times in 3 months with vinegar and water.
My wife has been complaining that lately I have a bad sour body odor similar to mold.

I quit using the humidifier 2 weeks ago (thourghly cleaned the mask and hose and replaced the filter (first time in 3 months - when i washed the old one it had a lot of "black" dust in it), and she tells me that I still have the "mold" odor.

If your filter has black dust on it, that means the black dust is coming from the air inside the room. The filter is trapping some of the dust before it gets into the machine...some must be getting through. Do you have a black residue/film on your furniture when you dust??? Where do you live?

[Pugsy]

Wood burning fireplace or wood heat used in the house?
Using only the black foam filter?

[khauser]

What kind of filter are you using? My PRS1 has two, a foam filter and a fine particle filter. The fine particle filter is considered optional ... I think one came with the machine, while 2 foam filters came with. I bought extra fine filters (which go under the foam filter).

The foam filter isn't going to trap the particles ... so I was thinking you might need the fine particle filters.

[RandyJ]

History of machine and hose? (Are you first owner? How old? Hours of use? Age of hose?)

Using distilled water in humidifier?

[2 B Sleeping Soundly]

What kind of filter are you using? My PRS1 has two, a foam filter and a fine particle filter. The fine particle filter is considered optional ... I think one came with the machine, while 2 foam filters came with. I bought extra fine filters (which go under the foam filter).

The foam filter isn't going to trap the particles ... so I was thinking you might need the fine particle filters.

I second this! I would not now use my PAP machine without using both of the filters. Due to occasional allergy and sinus issues, the additional filtration of the white fine particulate filter in combination with the black / grey foam filter have proven to be a extreme benefit for me. For what it is worth (nay sayers will certainly chime in ), I change the white filter and clean the foam filter with baby shampoo and hot water every 2 - 3 weeks. This works for me .

[justme again]

If the filters are clean, wouldn't the black particles be coming from within the machine? Maybe rent a machine and see what happens. Is the bad smell only on your face and/or beard? Is some part in the the machine breaking down? Something dead in there???

[BlackSpinner]

Since the bad smell is being emitted by his whole body (ie his shirt smells bad) that means it is a whole body reaction, not just from air & dust on his face.

Candida infection will do that. It causes a sour, vinegary body odour. If you have that, the O2 and good sleep could have caused an over growth to happen after you started cpap.

Some people will emit the scent of garlic or beer if they imbibe depending on how their body processes it.

[bfanguy]

The plot thickens

I took the new filter out and it has black particles on it again so I am thinking its airborn. I checked my ac filter and its black!! The house is on a slab 20 years old and kept in immaculate condition. However 2 months ago I slurry sand blasted my (under roof) brick back porch, so I can reseal it. 2 days after I water/sand blasted it, it was covered with white mold. I swept it off and poured a gallon of Clorox on the porch. I have been waiting for it to stop raining and the bricks to Dry out so I seal the open porch. At least twice I have seen white mold on the bricks. Can this be somehow making it in my house and turning black?

I checked my attic and the entire house and there are no signs of a source anywhere.

Should we check in hotel until I can get someone to check on this?

[Julie]

If you can afford it, it would at least let you know that the machine and mask are ok (if they are) and you'll at least get some sleep.

[BlackSpinner]

The plot thickens

I took the new filter out and it has black particles on it again so I am thinking its airborn. I checked my ac filter and its black!! The house is on a slab 20 years old and kept in immaculate condition. However 2 months ago I slurry sand blasted my (under roof) brick back porch, so I can reseal it. 2 days after I water/sand blasted it, it was covered with white mold. I swept it off and poured a gallon of Clorox on the porch. I have been waiting for it to stop raining and the bricks to Dry out so I seal the open porch. At least twice I have seen white mold on the bricks. Can this be somehow making it in my house and turning black?

I checked my attic and the entire house and there are no signs of a source anywhere.

Should we check in hotel until I can get someone to check on this?

I would! You need the house checked for mold. Black mold is very toxic. Some people react more then others. The biggest problem is that it can trigger other problems and allergies in your body but especially in the lungs.

[JDS74]

The white mold on the bricks may be carbonates from water seeping out of the bricks.
The black stuff is very likely mold and you need to solve that problem very quickly.
You should consider a second anti-bacterial filter that is installed between the hose and the mask. This will catch almost all of the particles.

The white fine filter that installs in the back of the machine does let some particulate matter pass through so the down line one will catch what gets by.

The filter is a clear sphere shaped object with inlet and outlet connectors. It is good for about a month unless you have a really severe problem. Because it is clear, it is easy to see and check.

[simplyme]

Hi, just wondering where is your cpap located? On a bedside table or on or near the floor? And do you have an oil furnace?
If near the floor I would think that could be more chance of it being mold spores, or dust I suppose but as mentioned by others if the rest of the house is dust free I would lean more toward mold being the culprit.

If you have an oil furnace and forced air there can be a problem with how the furnace is working, i believe it is with cracked combustion chamber, that causes a fine black dustlike material to come through the vents. But again unless your machine is sitting on a vent, the whole house would probably be showing the black stuff.

Get a room for one night and clean your cpap equipment completely, then see what happens...
Hope you find the answer, and hopefully it will be a nice simple solution, hopefully...

[bfanguy]

After many hours of checking / research these are my findings:

Black Particles
I have my A/C person here and he assured me the Black particles are from burning scented candles.
My daughter received 4 for christmas and has been burning them diligently (her room is right across from the a/c filter), and evidently some of the smoke is making it's way into my bedroom.

Smell
Foul Smell on my clothes is comming from something at my office.
Saturday and Sunday my wife checked and I smelt fine, Sunday night i had her go to my office and as soon as we opened the door she smelt the "mold/mildew" smell.
I asked others and they said their spouses were complaining about the smell on them.
We think its coolant we are using in our CNC machines in the machine shop - the smell is comming into the offices.

I would like to thank everyone for their help on these topics.

Brent