CPAP Machines and Pneumonia

jerryc · Post by **jerryc** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 12:38 pm

This is a question for all. I've been a CPAP user for two years, have used the same machine and have had great results. I was released from the hospital a couple days ago and am recovering from pneumonia. Since owning my machine I have been a fanatic about keeping it clean. Everything gets cleaned at least once a week and sometimes more. My question is, is there a way to clean the machine itself. My machine is a ResMed Autoset Spirit.

Since being placed on CPAP therapy I have barely had the sniffles much less something like this. The doctors said it would be virtually impossible to determine how I contracted this but I was just wondering.?

snoregirl · Post by **snoregirl** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 12:49 pm

I am not a doctor or in any way a healthcare professional, but logically, many people get Pneumonia, and many are not on cpap. I doubt that there is a link between your pneumonia and your cpap machine.

However, this is one of the very few times I am a proponent of cleaning all cpap stuff the very best you can now that you are healthy. I rarely clean my mask and never my hose, but if I had pneumonia or any other diesase where I could reinfect myself I would be there with the cleaning solution ASAP.

You might want to just change your hose ($10) since it is not a great expense. I have a hard time seeing how the machine itself can be a problem as it is a blower. But maybe someone else has an opinion on this. More likely the humidifier tank, mask and hose would be where I would place my efforts.

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 4:37 pm

I don't think anything would get in the hose or the HH. But if it were me, I would wash the hose, HH and mask thoroughly.

Brenda

BrianRT · Post by **BrianRT** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 5:09 pm

Don't forget to change the filter

goose · Post by **goose** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 5:15 pm

Mask would be top of my list since it's the piece that actually touches anything that would have the active "virus germs".
But I'd do everything as I am not an overly obsessive hand washer and the "germs" can be moved from handling!!! That would mostly be external stuff, but it can't hurt to "sanitize" everything. (While you're at it, do the doorknobs and just about anything else you would have handled!!)
good luck!!!
cheers
gg

DP · Post by DP » Wed Jun 13, 2007 6:06 pm

Not likely. In fact we have a patient that is a C4 quad and placed her on CPAP to help prevent her from getting pneumonia. It is either that or give her a trach and put her on a vent at night. There is a big long explaination as to why CPAP can help prevent pneumonia, but I'm not going to get into it here. So bottom line is that The only thing that I see as far as infections and CPAP go are really bad sinus infections.

DISCLAIMER: This is just my experience and may not be true in your circumstance.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 6:08 pm

there are many causes of Pneumonia. I have a friend that was in the hospital just a few weeks ago from it. He had been in and out of the hospital for months, he'd get better go back to work, few days later symptoms would come back.

I give credit to my daughter for finding his cause of the Pneumonia, when he was in the hospital for like the 3rd time, she called his wife and told her to have him tested while in the hospital for Coccidioides immitis, a fungus, and bingo, he was positive. They treated him for that and he got better in days. He is now out of the hospital and doing fine. I asked her how did you figure that one out? you didn't go to the hospital and see what tests they ran. She said I didn't have to, I looked at what his symptoms were (valley fever) and what he did for a living, he drove a street sweeper, that kicks up dust all day long. He reported back that they checked his street sweeper's filtration system out, it was full of black mold. They have since grounded and pulled every street sweeper in Cal-Trans inventory with that air cleaner installed out of service, we are talking hundreds if not thousands of units.

What are the signs and symptoms of valley fever?

About 60% of infected persons have no symptoms. The rest develop flu-like symptoms that can last for a month and tiredness that can sometimes last for longer than a few weeks. A small percentage of infected persons (<1%) can develop disease that spreads outside the lungs to the brain, bone, and skin (disseminated disease). Without proper treatment, valley fever can lead to severe pneumonia, meningitis, and even death.

DrowzyDave · Post by **DrowzyDave** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:36 am

My RT said that using a passover humidifier (cold air) can cause pneumonia. I am not saying I believed her or endorse her views . . .just throwing it out for discussion.

Dave