Could lung inflammation be from CPAP?

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:31 pm

Spoke with my doctor today and got some preliminary information from my lung biopsies. He says that there is an inflammatory process in the lower lobe of both lungs, and attributes it possibly to a reaction to something environmental. Says we will start with 2-3 months on steroids to see if it responds.

The abnormal xrays first showed up nearly a year ago. When I look at the timeline, the only significantly different exposure that I can correlate is going on cpap. Has anyone experienced anything like this related to cpap treatment? Maybe it's unrelated, but I can't help but wonder.

Don't know what to avoid since I don't know the cause. Maybe we'll figure out more as time goes on.

Kathy

dllfo · Post by **dllfo** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:57 pm

How often do you clean your water container (if you use one)?

You can make a free call to the nurses at National Jewish Hospital, they might have some suggestions.

What steroid is he putting you on? If it is prednisone, ask him what side effects he expects. I was on it almost a month the first time and gained about 30 pounds.

My glasses no longer fit my new "Moon" face, I have grooves in the temples.
BUT Prednisone is the ONLY rescue agent I have.....that and Heliox.

Best wishes, you are too young to be going through this stuff.

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:24 pm

dllfo - Not sure yet which steroid, just kinda expected Prednisone. Not happy about the expected weight gain, but also not so thrilled about such poor breathing. I'm just hoping this won't be an ongoing thing.

My first thought was "That's what I get for cleaning my tank so seldom." While it may have nothing to do with it, I will be one of those daily cleaners just in case until the doc tells me why or why not it could be related. In my rationale, if that were the issue it would be an infectious process, not an inflammatory one. He specifically said it is not attributable to any particular infection. I do use distilled water.

My doctor is a pulmonologist who is highly respected by the nurses at the hospital. They referred to him as a "brilliant doctor". I will be meeting with him in a couple weeks to go over things thoroughly.

Kathy

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:37 pm

when you cough up flem and mucus you get rid of junk in your lungs that cause inflammation. I guess it is possible if you are on cpap during the night applying pressure you would not have the urge to do that.

but if you have pneumonia and don't get rid of all of it, it will only return. Sometimes they have to perform surgery to remove the damaged lung so it doesn't damage other parts of the lung and reduce lung capacity.

That friend of mine that ran the street sweeper with the moldy filtration system had to go back in the hospital for surgery to remove part of his damaged lung. They told him if he didn't have it performed it would only damage more parts of his lung as it wasn't able to get rid of the fluid build up and further reduce lung capacity.

He is not that big of a guy, was about 200lbs 5' 10" or so, he has since lost over 70lbs. from it, he only weighs about 130-140 now.

Been around any black mold?

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:01 pm

Snoredog - that makes sense about CPAP possibly interfering with normal clearing processes. Except when I have a cold, once I doze off with my machine, I rarely feel a need to clear my throat or cough. When I was struggling with chest congestion last winter when they first said I had pneumonia, it crossed my mind to be concerned that all the congestion just kept collecting until I took the machine off. Not very pleasant for a while in the mornings.

I'm not aware of black mold, but it may be time to do an inspection of the basement.

Sure hope to avoid sacrificing any lung tissue.

Kathy

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:17 pm

[quote="kteague"]Snoredog - that makes sense about CPAP possibly interfering with normal clearing processes. Except when I have a cold, once I doze off with my machine, I rarely feel a need to clear my throat or cough. When I was struggling with chest congestion last winter when they first said I had pneumonia, it crossed my mind to be concerned that all the congestion just kept collecting until I took the machine off. Not very pleasant for a while in the mornings.

I'm not aware of black mold, but it may be time to do an inspection of the basement.

Sure hope to avoid sacrificing any lung tissue.

Kathy

JZ · Post by JZ » Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:41 am

Kathy,

This scientific study found that bacteria and microorganisms in the humidifier can not be transported into the lungs via CPAP.

http://tinyurl.com/2y5nuh

I don't know that I would take it as gospel as there could be conflicting studies. But it made me more comfortable in not doing a daily cleaning of my humidifier. If I were in your position now, though, I would either do without the humidifier as snoredog suggests or do a daily cleaning.

Let us know how this progresses. Good luck to you.

Janna

Similar-problem · Post by **Similar-problem** » Wed Sep 10, 2014 9:54 pm

kteague wrote:Snoredog - that makes sense about CPAP possibly interfering with normal clearing processes. Except when I have a cold, once I doze off with my machine, I rarely feel a need to clear my throat or cough. When I was struggling with chest congestion last winter when they first said I had pneumonia, it crossed my mind to be concerned that all the congestion just kept collecting until I took the machine off. Not very pleasant for a while in the mornings.

I'm not aware of black mold, but it may be time to do an inspection of the basement.

Sure hope to avoid sacrificing any lung tissue.

Kathy

Did you find out what cause the water in the lungs? I have a similar situation.

cpap007 · Post by **cpap007** » Wed Sep 10, 2014 10:12 pm

Spoke with my doctor today and got some preliminary information from my lung biopsies.

Lung biopsies? They took a chunk out of your lungs? If so, ouch, and sorry to hear that.

I cough up some good ole lung-cheese every morning regardless of the cleanliness of the mask, regardless of the humidifier or not. But it because I smoke cigarettes. If you don't smoke, then something else is going wrong.

cpap007 · Post by **cpap007** » Wed Sep 10, 2014 10:18 pm

btw -- Prednisone can be literally a hand of god for some situations (I have experienced it myself, loved it) -- but you can't live the rest of your life on it, unfortunately. "Weight-gain" is the least of your worries about it. You can read about the long-term effects and talk to your doctor. It is an excellent short-term thing but not something you want to live forever with. I highly doubt most doctors would prescribe it as a "forever" thing unless the condition is really really severe and there is no other option.

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Wed Sep 10, 2014 11:16 pm

Wow, this thread was a blast from the past - 2007 to be exact. Just as an update to this topic, I spent several months on Prednisone for what was diagnosed as interstitial lung disease, but had to come off it when I was diagnosed with glaucoma. A side effect of the med can be high eye pressures, and mine was in the 40's when discovered. Not good. Anyhow, the doc said the stint on the steroid had not cleared my lungs but had stopped it from progressing to affect more of the lungs. In view of the diagnosis I am guessing it was not any infectious exposure causing my problem, but rather that an old traumatic toxic exposure to formaldehyde while working in a lab many years ago finally caught up with me. They watched me closely for 20 years but as soon as we relaxed about it - lung trouble. At any rate, my condition still exists, and recently am feeling the need to get reassessed. May have to go back on the inhaled steroids as they are less threatening to the eyesight.

cpap007 · Post by **cpap007** » Wed Sep 10, 2014 11:30 pm

Could you describe what it is like to have a lung biopsy? I'm not being a jerk, just wondering.

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 1:15 am

My biopsy was done during a bronchoscopy. I don't know if I felt no pain or if the meds just made me not remember having any. I had a friend whose biopsy was through an incision on the side under the rib cage. She was pretty sore after that. When I worked in a hospital I was present during needle biopsies but never experienced one myself nor know anybody to ask how the procedure felt. I'm pretty sure I had the easier procedure.

SleepyEyes21 · Post by **SleepyEyes21** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 5:44 pm

kteague wrote:Wow, this thread was a blast from the past - 2007 to be exact. Just as an update to this topic, I spent several months on Prednisone for what was diagnosed as interstitial lung disease, but had to come off it when I was diagnosed with glaucoma. A side effect of the med can be high eye pressures, and mine was in the 40's when discovered. Not good. Anyhow, the doc said the stint on the steroid had not cleared my lungs but had stopped it from progressing to affect more of the lungs. In view of the diagnosis I am guessing it was not any infectious exposure causing my problem, but rather that an old traumatic toxic exposure to formaldehyde while working in a lab many years ago finally caught up with me. They watched me closely for 20 years but as soon as we relaxed about it - lung trouble. At any rate, my condition still exists, and recently am feeling the need to get reassessed. May have to go back on the inhaled steroids as they are less threatening to the eyesight.

Hi Kathy - so sorry to hear about your ongoing lung problem. Did your doc say this is definitely not caused by CPAP treatment? One would think that because the PAP machines have filters it wouldn't cause lung issues (provided the filters are being used & cleaned adequately.) Yet, with humidifiers and heated hoses, etc. being included, I would think this is a possibility.

I will keep you in my prayers

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 11:02 pm

Thanks SleepyEyes. Once it was determined I have interstitial lung disease, using CPAP seemed a side issue in the doctors' eyes. Aside from standard advice on cleaning it's not been mentioned. I have a long history of other respiratory issues, but they had seemed to level off and were totally unlike the spell that brought on this diagnosis, so it took me off guard. I am in a new town so when I get checked out it will be a new doctor. I do look forward to fresh eyes being on my case.

Could lung inflammation be from CPAP?

Could lung inflammation be from CPAP?

Humidifier

CPAP use and mold exposure

Re: CPAP use and mold exposure

Re: CPAP use and mold exposure

Re: Could lung inflammation be from CPAP?

Re: Could lung inflammation be from CPAP?

Re: Could lung inflammation be from CPAP?

Re: Could lung inflammation be from CPAP?

Re: Could lung inflammation be from CPAP?

Re: Could lung inflammation be from CPAP?

Re: Could lung inflammation be from CPAP?