Are CPAP users more susceptible  to Pneumonia?


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REMstar Auto A-Flex w/Humidifier
M -series ComfortGel -Nasal Mask

I don't have an answer for that. I've also never had pneumonia, BUT I personally get sick A LOT. It seems I catch every little thing. And when I get sick, I get sick for a very long time. I have been wondering if that is related to sleep apnea and how many people on the board get sick easily.


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Previous Mask: F&P Zest (did not like)
Current Mask: Resmed Swift LT for her (nasal pillow)
CPAP: F&P Sleep Series 234

Pam,

My husband has been on cpap for about 20 years, as has one of his best friends.  Neither have had pneumonia during that time.  

Are you thinking that a cpap would force a head cold to the lungs?


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Dianne's: Remstar Auto M, C-flex, humidifier, smart card. Mask: Swift LT, AHI- 23, lowest blood ox 80%.

John's: Same cpap, Mask: Respironics Profile-lite mask.
severe apnea, Cpap user for more than 20 years.

One of the wonders of the internet is the ability of patients to research their own medical questions.

Do some google searching. I am sure there have been studies on the topic.

My personal experience has been with 7 years on a CPAP as an over the road truck driver.. The first year on CPAP before I learned to be obessive compulsive about keeping my mask, hose, and intake filters clean I had two bad cases of broncitis that might have led to pnuemonia if left untreated.

6 years now on CPAP... clean mask hose and filters.. no broncitis...

My opinion.. its basic CPAP maintanence issues...


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Just a truck driver with sleep apnea

This is my first day joining this support forum. I found a couple of posts related to mine about the possibility of the CPAP causing bronchitis and/or pneumonia.  How do we get a health professional's opinion on this question within this forum?

maf79...I was told by the nurse that my immune system was down due to sleep apnea, she told me that in my case i was not reaching REM sleep at all without a cpap, and this is the bodies restorative time, so my body was not able to repair itself at all when i was without treatment! She said for me to look to the future that now that i have my cpap my immune system would get better and i shouldnt catch every little thing as i have in the past!

My sleep study showed that I had excessive REM sleep.

Right now I'm incredibly sick. Actually went to my doctor today and said I was highly contagious. She actually covered her mouth and nose with a kleenex (she's seen me sick many times--she's never done this before). I always catch things 10x worse than everyone else. I've always been this way since I was a child.

She tested me for influenza A, but it came back negative so I still have to get the vaccine. I've been in bed since Saturday and she said I should probably plan on not going to work for another 2 days or so.

I'm currently not able to wear my mask for a couple reasons:
1. I have a nasal mask and i am so stuffed up that I can barely breathe through my nose.
2. My mask has broken open the bridge of my nose so I have a painful sore (now scab).
3. I have a rash right below my mouth that is being tested for shingles (haven't gotten results yet) so while I don't have a full face mask, I wouldn't be able to wear one anyways and no supplier would let me try on their masks anyways with this rash on my face.

So not being able to sleep well I'm sure is hindering me getting better right now.



Last edited by maf79 on Tue Sep 29, 2009 10:40 am; edited 1 time in total
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Previous Mask: F&P Zest (did not like)
Current Mask: Resmed Swift LT for her (nasal pillow)
CPAP: F&P Sleep Series 234

MartinEmily wrote:

This is my first day joining this support forum. I found a couple of posts related to mine about the possibility of the CPAP causing bronchitis and/or pneumonia.  How do we get a health professional's opinion on this question within this forum?

How often are you cleaning yours?


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Previous Mask: F&P Zest (did not like)
Current Mask: Resmed Swift LT for her (nasal pillow)
CPAP: F&P Sleep Series 234

Ew! Sorry to hear that you are sick! I know the feeling as i have been down with the flu for the last 4 days...starting to feel a bit better today tho...I called my Dr and they didnt even wanna see me...said that i just have what is going around and told me what to do...yeah I'm getting ready to go to my ins site and see what other drs are in my network bc IMO the dr i'm going to now is not very helpful and i'm kinda worried will not follow up or take care of my OSA very well either!

I have COPD. I've been on CPAP, then bi-level w/02 at night, since 2006. I've had LESS colds & flus since CPAP and have neven been Dx'd w/pneumonia. (knock, Knock, KNOCK). I sure hope I haven't just jinxed myself by bragging!!!!


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Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity mask, ResScan 3.7, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.

MartinEmily,

You don't get a health care professional's opinion on this forum.  This is a patient run support forum.  You can look up any medical studies here where all peer reviewed research in the world is archived.

Pubmed

Vicki



Last edited by Vicki on Wed Sep 30, 2009 2:46 am; edited 1 time in total
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Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.
Marilyn Von Savant

That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

I have been on CPAP for ~14 years and  I never was very good at cleaning my CPAP.  For the past several years I seldom cleaned my CPAP, and I stopped cleaning it a while ago.  I haven't had a lung infection or sinus infection since I started using CPAP.  I have had strep throat a couple of times since my tonsillectomy, but I had chronic strep since I was a kid, and the strep pretty much went away after I had a UPPP with tonsillectomy.

Thanks to all who replied, and thanks Vicki for clarifying. Sorry to hear others are sick, too. Hope you're all feeling better soon.
I do not use water in my CPAP.  I've used it very sporadically because I have not adjusted well. It sounds like maybe I'm not cleaning it enough. How often is enough?

The heated humidifiers are scripted so often for a reason. For a majority of users the heated humidification increases comfort when using a CPAP as the air pressure w/o tends to dry most people's mouths and nasal passages, even throats.

Using your CPAP sporadically does little good. CPAP is NOT a cure, it is a THERAPY. It can't do you any benefit if you don't use it.

Your humidifier manual advises how often to clean the water tank. Your mask literature tells you how often to clean your mask. How often you really do clean it is up to you and what you are comfortable with


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Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity mask, ResScan 3.7, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.

Pneumonia...

Thanks for your responses, I did have a chest cold and was wondering.  
Someone had suggested that maybe the humidifier on  my Cpap machine could contribute to pneumonia.  Because of my age, etc. my doctor gave me a pneumonia shot.

I have always followed the recommendations on cleaning my equipment.  It makes sense if you are breathing in air from Cpap, you dont want to promote bacterial growth... etc.  As for looking up this information, yes I could have looked it up on the internet, but thought it would  be easier to get input from all of you!


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REMstar Auto A-Flex w/Humidifier
M -series ComfortGel -Nasal Mask