CPAP - Sinus Infections

33 Year Old Male
Central Apnea
6' Tall and 177 pounds
Extremely Fit, Exercise 6 days a week.
Love Life, Wife and Kids.

Wow! Thank God for an Apnea forum. Let me ask this first. Are there other apnea forums any of you visit that you have benefitted from if so please share. Apnea *is* my life and the more information I can get from people in the trenches just like me the better.

My apnea story is amazing and depressing. I'm 33 and have been using CPAP since 1999. I'm in love with my CPAP. Just love the thing.

I've recently been fighting a sinus infection lasting months. I know it's the CPAP and the humidifier. I don't clean it as often as I should and I'm resolved to change that which should help. I recently stopped using the humidifier for about 15 days while on antibiotics just in the hope that dryness would help. I wanted to quit using the humidifier altogether but I started feeling worse and waking up with headaches and carpet-tongue like nothing.

Do any of you have suggestions for perhaps medicating the water in the humidifier or home remedy stuff to put in it to help with sinus infections? I desperately need ideas as I *have* to beat this infection and I think I have to beat it using the humidifier too.

Thanks in advance for any help!!!

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,
The humidifier helps by not drying up the secretions otherwise it could cause itching, irritation nad other symptoms.
The CPAP is infact a wonderful machine.
You should clean it more frequently - ask the providing agency to send someone over to clean it this one time.
Also it would help to use the accompanying nebulisation kit for steroid respules and some antibiotic respules - discuss and get these prescribed by your doctor. This would help with the sinus infection.
Alternatively, you could use saline and steroid nasal drops for the sinusitis and continue using the CPAP - with regular cleaning of course.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.

[strictlyforpain]

I'll call my apnea doctor right away. Thank you very much!

I do know how to clean it I just get over-taxed. I'm self-employed and my wife and I care for a child with Jejunal Atresia and most of the time we are tapped-out and so the details in life just get overlooked. I need to take ownership of this though and get this resolved for good. Just one more mountain to climb... :)

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

What can also be done is talk to the CPAP machine agency providers to get a cleansing done by one of their agents once in 2-3 months. That ways it can be serviced by professional.

That would only be over and above you cleaning it often though. You dont need to be told how effective it can be, but improper care could also cause side effects - like the sinusistis that you are having now.

Sorry to hear about your child's medical condition.
My best wishes to you and your family.
Good luck.

[eye395]

Hi, I'm also a sleep apnea person, but I've just been doing it for 3 months. I have an auto bipap. You are talking about cleaning the mask and the humidifier, right?...not the machine itself???Thanks.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Yes, its about cleaning the mask and the humidifier and getting the machine serviced periodically - so that functions for a longer period in a trouble free way.

Hope you are better with the machine.

Good luck.

[Robbi451]

I have the sleep apnea problem. It's not an overweight issue for me, rather due to having almost no chin. Started the machine nearly 6 weeks ago and it's been havoc on my sinuses since. I have constant nasal dripping, blowing nose, congestion and sneezing miserably all day long. Yes, I take Nasacort AQ spray and allergy tabs, even use the Neti Pot with saline solution to clean my sinuses, but my symptoms persist. I clean the tubing, nasal pillows and headgear with mild soap and warm water daily. If I don't use the CPAP, my symptoms disappear. If it weren't for my being scared about the fact that I stopped breathing at least 20 times during sleep study, I would kick this machine to the curb!
At wit's end and truly desperate for immediate relief, what should I do now?

Thanks for your help.

Robbi --
REMstar Plus, M Series, CFlex (setting #3), pressure #11, heated humidifier, nasal pillows, extra fine filter

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Have you got a CT of the sinuses done?

You could be having chronic sinusistis.

The sinusitis needs to be treated appropriately if present, and it would also help with the sleep apnea symptoms.

Has the machine been cleaned properly and serviced regularly?

Have you told your doctor about your complaints?

What does he/she have to say?

You need to get yourself investigated to rule out sinusitis, see a plastic surgeon with specialisation in maxillofacial surgery and discuss about any surgical intervention that may help with the sleep apnea.

In some cases of deformity of the palate etc surgery does help with the sleep apnea symptoms.

Do let us know about your progress.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.

[deannaarmymom]

Just started with my cpap in January 2010.  Had a love/hate relationship with it that first month, but now could not live without it.  Pollen count in our area has been awful this year, but amazingly I have had no symptoms (knock on wood).  Is it possible this is due to the cpap?  Typically, I get some sort of reaction to all the pollen & feel ill for weeks.