CPAP Machines and Chest Infections

[Curryandchips]

Recently, I had a flare up of Bronchiectasis. I was issued Doxy that has helped and I'm due for a CT Scan in a couple of weeks.

I was pondering why it suddenly flared up and my wife suggested my CPAP machine. I thought I was pretty good at keeping the reservoir, hose and mask free from mould. However, yesterday I gave everything a clean and had a look inside the CPAP unit where I found a patch of mold on one of the rubber couplings.

Has anyone else ever had a chest infection from their CPAP machine?

Any tips on keeping it clean?

[Oshgosh]

hi, I don’t know about Cpap machines.

The only idea I’ve got is contacting whoever supplied you the machine and as k for advice.

[Curryandchips in reply to Oshgosh]

Thanks

[Threecats]

Hi

I’m sorry to hear of your Bronchiectasis flair.

I use a CPAP machine and have certainly heard that they can cause chest infections, although, fortunately, I haven’t experienced that so far. My routine is to wash the mask, and water tank daily in warm soapy water, dry them thoroughly and leave them in my airing cupboard along with the hose which I loop over a rail to dry out. Once a week I give everything a good soak with white vinegar, then thoroughly rinse and dry out. It’s a bit of a faff but seems to work.

Hope that helps and good luck with the scan., TC

[Izb1]

Wow thats a bit scary, think I would follow the advice from threecats x

[Ian1967]

Hi Curryandchips, I use BiPAP which is a similar machine to CPAP, I clean my tubing using a Sleep8 ozone cleaner every day apart from Sunday when I wash the tubing through using Fairy Liquid Original and every couple of weeks I also use White Vinegar in the soapy water.

Every day I wash my mask cushion, elbow and and humidifier chamber in Fairy Liquid Original soapy water, leaving it to soak for 30 minutes and then drying it in a Hurricane CPAP dryer for 1 hour, you can just let them dry naturally, but it can take all day and still not be thoroughly dry.

Also make sure you replace your CPAP machine filter every couple of months.

I hope I have been Some help.

Ian.

[Curryandchips in reply to Ian1967]

Thanks for that. Sounds like I have been a tad tardy on my cleaning!

[Ian1967 in reply to Curryandchips]

You haven’t been tardy at all, when you get put on CPAP/BiPAP at home they don’t really teach about cleaning your equipment, also most of the things apart from the washing up liquid, white vinegar, water and machine filters are not really readily available in the UK.

I use Google for research and the YouTube channels LankyLeft27 and CPAP Reviews, also in this country a website and Charity Hope2Sleep, they also have a Facebook group which I joined in lockdown, because the NHS was busy treating Covid and you weren’t able to speak to Consultants or Respiratory Physio’s, I would highly recommend Hope2Sleep, Kath Hope who runs the Charity is a member on this forum also.

Ian.

[Curryandchips]

I'll have a look - thanks