Biguglygremlin

Yes it seems to me that those of us with very severe Apnea would need a working CPAP at least up until a respirator became necessary and especially when difficulty breathing is one of the dominant symptoms and I do believe that the CPAP does help breathing even without the Bilevel function.

However I really don't think that the nasal pillows are manageable by a third party, at home or elsewhere, especially if they have no real experience with this equipment.

I'm not sure that a full face mask would be much better because I have had almost no experience myself with a full face mask but it seems to me that medical carers would feel more confident or have more familiarity with the concept of a full face mask.

The chaos of this virus is costing money in many unexpected ways. Money that I just don't have, so I am not looking to spend money if it serves no purpose but I suspect that a full face mask, as much as I dislike the idea, might be a good investment in the long run.

There is a high probability that many CPAP users will eventually be exposed to the Corona Virus

If I/they/we become seriously ill will we be able to manage the equipment effectively.

The CPAP could be a life saver for someone with an acute respiratory disease when respirators are in short supply.

But what if someone became seriously congested and dependent on others to manage everything?

If I found myself in that situation would my current equipment still be effective?

I've been using nasal pillow masks for almost 6 years now but they only work with preemptive measures to ensure that the sinuses are clear and constant vigilance to maintain correct positioning, direction and tension etc.

I doubt that others could or would manage these factors effectively on my behalf.

Would a full face mask be more versatile and more manageable in extreme circumstances?

I'm thinking of purchasing one specifically for this kind of situation but which one would be the most practical choice?

I'm probably misunderstanding a lot of stuff but this thread seems to have strayed off the tracks and is now circling off in the forest somewhere.

I'd usually start talking about the weather around about now.

So do you reckon it'll rain and what do you think Climate Change will do to Apnea sufferers?

We could send a few more your way if you want.

We seem to be getting a lot of infected people from the USA at the moment and our government seems unwilling to acknowledge that they are a risk.

Lol I don't think there is much chance of avoiding this one in the long run but I think the trick is to get it after the insanity subsides and at a time when the hospitals and doctors are not in panic mode.

Also after most other things have been put in place like immunisations for pneumococcal, influenza and perhaps even shingles and meningococal infections.

Not because they are directly related but because you don't want them piling on top of each other.

The virus is only really getting started here (Australia) so I expect that chaos will intensify over the next several weeks and not really subside till June. Only guessing of course.

I am not a medic but it seems to me that if the virus is in your system then how deeply you breath is largely irrelevant.

I am asplenic and generally unfit and unwell so anything that can lead to pneumonia is potentially lethal for me.

One of the symptoms of this virus seems to be difficulty breathing and the resultant stress, especially on the heart.

I rarely have anything good to say about CPAP but it may well be your best friend if you have this virus.

Either way seeking medical advice would be a good idea.

Hi Cavalia

I understand your concern.

Probably the majority of CPAP users would be on the endangered list.

What I don't understand is where you anticipate that the virus would be coming from.

However you breath whilst awake or asleep the air is going into your lungs.

I can't see how the CPAP would make any difference unless it is in an infected environment or being used by an infected individual.

Well I did wash my hands when I got home because I felt unclean, not from yet another cold virus, but from being an involuntary part of the insanity that currently prevails.

Yes I've been to Costco once or twice. Might not be as big as your stores but big just the same.

Costco Comparison

All I took away from Coles this morning was a couple of rolls of, you guessed it, paper towels!

Yes it had occurred to me that those paper towels might make a rather scratchy alternative if all else fails and I felt conspicuous and awkward with them tucked under my arm but they were on my list of things we've run out of! :P

On the bigger subject I can see how the process could start with imprecise or conflicting advice from too many 'experts' and with inadequate forethought on the part of the supermarkets and suppliers, even without hoarders, but the real problem is how to stop the process once a public awareness has developed and people are literally running out of toilet paper, because at that stage everyone is compelled to buy the product the moment it becomes available.

The other issue is that once the public has been sensitised, like an allergic reaction, they will respond much more precipitously next time someone rings the alarm bells.

This kind of response can only get worse.

What has toilet paper got to do with Apnea you ask?

Well I suppose it could be used under the mask to limit perspiration and mask marks.

It could be used to muffle the sound of leaking air.

It could be wound around the hose to facilitate climate control.

Or, better yet, it could be used to start a pointless discussion in an Apnea forum!

"The times, they are a-changin" There are way too many songs jumbled up in my head.

I tore off my mask this morning (Saturday) and made myself vaguely presentable.

Then I drove to the nearest Coles supermarket and waited patiently for them to open.

Despite being there way before anybody I allowed an appropriate number of over-wound shoppers, armed with trolleys, to push in and made my way, along with everybody else, to the toilet paper isle, only to find it empty.

I represent a family of 7 so there is some imperative to find a dependable supply.

We have done the usual online orders and everything was delivered, except the toilet paper.

So I'm back home now and a bit perplexed.

I spent the first decade or so of my life using newspaper in the outback dunny and grass or leaves or bark or ferns in the bush but I'm not keen to go back to that and I doubt that the rest of the family, or our modern toilet systems, would cope.

So how did we get to this point?

Although Australia has copped a lot of flack over the toilet paper issue we are certainly not alone.

It is not an issue that I have observed in this community before so I'm still trying to understand.

What processes initiate panic buying, if that is truly the right word for it, and how is it stabilised?

Hi Dsmooneyham,

Descriptions of noises can be confusing but maybe this link will relate in some way.

Previous discussion on mask noise