Sierra

I recall that in the last couple of days Canada had one traveler from Australia come back with COVID. I would guess that Australia is just coming into flu season and it could get bad. Pneumococcal (both Prevnar 13 and pneumococcal 23) are a really good idea. The potential for death from flu or COVID typically comes when there is a subsequent infection of pneumonia.

COVID-19 is very contagious. If you have it in your mouth or nose you are going to get it. It is a done deal. The CPAP machine will not make a difference. They test in you nose because that is where it can survive and replicate. I believe there are some bacterial type filters you can put on a CPAP that might stop it from coming in from the room air, but if you have it in the room air, you are going to get it anyway.

We returned from travel in Mexico in early January. That was when it was just beginning to be an issue in China, but nowhere else. About 4-5 days after we got back we got a real nasty "cold", or at least that is what we thought it was. Now that the symptoms of COVID-19 are everywhere, it was the same symptoms, but no significant fever. I got a deep dry cough that made it impossible to sleep. I bought some Benylin Dry Cough Night syrup and it made a world of difference. I also feel that the CPAP helped me breathe a lot better. The Benylin and CPAP got me through it.

But, in my non medical professional opinion, there is no way a CPAP can give you COVID-19 or increase your likelihood of getting it.

I have recently noticed one thing with my AirSense 10 ResMed machine. I have found that if the humidifier section is not firmly inserted into the main machine it makes a clicking/clacking type sound each time I breathe in or out deeply. I suspect that the seal between the humidifier and the machine kind of flops back and forth with the changing pressure. If you firmly press the humidifier section into the main machine, it stops.

I think it will only be stabilized when those buying toilet paper have bought so much that they will not be able to find their way out of their house to buy more. Seriously the most credible answer I have seen is that people are seriously panicked about corona, and they feel helpless because there is nothing they can do to stop getting it. So, to make themselves feel like they are doing something, they go out and buy toilet paper. Totally senseless, but they do it.

Just by coincidence my 3 month prescriptions medications came due this week and I went in today to Costco to pick them up. Costco is the last place you want to go a few days before Christmas, but today it was many times worse. They had a security type guy down by where the toilet paper should be and he was shouting out, that there is no more toilet paper. Lineups to check out were brutal so I just went for my prescriptions and left my cart empty. I had planned to pick up a few groceries. Nearly every cart I saw had at least two big packages of toilet paper. My prescriptions were not ready, so I came back an hour later thinking that all the chaos would have died down now that the toilet paper was gone. Not so. Now everyone had their carts stacked up with paper towels. I guess at some point paper that is soft on the bum becomes less important! Not sure if you know how big a Costco is, but the line ups the second trip in were twice as long. There were 4 line ups that went from one end of the store to the other. It was total chaos. I abandoned my second cart (which was dutifully wiped down with disinfectant at the door by an attendant) and got the H out of there. Saw one guy that was wearing a full gas mask, not a paper M95 mask. He had his whole cart full of bleach (Javex).

My thoughts are that everyone needs a time out and a sanity check.

I have not used that specific mask. You may want to look at the mask manual to see if there is any specific things that need to be cleaned. All masks have a vent that bleeds air out when you are both inhaling and exhaling. Perhaps there is something in or around the vent that is making the noise?

I suspect the most common pressure setup is 4 min, 20 max, ramp start 4 cm. Why? Because that is the way they come from the factory, and I suspect most providers that give the machines out have never worn one. The most devious however, are the ones that remove the SD card that comes installed from the factory.

I have used the P10 up to about 15 cm of pressure without a leak problem. My wife uses the Brevida up to 15 cm pressure. If they do leak, they don't direct the air toward the eyes. I tried a F20 full face mask and I could not make it stop leaking.

You may want to consider a nasal pillow mask like the ResMed AirFit P10, or F&P Brevida. Full face masks tend to leak up around the nose and can blow air into your eyes.

What mask model are you using? Do you know what pressures are being used to treat the apnea?

What AHI are you getting, and what is the breakdown of AHI to clear airway vs obstructive? Has there been any change over this time?