Anti bacterial filters

[pyater]

Anyone using an inline antibacterial filter? Just wondering if it helps. Since cold and flu season kicked in i have had a stuffy nose and nasal congestion.

This is my first fall/winter as cpap user.

I do use humidifier and heated tubing which seems like it might be a problem with one of these. Would worry it might get damp from humidifier and actually be a breading ground for bacteria.

Equipment is listed properly in my profile. My pressure is 7.2 - 12 on auto.

Just looking for some feedback and thoughts.

[palerider]

Anyone using an inline antibacterial filter? Just wondering if it helps.

Yes, I believe it does.

Since cold and flu season kicked in i have had a stuffy nose and nasal congestion.

But not for that reason.

I do use humidifier and heated tubing which seems like it might be a problem with one of these. Would worry it might get damp from humidifier and actually be a breading ground for bacteria.

Never been an issue for me, after all, it's supposed to filter the bacteria out, so they shouldn't get through the filter, eh?

I use an AB filter because I have allergies, and it catches more than the hypoallergenic filter does.

It won't do any good at all in relation to "cold and flu season" unless you've got someone that has a cold or flu standing there, coughing into the intake of your machine.

[Stom]

Anyone using an inline antibacterial filter? Just wondering if it helps. Since cold and flu season kicked in i have had a stuffy nose and nasal congestion.

This is my first fall/winter as cpap user.

I do use humidifier and heated tubing which seems like it might be a problem with one of these. Would worry it might get damp from humidifier and actually be a breading ground for bacteria.

Equipment is listed properly in my profile. My pressure is 7.2 - 12 on auto.

Just looking for some feedback and thoughts.

I wanted to use an A/B filter - it seemed like a no brainier to have a fine filter that could also filter out fine pollen as well as germs. However, AB filters go between the machine output and your hose, which means that they can't work with a heated hose since it has electrical contacts that the AB filter doesn't pass through to the machine (unless you place it between the hose and the mask, which is awkward). Also, A/B filters can have issues with humidifiers, they can get clogged with water, and for me humidified air and the heated hose to prevent annoying rainout is important.

If there is airborne flu virus in your bedroom, having an A/B filter may not keep you from getting the flu since you are already breathing that air during the evening before you go to sleep, but I couldn't find any studies that say one way or another in terms of filters on CPAP machines.

[Julie]

Lower your humidity setting (if you need it at all... some don't) and your congestion, etc. will probably clear up in a couple of days.

[squid13]

When I was using a AB filter I put it between the end of the heated hose and the short hose I use that went to my mask. I had no problems with it, be sure to set your machine for using a AB filter.

[chunkyfrog]

Viruses and bacteria are opportunistic; meaning they take advantage of weakness.
I found that treating my hay fever eliminated at least 90% of my "colds".
Antihistamines were my miracle drug.

[Pugsy]

If there is someone spreading flu bugs in a person's house...adding a filter to the machine isn't going to help much...the exposure has likely already happened. Best thing would be slap a mask on the sick person IMHO but that's hard to do with coughing and snot and stuff. And don't let them touch anything in the house.

Most people will pick up the flu or common cold bug from some sort of outside source and doesn't matter what filters are used at home in anything.
Handling money....big bug transfer culprit. Anything you touch that someone else might have touched. It's why I always use my own ink pen that I carry in my purse.
Being around sick people who don't know they are sick like in the grocery line.
Or like me with my last bout of a bad upper respiratory infection...caught it from the sick old lady in the bathroom at the doctors office.
And for heaven's sake don't ever use an ink pen in a doctors office.

Families with children...high risk because the kids will catch it and bring it home to share with everyone.
Jobs with high contact to lots of people...high risk for catching a bug. When I was actually working in the medical field with sick people...I caught every bug out there I think.

Adding a little extra filter to the cpap machine...not going to do much because we already have inhaled germ laden air or touched something a sick family member touched before we go to bed. Already exposed ourselves.
But if it makes a person sleep better to do it...hurts nothing.