Helpful Articles + Information

Lots of queries are coming, quite naturally, about the Coronavirus which is at the forefront of all of our minds.  Sadly, there are also lots of inaccurate and at times, scare-mongering, posts invading the internet, especially on social media.  Therefore, we are on a mission to ensure only correct information is given from reliable sources which will be updated as things progress......

The Lane Fox Respiratory + Sleep Disorder Unit of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust are looking for adult patients for a new trial who are diagnosed with moderate to severe obstructive obstructive sleep apnoea and have been effectively treated with CPAP for at least 6 months.

Patients interested in the trial must already use their CPAP on a regular basis for almost the whole night. The trial takes only two weeks and will involve coming off CPAP, but the major benefits for participants are that they will have a complete reassessment of the current severity of OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnoea) and their CPAP treatment as well as have additional assessments such as lung function testing, and of course support scientific knowledge to optimise therapy of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in the future.

If you are interested in participating please contact esther.schwarz@gstt.nhs.uk or Joerg.Steier@gstt.nhs.uk to discuss eligibility.

Read about one patient's story who has almost completed his trial by clicking here

I have written before warning people not to use products like Vaseline or Vicks inside the nostrils, but still we as a charity are hearing this is being recommended by some doctors and nurses. Whilst it is rare, this can lead to lipoid pneumonia and is not worth the risk!

Apart from the health risks, products containing petroleum jelly and other substances can also damage the soft parts of the masks, causing leaks and costly replacements.

This particular question comes up such a lot in our support groups...."should I use my CPAP or Ventilator when I have a cold?" The answer is almost always a big "YES." During a cold or flu virus our airways are even more compromised, plus the fact people are probably taking pain and cold remedies which cause drowsiness. Therefore, breathing and sleep apnoea will be worse so we need all the help we can get. Added to this, unrested sleep and low oxygen levels will delay the healing progress. However, there's no doubt about it that wearing a mask is more challenging at times like this and it's even more important to keep up a good cleaning regime of the mask and tube.