When you have sleep apnea, your doctor will likely advise you to use a CPAP machine to help treat it. A CPAP machine creates a positive airway path while you sleep. This means that it provides your nose and mouth with a steady flow of oxygen throughout the night so that the airway doesn’t close, which sleep apnea can cause.
When the airway closes as you sleep, you don’t get the oxygen you need to your body and brain. A CPAP machine remedies that and keeps you asleep through the night. But with any medical device, there can be recalls.
Currently, some Philips Respironics devices are recalled. We’ll discuss why further down, but immediately after hearing the news of the recall, you might be wondering what this means for you. Let’s take a look at how to treat sleep apnea during this CPAP machine recall.
Treating Sleep Apnea Even Though Your CPAP Has Been Recalled
It’s hard to say how this recall will affect you and your use of your CPAP device. If you’re using one of the machines that has been recalled by the FDA, you might think that you need to immediately stop using it, but that might not be helpful for your sleep apnea.
As advised by the FDA, you shouldn’t stop using your CPAP device just because it’s listed in the recall. Your first step should be talking to your doctor. They will know what is best for you and will work to decide which machine will be right for you to switch to. But in the meantime, they might advise you to keep using the recalled CPAP.
There are a few paths that your doctor could advise for how you continue to treat your sleep apnea even though your CPAP has been recalled. They are:
- Stop using your device immediately
- Stop using your device and use a similar device that has not been recalled
- Continue using your recalled device because the benefits outweigh the harms
- Try other treatments, like positional therapy and retainer-like options
- Look at other causes of your sleep apnea, like smoking, and focus on treating those
- Start considering long-term options, like surgery
With all of these potential paths, you won’t be able to make that decision on your own. While you know your body and likely understand how your device works, you and your doctor can discuss what’s best for your treatment plan and what you need. They’ll know which machine is safest for you.
The way you’ve been cleaning your device could also pose an additional problem. If you’re using an ozone-based cleaner or UV light cleaner, then it could accelerate the breakdown of the foam that’s part of the recall. Your doctor will also know which cleaners will be safest for use.
Let’s take a look at symptoms that could mean your recalled device is affecting your health.
Symptoms Caused by Defective CPAPs
When you’ve been using a recalled CPAP machine from Philips Respironics, or another brand if there are future recalls of devices, you might not know when you should talk to your doctor about the device. It’s important to note that as soon as you find out about the recall, you should contact your doctor to discuss your options.
However, you might not hear about the recall until after you experience symptoms. That’s why it’s important to know the signs that your recalled device is causing you harm—then you can quickly identify when it’s hurting you and you can consult your doctor for what to do next.
Here are some of the symptoms that the defective CPAP could cause for you:
- Irritated skin, eyes, nose, mouth, and upper respiratory system
- Sinus infection
- Asthma
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Burns
- Organ damage
- Organ failure
- Cancer
Being aware of your body and health is important so that you can identify these symptoms right away and seek medical treatment. From there, your doctor will be able to guide you through your treatment and options moving forward. As mentioned above, your physician will know the best path for you after using this recalled CPAP machine.
After receiving treatment for one or more of these symptoms that were linked to the use of a recalled device, you could use the help of a California CPAP machine lawyer. At Frost Law Firm, PC, we’re dedicated to helping victims of recalled products and getting them the justice they deserve.
Why Were These Machines Recalled?
All of this information could leave you wondering why these CPAP machines were recalled, especially if this is the first time you’re hearing about all of this. As briefly mentioned above, the problem with the Philips Respironics CPAPs, BiPAPs, and ventilators that were recalled is the foam that was intended to quiet the machines while in use.
The polyester-based polyurethane (PE-PUR) foam is used in the mouth and nosepiece of these devices. Its placement provides a barrier that makes the machine quieter, which is essential for both patients and anyone sleeping in the same room so they can easily sleep through the night.
However, the problem with the PE-PUR foam is that it can break down. Since it’s in the mouth and nose piece, that means it can easily be inhaled or ingested. The small black particles enter the person’s body and become encapsulated in tissue. From there, it can break down further and release toxic chemicals into the body that cause irritation, damage, and potentially cancers.
Even if particles don’t enter the body, the breakdown of the foam releases toxic chemicals. This means that if it is breaking down in the mask piece, then you could inhale these gasses and they could harm your body in the ways listed above.
With all of this in mind, it’s easier to understand why these devices were recalled—they’re dangerous. If you’ve been harmed by one of these devices that was intended to help you, then you may want to take legal action.
Frost Law Firm, PC Will Represent You
When you’ve been using a CPAP machine to help treat your sleep apnea, you could feel betrayed when it turns out the manufacturer’s negligence caused the device to be harmful. After using a recalled device, you could suffer injuries to your body when you were supposed to be healing your body. Our California CPAP machine recall lawyer is here to help you take action.
At Frost Law Firm, PC, we understand why you would want to hold the company accountable for the damages they’ve caused you. Reach out to our office today so we can get started with your claim so you can get full and fair compensation.
