Humidifier

[charl72]

Do any of you use humidifiers? If so, are they any
good?<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif" border="0"><br>
<br>

 

[IG]

I believe humidifiers are generally discouraged among CFers because alot of the things that we are prone to getting grow in moist areas. Which humidifiers don't help really.

I know some on here do use them, but I believe they clean them out every day and sterilze them.
Probably going to get mixed feedback on this one...

 

[bmombtoo]

I used one on my oldest son years ago, and it made him worse, would
go to bronchitis. With Josh I used a ultra sonic cool mist when he
was younger, especially in the winter time. My pedi had me do it
based on the temperature and dew pont. There was stuff  I put
in it to help it not breed bacteria and I had to keep it clean.Most
recently I asked his allergist about this and he would prefer we
use hepa air cleaners, we have mold allergies. Hope this
helps.....

 

[JazzysMom]

I use one for Jazmine's room, but she doesnt have CF; however she has bad allergies. I use it in the winter only while the heat is on. She gets bad nose bleeds otherwise. Hers is portable, but my Mom uses a stationary one that is like a piece of furniture. I have had problems for myself if I dont clean it out, change the filter & use the cleaner for it. As long as I stay on top of it things are fine!

 

[mistylavon]

My daughter's doc said the same thing. No humidifiers or no candles (I was very dissappointed by that one). I used a humidifier for several months in the girls room for white noise at night and during nap time before I found out Morgan had CF.

 

[Ratatosk]

We keep the hepa filter/air purifier in DS's room. Works like a white noise machine and cleans the air. L

 

[IG]

Misty, I've never heard about the 'no candles' thing before...

I personally never had a problem with them, and can't really see why they would say that. (The little smoke they give off never really was noticable even when I was at my worst right before tx) Even the scents they come in never bothered me or my lungs. Did your doctor ever say why? I can see the humidifiers.. Just curious.

 

[amber682]

I'm also wondering about the candles. I never was told that either.
What do you guys  think about campfires? I mean we are
outside. Have they bothered any one out there?

 

[JazzysMom]

I was never told no candles. I also was not told no humidifers. That is just something I dont use for myself. The candle scents make a differenc on me. I cant have anything floral. Need to stick to vanilla or cinammon. Campfires, woodstoves etc varies depending on the wood/smoke coming out. Sometimes it bothers me & sometimes not. Like anything else I guess its best to minimize the exposure!

 

[IG]

Well I can understand campfires.. minimizing that just because it can get so smokey. I mean even the 'normal' people in my family get bothered by the smoke so that's like 'don't stick your head into the smoke' kinda sensibility. But the candle... I mean I guess it's kinda like Lysol spray, some people can stand it and some people can't (I can't, really bothers/ed my lungs), but that's more of an investigative process than a 'it's good for everyone/it's bad for everyone' kind of rational.

 

[coltsfan715]

I use a humidifier on occasion. I usually have to use one when I go to Tennessee to visit my grandparents. I am in Florida so I am used to very humid weather most of the time. If I am in a dry climate for any period of time I get nose bleeds and tend to cough up blood in my sputum. I also get very shot of breath in dryer climates. I have found for myself, if I sleep with a humidifier in my room near the bed when I am in those dryer climates that I do not have those problems (nose bleeds and blood in sputum) I do get a little short of breath but not as badly as if I were not using the humidifier.

That being said I can see why many people would not use them. I have never been told by my doc not to use one, but I also never really asked. I was in a situation and needed some moisture and used one - it helped so I use one every now and then if I need it.

Lindsey

 

[amber682]

Candice<i>,</i> I'm glad u brought up lysol. I use it a lot in the
kitchen and bathroom, never thought about it bothering my son. I'll
have to watch to see if it seems to, and just use it while he's
napping I guess. Although I do be careful already not to spray it
right in his general direction, I would do that for anyone, cf or
not. It's not fun to have a face full of lysol. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">  <br>
What are some other things like that which tend to irritate a
CF'ers lungs? Bug spray? We use that a lot outside. I'm open to
anyone's input on things that bother you or your children. 

 

[IG]

I've switched from Lysol to febreeze just because I felt like I couldn't breathe well when it was used.

Lysol was the only thing that I really noticed in a daily basis. Ammonia though, always irritates me, but I think that's common.
Other than that certain smells bother me, but that's not really lung related..

 

[folione]

We use a hot-steam humidifier in the winter because our house is heated with radiators and gets horribly dry. The humidifier we use also has a UV system in the tank and we clean it every day with bleach and change the water filter as soon as it looks off-white; I figure between the boiling to produce steam + UV + bleach we're safe. It has proved beneficial for all of us including our 3 year old son w/CF.