More questions from newbie: rhinitis?

jon k · Post by **jon k** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 12:26 pm

Hello all,

I started using my loaner CPAP for the first time last Wednesday, so last night would have been night 4. Since that time, I I wake up with extreme watery eyes, a constant running nose and severe sneezing - sneezing up to 18 or 20 times several times a day. I do have allergies, but they are generally under control. This began the day after I started using the CPAP, and today I feel like it's a full on high pollen spring day outside - except that we're in the middle of an ice storm.

Am I correct that this may be CPAP rhinitis? I have been using the neti pot to rinse my nose twice a day, have tried Benadryl and Flonaze spray, but no relief. I am also hydrating myself.

My question is this: I have a loaner RemStar Pro 2 C Flex, with a humidifier that says "Respironics" on it. The CPAP machine has a "Heat" button on it - but I have no idea how to use it or if it would help? The doctors office gave me no further instructions other than to take it home and press the on button at night after strapping on the mask.

Is the heat button for the humidifier? How does it work? Are there any concerns I should have?

Thank you!

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 12:35 pm

Try turning down your humidifier - you're giving yourself a cold .

jon k · Post by **jon k** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 12:37 pm

How do I turn it down? I'm not even aware of having turned it on!

LSAT · Post by **LSAT** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 12:42 pm

Was your machine new or pre-used. Was the hose and humidifier new?

jon k · Post by **jon k** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 12:47 pm

My machine is a "loaner" from the sleep center until all the insurance authorizations come through and I can get my own. Neither the machine nor the humidifier which came with it are new. The hose and the mask are new.

Sleeprider · Post by **Sleeprider** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 12:47 pm

Maybe you just have a cold? My daughter generously shared hers and last night I had those same symptoms with some pretty good sinus pressure. Fortunately, the nasal pillows mostly clear me up enough to breath...I actually had one of the lowest AHI ever at 0.41. Anyway, don't overlook the possibility this will just clear up.

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 12:52 pm

If you haven't filled the humidifier tank with water, then it's unlikely you've used it at all... so maybe it's just your weird weather this week there that's causing problems?

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 12:53 pm

Before automatically "turning it down" you might want to evaluate what humidity you are using in the first place.
What number lights up when you turn on your machine in terms of humidity?

I get it that people tell people to turn the humidity down but how about determining what was being used in the first place before telling someone to turn it down? Would it hurt anything to maybe find out more information before giving such a blanket statement that may or may not be the correct way to go?
If it is set to 2...and someone is having nasal problems maybe turning it down isn't such a good idea.
Now if they are using a setting of 5 and having congestion then yeah...turn it down.

Also...maybe find out if a heated hose is being used and if it is...at what settings (and there's more than 1 setting when a PR S1 heated hose is used and with the heated hose being used the humidity has to be set in the clinical menu because that knob only controls air temp when the heated hose is attached.

Jon...do you have the manuals for your machine...the user and the provider/clinical manual?
If not..let's get you those manuals.

Let's get you educated on exactly what machine you are using and which hose you are using and what the settings mean and figure out what your setting is now in terms of humidifier before we go telling you to decrease the setting or increase the setting.

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 12:55 pm

jon k wrote:I have a loaner RemStar Pro 2 C Flex

Does it have one of these attached? With the electric cord?
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... ifier.html

jon k · Post by **jon k** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 1:02 pm

Thank you Pugsy - awesome. No user manual: "Just turn it on!" was the extent of the directions I got. On the bottom of my unit it says Model # 1020923. Remstar Pro 2 Domestic. No black coupling. Also, not a heated hose.

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 1:03 pm

Go here and request the provider manual for your machine and this is what you would request
Respironics REMstar Pro 2 (not the "M" series, not the "PR System One")
Instructions are down near the bottom of the page.
http://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap-p ... tup-manual

That model machine had I think 2 humidifiers that looked like the one in the link above that I posted.
One was heated humidifier (had power to it) and the other was passover humidity only.
If you have the passover only humidifier then you are getting very little added moisture and this is likely the culprit in your nasal symptoms. Your nasal mucosa need more moisture.
If it is the heated humidifier I am not sure how to find the adjustment for humidity or the setting but the manual above that you need to get should explain it.

We need to find out
1...if you are using the heated humidifier what setting it is at now and make some sort of adjustment either up or down
2...if you are using the passover only humidifier...not much we can do if you have water in it already.
How long are you expected to use this loaner equipment?

jon k · Post by **jon k** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 1:03 pm

Yes, that's it! Not aware of the cord though.

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 1:09 pm

Crap...no electric cord? It should be easy to spot.
If you don't have one then that means you are using the old dinosaur passover only humidifier and not much we can do to add more moisture because there's no way to heat the water so that more moisture can be added to the air.

How long are you going to be stuck with this machine? It was discontinued when the M series machines were introduced in 2006 or 2007. The passover humidifier discontinued even longer ago.

Lack of adequate humidity in the air going up your nose is the likely suspect for all your symptoms....I have been there myself when I tried a lower humidity setting or forgot to add water to the chamber and it ran dry during the night. Ugly symptoms...mimics the worse cold or sinus infection or allergy attack I have ever had.

jon k · Post by **jon k** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 1:10 pm

I'm looking now Pugsy. Will report back. But here's a clue: I'm currently in a small room with the door shut and the room humidifier on high, and all my symptoms have disappeared.

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 1:22 pm

I would bet my last dollar that your symptoms are all related to the lack of adequate hydration experienced by your nasal mucosa.
Now how much you might need in general I don't know but it's obvious you need more than you are getting now....which is next to nothing. Now some people do just fine without added moisture or at low humidifier settings...but there are many people who need more and that's how come heated humidifiers were added to this therapy and that's why there is the medical term "cpap rhinitis"...most people need some humidity and some need a lot.

More questions from newbie: rhinitis?