CPAP machine is making me sick and causing me lung problems

[theoregonlife]

I am using the following

Resmend s9 Autoset
Mirage quatro fx
the machine is set to 8-14
hummity is set 4.0
heated hose is set to 80


determined to fail therapy are you serious that is the most ludicrous thing i that i have ever heard, let me tell you something guest this therapy is supposed to make u feel better not worse and so far its done nothing but create more medical problems for me. put your self in my shoes and tell your self you would not be frustrated, let's see you deal with chest tightness and congestion every day and be on nasal spray that gives you thrush and burns after you use it. Let me also spit some facts at you know it all, not everyone can use a cpap and it is not THE only option so get off your high horse. I appreciate everyone with a respectful answer as this whole process is frustrating and i am just looking for some resolution.

[theoregonlife]

You say your using 4 sprays a day, from my reading on Flonase the standard dosage is 1 to 2 sprays a day. Two side effects are runny nose and coughing. If it runs down from your nose it can also drain down your throat. Maybe your spraying to much, ask your Doctor if cutting back to the standard dosage might help. Flonase is suppose to be non addictive. Just my 2 cents.

the dr said to use 2 sprays in each nostral 2 times a day for a total of 4 sprays each per day for 2 weeks. i am also using a neti pot with sterilized water to rise out before sleep..

[Pugsy]

Have you tried a higher setting on the humidifier than 4?
Thanks for adding the additional information. It helps us to know all the nitty gritty little details.

I am someone whose nasal mucosa happens to really need a lot of added moisture. I have forgotten to fill the tank a a few times and ran out of water and my nasal mucosa gave me the same symptoms you are complaining of and they lasted 4 to 5 days. Total misery...even my teeth hurt. Totally mimicked a major sinus infection. The first time I thought...hmmm maybe upper respiratory infection, cold or sinus infection....the second time it happened I though Hmmm...maybe the lack of moisture....third time for sure lack of adequate moisture. I haven't forgotten to add water since. I use a setting of 5.5 on my ResMed with the Climateline. A little lower temp only because the added warmth in the summertime was a bit much.

Don't know that you are the same way but you might try increasing the humidity level if you haven't already.

Also...try this experiment...take your fingers and place them along side the bridge of your nose where your nasal turbinates are. Apply pressure...don't press extremely hard...just gentle pressure in the area about where the mask sits...tell me if you get congested with just a little pressure from your fingers in that area.

[theoregonlife]

Have you tried a higher setting on the humidifier than 4?
Thanks for adding the additional information. It helps us to know all the nitty gritty little details.

I am someone whose nasal mucosa happens to really need a lot of added moisture. I have forgotten to fill the tank a a few times and ran out of water and my nasal mucosa gave me the same symptoms you are complaining of and they lasted 4 to 5 days. Total misery...even my teeth hurt. Totally mimicked a major sinus infection. The first time I thought...hmmm maybe upper respiratory infection, cold or sinus infection....the second time it happened I though Hmmm...maybe the lack of moisture....third time for sure lack of adequate moisture. I haven't forgotten to add water since. I use a setting of 5.5 on my ResMed with the Climateline. A little lower temp only because the added warmth in the summertime was a bit much.

Don't know that you are the same way but you might try increasing the humidity level if you haven't already.

Also...try this experiment...take your fingers and place them along side the bridge of your nose where your nasal turbinates are. Apply pressure...don't press extremely hard...just gentle pressure in the area about where the mask sits...tell me if you get congested with just a little pressure from your fingers in that area.

did so and i did get some congestion, i will try increasing the humid to 4.5 tonight. thanks so much for the advice

[squid13]

the dr said to use 2 sprays in each nostril 2 times a day for a total of 4 sprays each per day for 2 weeks.

My misread about sprays. Since your doing 2 sprays in each nostril a day maybe you only need 1 and 2 is to much for the nostril. The standard dose is 1 to 2 sprays and maybe your that person that only needs 1 not 2. I assume your using distilled water in your humidifier. I hope you find a cure for your problem I know your miserable, I've been there with a cough that lasted for 3 months and finally he gave me an anti biotic that killed everything good and bad bacteria and in the process I thought it was going to do me in cause it made me very sick but it cured my problem. What ever the cure is let us know. Hang in there, this to shall pass.

[Pugsy]

did so and i did get some congestion, i will try increasing the humid to 4.5 tonight. thanks so much for the advice

Did so and got some congestion...I assume this is in reply to the experiment with applying pressure to the nasal turbinates. This is common for some people and what I was getting at is that the weight of the mask and the tension to keep it sealed is probably contributing to your nasal congestion. It's applying pressure to that area.
When some puts the mask on and immediately becomes congested then that points to something more than nasal mucosa rebelling against the air.
It is a physical response to the turbinates getting sort of squished. I don't know the fancy medical term for that occurrence.

I assume you need a full face mask because of mouth breathing issues and can't normally breathe through your nose sufficiently during the day or night.
You might consider getting with the DME and trying a full face mask that doesn't put pressure on the turbinates.
The Innomed Hybrid or the ResMed Liberty are full face masks that use nasal pillows and an oral interface. Nothing across the bridge of the nose.

If you aren't a die hard mouth breather and could use the nasal pillow mask system...that would also be an option.

In other words...the pressure of your current mask and the tension needed to keep a good seal may possibly be making the congestion worse. So if the increase in humidity doesn't help....consider a change in masks to see if that would help.

[Mundy]

You said this starts as soon as you put on the mask. Might you be allergic to something in the mask?

[Julie]

Your humidifier setting is the problem. Period. Get a whole-room humidifier if your home is in the desert, but stop pouring water into your own system and then wondering why you're sick... move if you have to, but there's no magic answer, just common sense and it needs using.

[theoregonlife]

Your humidifier setting is the problem. Period. Get a whole-room humidifier if your home is in the desert, but stop pouring water into your own system and then wondering why you're sick... move if you have to, but there's no magic answer, just common sense and it needs using.

ok then tonight i will sleep with no humidity on just a tank of cold water of the heated hose on and report back to u all tomorrow morning

[Slartybartfast]

Before you try that, you mention you set your humidity to 4 and hose to 80 degrees. That temperature causes me problems, too.

You're running your hose in manual mode. Why don't you set the Climateline to Automatic mode and simply adjust the temperature of the hose? That way the unit will keep your air at a constant 80% RH at whatever temperature you select. Most folks like it between 72 and 78 degrees. It's like cruise control.

If you're having trouble as soon as the mask goes on, then I think Pugsy (as usual) is onto something. It might be the pressure. I use a nasal pillows mask, so I'll bow out now.

Hope you get some relief. Bug the Medicine Man about this. There is a solution. Make the Dude work for it.

[theoregonlife]

i forgot to mention that i am running AC about 72

[Slartybartfast]

Got it. So you're in a dry climate, breathing AC air, which further dries the air, unless you're using a swamp cooler. If you are using a swamp cooler, remember that stuff can grow in the cooling water and on the medium (Legionnaire's Disease).

As has been mentioned, I'd turn off the humidifier; it's just going to make your AC work harder, anyway, and increase your electricity cost. Let the humidifier on the S9 condition the air you're breathing and see if you notice an improvement. Set in Auto mode between 75 and 78 degrees should be about optimal.

[theoregonlife]

Got it. So you're in a dry climate, breathing AC air, which further dries the air, unless you're using a swamp cooler. If you are using a swamp cooler, remember that stuff can grow in the cooling water and on the medium (Legionnaire's Disease).

As has been mentioned, I'd turn off the humidifier; it's just going to make your AC work harder, anyway, and increase your electricity cost. Let the humidifier on the S9 condition the air you're breathing and see if you notice an improvement. Set in Auto mode between 75 and 78 degrees should be about optimal.

i have no inhouse humidifier just the one on the s9

[RandyJ]

I second the suggestion to try Climate Control in Auto mode and just regulate temperature.

Also as was suggested above you are taking the max dose of Flonase; usually you start at 1 spray per nostril per day and go up from there if you have no relief in symptoms. I would definitely consider cutting back a bit on the Flonase and see if it helps.

[WearyOne]

Just a quick thought here on the nasal spray and your drainage. My son is not on CPAP, but he does use Flonase (generic) at night for nasal congestion when he lays down. Right after he uses the spray it causes drainage, so he has to wait a while after using it before laying down or the drainage is awful. Just wondering if you use the spray and then immediately go to bed. If you do, you could try waiting a while to see if that helps. Also, there are different kinds of steroid nasal sprays. My son tolerates some better than others, and some are more helpful than others.