Because you say that you have allergies... there is an anti-histamine nasal spray (I've used a few) that you can get, but you'll need a Rx for it.

hades161 wrote:I have never been a fan of Nasal sprays but once and a while I do use a saline spray. I bought a Nasal mister bottle and dumped out the medication part and make my own spray with sea salt and warm water as needed. I couldn't find a pure simple saline Nasal spray at the time if I would have I would have bought it. I have used Ayr gel for the nostrils if sore and only the sea salt / water and have got through everything so far including colds and flu. Only once did I think about a neti pot but after a few sprays and blows I was able to clear things up so I could use my Swift.

OTC sprays scare me after reading about what Jskinner a person who use to be on these forums a lot went through with them.

Comment,

The above making your own "sea salt and warm water" reminds me of this:

Louisiana Warns About Neti Pots After Fatal Brain-Eating Amoeba Infections.

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/12/16/l ... z1nQTLR2wA
http://healthland.time.com/2011/12/16/l ... nfections/


Why not use Water Pik's Easy Pour Pack and Distilled Water (or boiled tap water):



http://www.waterpik-store.com/detail/WAT+SWP-060

red1 wrote:I know I do have allergies to dust & cats. Fortunately I no longer have a cat. Dust on the other hand ...

Ah.... dust! The very first thing my Sleep Specialist had me do was replace my down comforter with something non-allergenic, wipe down the walls of my bedroom, vacuum, and wash the curtains. I don't know if I am allergic to feathers, but she thought it would be a non-instrusive first step. Judging from your remark about dust, I imagine you're about as thrilled with housework as I am. After I did all that, I had a sneezing fit to beat the band, which tells me I had a lot of allergens in my bedroom. If you didn't do a good cleaning after the cat's departure, some residual fur and dander might still be hanging around in your house. I recommend you do this cleaning overhaul early in the day so that whatever dust remains will have settled and your body has time long before before bedtime to process any allergens it took in.

I also use the NeilMed saline rinse. They say to use it at least an hour before bedtime. I use it at least 3 hours beforehand to make sure all the water is out.

Breathe-right strips can hold your nostrils open. I don't know if that is relevant for you. It is for me b/c my nose is so narrow. I do everything I can to allow air into my nose—even as a ffm-wearer.

If you feel OK about being on something like Claritin long-term, you could try that too.

My sinuses used to alternate their congestion all night long. The past couple of months, though, I noticed that it's mainly on one side. So now I sleep on my non-congested side. I don't know if you've tried that, but it might make breathing easier for you.

That's wonderful that you noticed the relationship between congestion and your AHI. Multiple interventions for possible allergies might be the key.

Good luck!

my sleep doctor told me to use Flonase once in the morning and once at night. Didn't set a limit on useage.

archangle wrote:

red1 wrote:
While I had the cold, I used A Life Pharmacy brand Decongestant nasal spray. I used it once at night only & for about 7 days. My AHI was down to about 3 the whole week. When the cold cleared, I stopped using it & my AHI went up to about 9.

Most OTC nasal sprays irritate the tissues of your nose, and once you stop using them, your congestion is worse for a while until your nose heals back up. They can be addictive. If your AHI was worse after stopping the spray before you started, that could be the cause. Wait a week or so before drawing any conclusions.

avi123 wrote:Rick, I am wondering if you have fixed your nasal blockage. I think that I am getting now a Vasomotor Rhinitis from my CPAP. My nose is stuffy in spite of squirting non medicated decongestants into it. I can see it on the ResScan graph of Flow Limitation (FL).

When I use my S9 Autoset machine in APAP mode two things happen because of the higher FL:

1) the pressure rises and causes more leaks
2) the FL also elevate my Apnea Index to above 20 (Obstructive = 14+).

Another article about Vasomotor Rhinitis treatments:

http://www.ehow.com/about_5594857_treat ... itis_.html

Notice from this article that avoiding the triggers means in our cases to avoiding our XPAP.

I still am having nasal congestion problems now. Before I went back to using my Xpap machine, my sinuses were fine. When I began using the XPAP, my sinuses slowly began congesting up. After the cold, they have not gone back to where it was, before using the XPAP again.


I am using the Saline solution to help clear them. Unfortunately, it does not seem to help that much. It has certainly effected my overall AHI. I hope the dry winter weather is part to blame, however, I do not remember sinus issues last winter.

Speaking of higher AHI's, my centrals seems to have increased over time as well. One day the centrals are way up & the next day they are normal. I hope I do not have to go to the next level of bipap. I had a 2 hour nap last week & had a central index of 12.5. They were all together, one after the other. Maybe my blocked sinuses are affecting this. I don't think I have that chenye-stokes thing, My heart is fine.

avi123 wrote:

hades161 wrote:I have never been a fan of Nasal sprays but once and a while I do use a saline spray. I bought a Nasal mister bottle and dumped out the medication part and make my own spray with sea salt and warm water as needed. I couldn't find a pure simple saline Nasal spray at the time if I would have I would have bought it. I have used Ayr gel for the nostrils if sore and only the sea salt / water and have got through everything so far including colds and flu. Only once did I think about a neti pot but after a few sprays and blows I was able to clear things up so I could use my Swift.

OTC sprays scare me after reading about what Jskinner a person who use to be on these forums a lot went through with them.

Comment,

The above making your own "sea salt and warm water" reminds me of this:

Louisiana Warns About Neti Pots After Fatal Brain-Eating Amoeba Infections.

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/12/16/l ... z1nQTLR2wA
http://healthland.time.com/2011/12/16/l ... nfections/


Why not use Water Pik's Easy Pour Pack and Distilled Water:



http://www.waterpik-store.com/detail/WAT+SWP-060

Never seen that product before but then again I think I have only had maybe 3 or 4 colds in the last 2 to 3 years. I don't even know where the nasal spray bottle went tbh. As to the brain eating thing I am pretty sure if your water is contaminated you'll get the bug ether way doesn't matter if you snort it or drink it.

A 53-year-old woman from De Soto Parish and a 20-year-old man from St. Bernard Parish both died after using contaminated water in their neti pots, a popular home remedy that looks like a genie’s lamp and is used for flushing out mucus from the nose and sinuses.

Many people also just use plain tap water in their humidifiers and clean em out regularly. I did for over 5 years, I only changed to distilled water because of the piss poor design of the water chamber for the S9 humidifiers. The only reason they made it so you can't take it apart to clean it, is to make a new item to have to replace every 6 months. They even have a DATE on it.

RobySue has an incredible blog and addresses this issue http://adventures-in-hosehead-land.blog ... -cpap.html I recommend you take a look at it. I have been on CPAP for 3 months, and have had nasal congestion long before I started on CPAP. But since I've been on CPAP I have had to be much more attentive, and make sure I take my meds regularly. Currently I am taking Allegra OTC, Beconase a prescription steroid nasal spray, I spray once in the morning in each nostril and once each at bedtime, and I use the NeilMed Nasal Rinse squeeze bottle (when I remember) a couple of hours before bedtime. That and my heated humidifier seems to keep things under control and my AHI is averaging 1.X. Luckily for me I was already doing all this stuff before CPAP because if I don't I am constantly stuffed up. The CPAP, with it's filtered and humidified air has actually seemed to make things better for me. For at least 7.5 hours a night I am not breathing in allergens. Oh, and for quick relief, I always have my OTC Benzedrex Nasal Decongestant, not addictive and works great. Once again, take a look at RobySue's Blog, lots of really good info there.

napstress wrote:

red1 wrote:I know I do have allergies to dust & cats. Fortunately I no longer have a cat. Dust on the other hand ...

Ah.... dust! The very first thing my Sleep Specialist had me do was replace my down comforter with something non-allergenic, wipe down the walls of my bedroom, vacuum, and wash the curtains. I don't know if I am allergic to feathers, but she thought it would be a non-instrusive first step. Judging from your remark about dust, I imagine you're about as thrilled with housework as I am. After I did all that, I had a sneezing fit to beat the band, which tells me I had a lot of allergens in my bedroom. If you didn't do a good cleaning after the cat's departure, some residual fur and dander might still be hanging around in your house. I recommend you do this cleaning overhaul early in the day so that whatever dust remains will have settled and your body has time long before before bedtime to process any allergens it took in.

I also use the NeilMed saline rinse. They say to use it at least an hour before bedtime. I use it at least 3 hours beforehand to make sure all the water is out.

Breathe-right strips can hold your nostrils open. I don't know if that is relevant for you. It is for me b/c my nose is so narrow. I do everything I can to allow air into my nose—even as a ffm-wearer.

If you feel OK about being on something like Claritin long-term, you could try that too.

My sinuses used to alternate their congestion all night long. The past couple of months, though, I noticed that it's mainly on one side. So now I sleep on my non-congested side. I don't know if you've tried that, but it might make breathing easier for you.

That's wonderful that you noticed the relationship between congestion and your AHI. Multiple interventions for possible allergies might be the key.

Good luck!

My bedroom does need a good old fashioned thorough cleaning. I will invest in an non-allergetic comforter. I've tried a pharmacy brand saline solution, which I use every day, about 2 hours before bed. I have a humidifier in each my rooms, I vaccum each day. I am very frustrated with this. I will try the breathe right strips, can't hurt. I cannot afford to be without the machine, being I have an AHI of 103 without it.

To add to everything, I had laproscopic surgery 2 days ago for a inguinial hurnia. While they were there, they found a unbilical hernia I never knew I had, & fixed that as well. They put me out in a very different manner then I recall from the past. They gradually put me under. Over a period of about 10 minutes. It was a very nice feeling I must say. I do not remember going out at all. In the past it was a shot & I was out almost instantly. They told me my central & obstructive apneas were of no concern, because I did not have to be breathing due to the breathing tube. I did wake up with a very sore throat. The pain after the morphine wore off was horrible & still is. I have not taken any of the heavy duty pain meds they gave me because of my apneas. No brusing or numbness so far, which I have heard is common. Anyways, between this and my sinuses, sleeping has been a challenge. I really hope I can get a handle on my sinus issues. I would hate to give up my Swift FX. I do not know if I could get use to the FF nasal masks. I could not in the past. I do have one ff Mirage Liberty, for times I have a cold. Have not used yet, & hope I won't have to too often. I am really use to & like the FX Pillows.

Nasal congestion does indeed affect your AHI, in a not so good way.

May you have a quick and smooth recovery from your surgery, red1. It will be good to get that variable affecting your sleep out of the way.

red1 wrote:My bedroom does need a good old fashioned thorough cleaning. (.... ) I vaccum each day.

Wow! I'm in awe that you vacuum every day!

I had another thought about allergies: do you find that you're more congested after consuming dairy? Dairy is known to increase mucus. If I take in too much of it, my ear clogs up. I'm also experimenting with a gluten-free diet right now, too. I wouldn't call myself a person with allergies. Only in the fall am I sneezy, and my eyes and the corners of my mouth are itchy. Otherwise, I never would have thought that I have them. But b/c of my narrow nose structure, even minor, barely noticeable congestion can interfere with good breathing at night.

Good luck!

Another thing that no one has mentioned, what settings do you have your humidifier on? Some people do better (less congestion) with lower or higher heat or humidity. Some (like me) do better with no heat and only pass over humidity. I have a lot more sinus congestion with heated humidity.

It may help to play around with your humidifier settings.

Lisa

napstress wrote:May you have a quick and smooth recovery from your surgery, red1. It will be good to get that variable affecting your sleep out of the way.

red1 wrote:My bedroom does need a good old fashioned thorough cleaning. (.... ) I vaccum each day.

Wow! I'm in awe that you vacuum every day!

I had another thought about allergies: do you find that you're more congested after consuming dairy? Dairy is known to increase mucus. If I take in too much of it, my ear clogs up. I'm also experimenting with a gluten-free diet right now, too. I wouldn't call myself a person with allergies. Only in the fall am I sneezy, and my eyes and the corners of my mouth are itchy. Otherwise, I never would have thought that I have them. But b/c of my narrow nose structure, even minor, barely noticeable congestion can interfere with good breathing at night.

Good luck!

I eat very little dairy products. Once in a while I will have a small yoguart. IT seems the more I blow my nose, the more stuffy my sinuses feel. Before blowing my nose, I can feel the mucus building up, but am able to breath better then after I blow it. After I blow my nose, my sinuses feel dry & more blocked. I remember when I first started XPAP, a pressure of 5 was ok with the swift FX. Now, a starting inhale pressure of 7 seems restricted. I also notice my pressure increases, due to my sinus issues, causing more pillow leaks.

I will certainly have to play around with the heat aspect of the humidity & see if that helps any.