I'm a relative newbie to CPAP therapy, and I was hoping to get some thoughts/feedback from some of the veterans or medical professionals out there...
I've just completed a full month of therapy. As you can see from my profile, I'm running a ResMed Aircurve 10 ST unit w/ humidifier & and F&P Eson Nasal mask. Long story short, I haven't spent a single day since I've started therapy without some significant level of symptoms/side-effects from CPAP usage. I've experienced:
- Severe nasal/sinus congestion
Nose bleeds
Chest congestion
Coughing
Cold sores
Eye infections/conjunctivitis
General cold symptoms
This is somewhat of a rhetorical question, I know. However, I'd truly like some advice/thoughts on how to minimize the symptoms & side-effects that I'm dealing with.
Now, it is possible that my start of CPAP therapy coincided with me catching a cold, and use of the CPAP made things worse. Or perhaps the excessive congestion from using the unit set up the right conditions to develop a cold or URI. I guess it's a chicken & egg thing.
I've used saline nasal spray at night and in the morning to try and address the congestion issue, ramped up the humidity setting, etc. Any other thoughts or suggestions at how to eliminate or at least minimize the issues that I'm experiencing?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.