What do you do when you have a bad cold?

[dynamite]

I have been on CPAP for about 3 weeks. I am finally comfortable sleeping a full 8 hours using Swift LT nasal pillows. I am no longer sleepy in the daytime; can't even take a nap to keep my husband company! Then I got a whopper of a head cold and have been feeling miserable for two days. I had purchased (on auction site) a full face mask (Respironics Comfort Full II) for just such a contingency. Putting this mask on felt like I was putting on head armor! There was no way I could fall asleep with this on my face. Now I am exhausted again. What do other users of nasal pillows do when they have a really bad cold? Is there a full face mask best suited for people who are successful with nasal pillows? I can really use you help please.

[gasparama]

My mask is a nasal pillow. When I have a severe sinus infection, I sleep sitting up. The only other thing you can do is use a full face mask. Perhaps you could try another one. There are several ones out there.

[Ms Piggy]

sorry you are feeling so rough. One of the Hybrid masks would probably be good, they have nasal pillows and also cover the mouth so you can breath through either. one has a chin flap which should keep the mouth closed, full mouth cover and still has nasal pillows, sorry I am having a "blank" day to day and cannot think of the mfg. as it changed from one thing to another. the other one is made by Resmed , the Mirage Liberty , parts of it seem to be easy to break but it is a comfy mask, I have tried it but I don't have one. Go on cpaptalk.com and look at them and read the write ups, also lots of info here in the search panel if you put the mask names in plus there are all sorts of fixes to help you get your masks fitting better..
The two I mention may be easier to wear for those of us who have trouble with the regular old type full face masks which I find don't seem to fit my face. Good luck with the constant quest for the perfect mask.

[nate fry]

Get some afrin, just don't use it for more than 3 days. It works great. I liked the severe congestion afrin. Use it about a half hour before you go to bed and you'll sleep like a baby.

[sleeplessinaz]

Hi Dynamite----I also currently use the Swift LT nasal pillows and I have a bad cold right now too. I used my mask for a few hours and ended up trying to sleep without it. Got back up around three am and put the mask on again and slept pretty good until 7:30. I did go to CVS PHARMACY to buy some AYR GEL and an AYR GEL Nasal Rinse kit. It is supposed to rinse out your sinuses and be able to sleep better. I am gonna try that before bed tonite and some good old NYQUILL!! I also bought Muscinex D that I took during the day today and it seemed to have cleaned up my stuffy nose for the daytime anyhow. I just know that any of the full face masks are going to be awful since we are only used to the small nasal pillows so I have not even thought of buying one. Just try and clean your stuffy nose before bed and I did turn down my humidifier too ---just to keep it cooler.

Carrie

[jnk]

The advice and observations from Wulfman, Slinky, Birdshell, and others in this thread on colds, sinus infections, etc, from a few days ago may help:

viewtopic/t37463/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37 ... =a#p326086

Similarly, I find that when my allergies act up and I think there is no way I could use my nasal pillows, I can if I do a thorough nasal/sinus irrigation (or, snorting saltwater), get the humidity adjustment on my machine right, and then keep trying hard to breathe through my nose.

It might very well be worth taking some serious cold meds to dry up a little overnight on the worst night or two, too.