Nasal Congestion + Nasal Mask = No Therapy

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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sheila1232
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Nasal Congestion + Nasal Mask = No Therapy

Post by sheila1232 » Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:19 am

Which also equals one super tired girl. Went out of town this past weekend and second night went to bed with nasal congestion which I contributed to allergies since we were in Austin, TX which is very populated with different kinds of trees. Came back home to a full cold and a continuation of not being able to use my nasal mask due to the suffocating feeling of not being able to breathe.
I generally average a pressure of 10 to 12 on my machine so I the range is set from 9-15 and the little bit I have used the machine in the last couple of days, it topped out at 15. I think I am right in assuming that is due to being congested and as hard as it is for me to breathe out, the machine is having a hard time breathing in?!?
Last night, I was feeling 90% better with only a small amount of congestion on my left nostril but had a horrible time keeping the mask on. I don't think it bothered me as in physically but the subconsciousness telling me I won't be able to breathe in memory of the previous couple of nights. Again, the pressure maxed out for the hour I was able to keep it on.
I really don't get sick very often at all...once a year maybe twice at max...so I don't think it is worth purchasing a FFM especially when I would possibly not be able to use it do to consciousness of a different feeling of mask.
If you randomly deal with the situation, what do you do? Grit your teeth and bear it or have you found a much better solution??
ALSO, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I haven't been using the humidifier as I can't stand the "smell" of any type of heater and had it very low to begin with. It can be 30 degrees outside but I absolutely can't sleep with the house heater on..I just use lots of blankets and turned the heater on in the morning to get the crispness out of the air. WOULD the humidifier help with the nasal congestion or hinder it??
IF you are damned if you do and damned if you don't, pick the one that you are going to have the most fun doing ;-)

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Pugsy
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Re: Nasal Congestion + Nasal Mask = No Therapy

Post by Pugsy » Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:30 am

Does a hot steamy shower help your congestion? If so, you likely have your answer as to whether adding humidity will help with congestion.

I have had a couple of colds since I started cpap therapy. I found that with a bit of decongestant and cranking up the humidifier that I slept about as well as one would normally sleep when I have a cold.
The added moisture really helped my nasal mucosa stay pretty clear. Probably more open than during the day.

I don't own a full face mask and if I did, I wouldn't wear it anyway. I just don't like them for several reasons that really are only important to me.

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sheila1232
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Re: Nasal Congestion + Nasal Mask = No Therapy

Post by sheila1232 » Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:42 am

Pugsy wrote:Does a hot steamy shower help your congestion? If so, you likely have your answer as to whether adding humidity will help with congestion.

I have had a couple of colds since I started cpap therapy. I found that with a bit of decongestant and cranking up the humidifier that I slept about as well as one would normally sleep when I have a cold.
The added moisture really helped my nasal mucosa stay pretty clear. Probably more open than during the day.

I don't own a full face mask and if I did, I wouldn't wear it anyway. I just don't like them for several reasons that really are only important to me.
A hot steamy shower makes my nose run like crazy. Which leads me to imagining "snot filled" nasal pillows... Blame my humor on being sleepy and my disgust at feeling as tired as I did every day for years prior to the CPAP.
IF you are damned if you do and damned if you don't, pick the one that you are going to have the most fun doing ;-)

Samba
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Re: Nasal Congestion + Nasal Mask = No Therapy

Post by Samba » Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:06 am

Get an FFM as a backup, cause you never know how long congestion can last.

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archangle
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Re: Nasal Congestion + Nasal Mask = No Therapy

Post by archangle » Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:13 am

NeilMed Sinus Rinse can be a miracle cure or it might not help at all. It's cheap to try and has few side effects. Available at the usual chain drug stores.

Humidification is the miracle cure for some, useless for other.

Don't try over the counter nose sprays other than simple saline rinse. They help for a day or two, then make things worse.

Prescription nose sprays may help more.

Sleeping in a recliner might help.

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robysue
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Re: Nasal Congestion + Nasal Mask = No Therapy

Post by robysue » Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:26 am

sheila1232 wrote:
Pugsy wrote:Does a hot steamy shower help your congestion? If so, you likely have your answer as to whether adding humidity will help with congestion.

I have had a couple of colds since I started cpap therapy. I found that with a bit of decongestant and cranking up the humidifier that I slept about as well as one would normally sleep when I have a cold.
The added moisture really helped my nasal mucosa stay pretty clear. Probably more open than during the day.

I don't own a full face mask and if I did, I wouldn't wear it anyway. I just don't like them for several reasons that really are only important to me.
A hot steamy shower makes my nose run like crazy. Which leads me to imagining "snot filled" nasal pillows... Blame my humor on being sleepy and my disgust at feeling as tired as I did every day for years prior to the CPAP.
Then turning the humidifier DOWN might help.

It might also help if you take a hot steamy shower to loosen up the mucous in your nose a couple of hours before bed. Then use the NeilMed sinus rinse bottle or a neti pot to get even more of the crud out of the nose. And then use an OTC decongestant (if you can tolerate it) once you've got a nice clear nose.

And as archangle says, don't use decongestant nasal sprays: They are ok for very occasional use, but if you use them for three days in a row, you're likely to get rebound congestion---i.e. your nose will be more stopped up after three days of use with the nasal spray than without it.

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xenablue
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Re: Nasal Congestion + Nasal Mask = No Therapy

Post by xenablue » Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:29 pm

I find cool, drier air works best for me when sinus or winter colds hit. Isn't it weird how totally different things work for each of us.

cheers,
xena

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Vader
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Re: Nasal Congestion + Nasal Mask = No Therapy

Post by Vader » Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:42 pm

I use a ffm, but I still use prescription Flonase, daily, to help with my allergies.
If needed, I also use Simply Saline, which is a bit more convenient than NeilMed, but either one helps me.

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RandyJ
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Re: Nasal Congestion + Nasal Mask = No Therapy

Post by RandyJ » Fri Feb 10, 2012 5:50 am

I am very glad I have a full face mask as a backup. I know the cost might be prohibitive if you don't have insurance, but with unpredictable congestion due to allergies I wouldn't go without it. And I could probably think of several things I have around the house that I only use once or twice a year.

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