Coughs and colds

[lars_the_bear]

Hi folks

Sorry if this is an FAQ -- I'm new to all this, so please be gentle.

What do CPAPers tend to do when they have coughs and colds? I've found that coughing against pressure is a rather disagreeable experience, and I don't even like to think what sneezing in a full-face mask would amount to. Ugh :/

I ask because, living as I do in London -- currently the Covid capital of the world -- it's only a matter of time (days, most likely) before the wretched Omicron variant gets me. I mean, I've had all the others, so I don't suppose I'll escape this one.

Do people just tough it out and keep a box of cleaning wipes on hand? Or put the mask aside until the symptoms improve?

Best wishes
Lars.

[rick blaine]

Hi Lars,

If you are coughing and sneezing so much that you choose to give up CPAP treatment for a few days, then the relevant factors – it seems to me – are age, severity, physical condition, and co-morbidites. Ie, how old are you, what's your untreated AHI, are your heart and lungs in a reasonably good condition, and do you have any related and major chronic conditions.

If you are young (45 or under), have an untreated AHI of around 20, have good enough heart and lungs (you can climb two 16-step flights of stairs and still have a normal conversation at the top of them), and no other illnesses, then you can do without your CPAP machine for a few nights.

If you're older than 65, have an untreated AHI of 30-plus (which is classified as 'severe'), have first-stage heart failure, and high blood pressure, then stick with the machine regardless of how much you are coughing and sneezing.

As to the messiness of it, I use a full-face mask, and I've had colds that have had me sneezing and slobbering inside of it – and I just put up with the mess and discomfort because I have the operational belief that the cough and the cold will get better faster if I continue to get a good night's sleep.

As to the Covid, if you have had all the variants – and survived them – you should have built up antibodies against this 'family' of viruses. Might I ask if you have had two shots of vaccine plus the booster? If not, go get.

And if you have some condition which has you classified as vulnerable, and have already had two shots of vaccine plus one of the Pfizer booster, then the appropriate thing to do is: go and get a second shot of the booster.

[lars_the_bear]

As to the messiness of it, I use a 'full-face' mask, and I've had colds that have had me I've sneezing and slobbering inside of it – and I just put up with the mess and discomfort because I have the operational belief that the cough and the cold will get better faster if I continue to get a good night's sleep.

Thanks. That's a fair point. I guess when/if the time comes, I'll just have to work out whether I can face sleeping with a sticky mess on my face. I don't think I'm particularly vulnerable to Covid -- as you can see by the fact that my biggest worry about it is a messy mask

Best wishes
Lars.

[chunkyfrog]

As for coughing and sneezing, it's still my own phlegm--no infection possible.
A baby wipe cleans any "nose jizz" off my mask and face--then back to sleep.
Sneezing is itself a blessing; staring at the light triggers a really nice one.
Concerning the stuffy nose, I steal a breathe right strip from the bullfrog,
and use my mask normally.
I got a sleepweaver elan from my DME in case my nares got sore.
Nice to have, even if not yet needed.

[Janknitz]

I have cough variant asthma, and when I'm having an exacerbation the only time I'm NOT coughing is when I'm using my CPAP. It's a huge comfort to me. I do cough here and there, but no big deal compared to when I'm not using my CPAP (though coughing used to blow the filter out of the PRS1 machine ). Before CPAP, I didn't sleep for days at a time when my undiagnosed asthma was bad and I was "coughing up a lung" all night long.

When I have a cold I still try to use my CPAP because it is really comforting with the warm, humidified air. I generally use a FF mask then. I usually have to wipe it out a few times if I sneeze or have a runny nose. Kind of gross, but much better than trying to sleep without it. Thank goodness I don't get colds often any more!

[lars_the_bear]

Thank you for the suggestions.

Best wishes
Lars.

[zoocrewphoto]

Most of the times that I have a cough, using the cpap will stop the cough overnight. I just has a few singles and then fall asleep. No big deal.

If I have a bad cough where I get coughing spasms, then I feel like there isn't enough air, and I want to rip the mask off. I realized it was like staring with a pressure too low, and we feel like there isn't enough air. So, my normal settings are 11-17, but when I have a cough, I bump my starting pressure to 13. For me, that is enough to get through the coughing spasm without feeling like I am suffocating. And once I get past one or two of those, I fall asleep and I don't have any problems.

Runny nose and sneezing can be a challenge too. Assuming I have been blowing and sneezing in the evening, I will take chlortrimeton, which is an allergy medication that is really good at stopping the blowing and sneezing. If I sneeze into my full face mask, I usually just wipe if off with a kleenex and watch it later.

[lars_the_bear]

If I sneeze into my full face mask, I usually just wipe if off with a kleenex and watch it later.

Is it normal practice to switch the CPAP machine off, to wipe the inside of a mask? Or just leave it running with air hissing out?

If I leave it running, the machine turns up to maximum flow, but it doesn't seem to affect the operation. But the noise wakes my wife up, which is something I want to avoid. So usually I turn the machine off. But does that affect its operation? I've set zero ramp time, so the pressure still comes back up immediately. So I guess it's OK. But I just don't know enough about this technology to be sure.

BW, Lars.

[Julie]

It's fine to turn it off for little breaks - better than waking your wife!

[lars_the_bear]

It's fine to turn it off for little breaks - better than waking your wife!

Thank you.

BW, Lars.