Congestion

[3dmark]

I'm doing a 30-day free trial with a Respironics System 1 and an AirFit nasal pillow. I'm really struggling, to be honest. I've spent hours wearing it while awake (reading in bed). Everything starts fine, but then I begin to get a feeling that I can't breathe. When I take off the mask, I find that air is gushing out of it, so it's not a pinched hose or anything. I feel like I'm getting congestion build-up, which then goes away once a few minutes after I have removed the mask. I have tried different humidity settings, but haven't found the magic way of stopping this. In the end, I wind up taking off the mask.

Any ideas? More humidity? Less humidity? Could this be a problem with how I'm wearing the mask?

Pressure is 7, by the way.

[LSAT]

The pressure may be too low....I don't know if you want to contact your DME/Doctor or change it yourself

[3dmark]

Thanks LSAT. I've booked an appointment for tomorrow. I appreciate it's difficult to "diagnose from a distance" like on this forum, and so being able to actually show how it's working will be successful.

[robysue]

I'm doing a 30-day free trial with a Respironics System 1 and an AirFit nasal pillow. I'm really struggling, to be honest. I've spent hours wearing it while awake (reading in bed). Everything starts fine, but then I begin to get a feeling that I can't breathe.

Is this happening when you are awake and reading in bed or does this happen as soon as you lie down and turn off the light to try to get to sleep?

When I take off the mask, I find that air is gushing out of it, so it's not a pinched hose or anything. I feel like I'm getting congestion build-up, which then goes away once a few minutes after I have removed the mask.

Just to be clear: When you it feels like you can't breath, do you mean your nose gets clogged up (after you lie down with the mask?) OR do you mean it feels as though there's not enough air to get a good, deep inhalation when you want one? OR is it a combination of both issues?

I have tried different humidity settings, but haven't found the magic way of stopping this. In the end, I wind up taking off the mask.

You say you have spent "hours" wearing the mask while awake and reading in bed. Do you mean "10-15 minutes every day for a week" so the total mask time is 2-4 hours. Or do you mean you are reading in bed with the mask on for an hour or more each night? It makes difference in figuring exactly what your problem is.

More humidity? Less humidity?

The humidity level could be the culprit. Some noses like a lot of humidity. Some like very little. A few don't want any extra humidity at all. If the problem seemed even marginally better with the humidifier set to its lowest setting, then you might even want to try going without using the humidifier at all.

If you haven't tried a heated hose, that may or may not help.

Could this be a problem with how I'm wearing the mask?

Is the nasal pillows mask so tight that it feels like it is pushing your nose into a "piggy nose" when you are lying down? If so, then the mask might be too tight and that could be triggering some congestion. A lot of noses get congested when they're irritated for any reason.

Any ideas?

How does your nose react to the following things when you are NOT masked up?

1) Windy days. Does your nose get congested on really windy days?

2) Sleeping under a fan or under an A/C that is on and blowing air. Does this ever trigger congestion?

3) Hot steamy showers? Does this usually help clear your nose? Or does it sometimes (or often) make your nose get clogged?

Answers to these questions may help figure out what's going on.

[avi123]

try taking over the counter CLARITIN

[Julie]

Try turning down the humidifier if it's at a high setting, or depending on where you live, even 'off'.

[3dmark]

Look what happens when I don't come by for a few days - loads and loads of good advice that I will have to pore through. Thanks so much everyone.

This problem turned out to be the mask. The AirFit P10 was sitting poorly in my nose, and moving over time so that insufficient air was coming in. I got a Nuance mask and have been finding it much, much better. I'm a bit disappointed, because the P10 doesn't become loose when I sleep on my side. But being able to breathe definitely trumps that concern.