CPAP and allergies

Diane in CA · Post by **Diane in CA** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 10:41 am

I have always suffered tremendously with nasal allergies. However, for the past 5 years using Zyrtec and Singulair I hardly have any problems at all. (as in, your wouldn't even know that I had allergies).

I started with my CPAP in mid June.

Recently my nose just will not stop running, my eyes are watering constantly and I have sneezing fits.

So, is the CPAP aggravating my allergies? or is it just coincidence?

Help! Please! I'm getting desperate.

Thanks,
Diane

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 11:25 am

Most likely it's just a coincedence but check and make sure your filter on your cpap is clean. Alaso if your interface leaks, it can make yours eyes swollen and watery. My cpap makes my nose the opposite, very dry in the morning.

WillSucceed · Post by **WillSucceed** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 3:21 pm

I think Rock & Roll's suggestions are good ones. I'd also suggest that you invest in a hepa quality filter for your CPAP.

I had hateful allergies with lots of nighttime problems for years; since starting CPAP, using Nasonex and having a hepa-filter in the CPAP, things are great.

nodding off · Post by **nodding off** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 6:41 pm

Hi Diane,
As a fellow allergy sufferer I can empathyse with you. Are you using a heated humidifier? My problem changed drastically when I switched to a heated humidifier and really cranked it up. Now, after a lifetime of being stuffed up, I'm not, and haven't been since last March when I switched. I didn't even have to wear my full face mask during allergy season this year! Hopefully, heated humidification will work the same miracle for you. My passive humidifieer did nothing, the heated one made all the difference. Good luck to you!

dsm · Post by **dsm** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 6:50 pm

Am inclined to agree re the use of h/h. I am a nasal allergy sufferer and at 1st was quite worried about how I would cope with xPAP because of it. In fact the 1st mask I orderd was a f/f mask just because of this.

However I am finding that with ample h/h (last night I cranked it up to 3 on my RemStar after having it on 2 during our cold months) I seem to get by pretty well.

The interesting part is that I can be breathing well (using either my Mirage f/f or Ultra nasal) but within minutes of getting up my nose gets congested.

Sometimes I do use a very small puff from a nasal spray to get the night underway but in most cases once I am asleep, it is rare that I suffer any noticable congestion until after the 1st time I get up.

Good luck, what you are describing can be quite distressing.

Cheers

DSM

Diane in CA · Post by **Diane in CA** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:10 pm

Thanks for the tips.

Currently I am not using ANY humidifier. I haven't had a stuffy nose in years. And truthfully, I don't have one now. What I have is a faucet! Liquid just pours out of my eyes and nose. Unbelievable!

I do clean my filters regularly (they haven't even seemed dirty at all). I also just placed an order for some other kind of filter to add on to my system. We'll see if that helps. I will also contact my doctor, I've just been too busy during the work day to go see her and I was afraid that she would tell me it's the machine. Maybe I have to change meds every 5 years or something.

Thanks again,
Diane

dsm · Post by **dsm** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:24 pm

Diane in CA wrote:Thanks for the tips.

Currently I am not using ANY humidifier. I haven't had a stuffy nose in years. And truthfully, I don't have one now. What I have is a faucet! Liquid just pours out of my eyes and nose. Unbelievable!
<snip>

Diane,

That is a worry.
Has anything else significant changed recently in your lifestyle ?

DSM

snork1 · Post by **snork1** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 11:07 pm

[quote="Diane in CA"]Thanks for the tips.

Currently I am not using ANY humidifier. I haven't had a stuffy nose in years. And truthfully, I don't have one now. What I have is a faucet! Liquid just pours out of my eyes and nose. Unbelievable!

I do clean my filters regularly (they haven't even seemed dirty at all). I also just placed an order for some other kind of filter to add on to my system. We'll see if that helps. I will also contact my doctor, I've just been too busy during the work day to go see her and I was afraid that she would tell me it's the machine. Maybe I have to change meds every 5 years or something.

Thanks again,
Diane

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 12:16 am

I agree with Snork,

There is no reason to not use your humidifier.

Diane in CA · Post by **Diane in CA** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:13 am

While I appreciate all of the input, I'm confused.

According to my doctor and the literature about humidifiers, they are used for nasal DRYNESS. I have NO dryness. All a humidifier ever does for me is make my nose run even more. Am I missing something?

Thanks

snork1 · Post by **snork1** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:55 am

[quote="Diane in CA"]While I appreciate all of the input, I'm confused.

According to my doctor and the literature about humidifiers, they are used for nasal DRYNESS. I have NO dryness. All a humidifier ever does for me is make my nose run even more. Am I missing something?

Thanks

snork1 · Post by **snork1** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 10:01 am

....and of course this assumes you are already using a good air intake filter and cleaning it often, as was stated by others above.