nasal pillow to full face Problem!!

[fkarl]

I have been having problems with nasal congestion and end up using afrin everyday before bed. ( I work nights). This works, mostly.... but lately not totally. I tend to get one side to clear and can move enough air to sleep that way but its not as nice as when both sides are clear. I use nasal pillows so congestion is a big issue. I just got a full face mask, (mirage quatro) and fell asleep with it on after several minutes. I woke up 15 minutes later with my nose completely blocked. I took the mask off and tried to move air through my nose and could not move any!!! I got up and walked around the house a bit, a trick I have learned will often clear my sinuses enough to breathe again. I went back to bed and put the mask back on.... only to have it happen again! I know there is a learning curve with these things but the congestion is so bad I feel like my sinuses are full and pushing out of my skull. I even tried breathing through my nose with the new mask instead of my mouth. I got about three breaths and then couldn't move any air again. So, here I sit, typing all of this and considering afrin and my swift nasal pillow mask for one more day until I can get some help.

Do these different type masks require a pressure change? Is the humidity too high or low?? (i feel like I am drooling allover the place inside the mask but my mouth dries out pretty quick).

This all started with a bad allergy issue over the last two weeks or so. I thought getting this new mask would give me another option when I had a cold or alergy flare up. Many of the reviews stated its use specifically for that. Even breathing 100% through my mouth, my nose locks up so bad it keeps me awake.... I don't know what to do. The fit seems like it will be ok, I will have to tweak it I know but I can get it on and have no leaks. I'd really like to be able to use this and stop taking the afrin everyday before bed as I have read bad things about it. Plus, I paid $70 for it out of pocket cause my provider company doesn't send stuff to me. I call and they say opps, sorry, were really busy. So I have taken matters into my own hands. Thanks for any help/advice you can give. I use the resmed elite 8 machine set on 12.

[jucs]

You sure the nasal mask isn't causing the issue to a high degree? I used prongs and it caused my head to blow up when I never had congestion, sinus issues. I switched to a nasal cover type to not have it blow up directly into my nose and that did the trick.

[pmcall57]

I don't know about the mask (I use pillows and have yet to face the congestion problem) ... but I do know from experience that using Afrin for more than a day or two is really bad news -- the "rebound" congestion can be horrendous. Getting the allergies treated long-term has been key for me. Nasal steroid spray, shots, whatever it takes to get to the root of the problem. Sounds like you already know that, just wanted to give that extra nudge. Pam

[DoninOrlando]

I can also confirm the Afrin is bad news after 3-4 days. I have been adicted to it for almost 2 months. I have known others addicted for many years. When I say addicted, I mean my sinus' swells and closes completely without using Afrin before bedtime. My addiction is not as bad as others as I only use it at night before bed, and just tough it out and mouth breath most days. However, that causes another issue as I am trying to use Nasal Pillows now and must break mouth breathing and Afrin at same time. There are many ideas on here to solve mouth breathing so I won't go into that. You will find one if that is an issue.
I can give some advice for Afrin addiction I am trying right now. Several on here suggested only spraying one nostril each night (the same every night for 10 days) so the other is getting off Afrin, and when one side is ok, stop on the other. I can tell you that did not work as it is very difficult to go to sleep with your mouth blocked and only one nostril open. For me it caused panic attacks as if the one open nostril started to block you would feel like suffocating. Actually you would be suffocating.
I found a site called rhinostat.com. They claim to have a cure and being desperate I ordered it ($35+S&H) I can save you $35 and tell you what it is. They send you a small dropper with the active ingredient you are addicted to. You must switch from spraying to dropping, which is not as comfortable for me. They also send a larger bottle of solution of saline and bi of soda like you use with non addicting salt sprays. Basically you use the small bottle as often as needed, (starting out it is 100% same as Afrin or whatever drug you were using). Each time you use enough to lower from top line to next, you replace it with the saline solution. The line is about 15% down. So depending on how often you use it, every few days the strength goes down as you replace it with saline. In the end after 4-6 weeks you are using straight saline and no longer addicted. Even if you are, saline is not harmful and many use it daily on purpose in sprays and neti pots.
Now that I know what it is, I am just using my Afrin sprayer, and every few days adding 10-15 drops of saline spray back to it to replace what I use. Each time I do it, the Afrin is diluted a little more. I prefer the spray over a dropper or I guess I would use their system. If you wanted exact measurements, you could try pouring it into their little dropper each day to see where you were and how much to add. Then pour it back to the sprayer. I am only about 4 days into it and have diluted it twice. I notice a difference but it is still working. I will let you al know if it works in a few weeks.

[Julie]

Another thing that often causes congestion is a high humidifier setting. If you haven't already done so, try lowering yours or even just not using it for a few nights, along with getting off the Afrin (try Reactine, or Claritin) and see if things improve.