machine making allergies worse

[nonsleeper]

Hi, I have situation I'm not sure what to do about. I'm fairly new to the cpap machine, as of June 9th actually. At first my nose got really dry so I started using the Ro Ezit cream but it makes my nose dry up even more. So I stopped using it. Then, a couple of weeks ago, my allergies started getting really really bad. I take allergy shots and am pretty in tune with allergy trigers so the only cause i can come up with is the cpap machine. I I've cleaned the filter and mask, and it hasn't helped much. I'm not using the humidifier for fear it will make it worse. I've been putting a little vasoline in my nose and it's helped but i'm still dealing with a really runny nose, sneezing and now I'm having bad headaches 2x a day. Has anyone else experience this? And if so, what did you find that worked for you? Thanks in advance for any advice offered!

[BlackSpinner]

Not using the humidifier is what is causing your problems. Your nasal passages are drying out and cracking and are irritated. Think wind burn. Start with the humidifier at medium setting and adjust accordingly.

Most people's allergies (including mine) are helped by cpap therapy. Breathing filtered air all night is a blessing.

[Otter]

Have you ever used the humidifier? I have respiratory allergies too, and I wouldn't be without it. If your machine is drying out your sinuses, that could make the tissue more sensitive and exacerbate your allergies. As long as you keep the chamber clean (used distilled water and dump and dry every day) you shouldn't have any trouble with mold.

OTOH, if you aren't getting dried out, you can use an inline filter. The problem with the ones that go in the back of the machine is that they don't seal. Are you using the finest filter available for your machine, though? Some of them ship with a coarser filter.

[Jeeper]

nonsleeper,

In addition to using the humidifier also make sure you are using both filters for your cpap. One is a regular washable foam filter and the second is a fine filter which will filter out more than the foam filter.

Jeeper

[archangle]

Are you using the optional white ultra fine filter in addition to the foam filter?

If your white filter has the tab on it, try cutting the tab off. It will be a little harder to get out, but not that difficult. Respironics has stopped putting the tabs on them because it fits better without out it.

I agree, use the humidifier for several nights and see what happens.

Have you tried Sinus Rinse?

[archangle]

You should also be sure it's clean where the machine sits.

If Mr. CPAP is sleeping under the bed with the dust bunnies, so are you.

[moresleep]

As others have said, use a humidifier; but be careful not to turn it too high--I find that too much humidity makes things worse. Also, try sinus rinses. I find them great for keeping allergy problems at bay. I use the Neilmed packets.

[Pugsy]

i'm still dealing with a really runny nose, sneezing and now I'm having bad headaches 2x a day. Has anyone else experience this? And if so, what did you find that worked for you?

I have had this twice. Both times when I forgot to fill the humidifier water tank and it went dry during the night.
Horrible allergy like symptoms. Runny nose, sneezing, congestion, pain and just miserable feeling.
As other have suggested...use the humidifier since you state you haven't been using it. Your nasal mucosa is screaming for moisture.

[GumbyCT]

My nose runs like a faucet after removing my mask. Taking 1 Claratin (Loratadine) tablet each morning fixes that for me. I get Loratadine at Walmart w/o script. Give it a try. I think it's from breathing clean filtered air all nite, then breathing all the dust and other contaminants. I never had allergies when I smoked....go figure.

[robysue]

Joining in with the crowd that says: Use the humidfier.

Like many other CPAP related things it may take a bit of experimentation for you to find your sweet spot(s) for the humidifier setting. For me, with the AC on, I need it set to 4 or 5 (5 if the allergies are really acting up). But on nights where it's nice enough to sleep without the AC, I usually need to turn it down to 3ish.

How to figure out where to set the humidifier?

Strategy 1: Start with setting the humidfier at 1 and keep increasing by one every couple of days---as long as you're waking up with the dry nose. If you want, try increasing the humidifier to one past that. If you don't get an increase in congestion, stick with the more humid setting; if you do get an increase in congestion, go back to the last setting that didn't have too much congestion.

Strategy 2: Start with setting the humidifier at 5. If there's no increase in congestion, leave it there. If there's too much congestion, reduce the setting by one each night until the congestion is better, but the nose is not dry when you wake up. If you want, you can try to decrease the humidifier by one more setting past that to see if the congestion is better without the nose getting to dried out.

Strategy 3: Start with setting the humidifer at 3. If the nose is still dry at 3, start increasing the humidifer as in Strategy 1. If the nose is not dry at 3, but congestion is a problem, you will need to try setting the humidifier at both 2 and 4 and compare with feels better. Because both too little humidity and too much humidity can cause congestion problems.

You also say:

I've been putting a little vasoline in my nose and it's helped ...

Vasoline in the nose poses some potential issues---both with the CPAP equipment since vasoline really is hard on the silicone and on you nose no matter how soothing it feels. You might want to consider swithing to Lanisoh, which is purified lanolin that is sold as nipple cream to mothers who are breastfeeding. It has much the same feel as vasoline, but is safe for the CPAP equipment and is safer for sticking up your nose.

Finally, you might learn something useful by going to both Nasal Breathing Video Series (from Dr. Barry Krakow's web pages) and Unstuff Your Stuffy Nose (from Dr. Steven Y. Park's web pages).

[xyz]

> I'm fairly new to the cpap machine
> my allergies started getting really really bad

Use the humidifier. Experiment with what setting keeps you from drying out. I try to set it just a little bit low rather than too high.

Since you have allergies, be cetain to use distilled water.
Dump it out each morning and let the humidifier dry out.

I'm not familiar with your machine, so I'll make an assumption that it's similar to others. Be certain to use _both_ the soft (inner) filter and the outer foam filter. Change the soft filter once or twice a month. Rinse out the foam filter weekly. It must be completely dry before using again.

Related, but different. If you have central (forced air) heating and cooling, use a high quality furnace filter to get as much stuff out of the air as possible. One example is 3M Filtrete. Their product rated "1500" is very good. There is another rated 1700 but it's very expensive and likely only marginally better (marketing).

Use two nasal products at bed time. Ayr saline nasal gel around the outside of your nose protects it from drying out. Ayr saline nasal mist -- a squirt into each nostril just before going to sleep. If you get up in the middle of the night, reapply.

If you still get itching, OTC Cortizone 10 just before applying the nasal gel.

With allergies, it's important to keep the gear clean. An initial rinse/soak in vinegar kills most of the "bugs". Rinse well afterwards. Then wash with a Free & Clear mild product. 7Th Generation brand is good.

[Alshain]

I read title of this thread, and the thread below it "Food For Thought". In my mind I saw "machine making food allergies worse". I'm thinking to myself, how is that possible?

[nudave]

>

Related, but different. If you have central (forced air) heating and cooling, use a high quality furnace filter to get as much stuff out of the air as possible. One example is 3M Filtrete. Their product rated "1500" is very good. There is another rated 1700 but it's very expensive and likely only marginally better (marketing).

Its not "very expensive". I've found the step up from 1500 to 1900 to be $2 - $3 difference. For allergy sufferers, such as myself (took allergy shots for 7 years for environmental allergies)...a 3% difference is worth the extra $2 - $3.

[xyz]

> For allergy sufferers, such as myself
> (took allergy shots for 7 years for environmental allergies)
> a 3% difference is worth the extra $2 - $3.

I would never argue with that. Each of us has to do what works for us to order to make things better.

> Its not "very expensive"
> I've found the step up from 1500 to 1900 to be $2-$3 difference.

That surprised me. It's been almost a year and a half since I purchased furnace filters. At that time I purchased 1.5 yrs worth of filters, so I need to reorder soon.

At that time I needed to special order since our filter size isn't standard. 1500 was the best rating of the filters in the store, but they didn't have the size I needed. The sales guy said that there was a new _1700_ available, but none was available on the shelf yet (in any size). I ordered half 1500 and half 1700 and there was a big price difference between the two (nearly 1.5 yrs ago).

Just now I took a look at the Lowe's website. I special ordered at our local Lowe's store. They don't even show a 1700 now, but the 1900 that you mentioned is shown. And as you said, the price difference isn't that great now. For an arbitrary size (12x24), here's what they show.

Rating Cost ea

600 $9
1085 $11
1500 $17
1900 $20

Both Lowe's and Home Depot (in our area) will special order if your filter size is not standard. So compare their costs.

I also believe that they will special order if your size is atandard but it doesn't come in the rating that you want.

[Vader]

I don't really have allergies, but my sinuses do become irritated if I don't use humidification on my cpap machine.

On a side note, my wife has some really bad allergies, but recently she started taking oregano oil capsules (yeah, I laughed too) and her allergies have been totally under control. I've even started giving it my dog for her allergies!
Sounds crazy to me, but I've seen that it's working!