Using cpap during sinus infection

[charlestek]

I'm waiting to hear from my sleep doctor. A couple nights ago my mask was leaking badly because of a nose bridge pad I was trying and I dried out my nose and mouth severely. The humidifier was not working well either.

Now it appears I've got a sinus infection. Right now I don't have a lot of mucus. I use a fairly high pressure Auto SV machine and have a certain type of apnea that is mixed obstructive and central apnea.
If I don't use the machine, I know my sleep will be horrid and probably pretty violent. So I would plan to use the machine despite the infection, but I worry about pushing the infection further in.

A year and a half ago I got an ear infection and had some hearing loss after I had a bad cold and using cpap so that is a very dangerous thing as well.

There are no good solutions. I've also got a nose bridge that is raw and irritated and I normally use an oracle mouth only mask when that happens to heal the bridge, but that tends to dry the nose quite a lot.

Nasal pillows will not work at my pressures.

Any thoughts would be welcome, though I'm sure what my doctor says will be the best advice.....

[khauser]

Bump up the humidity for sure.

Any fever? Even without a fever if you are able to tolerate it I would suggest an NSAID (Aspiring, Ibuprofen, NOT Tylenol) to keep the swelling down.

I'd also suggest frequent nasal washes with saline, both to keep the area rinsed and for comfort.

Regardless of what the sleep doctor says, if there's a fever or it lasts longer than a week, see your regular doctor in case you need antibiotics.

To answer your direct question I don't think it will make the infection worse as can happen with the ears ... it's not dead-ended the same way...
-Kevin

[chunkyfrog]

What pressure are you on?
A friend of mine uses Swift FX pillows at 22 cm. (I wonder if his DME told him it was impossible)
If I had gone home with pillows right away, I would not have been able to wear them at 14 cm.
Later on, as I got used to the pressure, pillows were quite workable, and remain my 2nd best interface.

[charlestek]

Right now I have no fever, and minimal mucous. I tend not to like to wash with saline, because what usually happens is that I get saline trapped in my sinuses causing worse problems.

My biggest issue is my red nosebridge. I can wear the ultra mirage mask, but I was using a non stick bandage on top of it, the area will not get better until I stop using a FF mask there.
So I was contemplating using the oracle mouth mask tonight, which would dry the nose out a lot more than normal, as I use a nose plug with it.

Thanks for the recommendation on the swift pillows, I don't think my respiratory care company stocks these and I'm not allowed a new mask till next month, I would have to get a push from my sleep doctor.

I have been having trouble with the humidity control on this stupid Phillips AutoSv System One. When I put the humidifier on manual, I don't seem to get enough humidity until I put it on 5 max then I get too much rainout.

I also use an oral appliance along with the cpap. I can't use the oral appliance with the Oracle mouth only mask.

[nanwilson]

I am in the same boat as you are with a sinus infection and also have a lung infection. The past two nights I have cranked up my humidifier and have been fine. It is harder to sleep when the coughing rears its ugly head but I am coping and hoping this won't last too long.
Good luck to you
Nan

[Suddenly Worn Out]

Ive continued using my CPAP during all sinus infections Ive had since 2007. And Ive had more than one sinus infection. I use an APAP and find that during ANY respiratory infection I get, due to sinus congestion, throat swelling and inflammation, whatever the reason...my pressures ALWAYS increase some during the infection. The pressures normalize after Im over the infection.

I use a full face mask and that probably makes it easier to continue using CPAP when I have a sinus flareup, as obviously I am breathing thru my mouth mostly.

Eric

[charlestek]

I think the key here is if I have excess mucous then I'm going to be in trouble. I have tinnitus and lost some hearing after the ear infection I had over a year ago, so I felt that was caused at the time by me using the cpap with an ear infection. Now I don't presently have an ear infection, but these things make me nervous anytime I'm using the cpap with stuff going on.

I am thinking hard as far as whether I should use the oracle only tonight to relieve pressure on the nose bridge, but will make the nose worse.

[Suddenly Worn Out]

I think using CPAP if you have sinusitis is an individualized issue. Some can get away with using CPAP OK, others cant. If your doctor wants you off CPAP during the sinusitis flareup, by all means do what they say. Me, Im a hardcase as you can probably tell. I get sinusitis, bronchitis and other stuff. Flare up a lot when I am not living in a place that has good central air with good filters. I cycle from one respiratory infection to another....fever, fatigue, coughing, sinus and sometimes chest congestion. Its awful. To make it all worse, I get scared when I get a respiratory flareup. It makes me nervous getting repetitious respiratory infections, for obvious reasons. When I was young, Id ge a cold or maybe the flu and be sick for a week, two weeks at the most. Then it would go away and Id forget about it. Now in middle age, this stuff seems to just hang around. Frustrating as heck.

I do know if you get pneumonia they take you off CPAP. I dont know what they do to pneumonia patients with OSA these days. Maybe they put them on some sort of ventilator in a hospital or something. Beyond pneumonia, I have a "take no prisoners" attitude regarding CPAP and respiratory flareups. I keep on keeping on with the CPAP. Another exception might be a bad ear infection or a blown out ear drum. Again, in severe cases like these the doctor is the decision maker.

Heated humidification is absolutely essential to using CPAP during respiratory flareups of any type. CRANK THAT HUMIDIFIER UP, especially in the dry winter months. It smooths out a lot of problems. I also take a shot of Nyquil at bedtime when I have a respiratory flareup, keeps the coughs at bay.

Eric

I think the key here is if I have excess mucous then I'm going to be in trouble. I have tinnitus and lost some hearing after the ear infection I had over a year ago, so I felt that was caused at the time by me using the cpap with an ear infection. Now I don't presently have an ear infection, but these things make me nervous anytime I'm using the cpap with stuff going on.

I am thinking hard as far as whether I should use the oracle only tonight to relieve pressure on the nose bridge, but will make the nose worse.

[charlestek]

I have an antibiotic to take. My ears are slightly clogged so this gets me really worried. I did have the humidifier on the cpap up, but was getting rainout in the tube.
I hurt the bridge of my nose and made it red and raw a couple days ago when the mask was leaking. I tried some non stick bandaging last night, but it did not work.
This means I have to switch to my oracle mouth only mask with a nose plug which will further dry my nose and mouth, so it will aggravate the infection. I will have to run an external room humidifier as well.

I feel in the same boat, I'm stuck and don't know what to do.

I'm unemployed and in a bad state otherwise. Have a job interview Tues, but don't think the nose will clear up in time. May have to postpone the interview.

[Catnapper]

I'm feeiing your pain too. Bronchitis for me.

Try elevating the head of your bed, using a wedge pillow maybe. Alternately, try sleeping in a recliner - take the cpap with you there. Some people find it helpful to use a netti pot, but that doesn't sound like what you want. You could try gargling with salt water to hydrate your throat and help it a bit.

Increasing the humidity helps some people, others turn it down for success.

In any case, drink lots of water, stay warm and rest. Just like your mama told you.

Catnapper - Joanie

[charlestek]

I have severe obstructional apnea plus central apnea. A wedge ain't going to do it. I've tried a few and they don't help.

[BlackSpinner]

I have severe obstructional apnea plus central apnea. A wedge ain't going to do it. I've tried a few and they don't help.

The wedge will help with the sinus issues and general breathing by making the gunk drain and not pool.

[Suddenly Worn Out]

Drink loads and loads of cold water. Or cool aid if you dont like drinking water. Hydrate like crazy. Thats what I do when I get one of my sinus/bronchitis flareups. I drink til I feel like I want to throw up. Water or cool aid thins down the mucus in your ear, nose and throat canals and makes it so you can breathe thru your nose a little better.

If you have central apnea, I suppose you have to be real careful about taking a decongestant like sudafed, as a lot of central apnea is heart related?

Plain robitussin, plus tylenol or ibuprofrin is pretty safe to take as a combo if you have any cardio issues. The plain robitussin is what doctors will tell you to take if you have hypertension, have had a stroke or have heart problems.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Combine that with the anti-biotics and sleep as much as you can.

Eric

I have an antibiotic to take. My ears are slightly clogged so this gets me really worried. I did have the humidifier on the cpap up, but was getting rainout in the tube.
I hurt the bridge of my nose and made it red and raw a couple days ago when the mask was leaking. I tried some non stick bandaging last night, but it did not work.
This means I have to switch to my oracle mouth only mask with a nose plug which will further dry my nose and mouth, so it will aggravate the infection. I will have to run an external room humidifier as well.

I feel in the same boat, I'm stuck and don't know what to do.

I'm unemployed and in a bad state otherwise. Have a job interview Tues, but don't think the nose will clear up in time. May have to postpone the interview.