options when ill?

[andy5805]

Hi

if like me mouth breathing causes the uvula to go to town wrecking sleep, and I sleep best when my nose is clear - what happens when I get a cold and nose blocks, is there absolutely nothing I can do about exhaustion?

- or in that instance is it a good idea to reverse the flow of air and get one of those swimming nose pegs that shuts the nose altogether?

thanks
Andy

[Goofproof]

A Full Face mask, OTC Cold meds, I do the allergy meds every night. Using XPAP correctly will get you less colds.

[chunkyfrog]

I find the moist air coming out of the hose clears up most of my congestion within a couple of minutes.
For the rest, I blow my nose. I learned how when I was a toddler.
Edit: I mean tadpole!

[herefishy]

When I get a cold, I can hardly wait to get my mask on, it helps so much with the breathing.

[LSAT]

When you have a cold, use a nasal rinse like NeilMed or a Neti-Pot before masking up.

[chunkyfrog]

I found that 99% of the "colds" I had before --were allergies.
Between a nightly OTC antihistamine and the fine filter on the back of my machine, they are no more.

[Babette]

I still get colds, and have occasional stuffiness due to allergies. MOST NIGHTS I can manage to clear my nose by masking up, turning on the machine, and just HUFFING like a mother. It might take a little longer to get clear, and frequently I have to move the mask, wipe my nose and the mask, and huff some more. But eventually (like within 15-30 minutes) I clear enough to settle down to sleep.

I do think some nights I have managed to sleep with one nostril blocked and it hasn't caused me any trouble. I say "I think" because when I settle down, I feel one is blocked, but I don't know if it cleared in the night or not.

Surprisingly, for a comfirmed mouth breather from way back, this works for me. I've learned to breathe through my nose, and for 6 years, I haven't needed a full face mask.

I do recommend using OTC allergy meds at night before masking up. Try to take them at least an hour before bed. Only take them when you need them, unless you're told by a doctor to do differently. Me, I'm told, and I take wads of them every night.

Be careful with them, and try to take them individually, as opposed to those compounded nighttime cold remedies, which often include Caffeine, pseudoephedrine and other things that could mess with your sleep.

I do use pseudophed very sparingly, and only when I absolutely need it. My nightly cocktail is all individually broken out, so I can adjust the dosages and actual drugs I'm taking, to accommodate what I'm going through at that time.

I have acquired two full face masks recently, on the off chance I need them. I plan to experiment with them before I need them, so I have an Idea what I'm doing should I just be unable to use my nasal only mask some night.

Good luck, and keep plugging away!
B.

[StuUnderPressure]

Like the others above, using my APAP when I have a cold or congestion helps to overcome that cold or congestion & it is NOT a deterrent to using my APAP.

[Pugsy]

I have been very lucky in the 4 plus years I have been using cpap therapy and only had a couple of "colds". I haven't had a situation where I couldn't use my nasal pillows. I know when I first started therapy everyone said "get a full face mask for when you catch a cold and can't use your nose" and I tried one and decided right then I would rather do without. Long story there but I have some legitimate reasons why FFM are not high on my to do list. I found out when I had the first cold that I didn't die a thousand deaths just because I didn't have a full face mask despite people telling me otherwise.

Anyway back to my "colds". I found that I treated the symptoms just like I would if I hadn't been needing to use a cpap machine.
I used OTC decongestant of some sort or Nyquil or whatever symptom needed the most aggressive treatment. I cranked up the humidifier as high as it would go...used lots of Simple Saline ahead of time...tiny bit of Afrin if needed and I slept about as well as one would sleep with a nasty old cold. I found that the humidified air actually helped clear up the nasal congestion. Think hot shower and how much it helps when you are in the shower when you have a cold. The moisture is good for your nasal mucosa.

So you do what you have to do to make the best of a crappy situation. Some people prefer to use a full face mask and that's fine.
I don't own one and don't want one. If I am so sick I can't breathe at all through my nose no matter what I do...I won't be sleeping much anyway.

[Babette]

This forum needs a like button for awesome posts.

WHAT PUGSY SAID!

Cheers,
B.

[andy5805]

All these posts really helpful, it's getting very cold ( temperature ) in the UK so the air is drying up fast

I generally take an anti-histamine every night for allergy - I think it's the lesser of two evils!

Regards
Andy

[andy5805]

I also was on cortisteroids - (nanonex) this was a mixed blessing as it did wonders for clearing my nose- but over time it also ran me down and got my mouth infected with a yeast infection. This was counterproductive because what I gained in my nose I lost in my mouth


I've since had my tonsils out, i'm wondering if another go on the cortisteroids is a good idea, making sure I stay on the probiotics in the morning. I think ( don't know as not medically trained) that the tonsils are the main collector of rubbish like that, so now they're gone, perhaps I get a better deal with the nanonex

If anyone knows please advise!

Thanks

[Ptastic]

I found that 99% of the "colds" I had before --were allergies.
Between a nightly OTC antihistamine and the fine filter on the back of my machine, they are no more.

Can you be sure they were allergies?

[Babette]

I'm on two steroids - Flonase and Advair. I don't have problems with yeast in my mouth, though I rinse my mouth after I take the Advair.

I take them both morning and night. I do credit the daily Flonase/Claritin cocktail with clearing my nose enough that I can use my cpap.

Good luck!
Barbara