Best option for a cold?

[MaxINTJ]

I have a nasal mask (only) but I generally get one heck of a cold sometime in the fall and sometime in the spring. I typically have no luck with nasal congestion - I either stay blocked or it flow like a river, making a nasal mask not usable.

Is the best option medication (prescription, since OTC does the above) or skipping CPAP for a week or so?

[Goofproof]

I have a nasal mask (only) but I generally get one heck of a cold sometime in the fall and sometime in the spring. I typically have no luck with nasal congestion - I either stay blocked or it flow like a river, making a nasal mask not usable.

Is the best option medication (prescription, since OTC does the above) or skipping CPAP for a week or so?

That's why everyone should have a good working FF mask, as a fall back, really they should have that FF mask from the start, then go nasal if they must. It would by-pass all the mis-treatment by mouthbreathing from the start. People would get the treatment they need, instead of mouthbreathing and not getting real treatment, but being told they are. Full data and Software are the only way to know.

I use OTC decongestants and lots of Vit "C" up to 3000 units spread over the day timed released cap's. I also have Allergies year round 24/7 OTC decongestants for that. When I hook up the XPAP, that makes it better. Jim

[DreamStalker]

I have a nasal mask (only) but I generally get one heck of a cold sometime in the fall and sometime in the spring. I typically have no luck with nasal congestion - I either stay blocked or it flow like a river, making a nasal mask not usable.

Is the best option medication (prescription, since OTC does the above) or skipping CPAP for a week or so?

Most don't want to hear it, much less try it -- but fasting for 2 to 3 days will dry up the source for glycoproteins (aka mucous) and trigger an immediate natural immune response from your own body to "cure" your respiratory infection (as opposed to covering up your symptoms like drugs do).

It costs nothing and will actually save you money to fast ... but still most people find fasting to be weird or even think it's harmful ... which it is not and in fact fasting is a natural process that all animals on this planet have used since the age of time.

Hope it gets better sooner for you nonetheless.

[chunkyfrog]

The best solution for seasonal allergies (which sounds like what you have) is an antihistamine.
Some of us are blessed with an allergy for EVERY season, so I need it every night.
Before loratadine, I was sick A LOT--not just colds, but bronchitis, laryngitis, and even pneumonia!
For the occasional REAL cold, I use nasal sprays and a breathe-right strip.
(I just can't STAND full face masks.)

[Julie]

Also, many people don't realize that humidity is meant to help, not create congestion as it could if local (or bedroom) humidity's already high (enough) so that you don't need any added. You might e.g. want it in winter when central htg's on and drying things, but not otherwise, and as it's not 'therapy' itself, you can turn it off for a couple of nights to see if things improve.

[MaxINTJ]

I don't have "the cold" yet, I just expect 2 per year. Most likely not allergies because there is no "event" or strict timing to them.

RE Fasting: I have to go 36 hours without food for medical tests and that's tantamount to torture... Not sure how anyone can easily go that long - especially when you have a cold.

RE FFM: I cannot sleep on my back for very long so that's just not practical - I would spend all night fighting leaks as I changed position. Plus, I don't want to buy one for 2 weeks a year...

RE: OTC drugs: What do you find to be the best ones?

[LSAT]

What "cold" tests require 36 hr fast?
There is no reason to sleep on your back with a FF mask. I have been using one for 8 years and I sleep 90% on my side.
Use a nasal rinse (like Neilmed) before bed..then put on your FF mask with med humidity. Ask your buddy xxyzx for med recommendations. Sounds like you are looking for an excuse to avoid wearing the mask. Everyone gets colds or has allergy at some time.

[MaxINTJ]

What "cold" tests require 36 hr fast?
There is no reason to sleep on your back with a FF mask. I have been using one for 8 years and I sleep 90% on my side.
Use a nasal rinse (like Neilmed) before bed..then put on your FF mask with med humidity. Ask your buddy xxyzx for med recommendations. Sounds like you are looking for an excuse to avoid wearing the mask. Everyone gets colds or has allergy at some time.

It's not for a cold test, it's for the "over age 50" test. Need another one next year

Alphabet boy is not my buddy, nor will he ever be. Actually, I doubt he has any "buddies".

I spend maybe 5% on my back and maybe 10-15% on my side. My usual position is face down between 0 and 45 degrees. It took me a long time to get used to that position with the Dreamwear, and I can't imagine how I would do that with a FFM.

I actually don't mind the mask so much now that I've gotten used to it, but last night I had some allergy issue with sneezing and some stuffiness, and that reminded me I'm due for a cold in the next 3 months so I figured I would ask ahead of time.

[Pugsy]

FWIW...I have been using a nasal pillow mask for over 8 years now and I have had my share of upper respiratory infections (colds) and even a couple cases of good old flu symptoms which involved nasal congestion, drainage, etc
and I haven't yet had a situation where I couldn't get my nose cleared up enough to use my nasal pillow mask. Now symptoms it's not the best sleep night but when you have a bad cold you don't sleep so great anyway.

I usually just treat the symptoms with whatever OTC meds that seem to work for the symptoms and in emergencies...a tiny bit of Afrin.
I have always been able to get my nose clear up enough to start the night...then I crank up the humidifier (think how a hot steamy shower seems to help the nose when we have a cold) and usually by morning my nose is a lot clearer then when I went to bed.

I went 6 years without even a full face mask as back up because I couldn't find one I could sleep with...finally found one and I have had it for 2 years and not used it at all except for initial trial to see if I could even sleep with it.

I am really careful with Afrin use since I know the joys of Afrin rebound and don't want to experience it again.

[RicaLynn]

FWIW...I have been using a nasal pillow mask for over 8 years now and I have had my share of upper respiratory infections (colds) and even a couple cases of good old flu symptoms which involved nasal congestion, drainage, etc
and I haven't yet had a situation where I couldn't get my nose cleared up enough to use my nasal pillow mask. Now symptoms it's not the best sleep night but when you have a bad cold you don't sleep so great anyway.

I usually just treat the symptoms with whatever OTC meds that seem to work for the symptoms and in emergencies...a tiny bit of Afrin.
I have always been able to get my nose clear up enough to start the night...then I crank up the humidifier (think how a hot steamy shower seems to help the nose when we have a cold) and usually by morning my nose is a lot clearer then when I went to bed.

+1
Three years on XPAP and the only mask I've had up until a month ago was a P10 (I now also have a nasal mask, but I've never owned a FFM and see no reason to invest in one). In the rare instances I've had troublesome nasal congestion, whether allergy or viral, I take an OTC decongestant and do a saline rinse before bed to get my nose as clear as practicable, and I still sleep like a baby.

[MaxINTJ]

FWIW...I have been using a nasal pillow mask for over 8 years now and I have had my share of upper respiratory infections (colds) and even a couple cases of good old flu symptoms which involved nasal congestion, drainage, etc
and I haven't yet had a situation where I couldn't get my nose cleared up enough to use my nasal pillow mask. Now symptoms it's not the best sleep night but when you have a bad cold you don't sleep so great anyway.

I usually just treat the symptoms with whatever OTC meds that seem to work for the symptoms and in emergencies...a tiny bit of Afrin.
I have always been able to get my nose clear up enough to start the night...then I crank up the humidifier (think how a hot steamy shower seems to help the nose when we have a cold) and usually by morning my nose is a lot clearer then when I went to bed.

I went 6 years without even a full face mask as back up because I couldn't find one I could sleep with...finally found one and I have had it for 2 years and not used it at all except for initial trial to see if I could even sleep with it.

I am really careful with Afrin use since I know the joys of Afrin rebound and don't want to experience it again.

Afrin rebound?

Also, do you get the rivers flowing out of your nostrils or does yours usually dry up? I can live with dry nostrils and humidity cranked up - and yeah, sleep is never great with a cold anyway. But sometimes, I take a decongestant and the rivers start flowing - can't see how that would work with a nasal mask...

[chunkyfrog]

Mask designers THINK they have everyone covered, but they are WRONG.
For that reason, full face masks are NOT FOR EVERYONE.
I own an f20, but I hope to never HAVE to use it.

[Pugsy]

Afrin rebound?

Also, do you get the rivers flowing out of your nostrils or does yours usually dry up?

I haven't had Afrin rebound in over 8 years...last one happened when I listened to someone here on the forum and turn my humidity down and all hell broke loose with the nasal mucosa. That's when I learned that less humidity was NOT where I wanted to go. It was horrible.
I needed the Afrin to get me through 5 miserable days and I got hooked.

Prior to CPAP...multiple experiences with Afrin rebound over the years...I know what it does but I would still get hooked and was always hell to get off. Long story...used to work in a medical situation where I was exposed daily to every cold virus and flu virus making its rounds.
If I can't breathe through my nose I am toast.

For me the Afrin rebound was extreme congestion or swelling of the nasal mucosa wanting more drugs for them to shrink so that I could breath. Just swelling and congestion...like someone stuck cotton balls up my nose.
Immediate relief with the Afrin "fix".

Now I still will use a teeny tiny bit of Afrin on a very rare occasion depending on situation. I never use it often enough to get hooked though.

When my nasal mucosa get dry..I tend to congest a bit but my go to drug now is Simply Saline and 98% of the time that is all I need.
Afrin is saved for emergency use only. I can't sleep if I can't breathe through my nose. Simply can't sleep so that's when Afrin might be used and then only in teeny tiny amounts.

[LSAT]

What "cold" tests require 36 hr fast?
There is no reason to sleep on your back with a FF mask. I have been using one for 8 years and I sleep 90% on my side.
Use a nasal rinse (like Neilmed) before bed..then put on your FF mask with med humidity. Ask your buddy xxyzx for med recommendations. Sounds like you are looking for an excuse to avoid wearing the mask. Everyone gets colds or has allergy at some time.

It's not for a cold test, it's for the "over age 50" test. Need another one next year

Alphabet boy is not my buddy, nor will he ever be. Actually, I doubt he has any "buddies".

I spend maybe 5% on my back and maybe 10-15% on my side. My usual position is face down between 0 and 45 degrees. It took me a long time to get used to that position with the Dreamwear, and I can't imagine how I would do that with a FFM.

I actually don't mind the mask so much now that I've gotten used to it, but last night I had some allergy issue with sneezing and some stuffiness, and that reminded me I'm due for a cold in the next 3 months so I figured I would ask ahead of time.

I've never had an "over 50 test" that is needed yearly where you fast for 36 hours. I guess I need 25+ to catch up. The only test I had to fast almost that long was a colonoscopy, but that's every 10 years.

[Gerald?]

Is the best option medication (prescription, since OTC does the above) or skipping CPAP for a week or so?

Skipping CPAP is not a good option. I find that once I get the air moving through my nose on CPAP, it manages to keep working all night. Gets completely blocked or runs like a tap when I de-mask in the morning.

Having said that, I had very similar nasal issues to you before I got my CPAP treatment working effectively. Now it no longer seems to be an issue unless I have a very bad cold. I used anti-histamine and decongestants for a while but then someone taught me this trick to do just before going to sleep.

Take a normal breath in
Let a little bit of air out
Hold your breath
Hold until about 5 seconds after your first desire to take a breath.
When you start breathing again, breathe only though your nose (even if it is still blocked) and as gently as possible. You don't want to be able to hear (and only barely feel) air coming in your nose.
If your nose is not clearer, repeat this a few times with about 15 seconds break between each time.
Once you get at least one nostril clear, mask up and just breathe through your nose.