Switching to Mask when sick

[tolson429]

I have been on Auto Cpap for just short of 5 years always using nasal pillows. Any time I've had a cold with nasal or sinus congestion, I am forced to not use cpap.

Question is, does anybody ever switch to a face mask when they have upper respiratory infections??? My sleep is terrible if I don't use the machine.

Thanks for any advice.

Tom

[Julie]

All the time (switch).

[palerider]

I have been on Auto Cpap for just short of 5 years always using nasal pillows. Any time I've had a cold with nasal or sinus congestion, I am forced to not use cpap.

Question is, does anybody ever switch to a face mask when they have upper respiratory infections??? My sleep is terrible if I don't use the machine.

I've been on cpap for 10 years, I've used a nasal pillow for half that time, I haven't missed a single night with my pillows *except when I was in the hospital with a NG tube up my nose.

Whenever I have a cold/congestion, I do *whatever* is necessary to open up my nose... nasal lavage, decongestants, afrin (only at night). Once I get my nose open enough, then the mask keeps it open for the rest of the night, even if it's clogged up during the day.

If I were not able to get my nasal passages open, I would switch back to my full face mask.

[chunkyfrog]

I have a full face mask to switch to, but have not needed to use it.
Instead, I use mucinex nasal spray and a breathe right strip.
Lucky me.

[DreamStalker]

The last time that I had a flu shot was 14 years ago. I've not had the flu since then. Prior to that I took the flu shot every single year for at least a decade (cuz it wuz free) ... and I got the flu every single year (sometimes 2 or 3 times a year).

I have had a mild cold on two occasions since 2005 but it did not prevent me from using my cpap. I have an apap but normally use it in cpap mode. Additionally, the moment I feel a cold coming on (sneezing, nasal drip, itchy throat, etc.), I stop eating and go into a 3 to 5 day fast. By fasting, 90% or so of the immune system located within the gut is redeployed to deal with infections/injuries in the rest of the body. At the very least, if you are not fat adapted (ie. ability to switch your metabolism to use ketone bodies from your own fat stores), you should eliminate ALL carbohydrates as they are required in the production of glycoproteins (ie. the mucous/snot) that causes nasal congestion. I have avoided nasal congestion with this method every single time except twice -- and it was very mild and short-lived on those two occasions.

To mitigate flu and colds in the first place, switch to a ketogenic or very low carb diet and adapt your body to fasting periodically to develop a flexible metabolism. You can lose weight and normalize the genetic expression of your natural body composition that way too if that happens to be an issue.

Anyway, hope you feel better soon.

[zonker]

I have been on Auto Cpap for just short of 5 years always using nasal pillows. Any time I've had a cold with nasal or sinus congestion, I am forced to not use cpap.

Question is, does anybody ever switch to a face mask when they have upper respiratory infections??? My sleep is terrible if I don't use the machine.

Thanks for any advice.

Tom

i echo palerider save 4 years on therapy, 2 years on the p10 nasal pillows. like him, i do whatever i can to unblock my nose.

but there ARE those that switch out masks. it comes down to whatever works for you. we are all so different in how we approach this sleep apnea journey.

[Jas_williams]

I use the bleep mask generally, but when I was suffering I went back to my P10 so I didn’t need to worry about the bleep coming unstuck due to my nose running. As soon as I started up my machine the air through the P10 generally clears my nasal passages. I do have a full face mask somewhere but I have not used it in the last 2.5 years

[Wulfman...]

I have been on Auto Cpap for just short of 5 years always using nasal pillows. Any time I've had a cold with nasal or sinus congestion, I am forced to not use cpap.

Question is, does anybody ever switch to a face mask when they have upper respiratory infections??? My sleep is terrible if I don't use the machine.

Thanks for any advice.

Tom

For the time I've used CPAP......14 1/2 years......I've ONLY used a full face mask.......so, I've never had to "switch".
Compared to before I started using CPAP, I hardly ever get a cold or flu anymore. I think the last time was in 2009.


Den

.

[ragtopcircus]

I will rarely use Afrin in desperation, but I pay for it with brutal rebound starting about 20 hours after a single dose.

Lately, I’ve been using a nasal spray with capsaicin instead. Capsinol original formula works great! Xlear Max is a little milder, slightly less effective, and a little drippy, but it works too.

I’ve also found that I can tolerate higher humidity with a pillow mask than I can with a face mask. I still don’t set it high enough to need a heated tube though. If my face is being steamed, I will take the mask off during the night.

[tolson429]

Thanks everyone for all the great advice!!!
Tom

[zonker]

Thanks everyone for all the great advice!!!
Tom

please let us know what works for you.

[babydinosnoreless]

I have a full face mask back up just in case. I am coming up on a year of cpap and have not been sick till today. Found my nasal mask helped so much w keeping my nose clear have been wearing it using my machine all afternoon. Maybe time to get rid of the full face mask ?

[Okie bipap]

As soon as you get rid of the full face mask, you will feel like you need it. As long as you have it, you will never need it. Murphy's law says things like that which you keep are never needed. If gotten rid of, they are needed within two days. Been there, done that!!!