Does the therapy help or hinder breathing during a cold.

Berniem · Post by **Berniem** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:15 am

I am currently experiancing my semi annual cold . lots of congestion and nose plugging. does anyone find the CPAP therapy help? DO you still use the therapy during colds?

Any Thoughts?

Bernie

Nitro Dan · Post by **Nitro Dan** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:24 am

Yes, you should try. I have noticed over the years that the colds I used to get have vanished. I can't remember when I had my last one. In fact, even the allergies I used to suffer from have all gone.

roster · Post by **roster** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:33 am

Subject: Does the therapy help or hinder breathing during a cold?

CPAP hinders breathing - when I am awake.

When I am asleep, I can't breathe without CPAP, whether I have a cold or not.

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tangents · Post by **tangents** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:35 am

Bernie,
Sorry to hear that you have a cold. I remembered reading Rooster's ideas on clearing your nose, so I'll post the link to his thread.

Rooster's Advice on nasal congestion:
viewtopic.php?p=160144#160144

Bonnie · Post by **Bonnie** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:42 am

Hey Bernie
I'm pretty fortunate, I hardly ever get a cold. I did 2 years ago in my early state of Cpap. It was awful. I use the Swift and remember reading here that using the Swift helps blow the congestion out of your nose. And yes it did. I was able to sleep fairly well with it. Seeing as I am one of those people who can't NOT use my machine I tried all kinds of remedies. I used an over the counter nasal spray, big mistake. It is only suppose to be used for a few days, I used it for weeks! Had an appointment with my pulmonologist around that time and he about had a fit when I told him. He prescribed Flonase. What my final regiment turned out to be was Flonase in the morning and Niquil at night. This cold lasted from Thanksgiving to 2 weeks into the New Year and I never once slept without the machine. (I missed out on that whole Holiday season). I bought the Hybrid when it came out for future colds and really bad hayfever and have not had to use it, yet.

Having a cold is a cpapper's worse nightmare. I've read here that some people go off the machine because they simply can't tolerate it with a bad cold. I really feel for anyone in that situation. I hope you find something that works for you.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:44 am

Nitro Dan wrote:Yes, you should try. I have noticed over the years that the colds I used to get have vanished. I can't remember when I had my last one. In fact, even the allergies I used to suffer from have all gone.

Same for me. I have been dreading the return of my usual cold/flu nasal congestion symptoms ... but so far (knock-knock-knock) I've been pretty lucky.

Last fall I started to get an itchy throat and thought -- oh oh, it's here ... but I continued on with my PAP treatment and I never got the nasal congestion. The itchy throat went away all by itself after about three days of threatening me. I don't know if it is the PAP treatment or the the new habit of regular saline nasal rinses that I picked up after going on PAP treatment that has kept those nasty bugs away?

So for me, being on the hose and/or my weekly nasal saline rinse seems to have an added benefit of not getting my usual nasal congestion or cold/flu symtoms.

mikemoran · Post by **mikemoran** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:16 am

Just getting over a mega cold after two weeks. A gift from my wife the teacher. I stayed on therapy the whole time and can report the following. Nights where she was hacking away I was sleeping. My nasal pillows were keeping me clear.

Same held true those days I didn't get out of bed. My wife's cold was much worse and lasted a week longer than mine. Therapy is not a cure, but definitely a boost in giving you rest for recovery. The humidfied air kept me clear every time I slept. So there does seem to be an advantage for us hoseheads.

SelfSeeker · Post by **SelfSeeker** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:36 am

Hi Bernie,

Welcome to the world of CPAP.

Less then 6 months ago (when I was new to APAP), in the fall, I was asking the same questions.

I could not figure out how everyone was not catching colds. I was getting one cold after another. I figured my body was so run down that I caught everything.

I even did polls about what people did.

I only had nasal pillows or nasal prongs. When I was congested I could not breathe from one nostril, but I still used the interface.

I ordered a hybrid. It was so much easier to use when I had a cold.

Sneezing or coughing was hard with the pillows/prongs. With the hybrid, it was not as bad.

i remember once feeling nausious I spent half the night sitting up with no interface on. When I felt better I put it back on.

Of course, lots of water during the day and all the other good things for a cold helps.

I read in my manual not to use with a sinus or ear infection.: contact your doctor for that.

If you take any meds either Rx or OTC.: talk to the Dr or pharmacist.

I wish you best.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 1:01 pm

I don't know, I haven't had so much as a cold/flu in 6 years since going on cpap.

Few nights congested from allergies, nothing a rhino rinse couldn't cure (below), pretty cheap too. I learned keeping a really clean house, really clean dog and using a good air purification system really helps.

I should add, that is not for an enema either, but I guess you could use it....

Daffney_Gillfin · Post by **Daffney_Gillfin** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 1:18 pm

I'm just getting over my first cold since xPAP. I blame it on the germy grandchildren, and forgetting to turn on the heated humidifier the night after the germy grandchildren were over. I managed to use my APAP every night. I upped the minimum pressure closer to my maximum, and did lots of rhino rinsing and drugs to get things opened up before I went to bed. At least one side stayed open throughout the night. I also slept with my upper body somewhat elevated on a wedge of pillows. I think that contributed to the 0 AHI I had for the night.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 1:22 pm

Daffney_Gillfin wrote:I'm just getting over my first cold since xPAP. I blame it on the germy grandchildren, and forgetting to turn on the heated humidifier the night after the germy grandchildren were over. I managed to use my APAP every night. I upped the minimum pressure closer to my maximum, and did lots of rhino rinsing and drugs to get things opened up before I went to bed. At least one side stayed open throughout the night. I also slept with my upper body somewhat elevated on a wedge of pillows. I think that contributed to the 0 AHI I had for the night.

Dang! You're good! Zero AHI with a cold!

I'll have to remember the wedge-pillow trick