newbie: clogged nose ergo apnea?

[Clogged]

It's 3 pm as I write this post and my nose is clogged. I am now shopping around for a CPAP machine b/c my insurance has a $1,000.00 deductible so .. Buy my question really is about having the lining of my nose up near the bridge swollen and clogging the air passages. Thus I have a hard time breathing. This has been happening a lot in the last 6 months so I went to my ENT dr. and after he checked me out (and listened about my anxiety attack when I could not sleep, feeling HOT and sweating like I was being roasted in hades) he recommended a sleep study. It was done and I was diagnosed w/ sleep apnea. But my nose keeps clogging during the day and the doc just wants me to start CPAP and see him in 2 weeks as if the clogging is due to sleep apnea. He sees this symptom as past of SA.

This past week I've been using a nose spray similar to Afrin. Within 2 minutes of spraying a bit of it in each nostril, voila! no more clogging and I can sleep w/o anxiety and get abt 6 hrs of sleep. Anyone out there w/ a similar story? I feel I should go to another ENT or to an allergist. Is a clogged nose a symptom of sleep apnea?

[gumbiemama]

I would see an ENT ASAP about the clogged nose. Afrin sprays are habit-forming and cause irritation over time, so the problem is likely to get worse. The instructions on the bottle say not to use it more than a couple of days. Using it longer than that will eventually lead to nose bleeds, swollen nasal passages, infections etc. There's actually an insurance billing code for what doctors call "afrin nose." My doctor made me wean off of it. There are non-afrin sprays that can be used long-term, but talk to your doctor to see what is safe for you. I don't think there are any available over the counter.

I don't think that a clogged nose would be a result of OSA. But it could certainly be a cause of OSA. If you can't breathe so well when you're awake, it could be pretty hard when you're asleep too. When you are sitting up it is at least a little easier for passages to drain. I don't think CPAP would help a lot if your nose is stuffed up, since the machine needs to be able to blow air into your nose. If the passageway is blocked, then it can't work as well. I would try to see a different ENT.

[Julie]

The more you use Afrin (or similar products) the more you need them as they have a rebound effect. You'd be better off addressing the cause of the clogging (and I don't think it's OSA) by seeing an ENT doctor and looking at possible sinus problems, or humidity in your house, etc. etc.

[clogged]

Thanks for your responses, much appreciated. It's been hell for me these last months, always dreading the night, dreading going to sleep b/c of my clogged nose. I think I shouldn't have relied so much on the advice of one ENT, I think that if I had listened to my common sense coupled / some research about my condition, I should have asked for a second opinion, which I will come Monday morning. Yes, I know about the risks posed by Afrin-like products but while I wait to see a Dr. I can't help it but use it otherwise I just cannot go to sleep, Flonase does not do the trick, and anxiety takes over.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[CorgiGirl]

Flonase and other inhaled steroids didn't work for me, either. But Astelin does...it's an inhaled antihistamine. You may have to take an antihistamine pill as well in order to clear things up (I do). And I agree with the others - get to an ENT doc soon! This is likely affecting your ears as well. My plugged eustachian tubes are the reason I went back on Allegra!

Hang in there.

[Clogged]

Well, so far no problems with my ear canals. My condition is one where I don't have a runny nose or excess mucus. just gets clogged. Now I am also using those over the counter inhalers, they seem to unclog my nose for a couple of hours but they are also not to be used for too long. Sigh.

[CorgiGirl]

I didn't think I had eustachian tube problems either until I went to the ENT and one of the tests they ran showed them to be clogged.

The nose bone connected to the ear bone, the ear bone connected to the....

[nate fry]

Ya, I got a similar story. I was hooked of afrin for 6 years. Every night before bed I would get a little spray and sleep like a baby. Then I noticed my sense of smell started going away. I knew it was because I had a deviated septum and so I went to the doctor ent. He said yes you have a deviated septum and insurance wanted another sleep study. Well after sleeping ok laying there most of the night and having a horrible night sleep. I decided to get all the surgeries and what a difference. I think cpap is great , but it is a band aid. And nose spray is not good. . You probably have some type of obstruction that needs repaired.

[discusdoc]

I've seen a lot of this type of symptoms this month as I'm doing an allergy rotation (I'm still a resident, so do rotations in a lot of medicine sub-specialties).

The typical approach by the allergists is to do a detailed history of what makes your symptoms worse and whether it might be an environmental allergy contributing to the symptoms. You might need allergy skin testing to rule that out.

As far as treatment the typical approach is:

1. Antihistamine such as claratin, zyrtec, or allegra if there is an allergic component (or even if it provides relief and the skin testing is negative).
2. nasal steroid such as flonase or nasonex (sometimes people have to try more than one to find one that works for them)
3. saline nasal washes twice daily, this includes such things as the neti pot

If the above approach fails then you consider adding things like the Astelin nasal spray which was previously mentioned.

As others have already mentioned Afrin is really frowned upon by allergists and ENT specialists

[Clogged]

Nate, my ENT said I had a crooked nose though I, of course, never noticed that. So that might be the source of my problems, who knows. All I know is that the lining of my nose gets inflamed & blocks breathing. I've been reading all afternoon, going all over the internet researching my problem and at this point I don't think I would suffer from sleep apnea if I cure my nose. I am reading about homeopathy now, and something called "house dust mite 30c", and mites might be a cause of all the inflammation I am suffering, very dusty around here in this old building I live at, mopping and vacuuming every week. What kind of surgery did you have?

[colorado gal]

I'm a newbie and by no means an expert, but if you can't breathe through your nose assuming it's nothing that can be fixed, you might try a full face mask. If you can breathe through your mouth they work fine. As others have said, nasal sprays are addictive and make things worse if overused.

[roster]

I would see an ENT ASAP about the clogged nose. Afrin sprays are habit-forming and cause irritation over time, so the problem is likely to get worse. The instructions on the bottle say not to use it more than a couple of days. Using it longer than that will eventually lead to nose bleeds, swollen nasal passages, infections etc. There's actually an insurance billing code for what doctors call "afrin nose." My doctor made me wean off of it. There are non-afrin sprays that can be used long-term, but talk to your doctor to see what is safe for you. I don't think there are any available over the counter.

I don't think that a clogged nose would be a result of OSA. But it could certainly be a cause of OSA. If you can't breathe so well when you're awake, it could be pretty hard when you're asleep too. When you are sitting up it is at least a little easier for passages to drain. I don't think CPAP would help a lot if your nose is stuffed up, since the machine needs to be able to blow air into your nose. If the passageway is blocked, then it can't work as well. I would try to see a different ENT.

Ditto exactly. See a different ENT. Make sure he/she is also an allergist.

In the meantime, buy a neti pot with salt packages and use it at least twice per day. http://www.neilmed.com/usa/netipot_adwo ... nAodLBrC-A

This may not cure the problem but you can continue to use the neti pot after you find a different cure. It is good for healthy nasal passages when they get hit by colds or seasonal allergies.

[Guest]

I have had year round, severe allergic rhinitis since childhood. I've used many prescription medications. When I started XPAP I was on three Rx's for allergies, had banned pets in the house, and had air filters in every room. Using XPAP allows me to breathe filtered, warmed, humidified air for 8 hours a night (When pollen count is high and I do get stuffy XPAP seems to inflate the nasal passages just enough to relieve stuffiness). Having 8 hr of filtered air seems to calm down the nasal inflammation so that even during the day I don't have many problems. Even if I'm not asleep I hose up and read so I get my nasal "relief time". I am not on any medication. Quit using air filters and have a cat. If they told me I no longer had sleep apnea-I think I'd still use the machine for allergies.

[gumbiemama]

i got one of those fancy hepa filters that filters the whole house air. we also vacuum the bedroom more than any other room in the house. it helps a lot.

flonase doesn't do so great for me either, but rhinocort works pretty well. i used to get it in a little puff sprayer but now it's in a flonase-style bottle.

i think i want to get a neti pot after seeing everyone's recommendations.

[john_dozer]

This was sort of said, but Nasal inhalers are one of the most additive drugs available to man today. At least I heard that somewhere.

After a short use, its becomes self-fulfilling as your body adjust to what is normal. Making you far worse when you don't take it that if you weren't using it regularly.

I would quit the afrin, let your nasal membranes adjust back to normal and see an ENT.

I am having a problem right now. I have some bug. I'm not sure if its a cold or sinus infection or whatever. My nasal passages are somewhat swollen, but respond to drugs. My breathing is being interfered at the passage that connects the nasal passages to the back of my throat. That area is on fire and swollen to the point it will just block off. The annoying part is that it stays open slightly and closes off intermittently as I speak.

The 'fire' might be sinus fluid draining over that sensitive area, but the swelling may be adenoids. I need to make another visit. But I've been to the doctor so much this year, its not funny.