Ughhh Cold starting

[pdean44]

Woke up with a very stuffy nose and felt like i couldn't breathe through the machine. My wife said I snored a little so was compensating by mouth breathing. Any tips to weather a cold with cpap?

[dave21]

I usually use an Olbas Oil bottle to inhale (http://www.olbas.co.uk/?gclid=CJ2e9OTMv ... 2AodeFyRZQ). I'm not sure if you have that in the US, but it's a liquidised menthol crystal. That helps me a little but last night I was really congested. Lately I've been putting one small drop into my humidifer reservoir tank and that helps as it's heating and providing me menthol vapours through the hose and mask.

Some people have expressed concern here that it might damage the machine or means you will be inhaling it into your lungs all night. I don't know what long term effects it will have but I know from my perspective

1. It hasn't yet done any physical damage to my S9 / H5i
2. The manufacturer liked the suggestion to improve compliance (didn't have any negative feedback relating to it)
3. I don't think there will be any negative impact in inhaling it because you can sit there for half an hour sitting over a bowl of hot water with menthol crystals in it inhaling this
4. Over the hours that your inhaling it; it gets weaker and weaker but still has the overall result of clearing my nasal pathways

[bdp522]

A full face mask is a wonderful thing to have during times of congestion. Rather than placing anything other than distilled water in the humidifier, just place the oil on a cotton ball near the filter(air intake). I use the pur-sleep aroma therapy, the clear helps keep everything open. You might want to try turning the humidifier up, if that doesn't help turn it down. Air that is too warm may cause the sinus to be more irritated.

Brenda

[pdean44]

Thanks for the suggestions

[howkim]

I have bronchitis at the moment. I use a full face mask, thank goodness. I find myself reluctant to take the mask off in the mornings, as I start coughing almost immediately thereafter. I'm not doing anything different in terms of what the other posters have suggested.

[fidelfs]

I am one of the lucky ones that can use Afrin without rebound effect. That is my weapon for cold congestion.

Full face mask don't work for me, it is impossible to stop the leaks. I also had good success with Ocean spray and increasing the humidity level.

[KatieW]

When I had a cold, I slept with 3 pillows, almost sitting up. I took some OTC cold meds at night, but not the combined ones. During the congested stage I took Sudafed, then during the phlegmy coughing stage I took Mucinex. And during the dry cough stage, I took a prescription cough med.

I was able to continue using my nasal mask. I have a full face mask, but didn't need it. I found my cold was shorter than usual.

[raggedykat]

I found that my nasal mask actually helped me to breathe during my cold and I slept very well. I didn't take any medication and my cold seemed to be gone sooner than normal.

[Tefan]

I tend to get sinus infections and my OTC remedy is Advil Cold and Sinus (a LOT better than Sudafed, at least for me). But for relief I use peppermint oil in warm water, 3-4 drop in a cup of warm water and breathe ! Be carefull, it's really strong. Probably too strong to put directly in the machine.
Hope this helps !

[pdean44]

My wife said i was snoring a little with the mask on. I have been dealing with mouth breathing since the beginning. Recently went to a chin strap which seemed to help. Now with the beginning stages of a cold I am definitely resorting back to mouth breathing. the odd thing was that my leak right was 0 last night yet my wife said i was snoring some? How can that be?
I would have thought that would have been much higher if i were mouth breathing and snoring. I called my DME to let her know that my wife said i was snoring to see what she has to say about it. Especially since it has been under one month with this mask and after that i have to buy them until the insurance picks them up. I dont know how i would make out with a full face from what I read many here struggle with leaks or discomfort. But I may be headed in that direction.

[pdean44]

Dme called me back and she gave me a few tips on what she thought would help me. From what i have been telling her she said without seeing my data from the machine she said it sounds like i do occasional mouth breathing and believes it is on the light side or i would have a very dry mouth etc. I don't tend to do that and my wife has not mentioned that i snore every night so i think it is more cold related now that I have the beginning stages of one. She said she tries to shy away from full face masks unless it is really necessary. She said if the leaks are slight then the machine will make up for the loss. She said with the chin strap you are training your body to get used to keeping the mouth closed and over time hopefully that will get better to the point some times you may not need to wear it any more. She said in the next few weeks she will be pulling the data off of the machine and will have a pretty good understanding then of what is going on as far as pressures leaks and the rest. So I guess i will hang in there and see how this goes. i really do like the mask i have and would like it to work . It is pretty comfortable.

[Jersey Girl]

I put a little Vics vapor rub on a cotten ball and placed it on an aluminum foil tray about 3 inches away from my air intake toward the back of the machine.

Also, I ordered a FFM on the cpap auction, just for when I have a really bad cold and I can't breathe through my nose. I didn't have to pay much for it.

Hope you are feeling better soon!

Warmly,

Jersey Girl

[pdean44]

I put a little Vics vapor rub on a cotten ball and placed it on an aluminum foil tray about 3 inches away from my air intake toward the back of the machine.

Also, I ordered a FFM on the cpap auction, just for when I have a really bad cold and I can't breathe through my nose. I didn't have to pay much for it.

Hope you are feeling better soon!

Warmly,

Jersey Girl

How did you know what size mask to order? Are the full face masks typically the same size as the nose mask if you want a different style? I believe I have a medium.

[Jersey Girl]

Dear pdean44,

You can hunt around on https://www.cpap.com for a "sizing gauge" or other sites if they don't have it. I have a comfort gel nasal mask and I saw that cpap.com had a sizing gauge for comfort gel full face masks for just a few dollars. I then went on the cpap auction and bid on a full face comfort gel mask. Again, this is NOT going to be my full time mask - just for if I have a bad cold and cannot breathe through my nose. I paid much less for it on the cpap auction than I would have on cpap.com and my FFM was unopened, still in its original packaging. The person mailed it out on the same day as I paid him through paypal. It worked out very well.

How are you feeling today?

Jersey Girl

[fiberfan]

How did you know what size mask to order? Are the full face masks typically the same size as the nose mask if you want a different style? I believe I have a medium.

cpap.com has a sizing guide that will recommend masks for you. Some of the masks have printable size templates as well, those are manufacturer supplied but cpap.com makes them easy to find.