New User: Congested...humidity setting?

[wfcentral]

I have just been on CPAP 30 days. For the past week it seems I have caught a mild cold. I get a little congested about 1.5 hours before bedtime. Sinus congestion. Not bad enough I want to medicate.

I wake up in the middle of the night with an urge to get the mask off - not sure if it is because of the congestion or what? But, only started after I got this cold.

I turned the humidity on my machine (Respironic 550) from 2 to 3.

Today my nasal passage seems sore and tingles every now and then... I have not felt this before. Not even before CPAP when I had a cold.

Not sure if I should increase humidity to 4 or take it back down to 2.

[HoseCrusher]

You should do both...

Sometimes more humidity helps and other times less is better. The only way to figure out what works best for you is to try both and see what happens.

[robysue]

You might also want to try using a neti-pot or sinus rinse bottle to deal with that congestion that strikes about 90 minutes before bed. Getting rid of the congestion itself might eliminate the wake up.

And if the idea of squirting a lot of water up your nose seems unappealing, you could at least use some saline nasal spray. It might alleviate some of the congestion.

[DaveMunson]

Before you do a neti-pot take a look at nasalene. Much easier; less of a mess and it works. About the only thing that helps outside of drugs.

Don't be afraid of decongestants. Decongestants are your friend. Keep both types in stock: phenylephrine (aka Sudafed PE) and pseudoephedrine (ie Contac Non-Drowsy). It is not for your cold but to make you able to wear the mask. Normally you take these a while before bed.


If it is humid and hot, I would reduce humidity. "Sticky" summer weather turn the heat completely off but leave the water (clean) in the tank. If you have your ac running and the house that has the humidity down where you sleep, just lower the number. Come the dry fall, increase humidity. Get a cheap RH indicator to tell you what the house humidity is.