Having a cold with CPAP

[letmezzz]

Yikes! Having a cold with wearing CPAP is no fun Any hints? My nose is stuffy and runny, I have been coughing and sneezing the last two days and as soon as I put the mask on bam! I feel like I need to take it off but I don't want too. Do I just keep taking it on and off?

[LSAT]

Switch to a Full Face Mask so you can breath through your mouth while still getting your therapy.

[cflame1]

netipot

[chronic]

I use generic sudafed and generic afrin. Helps some but it's not perfect. Maybe I wil get me a full face mask. Never tried one.

[RandyJ]

As was suggested above, it's best to use a full face mask while your cold symptoms prevent breathing well through your nose. I had my first cold in 3 years in November; the first night was horrible, I kept sneezing into the mask and had to remove it to blow my nose. Did this a dozen or so times until I fell asleep.

If you don't have the option of a full face mask, the other suggestions above will help: netipot (ie NeilMed packets with distilled water only, for safety) 2 to 3 times a day, Sudafed (the one you have to show your ID to purchase - pseudephedrine - works best, 12 hr timed release caplets), Afrin nasal spray (max use 3 days)... the combination of these therapies may clear your nose enough to use the nasal mask... hopefully.

You just have to ride it out. Good luck!

[Pugsy]

OP shows a full face mask in profile.

Treat the cold symptoms the best you can with whatever remedies work for you to make you more comfortable. If you just can't sleep well due to coughing and congestion and misery using the mask...and nothing helps relieve the symptoms..if you have to go without the mask...try sleeping in a recliner if you can so the upright position might help reduce the apnea events.

I found that cranking the humidifier up helped a lot with the congestion. YMMV.

Drink lots of fluids and all that usual treat a cold advice. Take a cough suppressant if you can find one that will work. I found that good old nasty green Nyquil would let me sleep for about 4 hours reasonably well. Everyone is different. Treat the individual cold symptoms as best you can and it will pass. If you absolutely can't use the mask and sleep....well try being upright as much as possible...do what you have to do to get some sleep. In this case while obviously not ideal...some sleep even if a few apneas happen is better than no sleep. IMHO

[RandyJ]

OP shows a full face mask in profile.

Pugsy, when I click on the icon for the mask I am seeing the Mirage FX nasal mask, the one that I use...

[Pugsy]

Pugsy, when I click on the icon for the mask I am seeing the Mirage FX nasal mask, the one that I use...

Well, crap, so it does. One reason why I hate the images instead of text. It looks like a full face mask to me and I didn't bother to click on the link.

Anyway...unless OP has a full face mask in the drawer from past trial...he can't get one now quick enough to help tonight..so he still has to do what he can with the symptoms that he has until either he can get a FFM from DME tomorrow if he wants to use a FFM.

[Java Time]

Yikes! Having a cold with wearing CPAP is no fun Any hints? My nose is stuffy and runny, I have been coughing and sneezing the last two days and as soon as I put the mask on bam! I feel like I need to take it off but I don't want too. Do I just keep taking it on and off?

I have a couple of different nasal masks and a set of nasal pillows. I use the largest nasal mask when congested, which seems to help me breathe with less resistance. I'd think full face is even better, if you have it. If you have more than one mask, try the larger one that really helps me. If you only have nasal pillows, I found a small amount of relief by going up to a larger size during my cold.

Lots of people recommend Mucinex for relief.

Afrin can work, but in my opinion it should be a last resort as I understand you cannot use it more than 3 days in a row. Afrin is my desperation fall back, but I almost never use it.

I use the NeilMed 8oz saline rinse squeeze bottle with saline packet twice per day, even when I'm not congested. I do this per the suggestion of my Ear, Nose, Throat doctor who said he also uses NeilMed every day. This generally keeps my sinuses clear, but the sinus wash does NOT keep me clear by itself if I get a cold or sinus issue. Saline rinses with just a single NeilMed packet do NOT dry me out and I have used them twice per day for over a year with no drying or other ill effects.

When I had my last cold/sinus issue, I had limited success using "double" salt packets with my NeilMed saline wash 3-4 times per day. For me the problem with this "hypertonic" double-dose solution was it dried/chapped the skin of my nose pretty bad after a couple of days. Also, when congested the saline solution does not flow very well and then drips out for quite awhile. The "hypertonic" double-dose salt solution does seem to work for some people, but I probably won't try it again.

I have had really good success the last month or so adding "Alkalol" to my twice per day NeilMed saline rinse. This seems to break the congestion up right away and allow the saline nasal rinse to flow properly. I also have a couple of friends who I have told about Alkalol and they like it and are using it as well. This is really only an answer for people who are comfortable using saline nasal rinses, so it won't work for everyone. I've found the 16oz "Alkalol" bottle for between $5 and $8 at local pharmacies. The Alkalol is my current congestion solution of choice and seems to keep me clear for several hours. This reduced my congestion and allows me to breathe freely with my CPAP mask. More on Alkalol use here: viewtopic.php?p=665255#p665255

If all else fails, sit in a recliner or sleep sitting up on a "pillow mountain" without the mask to sleep.