New CPAP User: I feel like I have a head cold every morning

[Savannah]

Hello fellow CPAP users,

I'm a recently diagnosed CPAPer who has seen some impressive improvements to my daytime alertness and focus during the day after a month of using the machine (yes!).

My sleep specialist initially gave me a diagnostic CPAP machine to test how high the air pressure setting should be (I'm an "8") and that machine came without a humidifier. Other than waking up with dry nasal passages, I felt refreshed and energetic in a way I had never been in my life.

Once my pressure setting was confirmed, the specialist sent me home with the humidifier attachment which was set to "3". As soon as I began using that, I woke up feeling like I had a horrible head cold. That morning energy burst was replaced by a groggy, "should I take a sick day" feeling. I start to improve about an hour later.

I still feel just as well rested during the day.

I'm guessing the morning head cold feeling is the result of adding on the humidifier, has anyone else experienced this? I perhaps should also add that allergy season is rampant in my area right now and I am definitely suffering. It's just weird that I feel better an hour after removing the CPAP.

Should I drastically reduce or remove the humidifier?

[Pugsy]

Some people do better with more added moisture and some people do better with less to none.
Since you did "better" without the humidifier you may be one of those people who do better with less.
So I would reduce the setting..probably to 1 and see how you do.

I am just the opposite and I get horrible nasal congestion and drainage issues if I don't get enough moisture but some people get the very same symptoms when they get too much added moisture.
It is a highly individualized preference. So there is no one set way to do it. You can lower the setting..you can turn off the heat and just let there me a small amount of "passover" humidity added.
You don't have to use a humidifier at all but it does seem to help muffle the noise a bit.

So just experiment a bit and find out which works for you. That setting of "3" is just a median setting and a starting point.

[Savannah]

Some people do better with more added moisture and some people do better with less to none.
Since you did "better" without the humidifier you may be one of those people who do better with less.
So I would reduce the setting..probably to 1 and see how you do.

Thank you so much for the feedback Pugsy-- so incredible helpful. I will definitely reduce the setting tonight and see how I do and report back. =)

[msla]

A fine hypo allerginic filter should reduce the allergins too, helping with your alergies.