Wedge pillow for stuffy nose?

[Always tired]

Within a few hours of going to be bed my left nostril shuts down and I wake up and freak even though I tell my mind it's perfectly fine to breathe through one side. The only thing that will work so far is Afrin spray and on a permanent basis that is not good.
My septum has been straightened and turbinates shaved.
I use the NelMed nasal rinse twice a day, and tried QNasal last night -- no help.
Normally I use the NelMed rinse and Nasonex, early morning and late afternoon -- that did work for some time, but is not working lately.
I don't have a cold or allergies.
I sleep on my right side or back
I use the Breathe Rite nasal strips, they help a little.
I went to my ENT and she gave me some Kenalog shots in the nose and that did not help and wired the heck out of me. Her comment was something like, "well the sinuses are complicated bla bla bla."
I live in a dry climate and normally keep my humidity on 4 (out of 5), but have tested it down to 3 and up to 5 with the same results, also use the saline spray several times a day to keep the sinuses hydrated.
Finally I've experimented with pressure and a Hybernite heated hose with no luck.

The ultimate solution, of course, would be for my mind to completely ignore the nose, but that's not happening.

So I'm thinking about going out to Bed, Bath and buying one of those wedge pillows that many of you use for Gerd and see if it helps.

Has anyone out there successfully used a wedge pillow to keep the sinuses open? Any comments would be appreciated.
Thanks,
A T

[Starlette]

I'm going to subscribe to your thread. I have the same issue with the left nostril collapsing.

Starlette

[kaiasgram]

AT and Starlette -- I've used a bed wedge (pillow) for years. I didn't start using it because of nasal congestion, however I found that it did help a little with that. Gravity may not flatter our bodies as we get older, but it can help a bit with congestion. In fact when I have a cold with congestion, I sleep in a recliner or prop way the h_ll up with pillows because it helps me keep breathing through my nose.

Just be careful if you have sensitive back problems because using a bed wedge changes how your spine is aligned while you sleep.

[gasp]

I have an adjustable bed and raise it just a bid to create a more open airway. To your topic, when I sleep on my left side my right nasal passage collapses. Annoying - and I can tell the machine raises pressure as a result. So, I should try the nasal strips but think with regular use my skin will be irritated with the glue as it is with any other sticky things I've stuck to it in the past. Tilting the bed does not relieve the closing of the nasal passage.

How are you doing now? Did you try the tilt?

[reinvigorated]

Has anyone seen improvement with this?

I'm having the same problem and I'm really interested in potential solutions.

[Muse-Inc]

Has anyone seen improvement with this?

I'm having the same problem and I'm really interested in potential solutions.

I sleep on layered pillows. 2 on the bottom, a contoured memory foam pillow on top (fat end toward me). The front edge of the first bottom pillow is at waist height when I sleep. I am a side sleeper and find this works for me to keep my nose clear much of the night. My ENT recommended Afrin which worked for years, then I started having a racing pulse from it and had to stop. I have chronic life-long allergy/sinus congestion and use the Hybrid FFM. During my worst allergy seasons, I use Ocean spray in a can (not the squeeze bottle) and the Grossan nasal irrigator with his saline solution packettes if the Ocean spray isn't enough to keep my nose clear. My back does not like the wedge unless I sleep on my back, a no-no as my AHI quadruples on my back and I feel lousy the next day.