need advice for mask - nasal congestion

[LG34]

I have only used nasal pillows since getting on sleep therapy. I like the nasal pillows but keep having stuffy nose. Have had a couple incidents (one currently - had to go to doctor) of severe nasal congestion. Would a nasal mask give the same results? (Looking at AirFit™ N20 Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear) Would a full face mask be better? I'd rather keep whatever means necessary to a minimum. Or any other advice you have that may help nasal congestion and stuffy nose?

[ChicagoGranny]

Have had a couple incidents (one currently - had to go to doctor) of severe nasal congestion.

Have you identified the root cause of the congestion? What are your humidifier settings? What is your machine pressure setting? Leak levels? If your humidifier tank is full when you go to bed, how much water is in it when you wake up? What climate do you live in? Does an HVAC vent blow near your CPAP machine?

[Doug_Nightmare]

Afrin. Once! Beware of rebound from chronic use.

[ChicagoGranny]

Afrin. Once! Beware of rebound from chronic use.

keep having stuffy nose

[Pugsy]

Is this congestion that you sometimes have something that is new to you since starting cpap therapy or is it something that predates starting cpap therapy?
How often do you have nights where congestion is an issue?

If it's new then it might be related to the humidity setting of the cpap machine. You might need more or less humidity.

If it predates starting cpap...then it's related to something else and you need to figure out what and best how to deal with it.

[LG34]

Humidity is set at 4. I recently turned it down to 3. No vents nearby. Humid climate in the summer in the southeast. I usually fill the tub to just under the halfway mark and have a little left in it in the mornings. Pressure is 4-6. Leak levels 7-8.

I don't know the cause of the congestion. Started after CPAP therapy started but not at first. I've seen an ENT which was not helpful. He said use Nasacort on a regular basis. I get the stuffy nose without sneezing so that makes me think it's not seasonal allergies. It has been the number 1 reason that I stop CPAP for awhile. Now if I don't use the machine, I get bad headaches. I remember times though when my nose would get stuffy in the evenings before bed. Couldn't find a reason for it.

Home remedies don't work. I've tried saline sprays, steam, etc. Tried Tussin, Nasacort or Flonase per the ENT. Afrin if it gets really bad for no more than 3 days. I've tried doing none of the above. Yesterday it was so bad, the Afrin only worked for about 4 hours. I can't breathe out of my nose at all when it gets this bad and then my jaw goes forward and creates soreness. PCP gave me a steroid this time.

This time, I got a new machine on Friday and washed the hose. Used it Friday night with humidity set to 2. Went for day trip on Saturday and didn't have time to wash the hose again. (I use Burt's Bees baby wash fragrance free). That night the hose smelled so I didn't use the machine. Woke up with raging headache and nose very congested. So I don't know the cause. PCP didn't know - said inflammation.

I didn't have seasonal allergies when everyone else was complaining until late last summer when I had a lot of sneezing. Allegra and Claritin didn't work. Had to take Chlor Trimeton. Don't know if it's that. The ENT nurse practitioner said allergy shots but then I saw ENT and he didn't mention it. That was the only time I thought it was allergies.

Sleep doctor has said try a mask.

[Pugsy]

Here's the deal with congestion that seems to be caused by cpap or made worse by cpap.

Google "cpap rhinitis"

When the nasal mucosa get irritated for any reason they swell up and cause congestion...give you symptoms that mimic a bad allergy attack. Too much added moisture from the humidifier or not enough added moisture can cause the nasal mucosa to swell up and you become congested. Sometimes other symptoms are present along with the congestion like sneezing, drainage, itchy, etc. Sometimes just the congestion.

There is no right or wrong humidity setting that works for everyone. This is an area where people just have to figure out what it takes to make their nasal mucosa happy.
I know of couples using cpap where one person likes as much moisture as they can get and the other person wants only minimal added moisture or even no added moisture.

If you already tried a lower setting...try a higher setting and see if it helps or not.

[ChicagoGranny]

Humidity is set at 4. I recently turned it down to 3. No vents nearby. Humid climate in the summer in the southeast.

I live in a less humid climate than you and don't find a humidifier necessary. It's possible you are getting too much.

Went for day trip on Saturday and didn't have time to wash the hose again. (I use Burt's Bees baby wash fragrance free).

Many of us never wash the hose. How do you get the inside dry? I'm thinking in your humid climate mold could grow in the hose quickly.

Now if I don't use the machine, I get bad headaches.

Yeah, me too. A 30-minute, afternoon nap without CPAP will give me a headache. That's why I always use the CPAP.

The ENT nurse practitioner said allergy shots but then I saw ENT and he didn't mention it.

Testing for allergies (pollen, mold, mite dust, etc.) is quick and easy in the ENT's office.

[Okie bipap]

I would strongly recommend the allergy testing. I showed negative results when they did the blood test for allergies, but had reactions when they did the skin test.

[LG34]

I will try different settings to see if that makes it any better. Is auto a better option than manual?

I was told to wash the hose and tub once a week and the nasal pillows daily. I shake out as much as I can and let it drain over a rack in the bathtub. Later I run mask fit and get out more water and then run warm up and it's dry. That is how I was instructed except the run warm up. I usually run warm up every night anyway.

I am thinking allergy testing/shots may be the way to go. Does anyone take Zyrtec, Claritin or Allegra? I tried Claritin and Allegra last summer and it didn't help. I don't like 24 hour meds so if you do get a side effect or it doesn't work, you're stuck.

[Okie bipap]

I alternate between Clariten and Zyrtec. I take one for about a year, then swap off to the other.

[mtnguyen]

I too have chronic nasal congestion, I cut my turbinate twice, with coblator and laser, but the problem still persist. Breathe right strips helps, but I still couldn't breathe normally, I still have fatigue and tired, after a lot of experiment and research, I found out that narrow airway, the part in my nose near my nostrils is the culprit, because of narrow airway in nostrils, the velocity of air that go through your turbinate is very high, because it is high, it makes your turbinate swell because of dry air. The narrow airway was caused by malocclusion type II your teeth and maxilla forward makes less room for you to breathe, if you can visit an orthodontist, there are over 20 research on the link between sleep apnea and malocclusion. It is called upper airway resistance syndrome, I discovered it when I put a "nose secret" into my nose, it increased my nostrils size and I felt much better, but it can't be used over prolonged period.
So I have braces and had my nose lift so there is more room to breathe as well as make me looks better, it feels great not feeling tired all the time, I wonder is that how everyone feels? a tranquility state of mind with no anxiety, the world becomes vivid, I feel like I was born again. Sometimes braces won't help if the problem is your jaws, so orthognathic surgery might be needed, a surgery cost 3k$ in india. I am still on braces with only 2-3 months to finish but if I had money I would have jaw surgery rather than braces.

[prodigyplace]

I didn't have seasonal allergies when everyone else was complaining until late last summer when I had a lot of sneezing. Allegra and Claritin didn't work. Had to take Chlor Trimeton. Don't know if it's that. The ENT nurse practitioner said allergy shots but then I saw ENT and he didn't mention it. That was the only time I thought it was allergies.

Sleep doctor has said try a mask.

I have sinus allergies (seasonal & house dust). I take Walmart's version of Chlortrimeton (Equate Chlor-Tabs 4mg) before going to bed to try & keep my sinuses under control with my P10 pillow mask.
There have been a few times over the past 18 months where I went without CPAP for part of the night. I have tried a few full fae masks but have not yet got one suitable with minor leaks.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Equate-Chlor ... t/14053323

[ChicagoGranny]

So I have braces and had my nose lift so there is more room to breathe as well as make me looks better, it feels great not feeling tired all the time, I wonder is that how everyone feels? a tranquility state of mind with no anxiety, the world becomes vivid, I feel like I was born again.

Congratulations on doing something good for yourself. I'm glad this is working out for you and may the braces also make a good contribution to your health.

Do you still use CPAP?

[mtnguyen]

i only experienced those fine feeling of having enough oxygen for 2 weeks, then i came to the orthodontics to adjust my braces, my teeth moves back also mess up with my nose so the airway become much narrower than before , this time my sleep apnea becomes much worse, i can only sleep for 2 hours and have to wake up because of nasal congestion, the rhinoplasty surgeon will correct my nose but my teeth and maxilla need to be static in order for him not to have to do it again so i have to finish my orthodontics treatment which is about 2-3 months. recently i bought an used s9 vpap st on ebay with climateline and p10 nasal mask on ebay and it is on its way to me. hope it will help me sleep through the night. meanwhile i am on 2 days water fast to lose my extra weight quickly, the other days i am on keto diet eat only scrambled eggs with 30% calories deficit(1400 kcal a day) i ve read a lot of research and they say craniofacial deformity is the leading cause of sleep apnea in non obese person. so if you have sa and are obese then water fast then keto to lose weight,if you are not obese and you see something wrong with your jaw and teeth, especially if you are asian, whose nose is small and short, visit an orthodontist or get a nose lift, i looks much more attractive with a tall nose as well as breathe better. cost of my "cosmetic" rhinoplasty-2.5k$, braces-400$ for 2 years.