Is my cpap making me sick???

[fkarl]

I have had allergies all my life. I have been on cpap for a couple of months now and am feeling way better than I have in years. Now, I admit i don't clean my gear like I should but I use only distilled water in my unit and was told I can clean less often because of this. There is no residue or any indication of contamination so I am not sure where to turn.... Let me start from the beginning.

i take allegra 180 once per day and it has worked extrememly well over the years. I have two cats, (yes I am allergic 4+ but they haven't been an issue for the last 8 years...), that haven't bothered me since I started the allegra when we got them. For the past two weeks or so I am sneezy runny and drippy about 30 minutes after I wake up. Nothing has changed inside my house but it is spring.... so my allergies may just be in an uproar over all the stuff coming on outside. I have no other symptoms, no rash around nose nothing that would indicate any type of irritant coming in contact with my skin.... just the terrible sneezy drippy mess. IF this is caused by my cpap, I think it might be because I am using "filtered air" to sleep, (you know, through the machine), and upon waking I am exposed to all those allergens at once and have sor tof a rebound issue. Does anyone else have this problem??

I also should say that I work nights.... would like to take my allegra before going to work, you know when I get up for the day? but then on my 3 days off per week i "flip" to a day time schedule so the rythm is all thrown off.... do I double up the allegra on those days or just skip and hope for the best?? (I am pretty leary of the whole doubling up thing...)
thanks
Karl

[john_dozer]

The airflow from the CPAP could be keeping you dry so you don't get runny until after you're off it. Especially if you mouth breath some when you're not on the hose.

[roster]

See if this is correct:
1. You were on CPAP for about five or more weeks and the symptoms had not started.
2. Spring arrived.
3. The symptoms started.

I would first go with the simplest explanation that pollens caused your allergies.

Sensitivities change over time and this year could be different for you independent of CPAP.

What helps me a lot is a rinse with a neti pot ( http://www.neilmed.com/usa/netipot_adwo ... xwodfFlUTA ) as soon as I arise from bed.

You may also want to read Dr. Falcon's comments in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36738&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

[Julie]

Many people find that lowering the setting on their humidifiers helps with congestion problems, so I wonder if it might help you to lower it, or even not use it if you are comfortable doing that.

[roster]

What humidifier setting are you using? Which climate are you in?

[Wulfman]

I have had allergies all my life. I have been on cpap for a couple of months now and am feeling way better than I have in years. Now, I admit i don't clean my gear like I should but I use only distilled water in my unit and was told I can clean less often because of this. There is no residue or any indication of contamination so I am not sure where to turn.... Let me start from the beginning.

i take allegra 180 once per day and it has worked extrememly well over the years. I have two cats, (yes I am allergic 4+ but they haven't been an issue for the last 8 years...), that haven't bothered me since I started the allegra when we got them. For the past two weeks or so I am sneezy runny and drippy about 30 minutes after I wake up. Nothing has changed inside my house but it is spring.... so my allergies may just be in an uproar over all the stuff coming on outside. I have no other symptoms, no rash around nose nothing that would indicate any type of irritant coming in contact with my skin.... just the terrible sneezy drippy mess. IF this is caused by my cpap, I think it might be because I am using "filtered air" to sleep, (you know, through the machine), and upon waking I am exposed to all those allergens at once and have sor tof a rebound issue. Does anyone else have this problem??

I also should say that I work nights.... would like to take my allegra before going to work, you know when I get up for the day? but then on my 3 days off per week i "flip" to a day time schedule so the rythm is all thrown off.... do I double up the allegra on those days or just skip and hope for the best?? (I am pretty leary of the whole doubling up thing...)
thanks
Karl

Except for the sneezing, I have the nasal/sinus drainage almost every morning.....about 20 minutes after I get up.....and consider it a "GOOD THING". I use cool, "passover" humidity (no heat) and that keeps my nasal passages open during the night. I have not had a cold or the flu for about 3 1/2 years, so I'm not going to complain if I have to blow my nose a couple of times in the morning.
I've also never taken any allergy medications, either.......so I can't make any recommendations in that regard.

Den

[fkarl]

So I think I may have partially solved the issue..... I finally got up and took away the humidifier, my nose and sinuses cleared within a minute! perhaps, my water was either contaminated, or it was just too much moisture. I am going to try the passover technique today.... will see how that works.

[whats up with this?]

I have been wearing a cpap for 1 yaer, last month i stoped wesring it for 1 month I just started again and now I am feeling very dizzy and I have allergys, so I quit after a few days , now I am not feeling dizzy and no allergys. so does any one know whats up with this?

[Amontilado]

So I think I may have partially solved the issue..... I finally got up and took away the humidifier, my nose and sinuses cleared within a minute! perhaps, my water was either contaminated, or it was just too much moisture. I am going to try the passover technique today.... will see how that works.

fkarl,

I went to passover mode myself with the humidifyer a year or so ago and found that nasal stuffyness has gone down significantly. Haven't gone back to "heated mode since.

Steve

[imms]

I know what you mean. My congestion is in my lungs/chest. I'm concerned that the CPAP is really causing damage to my lungs. I was doing fine on the CPAP for 2 years. I was pretty good about cleaning everything and consistant.