when your nose is clogged do you use your machine

[DaveG]

I've been on my cpap machine for a few months now and everything is great. I did get sick a couple days ago with a bad cold. Even had a fever of 99.3 for a couple days. My nose is completely stuffed up on my right nostril and my left is barely open. I have a slight deviated septum so my right nostril shuts completely when I have a cold. I havent been able to use my cpap machine for 2 nights now because of this. What do you do when you cant breath thru your nose? I was snoring so bad last night I kept waking up my 4 month old daughter whos room is down the hall!

[Pugsy]

Some people crank up the humidifier to try to blow through the congestion from a cold.
Some people, that use nasal masks, have a full face mask as a backup for the times that they have a cold or congestion so bad that they can't breathe through their nose.

[LavenderMist]

My suggestion would be a full face mask. It will allow you to breathe through your mouth and still get treatment. You can also try a nasal rinse like neilmed to see if you can clear your nose out. Hope you feel better soon.

[mdintx]

I find that doing a sinus rinse helps clear the congestion. I do it daily because of allergies but I noticed that it helped when I had a cold.

[Muse-Inc]

Since I switched to the Hybrid (covers mouth & has nasal pillows) from a pillow mask, I had one morning where my one nostril was completely blocked & the other pretty much congested...did not have that really tired feeling I've always had in the past...pretty amazing!

Dave, with a cold that blocks my nose, I have used the 12-hr moisturizing Afrin --1 spray in 1 nostril before bed for JUST 3 NIGHTS. Be careful, if you use it longer than recommended, it causes rebound congestion which is worse than the original congestion & can take months to heal. Lots of posts about congestion, try searching.

[pitrow]

I find cocaine works really good.

lol, just kidding, but I did find out when I had sinus surgery than it is not uncommon for cocaine to be used to reduce swelling of the sinuses during surgery. My doctor said he didn't use it because he'd had too much trouble with it mysteriously "disappearing" from his supplies. LOL.

Anyway, I'm new at this cpap stuff so I can't help with that part, but when mine act up (which is quite common) a sinus rinse as mentioned usually helps, or if it's really bad afrin works wonders, but I don't really like the side effects and as mentioned you can't use it for very long.

I'm curious to see the outcome of this thread as I have a feeling that I'm going to have issues with it too. I've been thinking about getting a full-face mask for a back up in these situations.

[DaveG]

Well I have one of those netti pot rinse things Ill do tonight. Im not a fan of afrin and dont want to use it. Hopefully this cold just goes away!

[spacetoast]

For seasonal allergy sufferers:

If you clear out your sinuses with a neti pot and then get your headgear on, will the filters in the machine help keep you symptom-free (or symptom-reduced) through the night?

[Muse-Inc]

Huge number of posts on congestion, allergies, stuffy nose...might try searching for other's success tips.

[GaryG]

I've been using something called saline nasal gel, and applying it to the inside of my nostrils at night. it helps to open nasal passages, and allows me to use a nasal mask.

[2flamingos]

While my congestion has improved immensely since sinus surgery and septoplasty, I still find myself congested at times. When I do, usually a saline spary and higher humidifer setting helps. Also, I just got over a bout with pnuemonia - and used my CPAP the entire time.

At this point, unless I just fall asleep on the counch - I never go to sleep without my pap! Have had to take naps a few days last week due to satying with my dad in hospital overnight, and could not sleep unless I had the ole pap going! and boy did I sleep!

So, I said all of that to say this - yes, use pap even when congested. A FF or hybrid as back-up in those cases would be a good idea and a wise investment!