who uses CPAP when sick with strep and bronchitiis

[blueeyes]

I have had strep throat, ear infection and bronchitis for about a month. I have not been able to use my CPAP, if I try to lay down then I start coughing. I have a wedge pillow but it does not help. My throat hurts really bad. Been on Mucinex DM for cough and antibotics. I will be going back to doctor tomorrow for more medicine. I am sure I would feel a little better if I could use my CPAP. Any suggestions would help.
Linda

[cflame1]

I use mine with bronchitis... just turn up the humidity.

[mstevens]

The sicker I am, the more important it is that I use CPAP. If I'm too congested for good upper airway airflow, I'll use a decongestant. If I'm coughing, I'll use a cough suppressant.

[Janknitz]

I'm just recovering from bronchitis and my cpap was a godsend! I switched to a full face mask and cranked up the humidity. I was able to sleep, lying down in bed and I slept really well--good, restful sleep.

I have pretty bad asthma, and before CPAP bronchitis meant a week or more of poor sleep sitting up in the recliner. It was SO much better with CPAP. I coughed all day, but at night, on CPAP, I hardly cough at all. I do have an elastic hair band around my CPAP so I won't blow the filters out if I do cough (nothing to hold them in on Respironics machines).

[blueeyes]

Well my CPAP does not have a humidifier. I know I would feel better if I could use it. I have been sleeping in my recliner and that way I don't cough as much. I am so afraid that when the air hits my throat and I will cough all night. I have a full face mask and use redmed S6. I guess I will get more medicine from the doctor today. Maybe he will get me a shot and knock me out for a while. LOL

[jromano]

blueeyes (Linda),

Using your CPAP when you're sick, while sometimes a challenge, is arguably more important than ever.
Lack of adequate and restful sleep adds insult to injury for your immune system.

If you don't have a humidifier with your CPAP, try using a free-standing humidifier for the room that you're sleeping in. In a pinch, throw a big pot of water on the stove and boil it down a couple of times (just don't leave it unattended... ).
Make sure you're not skimping on the easiest step: staying well hydrated.

Feel better soon!

Cheers,
Jess

[Mr Bill]

I have had strep throat, ear infection and bronchitis for about a month. I have not been able to use my CPAP, if I try to lay down then I start coughing. I have a wedge pillow but it does not help. My throat hurts really bad. Been on Mucinex DM for cough and antibotics. I will be going back to doctor tomorrow for more medicine. I am sure I would feel a little better if I could use my CPAP. Any suggestions would help.
Linda

Try elevating the head of the entire bed by 6 inches. I use three stacked 2" x 6" boards. Its far more effective than any pillow arrangement. I used to get bronchitis for weeks at a time and sleeping on a slope will help a great deal. If satin or fine weave cotton sheets are too slippery, try flannel sheets which will keep you in place just fine.

[roster]

I have posted this story here before about a friend who does not have sleep apnea but her husband does and uses CPAP.

She contracted bronchitis. When her husband would leave for work in the mornings she would put on his mask and go back to sleep for a couple of hours. She said it was the best sleep and the best relief from bronchitis.

And no, her husband never contracted bronchitis from the mask.

[Pugsy]

Remember croup tents for kids with pneumonia or other lung issues? Moisturized air and lots of it. Helps to keep the cilia in the bronchi hydrated and actually helps reduce inflammation. Remember how good a hot shower feels for a little while when we have a bad cold? Remember mom making a "tent" over boiling water to breathe the warm moist air? Lung treatments with meds and a neublizer to add moisture and method for meds to get to lungs? Worse contributor for bronchitis is dehydration, drink more water and sometimes just add more water to the air that is inhaled. Keep those cilia hydrated well in the lungs and they won't get so irritated and make us want to cough more..

I have only caught a couple of minor colds since beginning cpap. Both times nasal decongestant, cough suppressant and cranking up the humidifier actually helped me sleep better than one might think with a bad cold.

[klutzo]

This post has been a revelation for me! I can't remember who it was, but someone in authority told me never to use my CPAP when I had a cold because it would send it straight into my chest.

Usually, on the rare occasions I get a cold, it will go into my chest after about 8 days, and stay there for almost 2 months. I eventually learned to take maximum doses of Guaifenessin at the first sign of a cold and it prevented it going into my chest at all.

However, the first time I got a cold after starting to use CPAP, I continued to use the machine, and despite taking Guaifenessin the cold went into my chest in less than 24 hours, so I thought the person who told me not to use it had been correct. I have not had a cold since, and am now confused as to what to do when it inevitably happens.

It makes sense that you would need CPAP even more with a cold, but that last experience really soured me on it.

klutzo

[mstevens]

someone in authority told me never to use my CPAP when I had a cold because it would send it straight into my chest.

All this goes to show is that there are morons in authority.

There is basically no chance that viruses affecting your upper airway are not also present in your lower airway, with or without CPAP.

[Janknitz]

Colds go directly to my chest anyway because of asthma. So the CPAP didn't cause that. And it really did help.

I get a bad bout of bronchitis EVERY year around Christmas (good thing I'm Jewish!). This was the first year in many I didn't end up with pneumonia or in the ER.