nasal mask wearers and colds

[dogluvr]

I'm curious....do most nasal mask wearers have a backup full face mask when congestion due to colds happens or do most treat the congestion problems with an OTC decongestant. I don't like the side effects of cold remedies very much at all and am thinking of trying out a FFM the next time I can get one. Which also brings up the question of how long do most masks last? I can get one every 3 months.

[Pugsy]

I have had 2 colds since starting therapy in May 2009. I have some issues that have pretty much made it impossible to use a full face mask so I just decided I would deal with any upper respiratory problems as they came about.

I just took some Nyquil to help me sleep.. a decongestant to help with congestion and used a lot of Simply Saline spray during the day and a teeny tiny bit of Afrin at night if I needed a little more help easing the congestion.
I have to watch the Afrin use because I know that I have in the past used it too much and had rebound to go through and don't won't to have to go through that again.

It wasn't great having a cold but coughing without a FFM is a lot easier and I slept about as well as one can expect when they have a cold even if they didn't have to use a cpap machine.

Many people do have a FFM available for use for times of nasal congestion. I don't though and have decided it is not something that I particularly need.

[chunkyfrog]

Do not be surprised if you have way fewer colds.
It might be the filtered air or the extra O2 in your system;
but the phenomenon is not uncommon. (-enon)

[Lizzzabeth]

I've got a cold right now, for about 5 days. I have my choice between a Swift FX (pillows), Mirage FX (nasal), and Mirage Quattro (FFM). I have not reached for the FFM. I can cough and even pop a cough drop if I'm wearing something over my nose or in my nares only. I think it would be very unpleasant to cough into the FFM, and I'd probably be clutching at it to pull it off. I'm alternating between the pillows and nasal cushion masks depending on whether my nose is sore or not when I go to bed. I'm dealing with the congestion with sinus rinses (Waterpik NetiBottle) and a little flonase. The sore throat and plugged up ears are more troublesome. So, I drink lots of water and green tea, use tylenol and throat lozenges as necessary.

The good news is that despite the challenges, my AHI remains low--0 to 0.2 and its been milder than most colds. The humidified air was a godsend when my sore throat was at its worst.

[Janknitz]

I cant use decongestants at all and there's no way I can do nasal pillows with a cold. I crank up the humidity and use my ff mask, but there may be a nigh or two when nothing works because of sneezing and runny nose. I'll even admit to wadding tissue up my nose and holding the mask on my face with my hands

[dogluvr]

Hmmmm......All good things to think about. I don't generally cough too much when I have a cold, it's generally more the runny nose and nasal congestion. Although it just depends on what pesky virus I have managed to pick up. I usually take an allergy med like claritin to help with the runny nose issues. I haven't ever tried a neti pot but may get one to have on hand. Maybe I'll be cold free from now on .
Any thoughts on how long most masks last, not counting the cushions since I can get them every 2 weeks?

[bdp522]

I have a FF mask incase I need it but find that pur-sleep clear helps keep everything opened up quite nicely. You can check at cpap.com for it.
A mask, with proper care can last years! Some people replace the cushions(pillows) frequently, I replace mine every 9 months or so. I've had some last much longer. I found a good wash with Dawn dishwashing liquid then a soak of 1 part vinegar;3 parts water and a real good rinse-refresh the pillows wonderfully.

Brenda

[Java Time]

I use the NeilMed Sinus Wash in the 8 oz bottle twice every day per my ear, nose, throat doctor. He said that's what he does. It's like the NetiPot, except you squirt it in, instead of pouring it in (the netipot kind of works like a teapot). You can buy the sinus wash 8 oz bottles and salt packets at Costco, it's like $16 for 250 salt packs and the bottles.

This seems to cut down on colds and allergy issues for me.

Kind of gross, but effective. The water goes in one nostril and out the other carrying all of the yuck with it. The first time I used it I thought I was "waterboarding" myself, but after a couple of uses it didn't bother me.

However, when I do get a little congested, the rinse may not go thru. Sometimes it just goes in and out the same nostril.

I will say that the last 51 days, since I have been on CPAP, I have way less morning congestion. The CPAP clearly helps me keep the sinuses clear.

[RandyJ]

Like JavaTime I swear by the sinus irrigation. I've been doing it for 2+ years now and haven't had a cold in that time. I do it every day (or twice a day) when I feel some congestion coming on, otherwise I do it every other day to maintain good cleanliness and prevent inflammation.

I have a full face mask as a backup; it used to be my full time mask but I recently transitioned to nasal.

[RandyJ]

I use the NeilMed Sinus Wash in the 8 oz bottle twice every day per my ear, nose, throat doctor. He said that's what he does. It's like the NetiPot, except you squirt it in, instead of pouring it in (the netipot kind of works like a teapot). You can buy the sinus wash 8 oz bottles and salt packets at Costco, it's like $16 for 250 salt packs and the bottles

The packets are very convenient but lately I've been mixing myself with recipe my ENT dr gave me: to 8 oz warm water I add 1/4 teaspoon non-iodized salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (I believe this is the same as the NeilMed mix). I bring the same distilled water I put in my humidifier to a boil to avoid putting anything that could be in the water (chlorine, etc) up my nose.

Kind of gross, but effective. The water goes in one nostril and out the other carrying all of the yuck with it. The first time I used it I thought I was "waterboarding" myself, but after a couple of uses it didn't bother me.

However, when I do get a little congested, the rinse may not go thru. Sometimes it just goes in and out the same nostril.

Another hint from my ENT (they give these instructions to post-surgery patients): for deeper cleaning, after introducing the solution to the nostril, tilt your head up and back a bit to allow it to flow into the sinus and out of your mouth. I do this sometimes if I am totally blocked in one nostril, and it definitely helps.

[dogluvr]

@ Randy and Javatime......whether you buy the packs or make it yourself, do you use all 8 oz per day then, 4 oz per nostril I assume? I can see doing this easily while taking a shower. And Randy, does any 8 oz plastic squirtable bottle work? Do you disinfect these after use at all?

[archangle]

In 7 years, I don't think I've ever had to give up using my nasal mask due to a cold.

I like the Sinus Rinse, too. I wash it and occasionally dishwash it, but don't do any particular
"disinfectant" process. I mixed salt and baking soda, and experimented until I found a dose that feels good in the nose.

[Java Time]

@ Randy and Javatime......do you use all 8 oz per day then, 4 oz per nostril I assume? ... does any 8 oz plastic squirtable bottle work? Do you disinfect these after use at all?

I recommend buying the actual NeilMed 8 oz plastic bottle. You may be able to buy it on CPAP.com or almost any drugstore in the sinus section. The reason I say to buy the bottle is it is designed with a particular shape that leads to fairly high water flow at low pressure. You want a lot of water to flow, but you don't want a painful amount of pressure. To help you see what I mean, I basically squeeze the bottle 3 times and ALL 8 ounces has flowed out. That is a lot of water "per squeeze". I wipe the bottle down after each use and you can also disinfect the bottle in the microwave per their instructions, so 1 bottle will last a long time and you can keep it disinfected.

I do use the full 8 ounces, twice per day. If I mow the lawn or allergies are bothering me, I may add a 3rd rinse. I rinse all 8 ounces through one side in the morning, and then 8 ounces through the other side in the evening. I don't go back and forth between nostrils during a single flush, because you are trying to flush stuff out, not just move it back and forth.

You should probably stick to boiled or disinfected water for any sinus rinse. I've used tap water occasionally, but I heard there was a person who died from an infection from using a netipot with well water. Something in the water caused an infection when exposed to the sensitive sinus cavities. I try to stick with distilled all the time now.

I hope that answers your question.

[Kody]

Also a Fan of the NeilMed Sinus Rinse. It really does help when I'm heavily congested before bed.
My kitchen is starting to look like a distilled water warehouse!
Have also noticed that I can breath clearer when I first wake up getting out of bed than in the middle of the day. I think that probably has to do with the humidifier and breathing the filtered air from the machine. Welcome and good luck with your journey in hose head land!

[RandyJ]

@ Randy and Javatime......whether you buy the packs or make it yourself, do you use all 8 oz per day then, 4 oz per nostril I assume? I can see doing this easily while taking a shower. And Randy, does any 8 oz plastic squirtable bottle work? Do you disinfect these after use at all?

Yes, I use all 8 oz. It ends up being 8-10 flushes per nostril, depending on how much you use at a time. My personal method is to do a brief flush or two in each nostril and then blow my nose gently to clear the water etc, and repeat until all 8 oz of liquid has been used. I like the NeilMed bottle too, because it draws from the bottom so you can use every last bit. I wash it with dishwashing soap and water after each use, and put in the microwave after washing every other time. Microwaving the freshly washed bottle for 90-100 seconds is a kind of sterilization, according to NeilMed. You're supposed to replace the bottle every 3 months or so, depending on use.

Any plastic squirtable bottle will work, however. When I first started doing these rinses back in '91, NeilMed didn't exist so I bought a rubber squeeze bottle at the pharmacy that they sold for baby use with a removable plastic nozzle, and it worked fine.

The NeilMed packets are great, but I have a hard time finding them packaged without the bottle or netipot, so lately I mix my own. As I said, my ENT gave me the isotonic recipe that they recommend for sinus irrigation after surgeries, which feels the same as the NeilMed mix to me. For heavy congestion you can use double the mix (according to NeilMed), but I find that it burns. For daily and frequent use 1 packet to 8 oz of water (or 1/4 teaspoon non-iodized salt + 1/4 teaspoon baking soda) feels good and doesn't burn.

I bring the water to the boil. From when i take it off the burner, it takes about 17-18 minutes to cool to a comfortable warm temperature. Then I add the mix, shake and use.

If you are congested it may take a day or 2 to get results, but it didn't take very long for me.