As soon as I lie down...

Anyone experience this?

I'm fine throughout the entire day, but as soon as I lie my head on my pillow, boom - two stuffed nostrils. When I say stuffed, I mean stuffed. I've tried blowing my nose, saline spray, none of that works. The only thing that will work is Afrin, but I'm really loathe to use that for longer than a single use. Obviously, my XPAP is useless if there is no channel for the air to actually get into my system and is just blocked by two caved in sinuses.

Allergies? Am I allergic to something in my room? My pillows? My wife? Dogs are not allowed in our bedroom, but I'm not allergic to animals anyway.

Obvious question....have you seen an ENT doc about this to rule out some sort of physical something going on inside like a poly or deviated septum or something like that?

To the OP:

If you're not already doing so, I suggest disabling the ramp, putting on the mask, and powering the machine up (or let it "auto on") before lying down.

Midwest_non_sleeper wrote:Anyone experience this?

I'm fine throughout the entire day, but as soon as I lie my head on my pillow, boom - two stuffed nostrils. When I say stuffed, I mean stuffed. I've tried blowing my nose, saline spray, none of that works. The only thing that will work is Afrin, but I'm really loathe to use that for longer than a single use. Obviously, my XPAP is useless if there is no channel for the air to actually get into my system and is just blocked by two caved in sinuses.

Allergies? Am I allergic to something in my room? My pillows? My wife? Dogs are not allowed in our bedroom, but I'm not allergic to animals anyway.

I have this problem too. The clogging when laying down seems to be more a physical thing than allergy related. There is a lot about it on WebMD. For many years my strategy was to use Afrin diluted to about 25% strength using saline nasal spray. Sometimes breath rite strips would help. I was introduced on this site to a product called X-LEAR, which is a saline spray containing xylitol. It's very effective. I use two sprays in each nostril twice daily, including once about an hour before going to bed. I also use Allegra and Flonase, but I do have allergies that compound the problem for me. If you only get non-allergy related clogging you may not need those.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 12, 2019 7:37 am

Obvious question....have you seen an ENT doc about this to rule out some sort of physical something going on inside like a poly or deviated septum or something like that?

Hi Pugsy,

It's been years since I've actually had the need to go to an ENT. This is a relatively new phenomenon with me, but it's not related to the XPAP as far as I can tell, as I've been using it for over a year now with relatively few issues. It also didn't happen last night. I would think that if it were allergies, it would be an almost every night thing. I would think the same if it were a physical thing, ie; deviated septum, etc. I could be wrong of course, I'm just trying to logic my way through this.

Last night was bliss compared to the night before. I had to quite literally breathe through my mouth because I was so stopped up. It also seems that as quickly as it appears, it just...goes away.

One thing you can try that sometimes works in that situation is to cause yourself a burst of adrenaline. Holding your breath can do it for some.

Since the symptoms are intermittent....as in last night no issues.
My first suspect would be simply vascular issues mentioned in the link I posted above.
The why behind the blood vessels engorging....I don't know that anyone has ever figured that out.
Not everything is allergy related or humidity related or whatever.

I will tell you something my doc told me when I asked him about people using something like Afrin or dilution only at bedtime...he said there are worse things in life than being addicted to Afrin only at bedtime.

Have you considered trying something like Flonase? I know it's not supposed to be immediate relief like Afrin but maybe it might be just enough to get you at least jump started clear enough to be comfortable. Give it a try on a prn basis and not daily???? Just a thought.
Maybe consider using a diluted Afrin/saline solution only in one nostril and only when desperate????
Often if we can get one side open that will make us comfortable enough to sleep.
Alternate sides to reduce risk of dependency....though if you use a diluted solution and not every night...risk is minimal for developing a physical dependence to the chemicals.

I rarely have congestion issues but when I do....I have a little bottle of Afrin and I use it because if I can't breathe through my nose I simply can't sleep. Doesn't matter what mask I use...I just can't sleep period. I use a teeny tiny squirt into one nostril and I can move enough air to get to sleep and by morning both sides are clear and the congestion doesn't return.
I don't have allergies particularly and I don't get congested very often but I will resort to Afrin if it means I need it to sleep.
Like my doc says....there are worse things in life than using a little Afrin only at night.

And I have been through the Afrin rebound thing years ago...repeated sinus infections got me going with a full blown Afrin addiction so that I was using it many times during the day and for prolonged periods of time...So I know what to avoid now.
I don't ever want to go down that road again.

I finally got brave and/or desperate enough to try the X-LEAR formula with capsicum. Not as intense as I'd feared, and very effective. I needed a nap after waking up very early this morning congested, but couldn't breath through my nose hardly at all. Five minutes later I got a 28 minute nap and a few hours later I'm still breathing easily.

Try layering some pillows to create a wedge to raise head. Try Xclear spray.

Been dealing with congestion...especially when I lay down at night for near 20 years. I I have not found anything that touches it. None of the allergy sprays, saline remedies, or Afrin does much, and most of the time they make it worse.

Finally seeing an ENT next week.

Some good advice here.

To answer a few questions and a couple responses:

I have never tried flonase, with or without dilution, will give it a try. Afrin works almost immediately on me, as in, maybe 30 seconds, which might bolster Pugsy's suggestion that perhaps it's not allergies at all, just my blood vessels in my blower engorging. I rarely use Afrin, perhaps four times a year, so I've got no concerns of dependency or rebound congestion.

I sleep with two pillows already. I don't like having my head low and it causes chronic pain in my neck, similar to the pain my kids give me(As opposed to the other well known chronic "pain in the ass", which is usually caused by incompetent coworkers). So far this week, no issues. It's weird, because when it shows up, it shows up with a vengeance, but only for a night and then it just *poof* goes away, just like my dad did when I was a wee baby.

Sounds like what happens to me except mine isn't limited to just when I lay down. It might start an hour or so before bedtime and get worse when I lay down. I don't have it happen often and it's been months and months since I have resorted to the teeny tiny squirt of Afrin but I will do it if it means I can sleep. It's extremely rare and I have no other allergy like symptoms to blame it on.
I have never figured out the why it happens and just deal with the occasional annoyance when it does happen.

I had this problem for years until 6 years ago when I had a septoplasty as well as a reduction of nasal turbinates. my life has changed for the better. pugsy's suggestion to see an ENT is a good idea.