Cpap when sick?

When I'm sick I get comfort from using Aromatherapy. My favorite is Sinus Blaster from Pur-Sleep, available from cpap.com. In a pinch when I'm out I've used Vicks Vapo Rub on a cotton ball behind the air intake. I can't imagine sleeping without my CPAP when sick, that would make me feel worse!

Jen

I find that when I'm sick is when I need CPAP the most and that the more years that I use CPAP the less I have been getting sick.

My OSA is severe, so it would feel risky to me for me to choose to go without PAP for even one night.

But for some with milder forms of OSA, I believe that it becomes a judgment call of what would seem to them most likely to give them the most restful sleep that night. Choosing to go without it a night or two when dealing with a bad cold may be no big deal for some of them if they get right back to it the third night or so, since the damage for many mild-OSA sufferers is more cumulative than a matter of a risk of sudden acute distress.

If in doubt, a call to the sleep doc to get direction on your specific situation may be in order.

IMO.

-Jeff

Yes and no -- If its a cold, I use my FFM as usual because if I am congested and can't breathe well through my nose then I will, obviously, need a FFM because I will be breathing through my mouth....

However if my cold is in my chest and is making me cough, then I will try if at all possible to use only my nasal mask -- because if you cough with the FFM, you either have to quickly disconnect the hose (try that while sleeping) or tear the mask off, or else you risk blasting the filters right out the back of the machine. (At least on the PR series, which was brilliantly designed without a cage to secure the filters....)

Alas CPAP is not nearly as perfect as it should be, from a usability standpoint. Why there is no 'sneeze/cough/backflow' valve or whatnot built into these I don't know -- but they sure do need them.

Last time I had a honking bad nose cold, I took a time release cold pill,
shot a spray of decongestant up each nostril, and put on a Breathe Right strip.
Then I donned the Wisp and zonked out for that night and the better part of the following day.
Sweet hubby took care of everything so I could heal.