CPAP when you are sick

My bro has had a bipap for 9 years now and he said saline nasal spray works quite well when you have a cold. He also suggested changing the humidity up or down to see if that improves. Another option is to put your head over a bowl of hot water with a towel over your head and breathe in - often drains your head and nose.

I agree that others have a full face mask for such an occasion, but many have reported on this board using just a nasal mask as an alternative to pillows. That's what I have although I haven't tested it against a full fledged cold yet since I started cpap a year ago last April. If you get sinus problems with a cold, I recommend the Sleepweaver brand of masks - they are so much more pleasant than the pressure of harder silicon when your sinus cavities are swollen.

SewTired wrote: I agree that others have a full face mask for such an occasion, but many have reported on this board using just a nasal pillow as an alternative.

My nose always turns sore and red no matter how much cream I slather on it to protect it. Then I don't want anything anywhere near it, especially not the pillows of my hybrid!!!!!!! So even the leaky Quatro, well lined is better then that.

I don't use my cpap at all during the worst of having a cold, usually only 2, maybe 3, nights.

nobody wrote:I don't use my cpap at all during the worst of having a cold, usually only 2, maybe 3, nights.

When you are sick you need it most. Also most of us find that with cpap on it actually helps you breathe. There is nothing like warm humid air to help with those issues. You might be miserable during the day but at night with cpap I sleep like a baby with total relief of symptoms.

BlackSpinner wrote:

nobody wrote:I don't use my cpap at all during the worst of having a cold, usually only 2, maybe 3, nights.

When you are sick you need it most. Also most of us find that with cpap on it actually helps you breathe. There is nothing like warm humid air to help with those issues. You might be miserable during the day but at night with cpap I sleep like a baby with total relief of symptoms.

+1

My +1, as well.
You do what you can, just do not do the thing that hurts you.

It seems from reading here that many folks have a collection of masks.
From years of treatment perhaps?

If you are new to cpap, I wonder if you can just call and say you need a back-up full face mask for colds
and they will send you one out?

I ~~~DREAD talking to those people.

Grace~~~ wrote:It seems from reading here that many folks have a collection of masks.
From years of treatment perhaps?

If you are new to cpap, I wonder if you can just call and say you need a back-up full face mask for colds
and they will send you one out?

I ~~~DREAD talking to those people.

amazon.

Grace~~~ wrote:It seems from reading here that many folks have a collection of masks.
From years of treatment perhaps?

If you are new to cpap, I wonder if you can just call and say you need a back-up full face mask for colds
and they will send you one out?

I ~~~DREAD talking to those people.

if you are new or its within 30 days of getting the mask and you have a reasonable dme contact them to let them know you are having trouble and want to try a different style mask
it should be replaced at no charge to you
ntw the dme will get reimbursed by submitting the required paperwork to the mask maker

I have always used a nasal pillows mask since 2008. Never missed a night due to a cold or congestion as the pressure seems to relieve the congestion and works. I can sure imagine it is possible someone may be too congested for effective treatment, but speaking for myself, I have not been exempt from getting sick, and pressure has always worked. I don't have a full face mask as backup.

+1
It might take some mouth breathing for 30 secs or so but I do better when trying to sleep than struggling thru the day. But I also have had fewer colds since starting cpap.

As far as sleeping without the cpap bc of a cold - afaik the body heals itself when we sleep. That is when we reach a deep restorative level of sleep. So to me it would seem counter productive to sleep without the cpap at any time for any reason. And I don't think I could sleep all stuffed up and not breathing all nite long.

Grace~~~ wrote:It seems from reading here that many folks have a collection of masks.
From years of treatment perhaps?

If you are new to cpap, I wonder if you can just call and say you need a back-up full face mask for colds
and they will send you one out?

I ~~~DREAD talking to those people.

If you are getting it through many DMEs, they won't give you anything unless your doc gives you a prescription for another one and/or make you come in for a 'fitting'. Since insurance isn't going to cover it (usually), I just got a copy of a prescription and bought online. The actual DME office doesn't give me a lot of crap over it, but I can't leave my brother alone for 2 hours just to get a mask (they are REQUIRED to do a fitting).

BlackSpinner wrote:

nobody wrote:I don't use my cpap at all during the worst of having a cold, usually only 2, maybe 3, nights.

When you are sick you need it most. Also most of us find that with cpap on it actually helps you breathe. There is nothing like warm humid air to help with those issues. You might be miserable during the day but at night with cpap I sleep like a baby with total relief of symptoms.

Doesn't help me at all when I have a cold. I don't find the humidifier helpful at all, I rarely turn it on and when I do no further than 1. Even when I don't have a cold turning it on causes congestion. Decongestants are either no help or too stimulating and keep me up anyway. To each their own but I just don't use it for a couple nights when I have a cold.

Pap-Daddy wrote:+1
It might take some mouth breathing for 30 secs or so but I do better when trying to sleep than struggling thru the day. But I also have had fewer colds since starting cpap.

As far as sleeping without the cpap bc of a cold - afaik the body heals itself when we sleep. That is when we reach a deep restorative level of sleep. So to me it would seem counter productive to sleep without the cpap at any time for any reason. And I don't think I could sleep all stuffed up and not breathing all nite long.

Colds are caused by a virus which your immune system will attack whether you're awake or asleep.

nobody wrote:

Pap-Daddy wrote:+1
It might take some mouth breathing for 30 secs or so but I do better when trying to sleep than struggling thru the day. But I also have had fewer colds since starting cpap.

As far as sleeping without the cpap bc of a cold - afaik the body heals itself when we sleep. That is when we reach a deep restorative level of sleep. So to me it would seem counter productive to sleep without the cpap at any time for any reason. And I don't think I could sleep all stuffed up and not breathing all nite long.

Colds are caused by a virus which your immune system will attack whether you're awake or asleep.

Without restorative sleep the fight is much harder, like you are attacking up slope. My colds & flus are much shorter, lighter and rarely turn into full blown pneumonia or bronchitis now.