Congestion and Cough

I started using the cpap since the beginning of August. I use the resmed 10. I have a heated tube and the tube temp was set at 74. Recently I watched a video that showed the tube temp needs to be higher to get more humidity. My tube temp is now set at 86. I use a nasal pillows mask P10 and it works amazing, I sleep so easily. I have issues with using a full face mask. I sleep soundly and when I wake up to pee, I fall back asleep instantly. My humidity is manual and set at 5 now. Empty distilled water daily.

However, in the middle of August I've developed an intermittent but consistent dry cough. My throat started to hurt and my PCP gave me allergy pills. I also developed narly congestion and mucus. At the beginning of September, my throat was super irritated, swollen and my uvula was enlarged. The urget care doc gave me mythilpredisolone (a steroid) and my cough went away for almost 2 weeks and my throat felt better and my congestion too!

However the throat, congestion and cough came back and then I upped my humidity with tube temp and my throat only feels much more normal. In early October, an ENT scoped me and said everything looks good and referred me to a sleep specialist, but that's not until April. I still have my chronic dry cough (but slightly less chronic), usually cough at least once to three times an hour, sometimes more an hour and sometimes less. Some days less and some days more.

All 3 doctors see evidence of post nasal drip, my lungs sound / look good. I clean my cpap every other week!

My pcp gave me montelukast and I didn't notice any difference so I stopped taking it, and my ENT told me to use a saline spray 3x at night in each nostril before bed, but I have yet to try it.

Is this a permanent issue that I'll have to deal with? Any suggestions?

I used to get horrible headaches, weird pain in my head, and vertigo, and now my head feels amazing! It's better having chest congestion, mucus and cough, over headache and the negative effects of osa over time. I'm a 41 year old male, never smoker!

I'm no expert but maybe two things :

- Do you have mouth leak ? Could explain the dry throat

- To help with the congestion you can use a saline solution to wash your sinuses, don't know where you are from, but I use a rhino horn (https://www.somamed.com/usa/) two times a day, and holy shit my congestion vanished after this

dustinwillis1983 wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 29, 2024 11:11 pm

My humidity is manual and set at 5 now.

Have you tried upping the humidity past 5?

My nose really prefers the humidity set all the way to the maximum of 8.

You might also want to try a lower hose temperature. Yes, cooler air holds less actual water vapor, but the relative humidity is higher with the same amount of water vapor. Maybe what your nose and throat wants is a higher relative humidity with a lower hose temperature.

Am I reading correctly that the congestion and cough came after you UPPED the humidity? Perhaps that's what's irritating things, even if it does seem to feel more comforting. Sometimes there is a "sweet spot" between too little and too much humidity. You might try going down incrementally and see if it helps.

Update:

I started taking zyrtec before bed and using a saline nasal spray x3 in each nostril before bed and I'm like 90% better at humidity level 5!!! It was so horrible. I was prescribed montelukast and zyrtec and tried both before at lower humidity levels for a short time.



Asked chatgpt which pill to try:

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You said:
I have a chronic dry cough and post nasal drip only from using the cpap, I've been prescribed montelukast and zyrtrc, which would be better to eliminate the post nasal drip caused by cpap
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
Montelukast is typically used to manage allergies and asthma, while Zyrtec (cetirizine) is an antihistamine that can help reduce allergy symptoms, including post-nasal drip.

For post-nasal drip specifically, Zyrtec might be more effective because it directly addresses allergy symptoms. However, if your cough persists, it could be worth discussing with your doctor about adjusting your treatment or exploring other options, such as nasal saline rinses or a humidifier for your CPAP.



You said:
It's caused by the cpap not allergies
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
If the post-nasal drip is primarily caused by CPAP use rather than allergies, adjusting your CPAP settings or using a humidifier might be more effective in addressing the issue.

In that case, Zyrtec might still help with symptoms, but it may not resolve the underlying problem. Consider discussing with your doctor whether a CPAP humidifier or other adjustments could alleviate the dryness and post-nasal drip.



You said:
Why might zyrtec help if post nasal drip caused by cpap
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
Zyrtec might help with post-nasal drip caused by CPAP because it can reduce nasal congestion and inflammation, which may be exacerbated by dry air from the CPAP. While the primary cause is the CPAP itself, Zyrtec's antihistamine properties can provide relief from any irritation or sensitivity in the nasal passages, potentially easing symptoms. However, addressing the dryness directly through CPAP adjustments or humidification is usually more effective for long-term relief.

It's simply amazing, it was so bad before and now I feel almost like my old self. And now I don't get weird headaches, I'm simply amazed.





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