Curse of a cold

I have been using my cpap now for slightly more than a year and have trained myself to be a nose breather when I had been a mouth breather since childhood. It took six months to achieve this. Now I have a cold. My head is so stuffed up It feels like it is going to explode. No problem, I use a hybrid mask, I'll just breath through my mouth. Just wasn't going to happen. Even with my HH set to 3 in five minutes my dry throat had me coughing. After 30 minutes the mask came off. Since I have mild COPD I know that when I cough continuously it triggers an asthma attack, something I fear worse than Apnea.

So Until the cold is done with I'll sleep without my cpap, barely breathing through my mouth. sleeping later than normal and again waking with that Apnea hangover (headache).

You don't realize how much you miss it until you can't use it.
Cami

CamiTampa wrote:I have been using my cpap now for slightly more than a year and have trained myself to be a nose breather when I had been a mouth breather since childhood. It took six months to achieve this. Now I have a cold. My head is so stuffed up It feels like it is going to explode. No problem, I use a hybrid mask, I'll just breath through my mouth. Just wasn't going to happen. Even with my HH set to 3 in five minutes my dry throat had me coughing. After 30 minutes the mask came off. Since I have mild COPD I know that when I cough continuously it triggers an asthma attack, something I fear worse than Apnea.

So Until the cold is done with I'll sleep without my cpap, barely breathing through my mouth. sleeping later than normal and again waking with that Apnea hangover (headache).

You don't realize how much you miss it until you can't use it.
Cami

I have the same issue. I have maybe been able to use my machine for 3 to 4 hours through the night. I tried as much as I can. I have asthma as well, So it was very difficult to use it. I just keep ending up ripping it off my face

I seldom get a cold but when I do, If my nose remains totally stuffed when on cpap, I have been known to use an over the counter nasal decongestant. -this will clear things.-- I hate doing this as one can get hooked and can also deal with the inevitable rebound effect the next day.

freepostg wrote:I seldom get a cold but when I do, If my nose remains totally stuffed when on cpap, I have been known to use an over the counter nasal decongestant. -this will clear things.-- I hate doing this as one can get hooked and can also deal with the inevitable rebound effect the next day.

That is what I have been doing the last couple of days, just enough to tollerate some of the treatment. But by three in the morning it comes off because of me coughing and so on. uggggg, it will be over soon I hope.

Twenty years ago I did the decongestant spray routine and it took me three years to get off it. It scares the hell out of me now. I felt like a junky and will never do that again. It was worse than quiting smoking, and I smoked for 30 years. I suffer a bit now when I have a cold but it doesn't last long.
Cami

wlo2008 wrote:
That is what I have been doing the last couple of days, just enough to tollerate some of the treatment. But by three in the morning it comes off because of me coughing and so on. uggggg, it will be over soon I hope.

one last thought..I have an ultra mirage ff put aside just in case all else fails. I've hardly used it as I find it can leak and I'll sometimes wake up with a head ache but at least it's there as a last resort.

I have three masks that can be used for a mouth breather.
Comfortfull, leaks into my eyes.
Liberty, just got my third replacement fitting. I'm afraid to use it, it will just break again.
hybrid, my everyday mask.

I just can't mouth breath anymore.
Cami

No one yet has mentioned saline solution for nasal congestion so I'll butt in. I use a neti pot (google it if you don't know what this is) and some people here use the saline spray. It does really help with congestion and is not addicting in any way since it is just a mix of warm water and salts. I get my salt packets and pot from NeilMed.

I use the neti pot every night whether I'm congested or not. I have allergies/asthma as well and am very susceptible to sinus infections. When I start to feel sick, I use the pot two to three time a day. The salts shrink inflamed sinuses and help with drainage...but it doesn't stop sinus infections. I always have to go on antibiotics.

CamiTampa wrote:I have been using my cpap now for slightly more than a year and have trained myself to be a nose breather when I had been a mouth breather since childhood. It took six months to achieve this. Now I have a cold. My head is so stuffed up It feels like it is going to explode. No problem, I use a hybrid mask, I'll just breath through my mouth. Just wasn't going to happen. Even with my HH set to 3 in five minutes my dry throat had me coughing. After 30 minutes the mask came off. Since I have mild COPD I know that when I cough continuously it triggers an asthma attack, something I fear worse than Apnea.

So Until the cold is done with I'll sleep without my cpap, barely breathing through my mouth. sleeping later than normal and again waking with that Apnea hangover (headache).

You don't realize how much you miss it until you can't use it.
Cami

So sorry about your problem. If you have to sleep without cpap, you may already be aware that 40% of apnea patients experience a lower AHI when sleeping on their sides rather than their backs.

Here is something that may help with the cold: viewtopic.php?p=160144#160144

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.