CPAPtalk.com

dhill wrote:Okay, this is what I'm talking about. I too, have that horrible allergy like symtoms after starting my CPAP. I had allergies before but nothing like this. It feels like I have a worm wiggling around up my right nostril. I sneeze about 25 times in the morning but it bothers me ALL of the time since I use my CPAP every night. When I put it on, I can breathe perfectly but as soon as it comes off in the morning the sneezing and mucas begins all over. I'm at my wit's end. I too use Dawn to wash my hose and pillow. My humidifier part is soaked in 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water and allowed to dry without rinsing. I have the allergy filter in and I was told the rough side faces away from the machine so that's how I have it. I usually sleep with the humidifier on 1. It's such a shame that I can breath so good with it on but everything goes to crap when I take it off.

Methinks you have the real answer staring you in your face: At night the CPAP's filter is filtering out all or most of your allergens and you are peacefully breathing all night long. But as soon as you take the mask off, you're exposed to the allergens and you start sneezing and getting congested.

The solution is to figure out how to treat your daytime allergies now that they are severe enough to bother you.

Ideas:

Have you seen an allergist? If not, you should consider it.

Do you have any ideas on what you might be allergic to that is in your house and where ever else the sneezing and severe congestion are problems? Things you might be allergic to include: dust, pet dander---if you have pets, pollen---if your problem gets worse at certain times of the year, mold or mildew---it can grow unseen in the heater vents, and more.

Do you take any allergy meds? If not, then maybe taking an OTC antihistamine might help. Have you tried taking something like Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra? Does it help at all? Or a prescription nasal spray like Flonase may be of some use to you.

Do you use saline nasal sprays or a nasal rinse or neti pot? If not, you might want to start using them. Since your problem starts in the morning AFTER you take your mask off, you might want to do a nasal rinse or neti pot as soon as you get up or perhaps just after breakfast. You may want to use the saline spray anytime your nose is feeling a bit clogged.

In other words, I think you need to be treating this problem in the same way you would have treated it prior to CPAP: If your allergies started to get worse pre-CPAP you would have gone to your PCP and asked for some advice and maybe a referral to an allergist. And that's what you need to do here too. Because whatever it is that's bugging your nose, it's likely NOT the CPAP since you can breathe just fine when the mask is on your nose.

I have used the cpap for over 3 years. I am 65 years old and never had an allergy in my life. Now I can go through a box of tissue in a day with runny nose and eyes. The noise of the machine (which is very minor) was bothering my husband so I stopped using it about 3 months ago. Have not had one allergy symptom since. There is no question it is the machine.

Janetkaye wrote: There is no question it is the machine.

Or the humidifier or lack of humidity or too much moisture added to the air. Both will give you the exact same symptoms you are complaining of.

I feel like I am allergic to the distilled water. I wake up every day itching so badly, I think I am going to lose my mind!! Does anyone else have this problem? If so, what are my options?

pjstafford wrote:I feel like I am allergic to the distilled water. I wake up every day itching so badly, I think I am going to lose my mind!! Does anyone else have this problem? If so, what are my options?

Extremely doubtful since there is really nothing in distilled water other than.... water.

Unless you have a tainted bottle of it, have not properly cleaned your tank, you mask etc...

See your doctor about the itching (regular doctor).

One thing that most people don't consider is "dust mite" allergies or other allergies. If you go to Mayo clinic's page on dust mite allergy, one of the symptoms is "series of sneezes first thing in the morning".

On CPAP, you are breathing in filtered air (with the micro filter, you are filtering out 5 micron particles with 80%+ efficiency on a resmed A10). So you are not breathing in a lot of allergens while sleeping. Once you wake up and remove the mask, all those allergens invade the nose and you start sneezing, runny nose, post nasal drip and the works. And blame the poor CPAP.

You are far more likely allergic to something in the mask - silicone, latex (less likely as most masks no longer use it), headgear material, etc. etc. so I suggest trying liners (PadaCheek.com) that go between the mask and you.

Wow! I just read these posts about the CPAP machines causing allergic reactions, which is what is happening to me. I've been sneezing violently today along with a very watery nasal dripping. It's terrible! Can't there be some other remedy for sleep apnea in this year of 2017?? This is ridiculous. And that's not even to mention the claustrophobia I feel wearing the nasal pillow. The mask was even worse. The thing is too, I don't even feel more rested and don't sleep any better with it.

You were NOT really reading.
The consensus is the cpap itself is not something which triggers allergies.
Allergens can be things that can and should be removed so you can
USE THE CPAP.

GinaOlene wrote: I've been sneezing violently today along with a very watery nasal dripping. It's terrible!

Are you using a humidifier? If so at what level?
If not, use one.

Google "cpap rhinitis" and read up on it. It's the nasal mucosa being unhappy about the amount of moisture (either too much or not enough) in the air from the cpap machine.

Most common cause for the symptoms you are experiencing is either not enough added moisture to the air or too much moisture added to the air.

If using a higher humidity setting...try lowering the setting.
If using a lower humidity setting...try increasing the setting.
If using the middle setting...toss a coin but most people tend to lean towards the "more" side....at least from a poll I did a while back.

Probably not your XPAP machine, probable something in the water in De-Nile, or you may be getting a hangnail. Jim

And if your climate's humid but you've got your humidifier on a high setting (or even just on) turn it down or off.

GinaOlene wrote:Wow! I just read these posts about the CPAP machines causing allergic reactions, which is what is happening to me. I've been sneezing violently today along with a very watery nasal dripping. It's terrible! Can't there be some other remedy for sleep apnea in this year of 2017?? This is ridiculous. And that's not even to mention the claustrophobia I feel wearing the nasal pillow. The mask was even worse. The thing is too, I don't even feel more rested and don't sleep any better with it.

When I first started I had a running dripping nose in the morning after taking the mask off. Turns out it is/was the dust in the room air after breathing filtered air thru the cpap all nite long causing an allergic reaction. Dust is everywhere unfortunately for me.

Walmart sells "Loratadine" OTC (Claritin) that helps me. The "Loratadine" doesn't cost as much as the Claritin and works just fine.

Maybe also look to getting a nice whole room air cleaner. Big fan that moves air through a hepa filter. Do lots of vacuuming if you have carpet. Also if you haven't already I'd look to get tested to see what kind of allergies you have.