Allergies and dry mouth are a real problem

Hi and Merry Christmas,
I have a really bad problem with dry throat and mouth in the morning. I have the humidifier turned all the way up but in the last few weeks I have tried it high and low moving it one notch at the time.
Don't see any difference,really,no matter where I turn it,I have a severe sore throat when I wake up/
Now,to the question I can't figure out.My allergy DR. wants me to run a dehumidifier in my home all the time,to keep the humidity down,'I have severe allergies'.
But when I go to bed at night,I have the humidity on the machine turned wide open!
So do you see my confusion? On one hand I'm trying to keep the humidity down yet at night I have it wide open!
My allergy dr. says,'keep the humidity down'. My sleep dr. says,'you need to run the humidity',
Total confusion.
Any comments out there?

silly question maybe... does your sleep doc know about your allergies? And what kind of doc is he/she? Pulmy maybe?

You might need to arrange for the two of them to be able to coordinate with each other (probably have to sign a HIPPA form for that), in order to make the treatment work better.

They are 2 different things.
Humidity in the home in general can encourage mold and other issues.
That doesn't happen when you are using cpap humidifier.
The clean humid air is going straight into you to benefit your nasal passages and throat only. You only have to make sure the tank and water is clean.

It makes perfect sense to me...

You want to lower the humidity in the house to minimize the growth of molds and other things that cause problems and grow in high humidity.

In the body you want high humidity.

If you measure the humidity level in your house you can then compare it with the humidity level from your machine. It may take some adjustments in both the house and machine to find a humidity level that is well tolerated.

thanks so much for the replies.I have cut the dehumidifier off in the house for the last week, the air is so dry in the winter anyway,have a real problem with dry skin. Maybe I did wrong because I sneeze and my nose runs all the time.
Sometimes it's hard to fix one thing for messing up another.
Thanks to all of you!

HoseCrusher wrote:It makes perfect sense to me...

You want to lower the humidity in the house to minimize the growth of molds and other things that cause problems and grow in high humidity.

In the body you want high humidity.

If you measure the humidity level in your house you can then compare it with the humidity level from your machine. It may take some adjustments in both the house and machine to find a humidity level that is well tolerated.

Hey, I have a machine that measures the humidity in the house and it's around 35% right now.
How do I measure the machine humidity?
I now have it wide open.
Thanks!

Sister, Gee whiz! Now this on top of everything else you've had to deal with. Doesn't seem fair!
I hesitate to ask because I don't mean to insult... Have you looked into areas that could contribute to your allergies? Mold hiding in the bathroom, under sinks, behind the toilet? Anyplace where water could drip, like the drain pan under the fridge. And growing in plain sight on the window frames from condensation on bitter cold days. I always find mold growing there! It may take wiping down the shower/tub after use to get rid of the water that can pool near the drain. Pink mold grows there, even in winter.
Have you gotten tested to find out what thing(s) you're allergic to?
Have you changed shampoo brands, laundry soap, or are currently using something new?
If you brought a cut Christmas tree into the house did your symptoms start after that?
Enlist help, you deserve it!
Another suggestion: the next time you clean your machine's tank, add some pharmacy grade hydrogen peroxide, slosh it around and see if there is any bubbling, any reaction. If the peroxide reacts then there is something growing in the tank. A good, long soak in soap and hot water is needed.
Best wishes,
Cindy

Sister, You need to direct the air from your xPAP machine over the sensor that measures humidity. Don't put it too close to it, 6 - 10 inches away should work.

I use a sling psychrometer and just move the hose far enough away to just feel the air flow. My house humidity is about 52% and the humidifier on my machine raises that up to around 65% using a setting of III on my H4i.

What are you allergic to? What medications do you take? Is the humidity low where you live?

Hey guys,
Thanks so much for all the replies! I am going to try all the suggestions,I know why my allergies are so bad right now though. I have been on allergy shots for dust for years,just recently dr. found out that I have developed a new allergy,'cats and dogs'. I don't have either,am not around either one,but he says it's in the air.
For the last 6 weeks I have been getting a lot of allergy shots at one visit,trying to build it up fast, the nurse says. She told me that I would get worse before I got better,so I'm not surprised,just miserable.
So, I do understand why I'm so miserable right now,I just wish I could understand why my throat is sooooooooooo very dry in the morning.
I use a fitlife full mask and still have been taping my mouth so I won't breathe through it.
I always use Biotene mouthwash before going to bed.
Any other suggestions?
Thank you all so much for your help!

Have you checked the filter on your ResMed S8 lately? Do you have a hypoallergenic filter? Also, is your machine located in an area where it isn't prone to drawing in air that might be extra dusty or have mold of any sort? Do you clean the area around the machine regularly? I know you have most likely considered all of these things, but just thought I would throw them out there.

In terms of dry mouth, could any of the allergy treatments contribute to that? I see you use a full-face mask. There are some threads here about full face masks and dry mouth that might give you some help:

search.php?keywords=dry+mouth+with+full+face+mask

I am allergic to dust and pet dander too and have a continually stuffy nose. It definitely is a challenge with CPAP.

KimberlyM wrote:Have you checked the filter on your ResMed S8 lately? Do you have a hypoallergenic filter? Also, is your machine located in an area where it isn't prone to drawing in air that might be extra dusty or have mold of any sort? Do you clean the area around the machine regularly? I know you have most likely considered all of these things, but just thought I would throw them out there.

In terms of dry mouth, could any of the allergy treatments contribute to that? I see you use a full-face mask. There are some threads here about full face masks and dry mouth that might give you some help:

search.php?keywords=dry+mouth+with+full+face+mask

I am allergic to dust and pet dander too and have a continually stuffy nose. It definitely is a challenge with CPAP.

Hi Kimberly,
Yes, I do have an allergenic filter and I change it every 2 weeks. I try to be so careful in cleaning everything sometimes I think I do too much
So sorry to hear that you have allergies too. I always tell my husband,you just don't know how bad it is until you walk in that shoe.
GOD BLESS YOU!!!

Make sure that you are drinking lots of water during the day so that you are well hydrated. Especially if you are taking any allergy meds this is important, as they can dry you out quite a bit.

I'm terrible at taking fluids. So my trick is that to get those 8 servings of 8 oz of water each day, I drink one glass with each meal, and 1 full glass right after the meal. Then I only have to drink two more glasses that day--usually one in the morning when I brush my teeth and another at night when I brush my teeth. I use small, brightly colored plastic kiddy drinking cups that only hold 8 oz--they are less daunting than facing a tall drinking glass.

Also, are you able to do sinus rinses (check with your doctor) or at the very least you can spray your nose with some saline spray before bed to hydrate the tissues. That really helps.

Hi Janknitz,
Yes, I do take Claritin and I too have a hard time getting enough water in,I don't like water,but thanks for reminding me that I have got to do better.I try to drink a lot but some days I forget.
I also use a neti pot and saline spray during the day. I always spray with saline before going to bed.
I will try to drink more water the next few days and see if that helps.
Thanks so much for caring.

I always tell my husband,you just don't know how bad it is until you walk in that shoe.

I've also had many allergies and I've had them since I was a small boy. I have memories of being marched into my Mom's bedroom before bedtime to get my nose drops so that I could get to sleep. Of course, they didn't work very well but my instructions were to change sides so I could attempt to keep at least one side (nasal passage) open. To keep me out of Vietnam my Mom had my allergies tested and documented and I ended up with a 1-Y deferment. You really can't have a guy with severe allergies to dust, mold, and just about everything green, crawling along stealthily in the jungle. Doesn't work. I ended up retiring from the Air Force after 34 years of service as a civilian. I managed to get my service in spite of my allergies. I believe I have gotten my dryness under control after fighting with it for several months. For me it took controlling temperature and humidity within the mask and within the bedroom. I also had to get sinus meds under control, which meant elimination of over the counter stuff and all vasoconstrictors. Saline washes without additives provide excellent nasal hygiene and should be used along with Biotene mouthwash. Sleep position was final step for me in reducing dryness to acceptable levels. As a side sleeper, I rarely get over dry now. No more Sahara desert experienced in the middle of summer while in my winter bedroom. No more getting longer in the tooth because of therapy administered. Good luck on your journey and I hope you meet with success very soon.