Full face mask question

I am becomng more and more congested with the use of my cpap. I have been using a nasal mask for the 6 months that I have been on the cpap. It has been more and more difficult for me to breathe at night. A neighbor gave me his used full face mask. I don't even know if it is the right fit. But I tried it and discovered that I can't sleep on my back with it because something in the back of my throat or mouth closes up like a one way valve. On my side it seems better. I have been using Afrin about 2 nights a week to just try to sleep. I am at my witts end. I have tried every thing, like Nasocort, and saline.

I use to have the same problem ... I now use "olbus oil" it is a herbal type liquid that you can get from an herbal store ... at first I used one drop or two in my humidifier or on the filter (it makes your cpap act like a vapourizer) this way you inhale the vapours ... it is a lot like eucaliptis oil

I looked it up. You must be from the UK, since all of the sites were uk sites that mention this product. Has anyone in the US found this? Have you tried it?

Thanks,
Gary

Gary,

My sinuses are congested a lot and I can't use a full face mask either because of my jaw.

To minimize congestion I do a sinus irrigation nightly, using a Grossan nasal irrigator and I take 500 mg buffered vitamin C at night. All buffered vitamin C is not the same. Natrol is the least expensive good brand I know of. Stay with good brands. Buffered vitamin C works for me. I've heard others mention using anti-histamines for congestion relief.

I'll add that in addition to the Buffered Vitamin C, I also take the supplement Quercetin, which is an anti-oxidant having some anti-histamine properties, but without any side effects that I've observed.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Bill

From looking at the message boards, it seems that cpap sinus problems etc are a result of mouth breathing. I suspect they are right but don't know first hand since I am a new user. BUT I have had allergies and sinus problems for many years. During allergy season (9 months of the year) I take a prescription antihistamine and flonase (a corticosteroid inhaler).
Even though it's not yet allergy season for me, I have started using these meds since I started the cpap therapy (since the cpap therapy really seemed to aggravate my sinuses, cause sneezing, etc). The flonase, in particular, is good at getting sinus inflammation down and clearing your nose and you don't have to worry about rebound and taking it not very often like afrin. However, it requires a prescription. I'd highly recommend flonase over afrin. Ask your doctor.

Maryb