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Suffering and looking for support and advice
#1
Suffering and looking for support and advice
Hi there,

I’ve had my CPAP since January and instantly fell in love with it. The usual allergy season is here and I haven’t had a good nights sleep in weeks. I am getting so congested at night that the CPAP is blowing the mucus into my throat and making me feel like I am choking/drowning/gagging. I’ve thrown up on myself upon waking. I am also swallowing air. Then I feel the need to mouth breathe and I take my mask off. I feel like garbage. 

I’ve been taking Allegra twice per day, a steroid nasal spray, neti potting, decongestant and sleeping elevated. I feel defeated- nothing works. I turned on my AC this week and have slightly better results except that I think that was just due to physical exhaustion from a hiking vacation 4 day weekend where I hiked 7 miles per day. Later in the week I’ve gone back to the previous suffering pattern. 

What does one do when they want to use their CPAP and can’t ? Is anyone else out there suffering? I just want to sleep. 

Best,

Darci
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#2
RE: Suffering and looking for support and advice
Hi.  It's too bad that you are suffering like this.  I wonder if you'd be better off in the long run referred to an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, 'n throat).  It may be that you have been diagnosed by a GP as having this or that, and how to deal with it, but I ain't convinced...and neither should you be at this point.

How did you get diagnosed in the first place with OSA?  What were the results, how were you classified, and did the equipment EVER work for you?

Is your machine data-capable...with an SD card in a slot that you can use to download data to OSCAR?   We need more information.
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#3
RE: Suffering and looking for support and advice
So sorry you’re having a rough time. With somewhat similar problems (though less severe) I went to an allergist. She gave me a lineup of sprays and pills that did a better job of controlling my symptoms, and she started me on allergy shots, though it takes a while to get a benefit from them.

In the meantime, you might want to consider a full-face mask to have as a backup. You might also want to experiment with higher and lower humidity settings.

(This is all in addition to what mesenteria has written, not meant as a substitute.)
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#4
RE: Suffering and looking for support and advice
(06-08-2019, 12:31 AM)DarciWantsToSleep Wrote: Hi there,

I’ve had my CPAP since January and instantly fell in love with it. The usual allergy season is here and I haven’t had a good nights sleep in weeks. I am getting so congested at night that the CPAP is blowing the mucus into my throat and making me feel like I am choking/drowning/gagging. I’ve thrown up on myself upon waking. I am also swallowing air. Then I feel the need to mouth breathe and I take my mask off. I feel like garbage. 

I’ve been taking Allegra twice per day, a steroid nasal spray, neti potting, decongestant and sleeping elevated. I feel defeated- nothing works. I turned on my AC this week and have slightly better results except that I think that was just due to physical exhaustion from a hiking vacation 4 day weekend where I hiked 7 miles per day. Later in the week I’ve gone back to the previous suffering pattern. 

What does one do when they want to use their CPAP and can’t ? Is anyone else out there suffering? I just want to sleep. 

Best,

Darci

Darci,

I know you know about full-face masks for mouth-breathers.  Have you tried one yet?  Perhaps that could help...???

Other things alone or in combination to help mouth breathing would include a soft cervical collar or a chin strap. Of course this is only to help with your mouth breathing issue.

I sure wish you could get a better solution for your allergies... I only get mild alleries and use claratin occasionally; also use the Neilmed for occasional clearing of my sinuses.

There's no question that cpap is a proper treatment for you with your test study of 81 ahi's....  As mesenteria suggested, it would be great if you could upload your charts to this forum using OSCAR.  Stay positive and some good things will surely follow.  All the best!

SB
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#5
RE: Suffering and looking for support and advice
Darci,

I have suffered with the same problems.  You have a big problem, but big problems can be broken down into smaller components and dealt with effectively.  You are going to end up with a full face mask, so you might as well take the plunge.  I'm using the Air Fit F20 and getting along just fine with it.

The "Seasonal Allergies" may not be what you think.  Allergies tend to work on a threshhold basis, meaning that you probably have other allergies that are keeping you near your threshhold point, and the seasonal pollen is pushing you over the top.   I have taken all of the over the counter, and prescription crap you mentioned, but I did not find any real relief until I discovered what other triggers I had.  You can't do much about the seasonal pollen, but you can do a lot about the other things that may be affecting your condition.  An extended food allergy test revealed that I am very allergic to many of the foods that I eat.  Once those foods were eliminated, there was a dramatic improvement in my overall condition.  For those rare occasions that I do have a flare up, there is actually real help available.  You can PM me if you want more information.  Good luck.

HP
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#6
RE: Suffering and looking for support and advice
I, too, get a stuffed up nose. I have asthma and have trouble breathing as well. I use Singulair or it's generic equivalent, as well as two inhalers, all prescription. I also use a vicks fine mist nose spray which gives me pretty much instant relief so I can go to sleep when I'm stuffed up. I don't use any of these long term, only when I have symptoms. Worse time for me seems to be May-October but I'm sure it varies.

Don't give up. Keep trying. I know my ENT guy frowns on the Vick's over the counter spray but I depend on it, just not too often.
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