bad sinus congestion

[cameorose]

I have bad sinus congestion from cpap. I feel so bad, I have to use the darn thing. I don't know what to do or not do. More humidity or less. Stop using it? My head is going to explode. I have been on antibiotics off and on since june. My GP says cpap could not cause this. I don't have any allergies. But my GP says I must have. She's wrong and I can't get her to listen. She will not refer me. My insurance must have a referral. What do I do?

[Crimson Nape]

What you describe is not uncommon. Since your new to this therapy, every little thing or adjustment can make a difference. It takes a little while to become accustomed to the CPAP. Very few people take to it like a duck to water.

You might consider getting a ClimateLine heated hose. This will allow you to change the incoming air temperature and allow you to use a higher humidity level without rainout. As far as more or less humidity; This is a per user requirement. No two people respond exactly the same way.

Another thought is for you to do a saline sinus rinse just prior to retiring for the night.

Finally remember that CPAP therapy has one of the highest dropout rates of any treatment prescribed. Please try to set a resolve that you are in it for the long haul and this current problem is merely an inconvenience.

[Sleeprider]

The best thing you can do today for your nasal congestion is dump the nasal mask and start using nasal pillows. Not to discount the importance of getting humidity right, nasal masks apply pressure over the sinuses and nasal passages, while nasal pillows apply air pressure inside the nostrils and open your sinus and airway. You could still get to your DME today and do this.

[49er]

Cameorose,

Another possibility to consider is depending on the nasal mask you are wearing, it could be touching your nasal area in a way that leads to more congestion when you sleep with the mask. Hard to explain but there are people who have experienced this situation that once they switch to a better fitting mask, the problem goes away. The nasal pillows are certainly worth trying at the DME but I also wanted to mention this possibility in case in was applicable to your situation.

Good luck in resolving the situation as it sounds very frustrating.

[niammus]

change to nasal pillows of full face. I think full face would be better because you will try to breath more through your mouth because high pressure on nose can do this.

Allergy and sinus always came together. Allergy leads to narrowing the passages leading to sinus which cause infection. So may be what happened is your sinus sensitive to high pressure which leads you to sinus. Although you et antibiotics will treat the sinus infection but you will get it back because of allergy.

What I think is you better use full face mask and decrease the humidity because sinus react badly to humidity and cold air is bad as well.

[zonk]

My GP says cpap could not cause this..

Sinus congestion is common compliant and main reason of the high rate of drop outs
Unfortunate but true, the nose cannot deal with the increased air flow from CPAP
There is no free lunch and nothing without side effects but the side effects of untreated sleep apnea is far worse than dealing with some inconvenient nasal congestion

When comes to humidity, everyone is different, you'll need to be patient, figure out what best works for you
It can vary a lots between folks,, some don't use humidifier, some get congested on lower setting and some on higher settings

There're all sort of decongestant can be picked up from local pharmacy without script but not meant to be used for more than 2 or 3 days because of rebounding effects. Saline sinus washes helps, I use in the evening and sometimes in the morning
Good idea to keep hoses, masks, water tank (change water daily) squeaky clean and don't forget to replace the air filter when gets dirty, there is hypoallergenic air filter can block dust and other finer particles from entering CPAP and ultimately the airways

[surferdude2]

Get some Nasacort nasal spray and use it daily for as long as you feel the need. It is a godsend for allergy relief and opening clogged nostrils. It is approved for continuous daily use and has no rebound or addictive issues nor is there any limit to how long you can use it. If you have any doubts, ask your ENT doctor. It is available without a prescription although once was a prescription product at a much higher price. I was a lifetime mouth breather until I discovered Nasacort but now I'm a full 100% nasal breather, both awake and asleep.

[Dagmar]

Also, I'd recommend cleaning your CPAP equipment regularly. I wash everything but my mask once per week, the mask itself every three days. I put everything back together and turn the blower on to air dry. It takes about 15 minutes to dry. Good luck!

[stanstr]

I've always had congestion problems, especially "post-nasal drip", where it seems the back of your nose is running mucus down your throat. It's always worse when you're lying down trying to get to sleep. I used to get the best relief from nose drops and sprays with pseudoephedrine. These days you have to ask the pharmacist for it as they keep it behind the counter to stop people from buying (or stealing) it to make methamphetamine with. I'd have to show my drivers license to get it.

BUT, my doc has always said not to use it as one gets a rebound if used too much, and you get into a vicious circle always needing it - for days at a time.

THEN I had a heart attack, and he said absolutely not to use it. I looked for alternatives, and found this thing called a Neti Pot. I read about them and decided I just can't pour salt water up my nose to clean out my sinuses.

BUT I was curious. I looked up all I could on them. Basically, you mix up some kosher (rock) salt in warm (body temp) water. Then with your head tilted to one side you run it in a Neti Pot (looks like a small tea pot) in the top nostril, and it comes out the bottom nostril, cleaning out all that cr@p that causes the congestion. Then do the other side. Then go to bed breathing clear. It's a little awkward, but not uncomfortable like it sounds.

What got me to try it was watching maybe 10 or 12 youtube videos of all sorts of people using one. Kids. Little girls. Whole families together. Some do it every day routinely. It's not a really big deal. You can buy a plastic one at the local drug store with 50 packets of salt for under $10.

It works. Now I use the thing just before bed when I get congested from a cold. Maybe I need it the next day also, but have never needed it more than two days in a row. The first time I tried it I was so desperate for relief in the middle of the night I mixed up some kosher salt like the videos said, and used a funnel - and it worked.

Good luck.

[OpalRose]

I've found the easier thing to use is a squeeze bottle. You can buy the kit anywhere with pre mixed packets. Just be sure to use distilled water.