Allergies and sleep apnea

[Rcgop]

Hi all ,

After hearing about all flow limit and how to correct it, I thought I would ask how this might effect apneas?

I am allergic to cats and I have one. I asked the allergist about it and he said SA effects an entirely different part of the airway. My GP says it is significant. Which is it. I plan on starting shots either way.

So far the therapy "blows away" any congestion but does effect anything else.

Anyone have better experiences.

[kwhenrykerr]

I am starting shots it two weeks. I will try to post a reply.

[PaulaO2]

Technically, the allergist is right. And so is your GP.

An apnea event is the closing of the airway in the throat, ceasing all breathing. The closing happens because the muscles relax in our sleep (they are voluntary muscles), additional material (ie fat) helps pull them down. As they relax/begin the collapse, they vibrate in the breeze, causing snoring. As the collapsing continues, the airway is narrowed further and the flow is decreased. This is a hypopnea. Finally the collapse happens (muscle, fat, regular tissues) and the springy airway is closed.

I am going to assume your allergy is nasal. The nasal passages get irritated and swell. Add in snot phlegm, and the airway can become blocked. Notice it is not collapsed, but blocked. And you can still open your mouth and breathe. Hence it is not an apnea event.

However, those nasal tissues are connected to the same tissues involved in apnea events. Those irritants and stuff are going down the back and into your throat. If an allergy is bad enough, the swelling and irritation can extend to the back of your throat and add to the problem.

Here, I took a photo of something on my allergist's wall a while back:
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...#pid134603 It shows how interconnected it all is.

Anaphylaxis allergy reaction is when that swelling happens in the throat and cuts off the airway. It is not a wonderful feeling.

So...as long as your stuffiness (swelling, irritation) is limited to your nose, AND you use a full face mask, you should be just fine. During allergy season (right now), I actually go back to my nasal pillows when I am at my stuffiest. I have found that the direct air pressure from the nasal pillows pushes the crap out of the way and keeps my nose clearer. The humidification gets right to where I need it. I blow my nose and use a nasal rinse first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

But if you experience throat issues too, keep an eye on your data. As long as you are sleeping well and the AHI stays below 5, all is good.

[da3hill]

New to cpap machine use. Have not been able to use for more than  1-2 /night in part because of what I perceive of as "allergies"

Put on mask, nasal secretions/snot/phlegm start streaming down throat. Have to cough constantly. Continues until next day.

Occurs despite limited use of antihistamines but daily use of 12 hr decongestants. Also, nasal rinse, but not on a schedule

Any thoughts/advice? Does not happen if I do not wear mask (Airsense 11+F20)

[Rcgop]

I started this thread 6 years ago. My advice is go see the allergist. If it is allergies, get the shots. The shots take 4 years but relief comes shortly after starting. And, the relief is worth it. Remember: CPAP is forever!

[Sleepster]

Occurs despite limited use of antihistamines but daily use of 12 hr decongestants. Also, nasal rinse, but not on a schedule

Why are you limiting your use of antihistamines? I recommend you do a thorough sinus rinse about a half hour before bed.

Keep in mind that your body has to have time to adapt.

[Jeff8356]

You can try fluticasone (generic Flonase) available OTC.  You would need to use it regularly to get any benefit from it, but it works great for my allergies.