Need help with swollen nasal turbinate's caused by CPAP

[DaveL]

Welcome to the forum LBTRS! You are getting excellent help from people that know so much.

I have a similar machine to you...with a humidifier. I added a heated hose because it's more comfortable.

It is allergy season! Do you have allergies?

How is the filter in your machine? If you haven't replaced it you will have residue coming through the filter. Look at the back of the filter. If it's darker than a new one then you should have replaced it earlier.

Hope this helps!

[LBTRS]

Hi DaveL,

Thanks for the input. Yes, I change the filter monthly and wash everything weekly. I have a heated hose and humidifier and working on trying to dial those in.

I've never had allergies and have tried all the allergy medications (claratin, allegra, zyrtec, flonase, nasacort, etc.) and none of those made any difference. I don't think it is an allergy problem. I think the increased amount of moving air and pressure is causing irritation and causing my turbinate's to swell.

[DaveL]

Although I've done this for over 30 years, I'm only starting to learn more. Others here will really help you.

At low times when I'm ticked off, I wonder if apnea treatment is healthy for my normal body.

Then what I do is remember the best of memories, and the best of feelings I've had because of treatment. And tell myself it's worth it.

I need to be in the now, and enjoy that I"m still here. that works for me.

[DaveL]

I haven't used the N30i mask. I've considered it...
I did have several of the Respironics mask that's similar. I found the headgear moved around on the back of my head. I tried modifying the headgear with old headgear parts from other masks.
Finally I started waking up to check and see if the mask was leaking! Mother Nature was telling me it's time to get a different mask! I went to the N20, and I've used it for a bunch of masks.
I don't know why a flow of air would make turbinates swell.

But in 30 + years of cpap use, whenever i've had a problem it's been caused by my mask or the way I use the mask. I'm claustrophobic. I cannot/will not tolerate a full face mask.

Everyone is different. Do you have a good DME supplier? Will they loan you a mask to try?

Please don't do what I did. (After several Wisp masks I developed a bump on the bottom of my right nostril. I tried a number of creams and remedies. It got bigger. I ignored my dentist who said "get it cut off before it gets bigger". When I finally did, Had a good surgeon. She took as much nostril off as she could without making me look disfigured. Then I said, should I get the one on my nose tip off? She took it off. said, "I got it all on your nose; I got as much as I could with your nostril".

Point is, I shouldn't have delayed. And offer this explanation for you....

[Bert S]

Geer1, 

thanks so much for the education. Now I understand why I have a stuffy nose and how the humidity setting + tube temp go hand-in-hand.

I'll try higher settings tonight and see how that goes.

[allistairt]

I didn't know cpap could cause this. Good to know!