Need help with unclogging my nose

[CPAPcommando]

Hi all first off, THANK YOU for this board! My question is that when I go to sleep my nose is free and clear but I wake up in the middle of the night and it feels like I'm suffocating. At this point I remove my mask and sleep with out it. I use the heated tube set at 70 and my humidifier is set at 5. I'm averaging 4.5hrs of treatment then I go solo. This has been going on for about a week and prior to that I would fall asleep on my back and wake up in the same position and at 1.0 AHI. Do any other members have a solution? I was averaging 0.8 to 1.4 AHI but the last two nights I'm getting readings of 5.0 to 5.2 AHI.
Any suggestions would be really appreciated.

[trish6hundred]

Hi CPAPcommando,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Have you tried the sinus rinces such as the neomed rince before bedtime?
Hang in there for more suggestions and best of luck to you with your CPAP therapy.

[justMongo]

Having one's AHI jump around is not unusual. Just last night I went from under 3 to above 5.

As for nasal stuffiness... That can be from several sources. And, sometimes the humidifier helps; sometimes, not so much.
Lying down, the vascular bed in the nasal lining may become engorged with blood; causing swelling of the nasal lining. i.e. -- it can be a gravitational effect.

Perhaps a decrease in delivered air temperature would help.
Perhaps sleeping with the head slightly elevated (without bending the neck forward.)

There was a time when this was bothering me; and I would swab my nostrils with a Q-tip and Vasoline. (It worked for me.)

[retired_guy]

It could be seasonal allergies setting in. How about your mouth? Are you keeping it closed all night? What's your leak numbers especially in the hour before you wake up?

Generally, my nose gives me trouble, but if it's open when I start dumping air in it it pretty much stays good all night. But if I'm using a full face mask for instance, where I end up breathing through my mouth, the nose will stuff up.

With a nasal mask, that could only happen with me if my leak numbers were high.

[herbm]

First, the simplest "solution" is to get up, clear you nose, put the mask back on and (try to) go back to sleep.

Otherwise you are teaching your mind and body that the mask is not important.

0. See an ENT.

1. Saline irrigation usually gets me free enough to go back to bed although I prefer to irrigate a few hours before bed so that any trapped saline (in my sinuses) has time to run out. NeilMed Sinugator is my favority but just sipping saline from your UPPER LIP into your nose works well.

2. Flonase -- now OTC

3. Claritin, Benedryl etc. for allergies (didn't much work for me YMMV)

4. Sudafed - one of my cardiologists said "No" the other (and the sleep doc) said, "Do what you must but don't exceed package directions."

5. Sinus spray -- rebound effect makes this problematic, but to get a nights sleep AND use the machine, that is *my* preference

6. Sometimes if you can get this going, the mask will keep your nose open, especially a nasal pillow mask which is ironically the toughest mask to use with congestion (actually these two facts are RELATED DIRECTLY.)

7. Don't assume "too much humidity is bad" or "too little is bad" or vice versa - people vary in their reaction to humidity. I have heard numerous reports of taking the humidity to either extreme before getting relief -- and most people are likely better of somewhere in the middle.

Bottom line: FIND A WAY to go 100% compliant -- your mind and body with thank you.

[retired_guy]

First, the simplest "solution" is to get up, clear you nose, put the mask back on and (try to) go back to sleep.

Otherwise you are teaching your mind and body that the mask is not important.

That's probably the best advice. Don't let any of the boulders in the path stop you from reaching your goal. It's too important.

[justMongo]

Herbm -- from your history, stay away from Sudafed. It's a vasoconstictor and a stimulant (that's why it's a primary ingredient in Meth.)

Benadryl is sedative and drying. Not the best for those with sleep apnea.

Best advice: "FIND A WAY to go 100% compliant -- your mind and body with thank you"

[gjw]

Hi CPAPcommando

If you are suffering from hay-fever, try the following, which might help.
Replace the standard filters with the 'S9 Filters Hypoallergenic' ones from ResMed.

;-> gjw

[VegasPier]

Hi all first off, THANK YOU for this board! My question is that when I go to sleep my nose is free and clear but I wake up in the middle of the night and it feels like I'm suffocating. At this point I remove my mask and sleep with out it. I use the heated tube set at 70 and my humidifier is set at 5. I'm averaging 4.5hrs of treatment then I go solo. This has been going on for about a week and prior to that I would fall asleep on my back and wake up in the same position and at 1.0 AHI. Do any other members have a solution? I was averaging 0.8 to 1.4 AHI but the last two nights I'm getting readings of 5.0 to 5.2 AHI.
Any suggestions would be really appreciated.

Your symptoms are remarkably similar to what I experienced last year: Deviated Septum. My doctor recommended a simple operation: Rhinoplasty turbinate modification to correct that problem. Since that operation my sinuses have been remarkably clear all night. The only nose spray that I have used since that operation is NeilMed Sinus Rinse. I doubt that the sinus rinse will clear the cartilage or turbinate, but for normal mucus it’s great.

You should consult with a ENT doctor.

Cheers, VegasPier