Sinus "Issues"

[Kyteflyer]

If you're running a DreamStation and don't want to run the humidifier just take the humidifier out of the airstream. It's an add-on with these so the mention of a back plate is odd here. I have a DreamStation humidifier still here at the house, and it is definitely an add-on component to the PAP. Just remove it from the back of the PAP and plug your air hose into that port on the rear of the PAP.

Yes, I’ve done that in the past, (have to point the unit away from me because of how my side table is arranged) but the back plate/cover (complete with a swivel thingy like that of the humidifier unit) is available so I bought it.  Its already on the way, and will be easier to manage.  Its called a muffler/flow generator cover.  I looked to see if the purveyor had any more so I could post a pic but they dont.  That will have to wait til I receive mine.  I knew they existed and I had been wanting one for yonks.

[Kyteflyer]

The muffler arrived yesterday, and I have put it on the DS, sadly the connector is not a swivel, its fixed, but thats OK.  I’ve yet to use it though, because I’ve had such severe nose bleeds this week, and been hospitalised for those + anaemia + transfusions... and the docs are telling me I have to go without CPAP for a few days until the bleeds stop.  They kept an eye on my O2 sats and there was hardly any reduction, so they thought it best to try to go without.  And first night home I forgot and went to bed with the machine on, and bingo next morning, more bleeding.  Didnt need to go back to hospital, was able to self manage, but my haemoglobin has taken another hit, I would think.  I’m back to feeling like everything is an effort.

@Sleeprider: I’m going to get some nasal pillows pretty soon, and give those a try.  I was resistant but they say discretion is the better part of valour... will see how it goes.

[Crimson Nape]

I don't know if this was mentioned before but Nasal Pillows act like the Breathe-Rite nasal strips. This is because of the difference in the atmospheric pressure inside and outside the nose. This helps a stuffy nose.

[Kyteflyer]

Thanks, yes its been mentioned.  I’ll give it a whirl. When I can afford to purchase.

[Kyteflyer]

I’ll also add that I’ve had yet another trip to hospital. It was so busy though that I didnt really get any treatment, but was happy to have a thingy stuffed up my nose to stop the bleeding and a referral to the free ENT clinic. After a turbinectomy I suspect many of my issues will subside.

[Kyteflyer]

Nasal pillows incoming on Tuesday, assuming shipping times work.  At the point now of “can’t wait” because since the severe nose bleeds I find the nasal mask really quite uncomfortable.  I guess going without CPAP for over a week has been a good lesson.  I have to have surgery but the waiting lists are hugely long when you don’t have private insurance.   Hopefully sometime in the next couple of years.

[Kyteflyer]

Well, much time has passed since my last post. At that hospital visit, the ENT registrar gave me a prescription for Drixine nasal spray, just for 3 day use. It certainly helped by shrinking blood vessels, and had the delightful side effect of also reducing my sinus and nasal stuffiness. I resumed its use just once a day about a month later. I also tried Nasonex but generally it was useless. The chemist supplied Otrivin on another occasion, and last time, Otrivin Plus which has been most effective. I only use them once or twice a day (when going to bed, and if I have to have an extra sleep) and so far have not had a rebound congestion, and my breathing the rest of the time is so much easier.. Oh yeah, the nasal pillows were a bust. Hated them.

I have had no major bleeds since January, and my AHIs have improved dramatically to >1 up to 2.2. Mostly around 1.2. I put this down to the improvement in my capacity to breathe through my nose without struggling. My pressures are now set from 8-10 and I don’t need the ramp.

Happy little person here

[Albigensian]

I am posting this because it sounds as if your Drixine and Ortivin are best restricted to short-term use and I wanted to pass on some ideas about what could be used indefinitely. 

I have had lots of problems with allergies over the years.    About three years ago, my allergist switched me to Montelukast (the generic for Singulair) as a maintenance medication and it made a big difference.   He also prescribed Azelastine (2 sprays, 2x/day) combined with one of the over-the-counter steroid sprays 1 spray/1x/day (Nasacort is one example but there are others).    Along with nasal irrigation (either with neti pot or the setup sold under the Neilmed brand), these helped a lot.   I know that you say you haven't had much luck with Nasacort but it was the Azelastine/Nasacort combo that made the difference to me.

You've said that nasal irrigation triggers your gag reflex.   Ugh!   That's a real barrier.      Did you use warm water for treatment?  Cold water is much more likely to trigger the gag reflex and it does a much poorer job dissolving the salt.  The Neilmed system is a bit easier for most people than the old-school neti pot approach.  One of the nice things about the Neilmed system is that it comes with small packages of salt mixed with a stabilizer, so you don't get the burn that an incorrectly balanced salt can produce.   I know that it must be very uncomfortable to fight a gag reflex but I urge you to experiment with the Neilmed system.   I also urge you to spend some time on-line reading about the various techniques for nasal irrigation.    There are more nuances to the technique than most of us realize.   The combination of cleaning out the passages and salting (to reduce inflammation) the tissues can make a difference.

In my case, these things -- the medication plus the nasal irrigation -- made a big difference.   But it was a combination of many small changes that added up to the big difference.   On their own, none of these would have helped very much.

I'm sorry that nasal pillows didn't work for you.   In my case, they were helpful in combatting congestion:  just running the "check leak" function in the Resmed Autosense 10 (my machine) seemed to open up nasal  passages a bit more.  Of course, thanks to the medication + the nasal irrigation, they were already fairly open.   Still, I was amazed at the way that the nasal pillows contributed to managing my sinus issues and general congestion problem.

Just passing on what worked for me.   The prescription drugs would require an MD visit to get, of course, so that might not be possible.   

Good luck.

[hegel]

I use very much the same protocol as Albegensian (can we call you Al?) above. I also had an initial reluctance to use the squeeze bottle nasal irrigation. Warm water and of course salt really helps. I got over the horror after one or two times. It's very helpful. Sometimes one has to overcome an initial reluctance and just work with things to get the great benefit. Oh , wait, this is a CPAP forum. Everyone here has done that! In any case I didn't drown or even close. What's to lose?

[DaveCar]

Just throwing it out there, but I did notice the OP is using a Philips machine in the profile..