Has anyone experienced this?

[Hiking Spider]

Hi all

I have a sleep study coming up next month but I'm not sure they will be able to help me. Still trying to decide if I should even keep the appointment.

I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction or knows something about what is happening. I've been Googling it all day to no avail.

When I recline or lay on my back I can't breathe out my nose. It's like a one way door, air goes in but will not go out through my nose. My cheeks puff out then the air escapes through my lips. I also have not been able to blow my nose in years, again it starts to blow then abruptly stops and the air comes out my mouth. One way door thing. It doesn't matter how hard I blow.

A little history. At age 4 (a long time ago) I was in a car accident, my face hit the dashboard. No one wore seat-belts back then. I had to have plastic surgery to put my nose back where it belongs. My nose was crushed. I also have TMJ and a deformed jaw joint.

Has anyone heard of this condition?

Thank you in advanced for any info you can provide.

[kwhenrykerr]

Go see your local ENT doctor. Get your nose fixed. It helped me greatly.

[Hiking Spider]

This has happened to you? What was it? How did they fix it?

[trish6hundred]

Hi Hiking Spider,
WELCOM! to the forum.!
Hang in there for more answers to your question.
When you go for your sleep study, if you haven't already told them about your situation, make sure you let them know.
Good luck to you.

[Beej]

If the accident broke enough bone, there may be areas which were positioned into place, but in a more compressed or flattened manner. And/or, there may be scar tissue on the bony areas which impede some of the air flow. An ENT can examine you with both x-ray and physical exam to determine what, if anything, can be done to help your sinuses drain properly and allow air flow.
I had a bony tumor, an osteoma, in my right ethmoid sinus. It was blocking drainage and hurt. Surgery removed it and also trimmed down some scar tissue from all the sinus infections I had. It vastly improved things.
tip: for chronic sinus congestion, saline rinse helps thin the mucus so it can drain. It is gentle. Ask your phamacist.

[chill]

I agree. You need the help of a ENT, not random CPAP users on the internet. What you are describing is not normal. You need special help.

[kwhenrykerr]

My ENT fixed the problem that I had had for most of my life. Like a lot of other problems I wish I had fixed them sooner.

The surgery was said to be tough. It was not fun but the fix worked.

[Sleeprider]

No doubt about it, resolving the physical anomaly in your nose is going to be important to your health and successful CPAP use as well. See the ENT.

[Hiking Spider]

Thank you for the replies everyone!

I emailed my PCP today she is referring me to an ENT but still wants the sleep study done too.

[Beej]

As some of your problems may resolve with the ENT's treatment, be sure to note those to the sleep lab. If it results in a diagnosis of apnea, you may want to lobby for an auto model which can adjust pressure as needed (ex ResMed Autoset). That way, if there are significant changes from ENT treatment, the machine will be able to compensate, at least somewhat, if you have a form of apnea.