Coughing and using cpap

NyNurse33 · Post by **NyNurse33** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 9:57 pm

I was just thinking what happens if you are sick with a cough? It must be a disaster. I don't have a cough, but am starting to get a scratchy throat and a tickle that is making me cough a little. I don't think its the reflux, I think I may be coming down with something. Last year I got bronchitis real bad. I don't even smoke. Well I'm rambling, like I said I was just wondering what people do when they have a really bad cough.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:16 pm

Hi Melissa,

This is one subject that I could relate to last year. About two weeks after I started on CPAP, I came down with a horrible cough. Nothing I took seemed to be able to calm it down enough at night. SO.....I went off of therapy for about 10 days until I could stand to keep the mask on at night. Fortunately, it was early enough in my therapy that I was able to sleep without my CPAP, but it was a struggle during the daytime to keep from getting drowsy again. It was a LONG 10 days.
Last year seemed to be a bad year for stuff going around and it seemed like I was catching something about every couple of months. Fortunately, my last bout with anything was during the week of Thanksgiving of '05.
During the other episodes with colds or flu, I managed to keep my CPAP on during the nights......although the mask did come a number of times during the nights.

Best wishes,

Den

KimberlyinMN · Post by **KimberlyinMN** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:18 pm

I've been dealing with a sinus-related cold thing with a sore throat and cough this week. My cough is worse with the full face mask and my sinuses are congested so I haven't been able to wear the ComfortCurve. Tuesday night I didn't use the machine. Wednesday I tried to use the full face mask and made it for a couple of hours. My sinuses are almost back to normal -- I can breathe through my nose at least. Thursday night I wore the ComfortCurve all night but did cough some. Tonight? ComfortCurve.

Blech. Using the machine just bites when you are sick. All that air rushing around.

Kimberly

KimberlyinMN · Post by **KimberlyinMN** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:20 pm

Oh yeah.. I also found that sucking on a lozenge with the full face mask helps. That's how I was able to wear the mask those couple of hours the other night.

Kimberly

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:25 pm

KimberlyinMN wrote:Oh yeah.. I also found that sucking on a lozenge with the full face mask helps. That's how I was able to wear the mask those couple of hours the other night.

Kimberly

YEP! Same here.

Den

preemiern · Post by **preemiern** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:34 pm

I have found that the nasal rinses do help--especially when done on a daily basis. Also--if I get a sinus type cold--I will use Afrin just to be able to sleep with my BiPAP--I won't let anything get between me and my BiPAP
I found something else that I have been using in my sinus rinses-it's homeopathic-by a company called Varcho Veda-and it is called Neti Wash Plus--it has zinc in it which is supposed to help prevent and lessen the severity of colds. It also has goldenseal in it(among other things) that actually helps cure sinus infections.
The website is http://www.varchoveda.org if anybody wants to read more about it. I bought mine at my local whole food coop.

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krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 11:34 pm

Lozenge and turning the humidifier on max. Used the prewarmed, superinsulated hose cover and had no problem with rainout. For some reason the Hybrid seems to have less condensation than the FP 406. I would cough a few times after putting the mask on but it didn't take long breathing that slightly warm, humid air for the cough to stop.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 12:33 am

my guess sinusitis.

bairdbeth · Post by **bairdbeth** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 7:49 am

I am dealing with that right now. I have bronchitus. I was able to use a nasal mask (and now the CL2). I did the nasal rinse and nose spray. It is a little more difficult to cough against the pressure, but not much. My leak rate may be higher due to the coughing. I went 1 night without until I could make sure I didn't have an ear infection and hardly slept. Back to CPAP after the doctor visit. I did bump th HH up .5 to 3.5 and that helped some. I figure I am going to cough one way or the other. I might as well get as much of the benefit as I can from the CPAP.

mbscats · Post by **mbscats** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 2:56 pm

I had broncitis twice in the month of Oct. Was off the machine for almost a month, now having a difficult time getting reaclimated to it. It's been an uphill battle since I started using the cpap. I admire those who have been able to sleep from the beginning with there machines. I still battle some events where I will wake up and feel like I'm choking. But such is the battle. Keep smiling....

Captain_Midnight · Post by **Captain_Midnight** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 4:35 pm

It's an interesting question.

I actually came down with the flu on the very day that I started CPAP last year. I stuck with the PAP therapy on the notion that if I reduced my AHI, my NKT cell titer would be higher, and I'd get better sooner.

Yes, it was yuckky. I was sure to wash the mask and hose daily.

One interesting thing I noticed. I coughed much less with the CPAP mask on, than I did during the day.

Also, my pressure was only at 5 cm at the time, so I don't know if folks with higher PAP pressures can actually keep the mask on with a cough.

I have no idea what the med folks recommend about PAP therapy when one has a cough, but it can be done. Sorta.

Regards all - - Capt Midnight

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