Bad and good.- getting sinues infection/ mucus a LOT

[bananas85]

So I started using my Autopap. AHI has been 1.1.

The problem is first night I used it, I got a full blown sinus infection. So i took 4 days off and got sick enough chills rigors etc where I had to start antibiotics.
After taking a few days off, I tried again and I still get a lot of sinus mucus being prduced. I know if I continue I will get another infection and I can not keep taking antibiotics.

The machine is new. the masks are new. I have tried nasal pillows and full face hybrid masks.

Gettin sinus infection is not new for me. I used to get them a lot. But in 2014 I started doing nasal rinses twice a day and using nasal steroids and I rarely get them maybe once every 3 years now. But with using the autopap it is becoming an issue again.

Do you guys have any recommendations? I have ordered a true full face mask, and have a gut feeling that will help. but not sure.

The problem with nasal and hybrid masks is there is a constant heavy flow of air straight into the nostril/ sinuses. maybe that is whats causing the isssue

[Pugsy]

Which brand AND MODEL machine are you using?
Please add your equipment to your profile.

Are you using the humidifier and if you are at what setting?
If you aren't using water in the humidifier....use some water.

[palerider]

The problem with nasal and hybrid masks is there is a constant heavy flow of air straight into the nostril/ sinuses.

That's not how it works, so just get that idea outta your head.

For what you're saying to be a thing, that "constant heavy flow of air" would have to go somewhere, but it doesn't, it just creates a VERY lightly pressurized small area of air (not even enough to blow up a balloon), that your lungs pull in and push out.

Now, if you've got an exhaust hole in your chest or something, then ignore what I just said.

Also, CPAP's don't cause sinus infections, bacteria do, where are they coming from?

Like Pugsy says, change your humidification, add more, use less, try a different setting than what you've used so far.

[bananas85]

Machine Resmed 10 Airsense Autoset
Mask resmed airfit p10.

climate control was on auto. i changed it to manual. Humidity level is on 4 (goes up till . Temp I cant tell but I changed and it is now at 85F.

Let me know what climate settings i should change. would be great to be able to use it and not have to deal with these extreme sinus congestion the next day.

And to the second poster, I am not saying it is causing sinus infectoin directly. but hte amount of mucus produced by my sinuses has dramatically increased. I know cause I rinse every day and blow my nose and now I can produce globs and globs of mucus. When there is so much mucus, the tendency in the past has been easy to get infections. bacterias love to grow in stagnant mucus.

Appreciate any help.. Thanks

[zonker]

Machine Resmed 10 Airsense Autoset
Mask resmed airfit p10.

when you get the chance, could you go to your equipment profile and list your stuff there?

that way, it shows up at the bottom of each of your posts, as mine does below.

good luck!

[Pugsy]

Nasal congestion and/or drainage is a common thing with cpap.
Google "cpap rhinitis" and start reading.

Some people get those unwanted symptoms with too little added moisture and some people get the same unwanted symptoms with too much added moisture.
Everyone is different and we don't know if your nasal mucosa are mad about too much added moisture or not enough added moisture.

The auto setting for humidity will deliver around the setting of 4 if compared to manual settings.
That's a middle of the road setting since the machine can go to 8.

We don't know if you need more moisture or less but most people will need a bit more.
Does a hot steamy shower help or make the problem worse?

Bear in mind that sometimes it can take a few days for the nasal mucosa to get back in balance so don't expect an overnight total change. It all depends on just how reactive the nasal mucosa is being.
I know when I had this happen to me some many years ago when I reduced the humidity setting it took 3 full days for my nasal mucosa to recover and stop being so ugly. It was a miserable 3 days and that was from reducing the humidity from the near max I had been using down to a setting of 1.....bad idea to try lower humidity. Really bad idea.

I don't have anyway to know which way your nasal mucosa wants to lean in terms of what humidity it wants or needs.
You just will have to experiment but if a hot steamy shower helps relieve symptoms then I would suspect an increase in humidity is going to be needed. How much more....no way to know.

[StillAtIt]

Sorry to hear about the sinus issues.

In the past I also had sinus issues and infections. The neti pot and sometimes the bottle (not when congested) was a game changer. I am very warry of the steroids because they dry my nose to much.

I like the apap during allergy season because the air is filtered.

I have only used an auto machine so I cannot compare.

Any humidification even with no heat congested me. I detached the humidifier and no congestion. When I started my therapy allergy season almost over.

I use a Hybrid mask from Innomed which has nostril nares and mouth cover. I usually sleep with my mouth closed.

This may not apply to you but I will mention it just incase.

For the nasal rinse is supposed to be made of distilled/sterile or boiled water; I only used used distilled water in my dehumidifier.

(I did not see sterile water available for purchase it was out.

Boiling water concentrates salts in the water, so was not sure about using it in dehumidifier. I would use that over tap or bottled water.

Always make sure hose dries out.)

***

During allergy season my allergist recommended I do nasal rinse with hypertonic saline solution. (This solution dries out the nose more)
For me it was a double strength solution. (two packets with one volume of water.)

Ask your doctor if this is ok for you.

Any nasal rinse was at least an hour before laying down.

[MsAmyLynn]

Do you have an online filter? Ik it's annoying but make sure you wash/ clean everything daily since your susceptible.( Including tubing at least 1x/wk!)good luck

[MsAmyLynn]

Inline*filter

[bananas85]

Yes always use distilled water. Nasal steroid have never given me issues.
What’s an in-line filter? Is that the small rectangular filter on the side. I bought a hypoallergenic one too.

[msla]

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/generi ... es-10-pack

[StillAtIt]

I forgot to say:

Deionized water is not distilled water, unless the label states it has gone through the two processes.

[bananas85]

Nasal congestion and/or drainage is a common thing with cpap.
Google "cpap rhinitis" and start reading.

Some people get those unwanted symptoms with too little added moisture and some people get the same unwanted symptoms with too much added moisture.
Everyone is different and we don't know if your nasal mucosa are mad about too much added moisture or not enough added moisture.

The auto setting for humidity will deliver around the setting of 4 if compared to manual settings.
That's a middle of the road setting since the machine can go to 8.

We don't know if you need more moisture or less but most people will need a bit more.
Does a hot steamy shower help or make the problem worse?

Bear in mind that sometimes it can take a few days for the nasal mucosa to get back in balance so don't expect an overnight total change. It all depends on just how reactive the nasal mucosa is being.
I know when I had this happen to me some many years ago when I reduced the humidity setting it took 3 full days for my nasal mucosa to recover and stop being so ugly. It was a miserable 3 days and that was from reducing the humidity from the near max I had been using down to a setting of 1.....bad idea to try lower humidity. Really bad idea.

I don't have anyway to know which way your nasal mucosa wants to lean in terms of what humidity it wants or needs.
You just will have to experiment but if a hot steamy shower helps relieve symptoms then I would suspect an increase in humidity is going to be needed. How much more....no way to know.

What was your reason for decreasing the humidity? Do you remember?

[Pugsy]

What was your reason for decreasing the humidity? Do you remember?

Someone suggested a lower setting and I was new to cpap therapy and didn't know any better and had no way to know that my nasal mucosa wouldn't like a lower setting.
I did it for one night only....big mistake.
Confirmed over the years when I have forgotten to add water to the chamber and I have run out of water during the night and my nasal mucosa get dried out. I don't forget very often any more. Learned my lesson.

[mummmz]

I complained to my pulmonary doctor that my nose kept running once I started on oxygen. She told me I needed to add a humidifier to the oxygen concentrator because my body was trying to compensate for the oxygen flow drying out my sinuses. It helped a lot. I got off the oxygen after a few months so now I add distilled water to the cpap humidifier but I don't turn on heated humidity. I can't stand the hot air and just having the air pass over the water in the tray is enough humidity that my nose doesn't run.

If you truly had a sinus infection and not just sinus congestion you could have bacteria in the mask. Make sure you've washed it good with soap and water so you don't reinfect yourself.