Sick and a tad freaked out... questions

[ems]

I've never had a head cold cause this much pain.

I hope you feel much better soon. As I said, liquids and more liquids. I think Tylenol would help the headache. Post when you are up to it. Warm, feel better hugs.

[Pap365]

Kaiasgram, I hope you feel better. Wouldn't you have a fever if it was the flu or even a cold?
Take Care,
G

[Janknitz]

I think Pusgy is on the right track. I can get awful sinus symptoms like that when my humidifier settings are not right, and it was initially very hard to determine the right setting on the PRS1.

In any case I hope you feel better soon!

[BlackSpinner]

I personally would crank the humidity way down at least for a night to see if it helps. I can only think it's contributing like mad to your symptoms.

Personally I always crank it way up. Inflamed sinus passages need humidity, which is why people always run a steamer type of humidifier in rooms off people with a respiratory infection.

And no it does not "force bacteria" down else where. Even without the bipap you would be breathing in this same air and germs right into your lungs. The difference right now is that you will not be breathing at all in many cases while you sleep thereby stressing your body even more.

[chunkyfrog]

A better choice than Tylenol (acetaminophen) might be ibuprofen.
Tylenol is metabolized by the liver, and is an common ingredient of OTC cold/flu remedies.
Overdosing is too easy--and the results go right to the liver.

[kaiasgram]

I really appreciate the support and suggestions everyone, thank you so much. I'm off to see the doctor in 15-20 minutes, I'll post again this evening. It's definitely not local irritation from the different machine/humidification because I'm pretty sick at this point, so I expect to come home with Tamiflu or antibiotics. Seems too severe for a cold, but we'll see. You guys are the best, thanks again.

p.s. are we sure that nasty germs can't "catch the wind" of our blowers and hitch a free ride to or sinuses and lungs? Just sayin'

[wildflowertx]

A better choice than Tylenol (acetaminophen) might be ibuprofen.
Tylenol is metabolized by the liver, and is an common ingredient of OTC cold/flu remedies.
Overdosing is too easy--and the results go right to the liver.

It's interesting, I'd always heard that Tylenol and acetaminophen were the worst, liver-wise, also. But after being diagnosed with liver disease in 2011, I asked my gastroenterologist (internal specialist) and then my hepatologist (super duper liver specialist) what would be best to use for headaches and such out of all the various choices -- acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, and so on -- and they both told me acetaminophen is actually better...as long as it's taken within dosage restrictions. As chunkyfrog says, it is a common ingredient of cold/flu meds so you have to be careful if something says not to take at the same time as other meds containing acetaminophen, or at least total up the dosages between all meds.

In any event, I hope you feel better soon, kaiasgram!!

[jencat824]

A better choice than Tylenol (acetaminophen) might be ibuprofen.
Tylenol is metabolized by the liver, and is an common ingredient of OTC cold/flu remedies.
Overdosing is too easy--and the results go right to the liver.

It's interesting, I'd always heard that Tylenol and acetaminophen were the worst, liver-wise, also. But after being diagnosed with liver disease in 2011, I asked my gastroenterologist (internal specialist) and then my hepatologist (super duper liver specialist) what would be best to use for headaches and such out of all the various choices -- acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, and so on -- and they both told me acetaminophen is actually better...as long as it's taken within dosage restrictions. As chunkyfrog says, it is a common ingredient of cold/flu meds so you have to be careful if something says not to take at the same time as other meds containing acetaminophen, or at least total up the dosages between all meds.

In any event, I hope you feel better soon, kaiasgram!!

I thinks is odd that acetaminophen is bad for the liver, but they put it in most controlled substance pain relievers. Also just as odd is the medical community pushes acetaminophen & ibuprofen (and is sister NSAIDS), then wonders why patients have liver & kidney failure. My kidney disease is due to a dr who over prescribed ibuprofen with another NSAID (salsalate), then poof & oops, I've got kidney disease. It is best that we all become better informed patients.
Jen

[kaiasgram]

Back from the doctor: The diagnosis is "...the beginning of something..."

He thinks I may have some kind of infection brewing and that the airflow of the machine likely aggravated it last night (didn't cause it). He said my nasal passages are angry red, inflamed, dry and cracking and are about to bleed. He did the nasal swab for flu which I should hear about in a couple of days. In the meantime, neti pot, vaseline inside the nose (using lansinoh instead), decongestant, ibuprofen or tylenol for pain, and ... "lay off the cpap machine for a few days." This last recommendation makes me nervous, but to be honest I can't imagine air blowing up my nose -- I've been mouth breathing all day because it's too painful to just breathe in "still" air through my nose.

With regard to the question of whether I had too much or not enough humidification with the bipap last night, I don't know. I had a little bit of rainout in the mask this morning, but on the other hand the doc says I'm all dry and cracking. No idea.

Thanks again for all your input.

[BlackSpinner]

Back from the doctor: The diagnosis is "...the beginning of something..."

He thinks I may have some kind of infection brewing and that the airflow of the machine likely aggravated it last night (didn't cause it). He said my nasal passages are angry red, inflamed, dry and cracking and are about to bleed. He did the nasal swab for flu which I should hear about in a couple of days. In the meantime, neti pot, vaseline inside the nose (using lansinoh instead), decongestant, ibuprofen or tylenol for pain, and ... "lay off the cpap machine for a few days." This last recommendation makes me nervous, but to be honest I can't imagine air blowing up my nose -- I've been mouth breathing all day because it's too painful to just breathe in "still" air through my nose.

With regard to the question of whether I had too much or not enough humidification with the bipap last night, I don't know. I had a little bit of rainout in the mask this morning, but on the other hand the doc says I'm all dry and cracking. No idea.

Thanks again for all your input.

It is for these situation I keep my leaky quatro mask. With it I can breathe humid air anyway I want. And I actually feels much better to breathe the warm humid air from my cpap machine then the regular room air. The time I had pneumonia I wore it during the day while working at my computer (telecommuting).

[ems]

A better choice than Tylenol (acetaminophen) might be ibuprofen.
Tylenol is metabolized by the liver, and is an common ingredient of OTC cold/flu remedies.
Overdosing is too easy--and the results go right to the liver.

I agree... overdosing on Tylenol is easy to do and you have to be careful. However, my doctor and your doctor went to different schools. My doctor said if I'm sick or have a fever to take Tylenol... not ibuprofen. She mentioned that a couple of years ago and I don't remember the particulars. I remember something about ibuprofen and heart problems. I think I'll google...

[jencat824]

Back from the doctor: The diagnosis is "...the beginning of something..."

He thinks I may have some kind of infection brewing and that the airflow of the machine likely aggravated it last night (didn't cause it). He said my nasal passages are angry red, inflamed, dry and cracking and are about to bleed. He did the nasal swab for flu which I should hear about in a couple of days. In the meantime, neti pot, vaseline inside the nose (using lansinoh instead), decongestant, ibuprofen or tylenol for pain, and ... "lay off the cpap machine for a few days." This last recommendation makes me nervous, but to be honest I can't imagine air blowing up my nose -- I've been mouth breathing all day because it's too painful to just breathe in "still" air through my nose.

With regard to the question of whether I had too much or not enough humidification with the bipap last night, I don't know. I had a little bit of rainout in the mask this morning, but on the other hand the doc says I'm all dry and cracking. No idea.

Thanks again for all your input.

Hope you feel better soon.
Jen

[ems]

Back from the doctor: The diagnosis is "...the beginning of something..."

He thinks I may have some kind of infection brewing and that the airflow of the machine likely aggravated it last night (didn't cause it). He said my nasal passages are angry red, inflamed, dry and cracking and are about to bleed. He did the nasal swab for flu which I should hear about in a couple of days. In the meantime, neti pot, vaseline inside the nose (using lansinoh instead), decongestant, ibuprofen or tylenol for pain, and ... "lay off the cpap machine for a few days." This last recommendation makes me nervous, but to be honest I can't imagine air blowing up my nose -- I've been mouth breathing all day because it's too painful to just breathe in "still" air through my nose.

With regard to the question of whether I had too much or not enough humidification with the bipap last night, I don't know. I had a little bit of rainout in the mask this morning, but on the other hand the doc says I'm all dry and cracking. No idea.

Thanks again for all your input.

Did you get the chicken soup? I made a huge pot and left it out front... with a tight cover and away from any little critters.

Don't tell anyone on this forum that I said this... but, I'd lay off the cpap machine for a few days also. I think breathing in air - even warm air - would hurt like .... .

[kaiasgram]

Did you get the chicken soup? I made a huge pot and left it out front... with a tight cover and away from any little critters.
Don't tell anyone on this forum that I said this... but, I'd lay off the cpap machine for a few days also. I think breathing in air - even warm air - would hurt like ....

Aw, you're a sweetheart ems! Thank you, for the chicken soup and for that thing you said that you didn't want me to tell anyone on this forum.

[kaiasgram]

Hope you feel better soon.
Jen

Thank you Jen.