Nosebleeds and CPAP

I'm about six weeks into CPAP. So far, so.....ok...not necessarily good, but hopefully it will continue to improve.

My problem is nosebleeds. I have had three just in the last week. The second one started in the middle of the night, began on the left side, and by the time I got up and started to apply pressure, I began to bleed out of the right nostril as well. So, basically, blood pouring out of both nostrils. The other two times it just started during the day out of the blue, on the left side both times. Prior to this, I think the last time I had a nosebleed was when I was vacationing in Colorado during the summer about five years ago. They eventually stop after I apply pressure to my nose for about 5-10 minutes.

I have the humidifier set at 1, which seemed fine (at least, until this started). My pressure is only 5, and I use the Swift LT For Her. I use Lansinoh Lanolin around the outside and inside of my nares before bed every night.

Anyone else have this problem? Am I missing some critical bit of information that would make this stop? Any suggestions? TIA!!

Victoria wrote:I'm about six weeks into CPAP. So far, so.....ok...not necessarily good, but hopefully it will continue to improve.

My problem is nosebleeds. I have had three just in the last week. The second one started in the middle of the night, began on the left side, and by the time I got up and started to apply pressure, I began to bleed out of the right nostril as well. So, basically, blood pouring out of both nostrils. The other two times it just started during the day out of the blue, on the left side both times. Prior to this, I think the last time I had a nosebleed was when I was vacationing in Colorado during the summer about five years ago. They eventually stop after I apply pressure to my nose for about 5-10 minutes.

I have the humidifier set at 1, which seemed fine (at least, until this started). My pressure is only 5, and I use the Swift LT For Her. I use Lansinoh Lanolin around the outside and inside of my nares before bed every night.

Anyone else have this problem? Am I missing some critical bit of information that would make this stop? Any suggestions? TIA!!

I've got basically the same equipment, and I ran at 2, and backed my humidifier down to 1 basically just to see how it would do. I was okay with it, but I noticed I was getting a little bleeding (not nose bleeds, but just spitting out a little blood in the morning), so I went back up to 2 and it's been just fine. I attributed it to dried out sinuses.

thank you! same problem here. Haven't been using my humidifier. I'll start again.

DaveL
Canada

I agree with SharkBait. I think maybe your humidifier is set too low and your sinuses are drying out. Increase the setting and see if that helps

Have you ever tried flushing your sinuses as in a Neli pot? Do you have allergies?
I have terrible allergies and used to get nose bleeds all the time when I was younger. The stopped for years until my wife decided to replace our single small dog with two 90 pound puppies. Since new dogs in house nose bleeds are weekly.
Flushing my sinuses helps with the nose bleeds and allergies.

Gerry

I would go see an ear, nose and throat doctor (ent). You could have an infection and that could be why it continues. Plus any problem like that in your head is Not good. But I would try flushing with saline several times a day. It is safe and could help.

1) Raise your humidity. Keep raising it until you can't stand it and then back it down a tad.

2) Buy Ayr Gel. Lansinoh is not a moisturizer. Ayr Gel IS. You use it INSIDE and OUTSIDE your nose. Use it frequently until your nosebleeds seem to be in abeyance, then back off and maybe use it once a day or so.

3) Try Neil-Med Sinus Rinse to help moisturize, as well. Don't buy the pre-packaged "nasal moisturizer" sprays. They are crap, and they don't inject enough product into your nose to help. Flushing with Sinus Rinse will help far more.

Huggers,
Babs

Thanks everyone. i'll check out the Ayr Gel and turn up the humidifier. Now that I covered the hose, hopefully I won't get the rainout thing. I'll look into the sinus rinsing as well....although I admit it makes my eyes water just thinking about it.

Vickie, it took me awhile to catch on to the trick of the sinus rinse. I have to keep my mouth open and deliberately breathe through my mouth while I'm doing it, or I get all weirded out and try to drown.

After I finally figured it out, I was fine, and can do it now no sweat.

I do use the Sinus Rinse, which is the squeeze bottle. It just makes more sense to me than the "neti pot" thing. Less head tilting required.

I get it at Walgreens. It's usually about $10 for a bottle and about 50-100 packets of solution.

Cheers,
B.

I'd say, turn up the humidifier ALL the way, then turn it down a notch at a time until the rainout stops. I find I'm happiest when it's humid enough to leave a bit of condensation inside. Helps if the hose runs downhill to the machine as close to the mask as you can get it so it drains to the machine and not you. I didn't like the hose cozy (don't know the real name) I bought, so I made one from a bit of old flannel sheet with a sewing machine in just a few minutes. Just a cloth tube with a loose fit. However, I should rubber band it in place or something because it shifts.

I find the best thing for preventing nosebleeds is to put Vaseline in my nose with a Q-tip. Softens up the "armor plate" in there.

If I were you, I wouldn't panic about the nosebleeds unless high humidity and the Vaseline don't make them go away in a few days. I used to get them all the time from dry air without a CPAP.

BTW, does anyone else have trouble passing the little Turing test? I swear I'm carbon based! (The Turing test on Yahoo is 10 times worse. Usually takes me 5 tries.)

I got a Neli pot today. It is making a huge difference so far. I can vouch for the advice.
The increase in Humidifier will work for you as well. You might want to invest in an Aussie hose to keep the rainout away.

If you have a Costco near you they carry the Neil Med bottles in a two pack for about 16 bucks. That's two bottles and a hanger for the bottle with double the amount of packets. It's actually cheaper to buy one of these double packs than to buy refills.

Dangit! The Costco pack has the wall hanger in it? DRAT!!! I keep meaning to send away for one, but haven't yet. I have a little hanging net in my bathtub that I think is meant for tub toys, and I just put mine in there to drain.

Thanks!!!!
Barbara