Nasal passages swollen, hard to breathe through nose.

@woogie I hear you woogie I have the same problem . I finally went to my Dr explained it to her and she ordered me a decongestant to take only at night . It sure helped and when I didn't have this I would use good old Vicks rug under my nose this helped also . It is very annoying I know good luck

Hi @woogie, I also have nasal congestion which I think for me is related to having a deviated septum. I'm also a mouth breather and have to use a full face CPAP mask for my sleep apnea. It is so much better for me on nights when my I am able to breathe through my nose. My doctor prescribed using over the counter Flonase and it does help some but I don't like to use it often. Another thing that helps me is using a sinus rinse bottle every night. It's sometimes a pain to use it but it does help me. I've thought about getting the Navage product which looks to be easier to use but haven't decided if I want to try it yet.

Thank you for your replies, Lioness and John. I feel for you. May God heal us. John, I too, have a deviated septum and suffer from sleep apea. I spent hundreds on a CPAP machine. Tried wearing it but it made me feel like I was not able to breathe easily. I was struggling with it on. I remember being asleep with it on, dreaming I couldn't breathe, ripping it off. Ripping it off was real, not a dream. Not being able to breathe easily was not a dream. So, I figured if I couldn't wear it, I'd put it into a drawer which it still remains. A lot of money for nothing! The man who sold it to me was not helpful. He had a terrible attitude. I needed to call him back but I only saw him when he delivered it. My doctor recommended surgery on the large turbines and deviated septum but at my age, I need hernia surgery now and perhaps on my neck to remove a small goiter. It's nothing I can see. I have had three operations on my neck when I was much younger. It was so painful and it became infected--it swelled like a child's football. You know how big they are, just imagine one under your skin that size on your neck. Not a pretty sight. Very painful. They removed growths that had tenacles wrapped around whatever. All I know is the doctor said it wasn't cancer. I thanked God and I still thank God.

@woogie, I can relate to the CPAP mask problem. I have "ripped off" a few during the night when I first started using the CPAP until I was finally able to find a mask that works and I can tolerate. I'm sorry you had a bad experience with the person who sold you the CPAP machine. I purchased mine through the Sleep Medicine Store at Mayo Clinic but then switched to a local medical supply store for easier access than parking downtown. I can get supplies through them and they also have an excellent staff of sleep therapist that will work with you and help with any problems that come up using the CPAP.

There is another discussion you may want to look at and post your questions. The CPAP machine can really help with fatigue once you are able to consistently use it for awhile and it may save your life if you have really bad obstructive sleep apnea. Here's the discussion where you will meet other members like @jimhd @thankful @alanbruce @ilovedoodie and others:

Cpap and sleep: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion-manage/cpap-and-sleep/

@woogie I'm sorry you've had such a bad experience with sleep problems.

Before I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, I made an appointment with an ENT doctor because I couldn't breathe through my left nostril and my right nostril was partially constricted. He took off the hook of the J shaped deformity in my left nostril. I was thrilled to be able to breathe freely! Now I breathe better through my left side than my right.

That was a routine outpatient surgery, and recovery was quick and without complications, with a really great outcome.

But that didn't remove sleep apnea. I went to a sleep center and had an overnight sleep study. That was around 18 years ago. I had a concern about claustrophobia, but from the first night, I tolerated the mask, with a ramp up to full pressure. 2 years ago I had a repeat study because of leaking issues with a mask, caused partly by my beard. The doctor had me change to a Bipap, with a nasal cushion mask, and the number of events during the night dropped from more than 15 to 5.

I had a mask fitting at the sleep center last year, and tried several kinds of masks, and found that I was more comfortable with a nasal cushion than with a full face mask.

Because I was a mouth breather all of my life, it wasn't possible for me to keep my mouth closed, so I use a chin strap, and with all those changes, events have lowered even more.

My sleep equipment doesn't cost me anything, with Medicare. It sounds like you have been railroaded without any training. My opinion is that you should find a competent technician who would spend some time with you, finding equipment that you can tolerate. There are many possibilities available, not just for a mask, but for the headset and chin strap (if you need one).

I have panic attacks occasionally, many of them at night. I think it starts with a dream, sometimes of being smothered, sometimes of imminent death, and sometimes like my breathing has slowed down and almost stopped. When that happens, I take the mask off and half sit up, with pillows like the one Hank @jesfactmon suggested for a while. I focus on my breathing, practicing deep breathing that I was trained to do by more than one therapist. While I'm doing that, I usually pray for a while, and/or read the Bible or another book. It takes from ten minutes to an hour to recover, then I can put my mask back on and go back to sleep, usually with my head elevated for a while.

I think that if you can find a good therapist who knows what (s)he is doing, and is willing to spend however much time as is necessary to fit you with the right equipment for you. I think that you should see someone who isn't on the payroll of one company, so you get unbiased help.

If you can make the effort to do whatever you can, I think that you will sleep better, with no medication, and feel better during the day, not to mention the numerous possible health risks associated with untreated sleep apnea.

I hope you can resolve this - and not be in a hurry and keep your mind open.

Jim

I, too, have panic attacks at night. Sometimes I stay up most of the night because I don't want to lie down. Since I don't wear the mask, I sometimes make snorting, snoring sounds and I'm still awake. Then I get up, walk around, sometimes read the Bible. as you do, and pray. I participated in two sleep tests, one at a sleep clinic and one at our local hospital. In one night, I quit breathing 125 times. That's right! One hundred twenty five times in one night! Fifty times my brain didn't tell me to breathe, 75 times my throat caused non breathing. No wonder I am so very, very tired every day. I have the reports and I read and reread them because I think it's unbelievable. God bless you and may you find peace. I need back surgery so I can't sit up all night in my recliner--I think I would but after so many hours, it puts pressure (pain) on my lower back. I have heard of people sleeping in their recliners.

I often wonder why I have dreams of being smothered or death. I pray I am ready to meet my maker. I started to write more but it concerns my faith and I don't think we are supposed to do such things.

Can you tell me the name of the decongestant your doctor ordered?

Hi Woogie! I also noticed that I was breathing through my mouth but I thought it had to do with the New High Blood Pressure medication and also the blocker from the Cardiologist. I also have Asthma and I am on a CPAP for Sleep Apnea and so I wondered if these were affecting me. However, after taking a MRI (brain) scan the Neurologist viewed the images and saw a sinusitis issue and recommended that I see an ENT. I did and it turns out that I have Nasal Polyps. As part of treatment for the polyps I am on medications and I am to take a CT scan. After I take the CT scan and complete the medication I am to return to the ENT. I don’t know yet what the end results will be but I can say that after 3 days on the medications I have noticed that I am getting back a sense of smell - something I had “lost” years ago. I have a concern re taking a CT scan but I have no choice at this time as it holds answers for the next step in the treatment process.

I find Jim’s comments very valuable. I also think a check with an ENT would be a good place to start to get an answer Woogie. All the best.

@woogie Those dreams are pretty unsettling. Sometimes I'm not sure if I'm completely asleep.

It's acceptable to talk about our faith here. What's not acceptable is to be pushy about it, or to let it get off the subject. I've noticed that there are many people of faith here, and they speak positively about their trust in God. If someone makes every post about God, and that's rare, a mentor or coordinator will have a chat with them.

I can't sleep well in my recliner. I'm scheduled for back surgery in September to repair severe stenosis that's putting pressure on my nerves and may be contributing to the pain in my feet. I hope that's true because I've tried every medication doctors can throw at me, with no reduction in my pain, but sometimes bad side effects.

With that many events in one night, you should be taking it pretty seriously. I imagine your doctor has warned you about the possible significant health consequences of that level of apnea. I hope you'll find a way to treat it soon.

Jim