Hi,

I'm wondering if people, given the choice, would opt to use a corticosteroid (like beclomethasone) or simply use a full face mask? My ENT has prescribed the above medication, but also suggested trying a full face mask. My healthcare provider, on the other hand, hates full face masks. Furthermore, he says that 90% of people also hate them.

What do you think?

I've also posted a poll so that I can get a sense numerically of peoples' opinions.

Thanks,

Rob Yale

As a healthcare provider, I can't imagine why another would say that they HATE full face masks- I don't care what kind you use as long as you USE it! Most of my patients who use full face masks like them just fine-if they know they're a mouth breather, they usually just accept it. If you feel like the full face mask would make you claustrophobic, you could try the steroid with a nasal mask first, but some patients would need the steroid anyway, regardless of your mask choice. I guess that's not much help, but I've never heard that my patients were given one or the other. And don't let your provider talk you out of a certain kind of mask. It shouldn't be their concern as long as you're compliant with your therapy!

As a health care provider, I an only say "AMEN, Christine!!!"

Mild nasal congestions...I sleep on my side usually and if I'm congested slightly, what I do I flip to the other side and it usually drains fine.

Lynne

I've been on the CPAP for about 2 weeks now and caught a full blown cold. I have a full face mask which I have to admit I'm more comfortable with and it was fine while I was congested. The nasal pillows I use if I'm napping.

jeanne

Well, from the poll it's looking like slightly more people are favouring the full mask route, and eschewing the medication. This is helping a lot. Tomorrow, I'm going to talk to the healthcare provider and have them bring me an Ultra Mirage full face, and I'll give it a try.

Thanks,

Rob

Spiritus wrote:Well, from the poll it's looking like slightly more people are favouring the full mask route, and eschewing the medication. This is helping a lot. Tomorrow, I'm going to talk to the healthcare provider and have them bring me an Ultra Mirage full face, and I'll give it a try.

Thanks,

Rob

Tonight is my titration study, and I'm going to be using my Ultra Mirage FF.

Rob

Good luck, Rob! Hope they use heated humidification for you.

Please let us know how it goes!

Js (pronounced jays) nose drops and lots of salt water up your nose works for me and is cheaper than flonase..works just as well for me...I live next to a cement quarry.......

Well, that was one of the worst nights, sleepwise, I've had!

I was anxious about the study, and had a lot of difficulty falling asleep. On top of that, I was having a restless leg episode (which I have infrequently - only when I'm ill or over-tired). To me it felt like I hadn't slept at all, but the therapist said I had slept 4 hours. He said that all events stopped at a setting of 7.

As far as heated humidification is concerned - they didn't use it. They only used the pass-over feature. Since I wanted to eliminate any congestion issues, I used Otravin and decided to use the Activa rather than the Ultra Mirage FF.

Now I'm hoping that when I try the new pressure out tonight it works. Otherwise I'm going to have to deal with the issue of PLMS - and I have no idea how effective treatments for that can be.

Rob

I was proscribed Flonase, and that works very well in combo with my ComfortGel mask.

The corticosteroids are not a "decongestant" per say. My physician recommended this approach before we look into nasal/sinus surgery.