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Air blowing from tear duct...help?

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Posted by DeSota on April 21, 2010 at 07:14:46:

I know this has been discussed before in years past, but I thought I'd try again.

I have severe OSA and recently got a BiPAP with a pressure of 19 over 15. This pressure is sufficient to actually blow air from my nasal cavity out of my left tear duct. It creates a horrible sensation and even makes a little squeaking noise. Closing my eye doesn't work because it just inflates my eyelid like a balloon. Trying to tape my eye closed has the same effect. As you can imagine, this prevents me from using the device.

I think the problem stems from a surgery I had to open up a blocked tear duct when I was an infant. Probably made it a bit too large. You know those people who can blow milk out of their tear ducts? Well I'm like them...except I have sleep apnea and have no desire to blow anything, even air out of my eyes. :)

I had this problem before 3 or 4 years ago when I had another CPAP. I eventually just gave up on that one. However, recently I've gained weight and my apnea has gotten so bad that I feel I will likely die if I don't use the thing.

I've tried all the suggested solutions. Both this time and the last time I attempted CPAP, I went to the eye doctor and got tear duct plugs installed. They DO NOT WORK at all. I also tried a Total Face Mask to equalize the pressure. While it stopped the tear duct issue I couldn't use that because it leaked like crazy (an understatement) and flexed up and down like an accordion on my face.

I can stop the problem manually by simply using my finger to apply a little bit of pressure on the side of my nose. Maybe I could rig up something to have the same effect, but I don't have any ideas.

Sorry for the essay, but I'm getting really desperate here. I need to use the BiPAP and can actually tolerate it when it's not blowing out of my eyes. I've had two surgeries that haven't done anything and I'm not letting someone break my face, rearrange it, and cause who knows what kind of nerve damage to fix my sleep apnea (MMA).

So...anyone have any ideas? Please? :)


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