Starting Over

[cotofl]

I’m new here and am wondering if anyone has any insight into the affect of altitude on sleep apnea. I lived at about 5,000 ft altitude when I was diagnosed with OSA and found my CPAP didn’t help at all. I actually felt worse using it. I was more tired, had morning headaches, etc which I didn’t before using CPAP. My pulmonologist just shrugged it off saying CPAP doesn’t work for everybody. Pretty casual dismissal of my concerns but since I was moving I let it go and returned my CPAP.

Now I’m living at sea level, awaiting the results of my latest sleep study and see what’s what. My new pulmonologist was talking APAP but I have to wait to hear from him. So my question - does anyone have personal experience of going from high altitude to low altitude and if so, what was different? I found sea level is much nicer than breathing at 5,000 ft. which is nice since I also have COPD.

Thanks!

[LSAT]

I’m new here and am wondering if anyone has any insight into the affect of altitude on sleep apnea. I lived at about 5,000 ft altitude when I was diagnosed with OSA and found my CPAP didn’t help at all. I actually felt worse using it. I was more tired, had morning headaches, etc which I didn’t before using CPAP. My pulmonologist just shrugged it off saying CPAP doesn’t work for everybody. Pretty casual dismissal of my concerns but since I was moving I let it go and returned my CPAP.

Now I’m living at sea level, awaiting the results of my latest sleep study and see what’s what. My new pulmonologist was talking APAP but I have to wait to hear from him. So my question - does anyone have personal experience of going from high altitude to low altitude and if so, what was different? I found sea level is much nicer than breathing at 5,000 ft. which is nice since I also have COPD.

Thanks!

Why don't you tell us about your CPAP...What model, what pressures, What mask were you using? What specific problems were you having?

[cotofl]

I was using a Respironics CPAP set at 8, increased to 9and I used a few different masks strictly for comfort. I didn’t have any difficulty using it and didn’t have any problems with the mask, no leaks, etc. I used it for two months and felt worse for it - I was more tired, woke with a headache which never happened before the CPAP, started needing a nap to get through the day. Pretty much what I would think as indicators of OSA rather than being caused by CPAP.

I expect to hear from a DME provider this week and see what my sleep study found this time.

[D.H.]

Many of the older CPAPs had manual altitude compensation or no altitude compensation at all. Thus if you were prescribed a particular setting from a sleep test done at sea level and then used that setting at 5000 ft, the actual pressure delivered would be less (unless they were smart enough to make a compensatory setting). The newer machines compensate for this.

I don't know if that was the problem, but if it was, it shouldn't happen again regardless of altitude.

Also, you will hopefully get an APAP that is data capable. You will be able to analyze and adjust your own settings.

[chunkyfrog]

The magic word is "Sleepyhead".
It is free, and with the right cpap/apap, can give you the info
your doctor SHOULD have been using to make your therapy successful.
I finally brought home a new Windows laptop today;
and am looking forward to seeing my data again.
My previous computer died some time ago.