Always headache when wake up with CPAP machine

[papzombie]

After 2.5 year using CPAP I see my cognitive functionality only slightly improved, while all the rest of the symptoms still the same: easy irritation, bad memory, bad decision making, bad multi tasking, bad concentration.

What funny is that: quite sometimes I feel more fresh and much less headache if I fall asleep WITHOUT the CPAP (of course I would wake up after some minutes due to my normal AHI of 40).

About me: Age 40, AHI measured of 40 beginning 2016, started using CPAP (Philips Resmed System One) since March 2016 until now, on CPAP that is AHI 0.5. I can easily fall asleep on the bed within a minute, but waking up using CPAP I always have a headache, and this headache last the whole day. Sometimes I snap after lunch ( I am on sick leave), but waking up after feels terrible, regardless of how long I have slept (30, 60, 90, 120 minutes).

Other health issues: Hepatitis B (non active), Asthma (mild, not on medicine).

WHAT WORST FOR ME IS: I AM EASILY ANGRY WITH MY KIDS AND WIFE, WHICH DAMAGES MY RELATIONSHIP AND MY FAMILY.

Please help me. I am living in the Netherlands and doctors here know shit about my problem. Since 2 years I am diagnosed by a Psychological Institute for my bad concentration and high irritation, they kept doing research but they have found nothing, except they think I might have an Autism that makes me angry if my kids and wife do something out of my expectation. And the hospital describing the CPAP to me stops wanting to see me after they see my AHI of 0.5.

Thanks.

[zonker]

bump

[dreamingofdreaming]

I don't have as much experience as others on here, but for me, if my humidity isn't high enough, I wake up with a headache. Mine is a sinus headache in my forehead. I use to wake up really cranky before I started on CPAP. Maybe your settings need to be tweaked?

[jimc2]

I don't have as much experience as others on here, but for me, if my humidity isn't high enough, I wake up with a headache. Mine is a sinus headache in my forehead. I use to wake up really cranky before I started on CPAP. Maybe your settings need to be tweaked?

I was thinking the same thing and maybe run into the same issue from time to time. But I wanted to let those more knowledge ring in. I am actually messing around with humidity myself.

[dvejr]

My sleep-related headaches seemed to be oxygen-deprivation. Maybe monitor O2 levels?

[papzombie]

This link says something about headache, http://www.sleepdisorders.com/qa/why-my ... -headaches

I am going to ask my doctor.

Thanks

[papzombie]

My sleep-related headaches seemed to be oxygen-deprivation. Maybe monitor O2 levels?

I measured and my Oxygen was more than 94%.

[D.H.]

Your pressure might not be optimal.

[D.H.]

I tried to google resources in the Netherlands. I think that I'm not finding them due to language issues. Try googling them your self, as your computer is set-up for the Dutch language and sites in the Netherlands.

Also, I think that in the EU (and especially between the Benelux countries), you can be treated in the neighboring countries if the resources you need are no available in your country or if an out-of-country facility is closer due the the location of the border.

[papzombie]

I am fed up with the local hospital, they push me away upon seeing the AHI of 0.5.

[D.H.]

I am fed up with the local hospital, they push me away upon seeing the AHI of 0.5.

That means one incident every two hours (on average). While this is considered acceptable (even "good"), I'm not sure that this is the case or even if AHI is a valid and complete measure of severity.

[chunkyfrog]

It is likely your cpap is working, but your headaches are unrelated.
Many different things can cause headaches.
Try to avoid anger when with health professionals.
They will avoid you out of fear.

[TropicalDiver]

Disclaimer: I am not a medical provider. I would think of this as your primary complaint is a headache -- one (but far from the only) proximate cause could be CPAP.

Headaches can be a real challenge to sort through. If it were me, I would start by considering three potential causes.

a) Tension headache. This can be from things like sleep positioning, pillow, even teeth clenching or stress management.
b) Sinus headache. Think allergies, drying out of the sinus, etc.
c) Hypercapnia. Breathing is a two-way process and perhaps you are not offloading CO2 effectively (happens with some underlying diseases). Seems unlikely as it lasts all day.

Just to be safe: Verify that you do not elevated levels of CO in your bedroom/house.

In all of the above cases, your AHI could be fine as well as your sats.


One final thought: is cognitive behavioral or biofeedback work an option in the NL?

[Julie]

Hi - I understand you may have a problem with Cpap/Osa, but... is it remotely possible, headache or not that for whatever reason - related to OSA/Cpap or not, that you have become e.g. depressed or have other personal issues, etc. and may want to talk to a diff. doctor to check it out - things can occur at the same time, or even be related, but the fixes may be different for each and taking care of them could incidentally help the 'other' problems. It wouldn't be the first time such a thing has happened.

[papzombie]

Hi all,

I have changed the pressure of 9 to 7.5 last night, this morning I seem to have less headache.

But I don't know what the cause might be, what is different from normal ?
- Setting 7.5 instead of 9, the pressure given by the hostpital was 6.0 at the moment of 2.5 years ago.
- Water refilled in the heated humidifier.
- That I have not worked (i.e. used my brain much) last night
- Good sex last night, good relationship with my wife last evening
- Slept a bit more: it was 8.5 hour instead of 7.5-8h normally (I'm 40 y.o.), this morning I kept wanted to sleep about 40-60 minutes more than normal.