Sinus Issues / Headache / Lightheaded

[eutychus]

I've been on cpap for almost 2 weeks now, and I seem to be having some issues. I called my doc. to make an appt. and they can't get me in untill next Wed.

I have chronic sinus issues, and at first it seemed like the humidity (cpap) was actually helping that. Now, I feel like I'm fighting to get any air at all through my nose (I wear a nasal mask). Also, my normal sinus headaches have turned into more of a lightheadedness. I'm getting a little bit woozy when I walk or turn my head a certain way. My wife is out right now and she's looking for a neti pot (yeah, that looks like fun). I'm wondering if any of you have experienced the lightheaded/wooziness from cpap and sinus-related issues?

Thanks,
Mike

[stacia123]

You and I sound like twins! I've had chronic sinus infections for years and have also been on the CPAP about 2 weeks or so. I've noticed my ears are a lot more likely to pop and crackle since I started the CPAP and my nose is constantly stuffy. Plus I have a lot of headaches and face pain which feels like sinus pressure. I saw the doctor yesterday and he said headaches and full ears were common to people who started CPAP. I was told that if it continued for a couple weeks I should see him again and he'd prescribe pain meds or a diuretic. (He also gave me the name of what the condition was called, but I've forgotten it already.)

Rinsing my sinuses really helps. Most days I have to take a couple Tylenol, too. Not sure about your lightheadedness. I honestly get a woozy feeling from almost anything: car rides, fatigue, sinus infections, stretching too hard, sneezing, whatever.

I hope your head and sinuses get better soon!

[blowfish]

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[Pineapple]

eutychus,

In addition to the suggestions of sinus washes and adjusting your humidifier, Have you checked your blood presure? Some of us have found our blood pressure drops with CPAP use and that could be the cause of it. I'm not saying to ignor the symptom, just trying to help you pin it down.

[skantner]

I have severe allergies and sinusitus. I had serious trouble with ear fullness,jaw pain and my nose closing. I have been useing a steroid nasal spray which helps a lot but I still have days when I am light headed and ears feel full and pop a lot. It is better though. I have trouble with finding a good hunidifier setting. I used no heat and a setting of 1 but with cooler temps I went to a setting of 3 and the humidifer ran out and I awakened with dry throat.

mth,

May I ask what spray you are using?

//Scott

[dixieblue12]

When I was using the cpap i also got headackes, so the doctor switched me to the Bipap, so now my headaches and nasal issuses are gone, now I too suffer from lightheadedness, I am going to see the Doctor in a few weeks, I will ask him if that is a symtom of the machine or is there something else going on. I will keep you posted..

[eutychus]

Well, the neti-pot was interesting. I was so blocked up that water wouldn't flow through from one nasal passage to the other. My doc proscribed a steriod (flonase) and an antihistamine to see how that works. So far, most of the lightheadedness and headaches are gone, though I'm still a bit stuffed up. I think I'll actually be able to mask up tonight though. I'm pretty sure I need to go to a fullface - or at least have one for backup.

Thanks for the replies,
Mike

[sehorse]

Hello All,

I just started using a Cpap a week ago and am having some interesting symptoms too.

I find it hard to swallow with the CPAP going because my ears plug right up...and the first day I used it, when I was driving home from work the whole world started spinning. I'm assuming that is an "ear" thing?

I started with a face mask but it pressed too hard on my bottom teeth, so I switched to a nasal mask but both nights woke up with my sinuses burning. I haven't tried it again with the humidity turned up.

So I went back to the face mask and have found the biggest issue I have is that when I start to relax and my breathing slows down, my cpap gives me this huge burst of air, which of course startles me awake which causes me to intake my breath sharply and there isn't enough air in my mask which increases the feeling of panic, which makes it impossible to go back to sleep. This happens consistently whenever I start to fall asleep. The one I used in the sleep study didn't do this, my husband's doesn't do this, and my son-in-laws doesn't do this. Do any of yours do this?

I do feel whoozy right away when I put it on, but the advantage is that it helps me fall right to sleep until I get the blast of air which wakes me up. Vicious cycle

Thanks for any advice you have,
Suzanne

[BlackSpinner]

Fill out your profile and tell us what machine you are using. Sometimes they have the ramp feature turned on which does this.