Newbie experiencing headaches now

[CJNAZ]

Hello all! I've only posted a few times since starting therapy about 4 weeks ago. Yet I've read hundreds and hundreds. I've got my myself pretty well trained to my gear and have been able to sleep for 6+ hours each night. My original pressure was 11 and my average AHI was about 7 per night. Diagnosed with 77+ after sleep study. I've raised my pressure to 13 and now my AHI is about 1.7 per night. Problem is, I've been experiencing slight headaches each morning ever since I started therapy. Even after lowering my average AHI I still experience slight headaches for 2 -3 hours after waking up. Never had them before therapy. Am I just going thru the phases of getting use to therapy or? Did anyone else experience this?

[nanwilson]

Sounds like you are covering up your exhaust port in some way. Headache is a symptom of re-breathing your exhaled air. If you are not....I would get to a doctor.

[cowlypso]

Mask straps too tight?

Clenching your jaws or grinding your teeth?

[Pugsy]

Possible cervical spine issues? Neck pain?

[CJNAZ]

Well, I don't think my straps are too tight. I did have to cinch them down some to reduce leaks but they do not feel too tight.
I don't grind or clinch my teeth that I know of. I have not had any spine or cervical pain or issues. I might be covering up the exhaust port somewhat. I did think of that but thought my leak data would change. My average leak rate with my mask and pressure should be around 38 - 40 and I have been in the 35 - 43 range. Is there a way to increase the exhaust?

[BlackSpinner]

How is the humidity? Your sinuses might be objecting to being too dried out or vice versa. Try adjusting that.

Also where is the headache? sinus? Back of head? Eyes? left side or right side? This makes a difference - said as a connoisseur of headaches for many years.

While the straps might not be too tight re the mask, they might still be pressing on a nerve or something in the neck in which case some slight adjustment to their position might help.

[CJNAZ]

The humidity level is set at 4. I live in the Phoenix Arizona area and the ambient air is extremely dry. I haven't tried a 5 yet. My sinuses are pretty good. Never really had any issue with them and do not suffer from allergies. The headaches seems to be towards the top area of my forehead and around the temple areas. I guess it could be the straps irritating a nerve. Maybe my sinuses aren't use to having such humid air pumped into my nose and mouth. I am an extreme mouth breather and that is why I have been cranking up the humidity. Before therapy I would drink water several times per night because my mouth would get so dry. Now with therapy, humidity at 4, and Biotene mouthwash, I've reduced the dry mouth to a minimum.

[Pugsy]

Is there a way to increase the exhaust?

Not without an increase in pressure. Best thing is to make sure vent area is free from blockage. Sometimes I have woke up with whole nose area crammed into bed pillow thus blocking the vent area. Normally when/if this occurs I feel the shortness of air thing. Perhaps you are just partially blocking vent area.

The published vent rate for your pressure could very well be more than your leak reports show because of how the machine does the leak computations. Don't worry about minor difference. I often see a nice straight leak line reported at 27 L/min and my mask at my pressue says 35 L/min vent rate. The machine doesn't know exactly which mask is being used.

Might consider a change in bed pillow on the off chance the mask is causing a variation in how you position your body with the mask being in place. Might also talk to DME about this to see if they want to maybe do overnight pulse ox to see if oxgen levels are stable.

[CJNAZ]

Pugsy!! My DME would be the one's to consider the pulse ox thing??? I thought about it but figured my doctor would be the one to recommend that. If it is the DME then I'm screwed. They are not very active in my therapy at all. Just getting me the equipment. And they haven't even done a good job at that. I posted a couple weeks ago that they gave me the wrong machine and it was not capturing data. It took ME taking interest in my therapy to discover that. Then they gave me a bad machine as a replacement. Anyways, I didn't know it was them who I should talk to about Oxygen levels.

[Pugsy]

My DME actually took care of the pulse ox request when I wanted it. They contacted doctor for me to obtain the order.

You can sure use the doctor first if you don't think DME would be helpful. Unless the doctor's office has the pulse ox machine they will probably send the order to DME. My DME is really quite helpful...

By all means contact the doctor as he/she needs to be made aware of the headaches anyway.

I also had some headaches but I also have long history of bad neck. CPAP has helped the killer headaches and the minor headaches are probably related to my neck. I did get a pulse ox overnite test just to make sure.
You may not have the neck issues but won't hurt to make sure oxygen is stable then you can discuss with doctor why they seem to have started up. Since the most common causes for the morning headaches don't ring a bell with you, perhaps best to talk to doctor about them.