CPAP and ear issue Part II

[loopylooloo]

I asked some questions about CPAP and oddly shaped inner ears before and someone suggested I'm trying to get out of using CPAP. I am not. I desperately want to feel better...not worse...so I am genuinely concerned about how CPAP may be affecting my inner ear.

I have an dysfunctional eustachion (spelling?) tube and have had many, many issues with vertigo and ear infections over the years.

I just started CPAP maybe three weeks ago. I'm slowly getting used to it so I've been putting it on several minutes at a time. i've tried both a nasal mask (Wisp) and a face mask (Quattro FX). The first week I ended up with a full blown sinus infection that knocked me down for a week. Horrible sneezing, full ears and head. I was a mess. I went to see an ENT doctor and he advised I wait a weak to try the CPAP again so my inflammation could go down. I did that. My week is up so I've been trying the CPAP again...mainly during the day so I'm not concentrating on the air going through my nose and mouth. I've also been trying to lay down at night and sleep with it on.

After I try it I'm extremely dizzy and weak for quite awhile afterwards. I'm also sick to my stomach sometimes.

Has anyone ever been told how to work around the issues one might have with the pressure on the inner ear?

The ENT did tell me that if there continued to be issues with my ears they could tritate me at the sleep center (ha....what a joke..it's the corner of one side of our local hospital and it looks so makeshift. ) at the lowest pressure possible that would help the apnea but not hurt my ears. I am currently using a Respironics System One PAP Machine. I believe they are trying to auto tritate me so they can figure out a pressure to set it at. Luckily I learned on another site how to change the settings so the pressure is not wide open, because I heard that was a bad thing for someone trying to get used to CPAP.

This sounds bad, but I have felt better in the mornings without the CPAP and worse after I try it during the day with the dizzy spells, sinus pressure and headaches (I never had headaches before, but now I do..grrr). BTW, the ENT looked at my ears and didn't say a thing about any infection. An allergist looked at my ears on Wednesday and also didn't see anything wrong...or she didn't say anything anyhow, so I don't have an infection. I DO have chronic fluid behind my ear drum, from what I've been told in the past. And the eustachion tube that likes to close for no reason.

I honestly kept thinking I could just keep working through it so I just keep trying to wear it and work through the discomfort...figuring I'll eventually get used to it. Today, though, I can barely sit up I'm so dizzy. My face is also swollen a bit and feels like it has a rash. Ack. I hope I'm not allergic to the mask!

[mgaggie]

Have you tried pressure reducing ear plugs?

I have trouble with my ear drums bursting on me when using cpap. I have found these ear plugs are great, you can still hear voices when wearing them but they block out noise from the machine.

[Sir NoddinOff]

Have you tried pressure reducing ear plugs?

I have trouble with my ear drums bursting on me when using cpap. I have found these ear plugs are great, you can still hear voices when wearing them but they block out noise from the machine.

mgaggie: By 'bursting' I assume you mean 'popping', at least I hope you do Please mention what brand you use and where you get them. Custom or off the shelf? Was this an doctor's recommendation or something you heard about?

loopylooloo: Sounds like you're going thru a rough patch. I hope you find a solution that lets you stay on CPAP. Good luck.

[mgaggie]

mgaggie: By 'bursting' I assume you mean 'popping', at least I hope you do Please mention what brand you use and where you get them. Custom or off the shelf? Was this an doctor's recommendation or something you heard about?

Unfortunately I mean bursting, totally different feeling to when my ears 'pop'. I can actually feel the air roaring through the hole in my ear drum. Way more uncomfortable than popping.

I got my plugs from ebay, just off the shelf ones here is the exact item description "Pressure-Reducing Earplugs_Fits Most Ears_Lewis-N-Clark #765B".

No recommendation from anyone, I felt that because it was the pressure of the machine causing the bursting I needed to something to try and reduce the pressure. I remembered someone telling me about earplugs designed for airplane travel, and being less than $10 I thought may as well give them a go, not too much money wasted if they don't work. My ENT was no help when I went to see him about this problem, I wasted $150 for him to tell me nothing he can do.

[Sir NoddinOff]

Thanks for the excellent update and info, mgaggie. Please come back in a week or so and let us know how the earplugs are working for you.

[mgaggie]

Thanks for the excellent update and info, mgaggie. Please come back in a week or so and let us know how the earplugs are working for you.

I've had the ear plugs for a couple of weeks and I found they work really well, I used to get a bit of an uncomfortable feelind in my ears when I swallowed while the cpap was on. With the ear plugs that doesn't happen, and no bursting when I use the ear plugs.

I think for the small cost of the ear plugs its worth a try, You won't hurt your ears by using them.

[Sir NoddinOff]

Thanks for the excellent update and info, mgaggie. Please come back in a week or so and let us know how the earplugs are working for you.

I've had the ear plugs for a couple of weeks and I found they work really well, I used to get a bit of an uncomfortable feelind in my ears when I swallowed while the cpap was on. With the ear plugs that doesn't happen, and no bursting when I use the ear plugs.

I think for the small cost of the ear plugs its worth a try, You won't hurt your ears by using them.

That's good to hear, I'm going to order some tomorrow!

[mgaggie]

Good Luck Sir, I hope they help you as much as they have for me