long term side effects/breathing issues?

[Willy D.]

I've been on CPAP for about a year now.

I quizzed my doctor about any side effects and was told there were none other then occasional problems with nose irration and things of that sort.

I have noticed something disturbing thou.
It seems to me that after being on my machine every night for say 2 weeks or so I seem to wheeze more during the day....it almost seems like I am having difficulties inhaling.
I do not have any form of ashma or other lung problems other then the apnoea. I am a very healthy male with (according to my doctor) extremely good lung capacity and efficiency.
After staying off the machine for a few days I notice the wheezing goes away.

Has anyone ever done a long term study on the effects of CPAP therapy?

I'm not a doctor but it would seem to me exposing the diaphram muscles to long term positive air pressure would cause the muscles used to exhale to strengthen more (via fighting to exhale against the cpap air pressure).

But, it would also seem to me that the muscles used to inhale would weaken due to the fact that they don't have to work to draw air in because when a person is on the machine as the air is forced into their lungs under pressure.


Thanks,

Willy D.

[WAFlowers]

I seem to recall at least one person (a woman IIRC) posting here on what seemed to be CPAP related or irritated asthma.

Try using the "Search" at the top of the page. And, if we're lucky, someone else will remember more than I.

[Grabraham]

I would also suggest checking the obvious stuff if you havent already:

-Clean/change your filter
-clean mask
-clean hose
-clean humidifier ( if you use one.. iff you don't that might be something to consider )

From my understanding as a complete NON MEDICAL point of view... The cpap preassure is getting the air down to your lungs... but not really filling your lungs your diaphragm still has to pull to get you breaths. The preassure is there to keep the airway open not to breathe. If you put your mask on and your diaphragm remains neutural, the preassure does not build sufficiantly to push your diaphragm down, I am at 14 cmH20 and to be honest once the preasure equalizes I really do not "feel" any preassure from the air.

[Sleepless on LI]

Grab is exactly correct. I am no doctor, either, but I do have a son who's an RRT and told me the details of how cpap works. It is a set end pressure upon exhalation that allows the airways to stay open. When you are titrated, they determine what is the minimum amount of pressure to allow your airways to continuously stay open. When on the machine, you airways do not collapse IF TITRATED CORRECTLY because that pressure is continuous. It has absolutely nothing to do with inhalation. It is an end pressure on exhalation only. You can breathe in as deeply as you want or as shallow as you want. And unlike a bipap, which is a ventilator, it is not helping you breathe but just keeping the airways from collapsing.

[jess928]

Hi,

I’m the one who posted a week or two ago about breathing trouble that seemed to have developed after I started using a bipap. After I got the bipap about two years ago, I started having horrible coughing fits (mostly in the morning) and wheezing. Actually, a few days after I made that post, I saw a pulmonologist who FINALLY officially diagnosed me with asthma. Now I am on medication and am starting to feel better. Anyway – I’m not exactly sure how the bipap contributed to my asthma, but I have a few ideas. For the first year and a half I was on the bipap, I didn’t have any humidification, and I suspect that the cool, dry air flow from the machine irritated my lungs. Also, I just found out a few days ago that I am highly allergic to dust mites (I had no idea about this before I got tested by the allergist). I think that maybe the extra air flow from the bipap also caused more irritants to get into my lungs. I have always been really bad about cleaning/changing the filters on my machine, but now I realize how important it is and I’ve started using a special HEPA filter. (BTW – someone on this site told me to do this in response to my original post – you were absolutely right.)

Anyway – that is just my story, I’m not sure how similar my problems are to yours. I can tell you that my problem with asthma seems to be more of a difficulty exhaling than a difficulty inhaling. Have you actually been tested for asthma? It’s an easy test that can be done by any pulmonologist. In any case, I would recommend that you try humidifying and filtering your CPAP air and see if that helps. It’s possible that you have some sort of low-level allergy that isn’t noticeable until your lungs are being assaulted by a high air flow from the machine every night. Good luck!

Jess

[JimH]

The ENT told me that one of the reasons I have more stuffy nose and more mucus in my throat is from the air pressure and humidifier. I wouldn't be surprised if some gets down in your lungs with all the air pressure. I noticed that it has been hard to breathe as well when I don't have the mask on. I do believe now a big part of it is allergies. I will have to change my filter. thanks for the reminder.

JimH

[christinequilts]

You can breathe in as deeply as you want or as shallow as you want. And unlike a bipap, which is a ventilator, it is not helping you breathe but just keeping the airways from collapsing.

And just to be clear- even BiPAPs cannot force you to breath or anything. Regular BiPAPs just cycle with you from inhale to exhale & even BiPAP ST, with their timed backup rate, can't force air into the lungs if you don't take a breath. Its too bad for me they can't- I might have a lot better AHI if they could 'force' me to breath...but short of a trach, that isn't happening. Grab has it right- "not really filling your lungs your diaphragm still has to pull to get you breaths"...and even when you do inhale, the pressure that reaches the lungs is very low. I think I read somewhere that a normal breath, without xPAP, has a pressure of 6 or 7. BiPAPs can be set for much higher pressures the CPAPs- up to 30; and other pressure support vents can go as high as 50-60, so in relation we are not getting that high of pressure with xPAP.

[mikef45]

I have been using a BIPAP since 2002.
I feel like I am not getting enough oxygen when I am not using the BIPAP.
After using the machine for so long and having high pressure air forced into my throat all night. During the day it feels like I am not getting the oxygen I need. I keep having to take deep breaths to compensate.

Does anyone think there may be a connection between the forced air all night long and no forced air during the day.

Anyone else have these symptoms?

[BlackSpinner]

The air is NOT forced, it has only enough pressure to keep your airway open. Exactly the same amount of air goes into your lungs as if you would be breathing without the cpap ie when awake. If you are allergic to dust mites, then you are allergic to dust mites and you would breath in their crap if not on cpap, in fact you would breath in MORE crap without a cpap because you have a filter on the cpap machine. Breathing moist filtered air is beneficial to your entire breathing apparatus.

It only takes a week or two for your chest and diaphragm muscles to adjust to breathing out against the pressure, during that time it might feel like you have to work harder to breathe during the day because your muscles are bitching at you, just try and remember (if lack of O2 has not destroyed too many brain cells) back to a time when you were physically active and pushed the envelop and your muscles hurt and felt stiff - same thing.

The long term side effects of cpap is that you don't die younger and you keep breathing longer and can enjoy life much longer.

[LSAT]

See a pulmonologist for lung testing