Side Effects: What are they?

[wombats]

HI,

I am new here, and was wondering what side effects people who have had their machines for a while have found. One person who I met in the waiting room at the sleep clinic indicated they had lost some weight since using it. I am just wondering what effects positive and negative people have had using it.

[Kiralynx]

HI,

I am new here, and was wondering what side effects people who have had their machines for a while have found. One person who I met in the waiting room at the sleep clinic indicated they had lost some weight since using it. I am just wondering what effects positive and negative people have had using it.

I no longer wake up feeling as if I'd been beaten with an ugly stick several times in the night.

I no longer have to get up at least twice to go pee and then take anti-inflammatories because my joints hurt so bad. (Pain doc told me that lowered oxygen can cause this kind of pain.)

I no longer fall asleep at my computer an hour after breakfast.

I no longer fall asleep on vacation trips, leaving my husband to do all the driving.

I'm usually asleep within half an hour of crawling into bed because my body is no longer afraid of being suffocated while sleeping.

Cholesterol is down, BP is down, although they were within normal ranges.

I'm sure I can think of a few dozen other things.

[Slartybartfast]

Well, I wake up feeling great and no longer drag around trying to wake up in the morning. Much more optimistic mental outlook. Fewer headaches. Coworkers say my color is better, said I was looking drawn and gray before. No longer have to get up in the middle of the night to pee. And speaking of that, it works a lot better, too. Those last two are worth the cost of admission to most guys.

Wife was watching me work outside building a storage shed a couple weeks ago. She remarked that a year ago (pre-CPAP) I'd never have been able to spend several consecutive days schlepping lumber around, cutting, hammering, etc. Naps had been a necessity on weekends. Now they're a thing of the past.

Oh, and I had been having bouts of bronchitis about every month or two. That's what sent me to the pulmonologist. He suspected OSA, and he was right in spades! Haven't been sick since. No more snoring. Cat sleeps with me again. She used to depart in an obvious huff in the middle of the night. Oh, and another thing. No more repetitive dreams in which I'm underwater, clawing my way to the surface, almost out of air, or underground in a tunnel, trying to get to fresh air. I remembered having the same dream several times each night. Had no idea what was going on until I talked with the pulmonologist about my apnea. He said it's common to have dreams of suffocation.

And if your therapy is going especially well, you'll develop this annoying zeal to spread the word. Was having dinner with a couple that we hadn't seen for a long time. Somehow the conversation turned to snoring. My wife said that's a thing of the past since I got on the hose. I leaned over and whispered in my friend's ear that my sleep doc told me CPAP is good for about an extra inch and he laughed. But he called me a few weeks later to report that he had gotten a new sleep study and a new machine (he had been on CPAP 10 years ago and gave it up), and said I was right!

[LarryD]

Simply put: I sleep well. I use the device for naps as well. Can't say that I had any weight loss, but that would be nice.

My sleep is not fragmented. If I wake up at all, it's once per night. I no longer snore, according to my wife.

Larry

[Slartybartfast]

Oh, and another thing. Resist the temptation to tell your wife that CPAP is better than sex. She'll take it wrong.

[KellyR]

I've been using my cpap machine for almost 4 months, and I love it. I wake up more functional, and am able to accomplish more through-out the day. I am chronically ill w/interstitial cystitis(IC) and heart disease (chronic angina) and I find it easier to deal w/the challenges that these illnesses present each day. My friends say that I look healthier, and I have lost over 20 lbs.

I had a weight problem before, and was losing it when a few years ago I plateaued and couldn't keep losing. I was slowly gaining it back and was starting to get panicky when I started on the cpap. I initially lost the weight eating normal food but using portion control. I think what happened was that while I was still controlling my portions, I was craving sugar and carbs because of the fatigue from the sleep apnea. Once I began on my cpap machine, I went into a huge fruit & veggie craving phase, which I am still in. I eat the same portions as before, but have no cravings for sugar and carbs. I am eating regularly now, and am able once more to take evening walks w/the dogs down our 1km long lane.

I think that whether or not one loses weight depends on why one has gained it in the first place. The cpap machine definitely increases our ability to be more active, and if our bodies have had to resort to relying on the short bursts of energy that comes from sugar and carbs, then getting more restful sleep should alleviate that. I was not eating sugar and carbs along w/my regular food, I was eating them instead of regular food. So once the cravings went away, I didn't have to work on reducing my calorie intake. It happened automatically as soon as I started eating normal food.

I still get up in the night to go to the bathroom, but that is because of the IC (it's a chronic, painful bladder disease). I still take naps, but only occasionally as opposed to every day. I live w/chronic pain, but being more rested helps me to deal with the pain in a healthier way, emotionally, mentally and even physically.

[andy88488]

Well, it's not all sunshine and roses, especially at first. Let's be honest here. It can take a while to get a mask which fits you well. It can take a while to get used to it. I still wake up occasionallly with a sore spot on my nose from the mask rubbing.

But once you get it figured out, there are very few side effects. Some people have trouble with swallowing air, I forget what that's called. I never have. You do pee less at night.

[DocWeezy]

Oh, and another thing. Resist the temptation to tell your wife that CPAP is better than sex. She'll take it wrong.

But hey...now that I'm more rested, hubby is happier too!!

Getting adjusted was pure, unmitigated hell for me. No other way to describe it. HOWEVER...now that Darth is an integral part of my life, I can echo many of the others:

1. I'm no longer afraid to go to sleep
2. I no longer wake up a couple hours after going to sleep with heart racing and adrenaline pumping (and never get back to sleep)
3. No more suffocation nightmares...there were common and I hated them.
4. Never have to get up in the middle of the night to pee any more.
5. Naturally cut back on caffeine because I'm no longer completely exhausted every day
6. Work isn't burning me out as easily
7. Bike rides are truly fun now instead of exhausting and needing a long nap afterwards
8. Housework is quick and easy
9. No more fighting the crazy carb cravings

and one of the biggest ones for me: I no longer look at a task or event and think "do I have the energy to do that?" I hadn't realized how that had become part of my daily life for a very long time, and it was becoming worse as the years went on. Socializing is fun again instead of a chore! Life in general is much easier. Overall pain is much better and my chronic back/hip paid is down about 75%.

And that's after about five and a half months on the hose...and I'm still learning how to improve my sleep. I didn't see any dramatic changes within days or weeks...it has been a slow but steady process and the changes are really only noticeable in hindsight. When I was slowly deteriorating because of decades-long sleep deprivation I didn't notice it on a day to day basis...it happened over time. Same thing with recovery. I didn't wake up one morning feeling great; it has been a day to day process with each day a teeny tiny bit better (and a few backslides). But overall, when I look back to how I was in October last year, I can't believe the changes.

In a nutshell: The side effects of being on xpap are fabulous!

Weezy

[the old dude]

All the above positive effects are great and true, but there are some 'minor' annoying effects, too. Been on cpap for years and suffer annoying sneezing fits dispite humidifier, Ayr, and nasal sprays. Also occasional dry mouth has ill effects on teeth. But the good effects far outway the problems!

[archangle]

He's obviously interested in the negative side effects.

Possible negative side effects/problems:

Trouble sleeping due to the equipment. Mask on your face, tubing, air pressure, etc.
Feeling of smothering, especially if your equipment isn't set right.
Dry mouth and nose due to air flow, especially if your mouth comes open during sleep, or if you don't have a humidifier.
Gas in stomach, bloating, belching, flatulence.
Irritation from the mask.
Trouble keeping the mask from leaking air.
Some soreness in the chest as your muscles get used to the extra pressure.
Ears popping.
Sinus, throat, etc. infections. (maybe)
Making things worse if your equipment (especially pressure) isn't set right for you.

True medical problems are probably rare, such as causing "central apnea."

Most of these are temporary, or minor compared to the potential problems caused by apnea. Remember, apnea not only causes sleep problems, the lack of oxygen can damage most of the organs in your body, including the brain.

Other negatives:

Cost of equipment and treatment.
Dealing with bad doctors, DME (equipment sellers), insurance.
Family and friends reactions.
Cleaning the equipment, maintaining it, etc.
Hauling the equipment when traveling.

I suspect that the weight loss is not from any bad side effects of the CPAP, but from removing the bad effects of apnea. Not waking up in the middle of the night, getting a midnight snack, not moping around the house, etc. However, don't expect any weight loss. It might make it a little easier for you to diet and exercise.

At one time sleep apnea was giving me bad heartburn and nausea, so in that case, CPAP could lead to weight gain.

Be sure to read the announcements at the top of the forum for some info for CPAP newbies.

If you've got apnea, the negatives of apnea will probably outweigh the negatives of CPAP. Especially when you consider you'll probably have the apnea for the rest of your life and it will only get worse, continuously doing some damage to your body if you don't take care of it.

It can be tough to get used to at first. We tend to be cranky before and after sleep anyway. Stick with it.

[bap40]

I have nothing but positive things to say about therapy…… I did not have any problem sleeping with the mask and machine which doesn't seem to be the norm for a lot of people. I now sleep a very consistent right around 8 hrs of sleep a night. I am not having to nap mid day and have more energy towards the end of the day. These things sort of crept up on me. It dawned on me at about the 2 month mark that I was doing so much better. So it was night like a light bulb going off one day it was gradual.

[archangle]

I'm not putting CPAP down.

Most people won't see most of these side effects. If they do happen, they are usually not that bad in comparison to the problems of apnea. Many of them are temporary. Many of them can be reduced by making adjustments to what you do when you CPAP.

Most people are too afraid of the negatives of CPAP. The reality is usually not that bad once you get over the emotional issues involved.

I think maybe the emotional part is a big deal for people.

I don't want to be tied to a machine.
I don't want to admit I'm not a kid any more.
This means something's wrong with me and I don't want to face up to that.
This is just another medical scam to get me hooked into supporting another doctor.
I'm a bad person because I'm fat and have to wear this machine.
I'll look funny, the other sex won't love me any more.

[70sSanO]

First let me start off by stating that CPAP has probably saved my life, which in itself is a pretty positive thing. The negatives are what you make of them, but in keeping with your question...

- Until you find a good fitting mask it can be an ordeal with air leaks and noises etc.

- I feel lucky because I decided early on not to humidify, so once I got used to it, so I don't have the daily cleaning. I use a FF and would even attempt this with pillows. Even still, on cold low humidity nights it can be pretty tough on my nose.

- I have 2 indents on my forehead from years of the brace of my UMFF pushing against it. I now use a Quattro FX and that has fixed that. I guess there are cushions that would have helped with the UMFF. Sometimes straps can leave marks, but there are sleeves you can put over them that help a lot.

- It does take up space with your carry-ons when flying. I usually carry on a ukulele, a laptop, and my CPAP so some creativity is needed. Also they will swab your CPAP to make when you go through security.

- The biggest negative is once you get used to it, there is a degree of terror that sets in if you have to sleep without CPAP because no matter what you numbers are with it, you might as well add a zero after them if you are not using it.

John

[Captain_Midnight]

Negative side-effects? Very few after the initial accustomation period. Just a few inconveniences and minor annoyances.

Positive side effects? Whoa, I've been meaning to write a full-pager on that one. Just a few, I think more clearly and deeply, I'm better in public speaking and social situations, no more nightmares, elevated mood, better multitasking, accomplish > 2x pre dx, feel like a teenager in one important respect (keeping the thread g-rated), better general health (actually, very good general health, this month this 62 yr old is running his 3rd half-marathon in the 5 yrs since dx.) Lots more, but I'll put it in a proper format one day soon.

.

[tomwarren]

CPAP side effects varies according to each individual and their body and lifestyle. However, one of the most common side effects of CPAP is the interruption or disturbance of sleep is caused by the discomfort associated with the mask. This is particularly problematic for many people who suffer from sleep apnea, because one of the main symptoms of sleep apnea is persistent fatigue caused by the disruption in normal sleep patterns.