Another CPAP Bennie?

OwlCreekObserver · Post by **OwlCreekObserver** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 1:35 pm

I've been on blood pressure meds for several years now. Along with the drugs, I started paying more attention to what I was eating and began a regular exercise program as well. By about three years ago, I'd dropped quite a lot of weight and felt really good...well, except for the sleepiness during the day and the waking up gasping for breath stuff that was eventually diagnosed as OSA.

During all this, my BP remained about the same -- within normal limits as long as I took the medication.

Three or four weeks after I started CPAP therapy in May, I went in to see my primary care doc for a follow-up appointment. He checked my blood pressure numbers and told me cut my BP meds dose in half for 30 days and let him know how it went. He said that CPAP therapy might bring the numbers down further. I reduced the meds and my numbers did not go up. Two days ago he told me to stop taking the BP meds and check back with him in six weeks.

Anyway, I've often read that hypertension can be one symptom of sleep apnea but it APPEARS at this point that treating apnea may actually reduce hypertension -- something I never expected. We'll just have to wait and see if it works for me but the first couple of days are certainly encouraging.

OCO

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 1:41 pm

That is great, OCO.

Another bennie with cpap. I can blow dry my hair with my cpap/heated hose, while camping. ....

Bamalady · Post by **Bamalady** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 1:49 pm

OCO.... good for you. I hope you don't have any more problems.

Hi Linda....

Never thought about drying hair. Maybe it ain't all bad!

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 2:08 pm

That's a awful expencive blow drier, How hot does your HH get without water? Jim

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:43 pm

The heated hose can definitely blow some warm air. Enough to fluff up a hairdo in an emergency.

Maryb · Post by **Maryb** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:54 pm

my blood pressure dropped too. I started on APAP about 4 months ago.
Recently, my doctor cut my blood pressure medication dose in half and we'll see how I do going forward.

Other benefits of XPAP for me have been: less allergy problems and colds that don't last very long (all that nasal rinsing and warm humid air blowing up my nose); I can hold my breath longer too. In my yoga class we usually chant an "om" to end the class and I'm singing out "om" on one breath much much longer than anyone else. Probably our lung capacity increases (?).

Maryb

sleepnbear · Post by **sleepnbear** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 5:07 pm

Hi everyone,new to this forum, diagnosed this spring and still trying to get use
to being a hosehead. Congrats on being able to lower your bp,but a few things
you may want to consider, are you keeping daily logs on your bp ? if so, are
presenting this log to your md? good tracking w/ your bp and and cpap numbers
should give your md and your self good hard numbers to base any change in
therapy.Keep up the good exercise and diet.

Maryb · Post by **Maryb** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 5:17 pm

sleepnbear-
Yes, I'm keeping daily bp logs and giving them to my doctor.
I'm trying the 50% cut in BP medication for two weeks and taking blood pressure measurements daily. Then at the end of the 2 weeks, I'll FAX the statistics to my dr.

thanks
Maryb

OwlCreekObserver · Post by **OwlCreekObserver** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 6:13 pm

sleepnbear wrote:...are you keeping daily logs on your bp ? if so, are
presenting this log to your md? good tracking w/ your bp and and cpap numbers
should give your md and your self good hard numbers to base any change in
therapy.Keep up the good exercise and diet.

Yep, I check and record my weight and BP/pulse rate every morning. Whenever I see my doc, I present him with a listing of the previous 30 days' readings. I started doing that a long time ago because I didn't want him making medical decisions based on my BP during an office visit when it often spikes at that time due to "white coat syndrome."

Goofproof uses a spreadsheet to record his xPAP stats, and I think I'll probably start doing that along with my BP stuff. I'm pretty sure that Adrian Monk would consider that a reasonable thing to do.

OCO