Could This Be Caused From My Cpap Machine?

Sherrill wrote:Thanks to all that have given posts to my questions! Where is the best place to get a heated hose?

Oldgearhead gave you the link in his post.

Den

http://www.sleepzone.com.au

Then click on SleepZone heated CPAP tube.

I recently returned from a week in Taos at around 9000 feet and had a horrible time sleeping. I woke up EVERY HOUR on the hour feeling like I was drowning. I used my CPAP but have really come away with the belief that it has indeed weakened my diaphragm. I have never had problems at high altitude before and haven't been in the mountains since starting using my CPAP three years ago.
As a scientist I can't help but think that having air forced under pressure into your lungs lessens the stress on your diaphragm muscles and hence makes them lazy. I've never had problems at high altitude till now. It was really unpleasant so much so that I 'll really have to think long and hard about spending any time above 6000 feet in the future.
Does anyone know if in fact you need to increase the pressure feed on the CPAP to counter the thinner air? I have to believe that the quantity of air I get at sea level is greatly diminished at 9000 feet.

Godagesil wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:30 am

As a scientist I can't help but think that having air forced under pressure into your lungs lessens the stress on your diaphragm muscles and hence makes them lazy.

It doesn't force anything into your lungs and even if it did it wouldn't weaken anything the short time it is used within a 24 hour period.
Now 24/7 for about a month....maybe...and that's IF it forced anything anywhere.

You need to read up on just how cpap works.

Godagesil wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:30 am

Does anyone know if in fact you need to increase the pressure feed on the CPAP to counter the thinner air? I have to believe that the quantity of air I get at sea level is greatly diminished at 9000 feet.

Quantity of air remains the same no matter what altitude. Now the amount of oxygen in that air will of course decrease the higher you go.
Most cpap machines of this day and age will easily compensate for altitude changes up to 8500 and even higher.
I have used my machine at over 11,000 feet with no change in pressures needed and no difference in therapy results.

What brand and model machine are you using? Is it a full efficacy data machine? Do you know about available software for full efficacy machines so you can see what happened in detail?

Now some people will see an increase in central apneas when going to higher altitudes so that may have been your problem. It can definitely cause people to wake up often. They essentially develop central apnea at altitudes and regular cpap machines are totally useless for central apnea treatment.
To know for sure if that is what happened with you we need to be able to use the machine data to see if it flagged very many central apneas or not.
Not all machines are full efficacy data machines though. Hence the question about brand and model.

You might want to read the first topic in the announcements thread....Newbies Please read before posting...
and start your own thread instead of resurrecting an old thread.
Your own thread would be a better place for your specific problem.

This thread is WAAAAY old. Most members won't even bother to read it.
So those that do....zombie thread alert folks.

Godagesil wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:30 am

. I used my CPAP but have really come away with the belief that it has indeed weakened my diaphragm.

Nope.

Godagesil wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:30 am

I have never had problems at high altitude before

Have you ever been this old before? Probably not.

Godagesil wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:30 am

As a scientist

oh lord.

Godagesil wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:30 am

I can't help but think that having air forced under pressure into your lungs

Let me stop your right there.
CPAPs don't "force" ANYTHING into your lungs, they provide an VERY small pressure to hold your airway open, your lungs (and diaphragm *STILL* do the work of pulling the air in.

A CPAP can't even blow up a balloon.

As a "scientist" you should be able to figure out exactly how much pressure 10, or even 20cmH2O is. Go ahead, we'll wait.

Godagesil wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:30 am

I've never had problems at high altitude till now

See above.

Godagesil wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:30 am

Does anyone know if in fact you need to increase the pressure feed on the CPAP to counter the thinner air? I have to believe that the quantity of air I get at sea level is greatly diminished at 9000 feet.

imagine that.

CPAPs work on pressure differential vs ambient pressure.

Godagesil wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:30 am

I recently returned from a week in Taos at around 9000 feet and had a horrible time sleeping. I woke up EVERY HOUR on the hour feeling like I was drowning. I used my CPAP but have really come away with the belief that it has indeed weakened my diaphragm. I have never had problems at high altitude before and haven't been in the mountains since starting using my CPAP three years ago.
As a scientist I can't help but think that having air forced under pressure into your lungs lessens the stress on your diaphragm muscles and hence makes them lazy. I've never had problems at high altitude till now. It was really unpleasant so much so that I 'll really have to think long and hard about spending any time above 6000 feet in the future.
Does anyone know if in fact you need to increase the pressure feed on the CPAP to counter the thinner air? I have to believe that the quantity of air I get at sea level is greatly diminished at 9000 feet.

So, altitude sickness is a real thing and can be fairly fickle. It can hit you hard one trip but not the next. More seriously, there is also HAPE and HACE. If you fly from your home at the coast to Taos, almost everyone will feel the effects. Fly from your home in Denver, the impact will be much less. Taos is also super dry which can make things more uncomfortable. And there is a huge difference between 6,000 and 9,000. Lastly, there are the effects of aging and potential health and fitness changes.

Now about the forcing air thing. PAP pressures seem high; they are not. Do the math of converting 15 cm of water to psi and then to an equivalent altitude. You will be surprised.

Now, try this. Hook up your PAP. Lay there and breathing. In and out. After an exhale, just relax. Does air suddenly rush in and inflate your lungs? No. Turn off the machine and exhale. Turn on the machine. Does that first breath feel a bit different?

It is the pressure differential between your lungs and the mask that matters and not the pressure differential between the room air and the lungs. That is why you get the easy breath feeling only on your first breath on pap. And even then it is not the air forced in feeling. And, even if true, you are still breathing without pap most of everyday.