New User Feeling Lightheaded and Dizzy

Hello, I am new to CPAP. I was diagnosed a month ago with moderate sleep apnea (AHI 27, lowest nighttime oxygen level 82%). Three nights ago I began CPAP therapy with the ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet CPAP (Card-to-Cloud). It seemed to go well. I sleep much longer now and my average apnea events per night has fallen to around 1. The problem is the feeling I get in the morning and throughout the next day. I feel very lightheaded as if I have been over oxygenated. My skull and head tingles. I have terrible tinnitus and am extremely dizzy. It’s surreal and uncomfortable.

I have had these symptoms in the past to a much lower level, but they only really became more noticeable after I used the CPAP machine for the first time. I do not think they are related to issues like blood pressure or stress. The nasal mask fits me well. The symptoms feel much more like the effects of the oxygen in my brain or perhaps different breathing habits with the new machine or something in my inner ear.

I understand that this is relatively rare side effect of apnea treatment, but is there anyone here who has started out like me and has persisted and eventually seen these undesirable side effects go away?

Thank you,

Mark

markbakerprague wrote: ↑

Mon May 22, 2023 3:34 pm

Hello, I am new to CPAP.

we might be able to help you better if we can get some more info from you. take a look here to see what the forum members want to see-

viewtopic/t172378/Sticky--Newbies-PLEAS ... STING.html

specifically, would like to see oscar charts from you. please read carefully and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

my suspicion is that your pressure settings aren't set up properly for you. you may say that they were set up by a doctor, but doctors have been known to get it wrong.

good luck!

Thank you! I will try to figure out and post those numbers. It’s an auto CPAP and I don’t think any doctor actually set my pressure settings. I think they are set to some generic 4 to 20 pressure setting, but I could be wrong. I am very new to all of this. Mark

4 is the default low and 20 the usual starting place for the max so when we see Oscar we'll likely recommend some adjustments.

markbakerprague wrote: ↑

Mon May 22, 2023 3:34 pm

Hello, I am new to CPAP. I was diagnosed a month ago with moderate sleep apnea (AHI 27, lowest nighttime oxygen level 82%). Three nights ago I began CPAP therapy with the ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet CPAP (Card-to-Cloud). It seemed to go well. I sleep much longer now and my average apnea events per night has fallen to around 1. The problem is the feeling I get in the morning and throughout the next day. I feel very lightheaded as if I have been over oxygenated. My skull and head tingles. I have terrible tinnitus and am extremely dizzy. It’s surreal and uncomfortable.

I have had these symptoms in the past to a much lower level, but they only really became more noticeable after I used the CPAP machine for the first time. I do not think they are related to issues like blood pressure or stress. The nasal mask fits me well. The symptoms feel much more like the effects of the oxygen in my brain or perhaps different breathing habits with the new machine or something in my inner ear.

I understand that this is relatively rare side effect of apnea treatment, but is there anyone here who has started out like me and has persisted and eventually seen these undesirable side effects go away?

Thank you,

Mark

You mentioned having tinnitus. Does the dizziness your feeling feel the same as dizziness you’ve experienced with tinnitus? Rarely the pressure from a CPAP can impact the ears, perhaps you might benefit from an appointment with an ENT.

markbakerprague wrote: ↑

Mon May 22, 2023 3:56 pm

Thank you! I will try to figure out and post those numbers. It’s an auto CPAP and I don’t think any doctor actually set my pressure settings. I think they are set to some generic 4 to 20 pressure setting, but I could be wrong. I am very new to all of this. Mark

that 4 and 20? that's the default, out of the box setting. it's not really a setting at all.

most of us have trouble with the minimum at 4. really makes it a struggle to breathe.

but please, when you get the chance, let's see some numbers. we are each of us different. what works for ME won't necessarily work for thee and vice versa.

don't apologize for being new. eight years ago, i was new too. learned by following closely the advice given here. you'll do the same and be right as rain.

Mark:
I have had a similar experience. While on the couch for 4 days because if was up more than 15 mins or so I would feel swimmy headed and nauseous, I did a lot of goigling to try to fund out what could be causing it. I had a CT scan with contrast the day before it started and had wondered if it was a reaction to the contrast. By the 5th day I was so miserable and tired of not being able to fet anything done, I went to the urgent care. They checked me for stroke and other obscure things. Everything was goid. BP, heart rate, O2, balance etc. I finally asked then to look at my ears. They said I had fluid in one of my inner ears, gave me nausea meds and motion sickness meds.
I googled how to get rid of inner ear fluid. They things I've tried are a 50/50 mix of alcohol/hydrogen peroxide in ear, swimmers war drops, gargling with salt water, and nasal rinses. Pretty much did all those at the same time as I was feeling so horrible. It's not gone, but it's better until I can get an appointment at my ENT.

After researching some more I found that the CPAP machine can cause ear issues that lead to fluid in the ear. Being a new user myself I don't know the solution. I planned to bring that up with the ENT also. It seems it's a more rare occurrence with CPAP, but of course it's gonna happen to me with my multitude of sinus issues, allergies, and migraines I have had for years.

So you may want to look in that direction because what you said you were experiencing sounds very similar to me.