quit smoking and CPap not working as well

When I first started using my CPap it was great, but about six months ago I started having trouble falling asleep again and then would wake after about two to three hours instead of sleeping through the night, and could not get back to sleep with my mask on. What could cause this? I have been on the CPAP for a year and a half and have also quit smoking about the same time all this started happening! Could that have something to do with it? Any suggestions, ideas, thoughts, etc. would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

cresciokid wrote:When I first started using my CPap it was great, but about six months ago I started having trouble falling asleep again and then would wake after about two to three hours instead of sleeping through the night, and could not get back to sleep with my mask on. What could cause this? I have been on the CPAP for a year and a half and have also quit smoking about the same time all this started happening! Could that have something to do with it? Any suggestions, ideas, thoughts, etc. would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

If you fill in your user profile with the equipment you are using then people could help you.

Are you by any chance taking Chantix or some other medication to aid in stopping smoking?

I'm not sure I want get into the details here, but I have an interest in the subject also. There is an awful lot going on with the Nicotine delivery system (Tobacco).

Nicotine is a CNS and respiratory stimulant. It increases respiratory drive. It was used by the Native American shamans to treat respiratory disorders, and in the late 1800's by physicians to treat asthma. There is also a report tobacco cessation is related to an increase in sleep apnea. Though not much followup has been made.

The latest thing out is a study (Naqvi) that found that (easy) cessation by those who smoked heavily is related to a stroke in the Insula. The insula is the internal regulatory system that converts senses (sight, sound, smell) into feelings(like/dislke, love/hate), which drive much of our personal choices. The insula also senses hypoxia, results in feelings of dyspnea. Much more honest research needs to happen in this area.

So, quitting smoking is a good thing, especially for those who smoke occasionally. If a person smoked heavily and find it difficult to quit(high craving), they should be talking to their doctor about better solutions. If a person smoked heavily and just woke up one morning with no craving at all, they should talk to their doctor about stroke and another sleep study.

Yes, above all I recommend talking to your doctor, and doing a bit of your own research.
I really wish you the best.

I quit over 3 months ago and it played havoc with my apap! It took me about a month to get back to where I was while smoking, you would have thought with being a heavy smoker that things would have got alot better

Nicotine withdrawal is bad enough but some of the meds used to aid in withdrawal have some sleep disturbing side effects. I had a short trial of Wellbutin for another reason and I had to quit it because it was really causing me to be hyper vigilante during the night and sleeping only very short periods of time. Woke up for no reason every hour or so... Chantix also has so sleep related disturbance side effects. Many meds have this potential so if a normally well adjusted cpap user resting well, goes to not doing so well... then look for meds as possible contributor or just look at overall picture. What has changed? There may very well be a simple explanation if we just take the time to do a bit of detective work.

I have been on CPAP for a couple of years, and quit smoking a week ago. I have noticed a change in my quality of sleep, but figure it will pass. I am more concerned about not losing my job or winding up in jail because of these withdrawals!

[quote=" I am more concerned about not losing my job or winding up in jail because of these withdrawals! [/quote]

If you are worried about being ttttoooooo grumpy with the withdrawals, I don't think your employer would sack you...they would applaud you for quitting. This will pass, once you are done with the withdrawal you will go back to being the wonderful person you once were and were intended to be.
Quitting smoking not only helps you to live longer, but helps all those around you that have had to put up with the smoke and stench. Not to mention in the long run you will be saving the medical profession by not ending up with smoke related problems. JUST KEEP UP WITH THE NO SMOKING, you are doing everyone a BIG favour, especially YOURSELF.
Congrats!!!!!!
Nan

Hello all
I am at a week smoke free and my sleep has suffered. When ever I quit before I felt no better .A lot of people say just how wonderful they felt after they quit. The only thing I felt was the need for a smoke. I have gone through a lot to get the CPAP system working for me. I have to gag my self to stop mouth leaks. I figured if I was going to go through all of this I really wanted to get the full benefit of the CPAP. Now I noticed that some one said that the CPAP machine was making them cough. Coughing was one of the reasons I couldn't wear a full face mask, every time I coughed it blew the seal. Is coughing caused by too little humidity? Have a good nights sleep every one.
Bigd

Bigd wrote:Hello all
I am at a week smoke free and my sleep has suffered. When ever I quit before I felt no better .A lot of people say just how wonderful they felt after they quit. The only thing I felt was the need for a smoke. I have gone through a lot to get the CPAP system working for me. I have to gag my self to stop mouth leaks. I figured if I was going to go through all of this I really wanted to get the full benefit of the CPAP. Now I noticed that some one said that the CPAP machine was making them cough. Coughing was one of the reasons I couldn't wear a full face mask, every time I coughed it blew the seal. Is coughing caused by too little humidity? Have a good nights sleep every one.
Bigd

Often coughing is caused by silent reflux. Most of us STOPPED coughing on cpap because it stopped the silent reflux (GERD)