Long-Term Effects

I had an interesting conversation with a friend this weekend who is a oral surgeon. He is brought in on some OSA surgical cases. Their perspective is very different from an RT, he said that the standard goal for an oral surgeon in OSA procedures is to cut the patients AHI or RDI in half. He said that is the goal but they don't see it without major surgery like advancing your upper pallet forward 1cm or removing much of the soft pallet. Most of you know that 50% will not bring you down below 5 so you will still need therapy.

As far as long term effects, I doubt that other than glaucoma risk and indirect issues like dental work that anything will come up. When you realize that pressure is how we breath and if we are active that pressure is increased to push 100+ L/min thru a narrow tube, it is likely the little pressure provided by the CPAP is anything the lungs were not designed to handle. I am sure our lungs can handle 0.5 PSI and then some.

BlackSpinner wrote:There is no "pressure on the lungs". The pressure splints the airway open. I have actually found breathing clean humid air is beneficial for the lungs. Using my cpap machine when I had pneumonia drastically reduced healing times and made the whole experience more comfortable.

Even if it does create some problems the alternative is death anyway so I would prefer some lung issues and being alive to bitch about it then having died from a stroke.

There will definitely be some pressure on the lungs. The air in your mouth and nose will be at a higher pressure and the air in your lungs will be at a higher pressure as well. This will stretch your lungs to some extent like inflating a balloon.

I doubt if it does you any harm. I strongly believe the effects will be less harmful than the effects of apnea. In the short term, you will get much higher pressures in your lungs every time you sneeze or cough.

As an experienced scuba diver I can tell you that the pressure that's being supplied by the Bipap machine doesn't come close to what I've observed when diving. I really believe that the lungs are, for the most part, a very durable and hard-working part of our anatomy. I can't speak for anyone else, but I find my machine and the awesome cool, humidified air I breathe while sleeping nothing but comfortable and look forward to laying my head on that pillow now more than ever for the fantastic, refreshing sleep that it provides. Especially since I found this mask!!! Just sayin'.

It takes about 100 cm h2o to blow up a balloon. Ever heard of anyone being hospitalized after blowing up too many balloons for a party? Most CPAP machines can't go over 20 cm. Yes, the machine does put pressure on your lungs, just as your shirt puts pressure on your shoulders, but neither one is going to do you any harm.

You all neglect to talk about how the lack of compliance can effect your job, Ins rates and Credentials that may require with compliance. I was diagnosed with very mild Apnia and was never told how it would effect my career and fianances. I got screwed by the institution that says I need to wear this C crap. I understand the benefits of it but in my case, I feel no different after. I was better of snoring a few nights here and there than loosing my job position and having some Federal Lic pulled from me. Ask your Dr about these things before you go and sign on. SUCKS!

swaz: I assume you gave up? Too bad.
If you were a truck driver, and refuse to use the machine, there are quite a few of us
very thankful you are no longer out there getting ready to doze off and kill an entire family!

BlackSpinner wrote:There is no "pressure on the lungs". The pressure splints the airway open.

There most certainly is pressure on the lungs. (or pressure in the lungs.)

The pressure is pretty small compared to normal activities like coughing, sneezing, blowing up a balloon, etc., so presumably, there's little long term effect. Newbies often get sore chest muscles from breathing against the pressure.

There might well be some long term negative effects of CPAP. It would be good to know what they are so we can prepare and/or minimize the harm. However, the well known, proven effects of untreated sleep apnea are so bad that it's not really a choice until something better than CPAP comes along.

It's like a diabetic deciding not to take her insulin shots because she's afraid she'll get a deadly infection from the needle.

Side effects of long term use of CPAP are minimal and with correct use and cleaning of equipment can be reduced or eliminated, the short term effects for not using CPAP for me is death, my CPAP has kept me from that state for 12 years now, and I have never felt better from the first night I slept with one, would not be without it, ust wish my Dad had had the opportunity to have used one.

I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea over 4 yrs ago, and have been using a CPAP since. (full mask). I have also wondered about long term side effects. So far, everything is fine. I use it every night for approx. 7 hrs. It took me about 6 months to get used to using it. Since then, I do sleep well and hope that 10 yrs from now, there aren't any side effects.

I spent 6 weeks on a respirator and it's nothing like a CPAP machine. It breathes for you when/if you are unable to breathe. Your CPAP machine does not produce the kind of pressures necessary to do this. The respirator is a big, noisy machine that puts out enough pressure to inflate your lungs without any help from your breathing muscles. And the worst part is that your lungs quickly become physically dependent on it. You need to go through an extremely difficult "weaning" process to get your breathing muscles back in shape and to be able to breathe without the damn thing. You spend a lot of time feeling like you are suffocating. However, the only long-term effect of being hooked up to such a powerful machine as a respirator is the scar on your throat where they put the pipe in.

I'm not sure how many others here have been unfortunate enough to have been on a respirator. Believe me, it's a miserable experience and one that you will never be able to forget. CPAP is a wonderful invention that allows us to live normal lives.

I have been using the CPAP probably a little over 10 years now because I was forced to by Dept. Revenue to keep my CDL. I have gotten used to it over the years and recognize the benefits, however I have noticed when in the pool, that the more I submerge my body in the water, the harder it is to breathe. It feels as though I am getting a bear hug. It becomes very uncomfortable when I submerge to the level of my neck. It feels a little like my chest and diaghramm muscles have begun to atrophy. I never experienced this sensation before using the CPAP.

junkyard lawyer wrote:I have been using the CPAP probably a little over 10 years now because I was forced to by Dept. Revenue to keep my CDL. I have gotten used to it over the years and recognize the benefits, however I have noticed when in the pool, that the more I submerge my body in the water, the harder it is to breathe. It feels as though I am getting a bear hug. It becomes very uncomfortable when I submerge to the level of my neck. It feels a little like my chest and diaghramm muscles have begun to atrophy. I never experienced this sensation before using the CPAP.

Talk to a Pulmonologist or Cardiologist.

junkyard lawyer wrote:I have been using the CPAP probably a little over 10 years now ... I have noticed when in the pool, that the more I submerge my body in the water, the harder it is to breathe. It feels as though I am getting a bear hug. It becomes very uncomfortable when I submerge to the level of my neck. It feels a little like my chest and diaghramm muscles have begun to atrophy. I never experienced this sensation before using the CPAP.

this is a perfect example of faulty thinking...

one, you only use cpap during the night when you're breathing at your more relaxed anyway, not during the day when your respiratory muscles actually do their most work.

two, when you submerge in water, you *ARE* getting a bear hug, because of water pressure, WAY more water pressure than the cpap gives you (which would only go down to maybe your armpits.)

three, you're older now than you've ever been before... that changes things.

so, quit trying to blame all your problems on cpap. *eyeroll*

junkyard lawyer wrote:I have been using the CPAP probably a little over 10 years now because I was forced to by Dept. Revenue to keep my CDL. I have gotten used to it over the years and recognize the benefits, however I have noticed when in the pool, that the more I submerge my body in the water, the harder it is to breathe. It feels as though I am getting a bear hug. It becomes very uncomfortable when I submerge to the level of my neck. It feels a little like my chest and diaghramm muscles have begun to atrophy. I never experienced this sensation before using the CPAP.

It's really pretty simple.
If you're using a data-capable machine, use some software to monitor your therapy (if you're not already).
If your machine isn't data-capable.....GET ONE! And then use software to monitor your therapy.
If your data is "good", then it's something else and you need to consult with your doctor.
If the data is NOT good, then you need to take control of your own therapy and tweak your settings till it IS good.

And, has been stated, lots of things can happen in 10 years to our bodies.


Den

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junkyard lawyer wrote:I have been using the CPAP probably a little over 10 years now because I was forced to by Dept. Revenue to keep my CDL. I have gotten used to it over the years and recognize the benefits, however I have noticed when in the pool, that the more I submerge my body in the water, the harder it is to breathe. It feels as though I am getting a bear hug. It becomes very uncomfortable when I submerge to the level of my neck. It feels a little like my chest and diaghramm muscles have begun to atrophy. I never experienced this sensation before using the CPAP.

This is exactly the sensation I have recently felt, was using an snorkel and mask and hanging upright in a pool. My thought is if you are being assisted, however slightly with your breathing is that not work your body had to do before hand on its own?