New user- Why does CPAP make me feel sick?

I'd appreciate advice or thoughts. I was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea and got a CPAP machine. the apnea was mild and there were no real de-sats but my sleep was very disrupted (waking 49 time a hour) I have been trying to use CPAP for about 2- 3 weeks. Here is my problem. When I use it, I feel sick in the morning. Dizzy, lightheaded, profoundly exhausted- almost like I can't move in the early hours, like I'm drugged. Its so bad I'm late for work. I feel progressively sicker the more days I use it. when I stop using it the sick feeling goes away. Talked to the doctor and the nurses and they kind of shrug and say this doesnt really happen but the MD did set the pressure to 4 the lowest it could go. Still I feel sick after I use it. So I'm without direction. has anyone experienced something similar or have a guess about whether it will go away with time? I SO want to treat my apnea.

Are you using data to measure the effectiveness of your CPAP therapy? If not, the therapy could be working poorly.

If you don't know what I am talking about, just ask about "the software" and some good members will help you.

Tell us a little more. Are you saying it starts at 4 and works up to your prescribed pressure? Is this a ramp pressure starting at 4? I'm curious about how many (if any) times each night do you wake up and restart the machine? If so, you could be spending a large part of your night with sub-par treatment. That one fact nearly killed me early on. I woke up a lot and hit the ramp button every time - just like I was instructed. That activity was condemning me to spending nearly all my night in ramp, and that is just not therapeutic treatment. It is too soon in discussing your treatment to say anything for sure. But my first guess is your pressure is too low so you are not getting therapeutic treatment. Hopefully you can give us more info so you can get a more targeted response.

Oh, and are your vent holes free of obstruction?

kteague wrote:Tell us a little more. Are you saying it starts at 4 and works up to your prescribed pressure? Is this a ramp pressure starting at 4? I'm curious about how many (if any) times each night do you wake up and restart the machine? If so, you could be spending a large part of your night with sub-par treatment. That one fact nearly killed me early on. I woke up a lot and hit the ramp button every time - just like I was instructed. That activity was condemning me to spending nearly all my night in ramp, and that is just not therapeutic treatment. It is too soon in discussing your treatment to say anything for sure. But my first guess is your pressure is too low so you are not getting therapeutic treatment. Hopefully you can give us more info so you can get a more targeted response.

Oh, and are your vent holes free of obstruction?

I completely agree....Please register and fill in your equipment profile. Lower pressure than you require and/or blocked exhaust holes can make you feel crappy.

Cpap can lower blood pressure, and if yours is normally low to begin with (and/or y our vent is inadvertently covered by bedding) then you'll have problems. If it's a BP problem, a lower pressure might help. If it's the vent, make sure it won't get covered.

I added more info to my profile. Thanks for asking
Julie you are on to something!!! I have low blood pressure normally. After a night of cpap I am lightheaded lethargic, my heart beats faster just like when blood pressure is too low. I wonder what I can do about it. drink lots of H2O on awakening perhaps....

Speak to your doctor, sleep doctor, neurologist (preferably) because you need to clear things up and can't go around ready to fall down every morning! Good luck - let us know what happens.

The Choker wrote:Are you using data to measure the effectiveness of your CPAP therapy? If not, the therapy could be working poorly.

If you don't know what I am talking about, just ask about "the software" and some good members will help you.

I agree. This needs to be addressed right up front before chasing other squirrels.

With a pressure of 4, junky might be having apneas all night long. Not a way to feel well!

sleepjunky wrote:I added more info to my profile. Thanks for asking
Julie you are on to something!!! I have low blood pressure normally. After a night of cpap I am lightheaded lethargic, my heart beats faster just like when blood pressure is too low. I wonder what I can do about it. drink lots of H2O on awakening perhaps....

I'm only seeing your mask listed. If you know which machine you have we may be able to help you look at what's called your efficacy data.

Post which brand you have and someone can walk you through finding the model number and determining whether or not you've been "bricked".

sleepjunky wrote:I'd appreciate advice or thoughts. I was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea and got a CPAP machine. the apnea was mild and there were no real de-sats but my sleep was very disrupted (waking 49 time a hour) I have been trying to use CPAP for about 2- 3 weeks. Here is my problem. When I use it, I feel sick in the morning. Dizzy, lightheaded, profoundly exhausted- almost like I can't move in the early hours, like I'm drugged. Its so bad I'm late for work. I feel progressively sicker the more days I use it. when I stop using it the sick feeling goes away. Talked to the doctor and the nurses and they kind of shrug and say this doesnt really happen but the MD did set the pressure to 4 the lowest it could go. Still I feel sick after I use it. So I'm without direction. has anyone experienced something similar or have a guess about whether it will go away with time? I SO want to treat my apnea.

Comment,

You don't say what is the max pressure set-up on your machine. The pressure of 4 cm is the minimum that a machine can go. If you, or your "Doc" set all pressures at 4 cm then the machine will not treat your apneic events at all. Apparently, you're not aware of the machine's set-up. Please come back with more info including your age and gender.

I'd like to follow this conversation as I am new to CPAP (I can't even sleep with it this week because of a severe cold!) and already have issues with my blood pressure dropping. Just want to follow in case I ever need to know more.

I tried to update my info again. The doctor changed my setting to just 4. No range anymore. He discontinued that feature. this is due to the side effects I am dealing with. I recognize that the pressure is not normal but I'm trying unsuccessfully tolerate this treatment.
I am late 40s female and on the thin side (although that is starting to change!) The sleeps study showed no de-sats. my o2 never went below 90. but I had 33 little micro-wakings an hour and 14 true episodes of apnea per hour. The trouble is not being able to sleep well due to these episodes and I do have terrible daytime sleepiness at times. I will work on getting software etc for better information.
I did not use cpap last night and do not feel sick today. I will try again tonight.

sleepjunky wrote:I tried to update my info again. The doctor changed my setting to just 4. No range anymore. He discontinued that feature. this is due to the side effects I am dealing with. I recognize that the pressure is not normal but I'm trying unsuccessfully tolerate this treatment.
I am late 40s female and on the thin side (although that is starting to change!) The sleeps study showed no de-sats. my o2 never went below 90. but I had 33 little micro-wakings an hour and 14 true episodes of apnea per hour. The trouble is not being able to sleep well due to these episodes and I do have terrible daytime sleepiness at times. I will work on getting software etc for better information.
I did not use cpap last night and do not feel sick today. I will try again tonight.

Most people have trouble with a setting of 4 and find it hard to breath. It also does nothing for your events if you need more pressure.

sleepjunky wrote:I tried to update my info again. The doctor changed my setting to just 4. No range anymore. He discontinued that feature. this is due to the side effects I am dealing with. I recognize that the pressure is not normal but I'm trying unsuccessfully tolerate this treatment.
I am late 40s female and on the thin side (although that is starting to change!) The sleeps study showed no de-sats. my o2 never went below 90. but I had 33 little micro-wakings an hour and 14 true episodes of apnea per hour. The trouble is not being able to sleep well due to these episodes and I do have terrible daytime sleepiness at times. I will work on getting software etc for better information.
I did not use cpap last night and do not feel sick today. I will try again tonight.

I'm confused why you don't try positional therapy instead if it is making you this sick? You had no de-sats and only 14 true episodes? Wouldn't that be mild apnea? I think you are one who is going to have to find some alternative therapy.

Do you have a large copay ? That can make you sick.

Kidding aside, positional therapy seems like a good suggestion.