CPAP and Dizziness

A friend of mine just started using CPAP two weeks ago. 18cm with pillows. THe last five days she's been experiencing dizzy spells when she gets up out of bed. Any ideas as to why this may be happening? Is this even CPAP related?

Thanks!

lyankowy wrote:A friend of mine just started using CPAP two weeks ago. 18cm with pillows. THe last five days she's been experiencing dizzy spells when she gets up out of bed. Any ideas as to why this may be happening? Is this even CPAP related?

Thanks!

Some people experience this. It can be sinus related due to too humid/not humid enough air or pressure on the ear drums or any other variety of causes. It could even be the body saying "Wow O2 all night!!!"

18cm is a high pressure. Is she on a cpap or a bipap? If she is on a pure cpap she may need to talk to her doctor to get a machine that she can tolerate better.

[/quote]18cm is a high pressure. Is she on a cpap or a bipap? If she is on a pure cpap she may need to talk to her doctor to get a machine that she can tolerate better.[/quote]


She's on CPAP. Do you think nasal mask vs. pillow style may make a difference?

Cpap can (over time) lower blood pressure and it's likely that at the high pressure she's using, she's experiencing the effects of lowered BP when she gets up. If there's a way (home device) she can check her BP immediately on getting up it would be helpful. If she gets up slowly and doesn't rush around for a while it will also help. Was her high pressure a result of a prescription based on a lab sleep study, or one she did at home? There's also a chance she's hypoglycemic, but would need that tested by her MD.

Julie wrote:Cpap can (over time) lower blood pressure and it's likely that at the high pressure she's using, she's experiencing the effects of lowered BP when she gets up. If there's a way (home device) she can check her BP immediately on getting up it would be helpful. If she gets up slowly and doesn't rush around for a while it will also help. Was her high pressure a result of a prescription based on a lab sleep study, or one she did at home? There's also a chance she's hypoglycemic, but would need that tested by her MD.

Julie,
I think the likelihood of this being BP related is slim. CPAP can reduce OSA related hypertension...but I've never heard that it can lower normal BP to the point that it causes problems.

lyankowy wrote" She's on CPAP. Do you think nasal mask vs. pillow style may make a difference?

Mask style can help people tolerate cpap...but I don't think it would make any difference with the dizziness issue.

My best guess would be that at those high pressures, air is being forced into the middle ear, through the eustachian tubes causing ear related dizziness.
CN

BP can be low to begin with, so any lowering beyond that will cause problems (which is not to say your idea or those of other posters is wrong.

I have like issues with dizziness in the morning. I believe mine is sinus related I have had 3 sinus infections since July and I believe it is all humidity related from machine. I would like to keep my machine set to 3 I feel less dried up. But 2 seems to keep the infection away.