I know this has been discussed before, more than a couple of times.  Nonetheless . . .

I am using the mask that sticks little nozzels into each nostril.  (What do they call that one anyway?) Last night was my fourth night using this mask.  I think I am adapting to it fairly well.  However, this morning, for the first time, I experienced mild to moderate dizziness when I got out of bed.  It is now mid-morning, I am at work and it has lessened significantly, but it is still there.  I also feel kind of lethargic, as if I didn't sleep well - even though I thought I did.

I have been reading the threads on this aspect of CPAP usage - dizziness, and most of them seem to go off onto a discussion of major conditions and diseases that can cause dizziness and/or vertigo.  I have never experienced anything like this in my life, so I am pretty sure that I don't have any of the major problems discussed in these other threads.  I'm fairly sure that the dizziness I am experiencing here is caused SOLELY by the mask I have been using for the past four days - nothing else.

I know that lots of others have experienced this condition because of CPAP usage.  Does the dizziness ultimately go away?  Get worse?  Is there anything that can be done to alleviate the dizziness?

My doctor never warned me about this side effect.  I wish he had.

Sometimes a duck is just a duck.

Perhaps you've gotten yourself a sinus infection or inner ear problem that's causing the dizzies?

imu wrote:

Sometimes a duck is just a duck.

Perhaps you've gotten yourself a sinus infection or inner ear problem that's causing the dizzies?

I don't think so.  As I said in my OP - I have never had any dizziness or vertigo problem in my entire life (69 years).  I start using a CPAP and four days into it, I wake up dizzy. I then Google "CPAP" and "dizziness" and find there are dozens and dozens of sites which discuss this problem and the correlation between CPSP usage and dizziness.  One of the links led me to this site, where I put "CPAP" and "dizziness" into the Search engine here and I find that the problem is being discussed all the time.

I am requesting comments from others who have experienced dizziness as a result of CPAP usage.

Thanks for your thoughts, however.

pdmike wrote:

I am using the mask that sticks little nozzels into each nostril.  (What do they call that one anyway?) Last night was my fourth night using this mask.  I think I am adapting to it fairly well.  However, this morning, for the first time, I experienced mild to moderate dizziness when I got out of bed.  It is now mid-morning, I am at work and it has lessened significantly, but it is still there.  I also feel kind of lethargic, as if I didn't sleep well - even though I thought I did.
-snip-
I know that lots of others have experienced this condition because of CPAP usage.  Does the dizziness ultimately go away?  Get worse?  Is there anything that can be done to alleviate the dizziness?

My doctor never warned me about this side effect.  I wish he had.

The mask is called a nasal cushion... and you might feel better with a nasal mask. That is a lot of pressure to push into your sinus cavaties.  I tried it this year and it woke me up every two hrs, I could not tolerate it.

When I started using my regular cpap machine, I experienced no dizziness.   My pressure number was 10 , and I did have a humidifier.

 But, I have since experienced dizziness since I started my new machine(s) this year... from February-late May early June. I am currently using remstar auto m series a-flex, and the dizziness has started reducing.  

Do you know if you have a heated humidifier on your machine? If you don't, that could cause a lot of inner ear and sinus issues.
Do you know what your pressure number is?

xxStar wrote:

The mask is called a nasal cushion... and you might feel better with a nasal mask. That is a lot of pressure to push into your sinus cavaties.  I tried it this year and it woke me up every two hrs, I could not tolerate it.

When I started using my regular cpap machine, I experienced no dizziness.   My pressure number was 10 , and I did have a humidifier.

 But, I have since experienced dizziness since I started my new machine(s) this year... from February-late May early June. I am currently using remstar auto m series a-flex, and the dizziness has started reducing.  

Do you know if you have a heated humidifier on your machine? If you don't, that could cause a lot of inner ear and sinus issues.
Do you know what your pressure number is?

I have a heated humidifier on my machine, but am not using it because the first time I tried to use it, I was awakened constantly during the night by water condensing inside of the nasal cushion.  I was told that the humidifier is for comfort only (preventing or easing dry mouth and throat) and is not necessary for combating the actual sleep apnea.

When I did my sleep study, the attendant tried three masks.  The first was the "nose only" mask.  I could not tolerate it.  I felt as if I could not breathe - I had this total, panicky feeling.  Same with the "nose and mouth" mask.  The nasal cushion seemed to work better, so I tried that during the sleep study and went with it when I went for my fitting.

Now, I am thinking I may want to give the facial masks another try because I suspect that when the attendant put them on me during the sleep study, there was not enough air flowing.

I think my pressure number is 8/4 - does that make any sense?  I remember the guy who fitted me telling me that I would "ramp up" and start out with a 4 and go to an 8 or some such.  I have been diagnosed with mild to moderate sleep apenea with 16 episodes an hour, ranging from 2 or 3 seconds up to 11 seconds for the high end.

I'll tell you - if I have to put up with the dizziness I felt this morning (and am still feeling to a lesser extent this afternoon), on a daily basis, for the rest of my life, it may be decision time as to whether I continue with this or not.  

Thanks so much for your comments.  Most helpful.

I'm glad I can help in some way. I TOTALLY understand your frustration. Sometimes, the number I used for the humidifier was just right, and the next night I would have water pooling in my mask! I was like what the heck is going on? I never did understand it until I got a new well informed doctor and nurse. In the summer, with air conditioning, we need less humidity, and in the winter, we need more. Ok, I didn't know that. (although I figured as much for the winter, but not the summer)

I started researching this website indepth today because I'm experiencing a lot of apnea related issues. (long story)

My husband also as a cpap, his number is a 6. (edited, his number was increased to  8)
I use an auto m series a-flex, and the number is now 14/6. The lower number is the pressure of the air when I exhale, and the higher number is the pressure when I inhale. I suspect that is why you have 2 different numbers.

He couldn't tolerate the humidifier either, BUT his number was too high. He changed the humidifier from 3 to  1 which is the lowest setting, and it doesn't dry his sinuses or his throat. Not using the humidifier can indeed inflame your sinuses, and/or cause dizziness.  Some people do have sensitive sinuses.  If I go without the humidifier, my sinuses burn, get inflamed and will turn into a migrain, both aura migraines and non-aura migraines along with dizziness.

The respitory therapist told me if there is too much condensation, to lower the humidifier setting. I would try that before spending more money on a mask, at least for a couple of nights. They also told me that without the humidifier, some people can't tolerate the cpap.

As for me, I've been in tears off and on for the past few months, because we've had a terrible time trying to find the right new machine for me, after we discovered my apnea came back. I've ripped the mask off in my sleep, have had nightmares, and am basically staying in my house more often than normal because of exhaustion, lack of concentration, among other symptoms.  I finally feel like I'm on the right track because I have a better doctor and nurse that is well educated about sleep apnea, and some symptoms have improved, and a couple went away.  I just can't' figure out why it's taking me so long to get better. last year, when I first got the machine, I responded fast.

This time, it's driving me nuts waiting for full recovery...It gets OLD!!(ok, i'm done venting)  

pdmike wrote:

  
  I was told that the humidifier is for comfort only (preventing or easing dry mouth and throat) and is not necessary for combating the actual sleep apnea.

When I did my sleep study, the attendant tried three masks.  The first was the "nose only" mask.  I could not tolerate it.  I felt as if I could not breathe - I had this total, panicky feeling.  

snip

I think my pressure number is 8/4 - does that make any sense?  I remember the guy who fitted me telling me that I would "ramp up" and start out with a 4 and go to an 8 or some such.  

After rereading your comments, I realized that when you said ramp, they must start the pressure at 4 when using the ramp, and it works up to 8. (see what I mean ..my concentration is poor right now. Sorry about that.

yes, the humidifier is for comfort, they really should emphasize to people that without it, it might irritate sinuses.

I agree, the panicky feeling could indeed have been because the pressure wasn't high enough.

xxStar wrote:

Not using the humidifier can indeed inflame your sinuses, and/or cause dizziness.  Some people do have sensitive sinuses.  If I go without the humidifier, my sinuses burn, get inflamed and will turn into a migrain, both aura migraines and non-aura migraines along with dizziness.

Interesting.  So you think my dizziness might be related to not using the humidifier?  I'll give it another go and see if I can prevent water from pooling up in my nasal cushion.

xxStar wrote:

I just can't' figure out why it's taking me so long to get better. last year, when I first got the machine, I responded fast.

This time, it's driving me nuts waiting for full recovery...It gets OLD!!(ok, i'm done venting)  

Does one recover from this?  It was my understanding that if you have it, you simply have to live with it for the rest of your life.  Tell me I won't have to wear this mask for the rest of my life - please!  BTW - I do have an appointment with my doctor in two weeks to "see how it's going."  I am building up a rather long list of questions for that little interview . . .

You know, in many ways, doctors are like fly paper - once you get involved with one, you get dragged in and never get out.  All of this began for me several months ago because I had developed a lung problem.  My lungs felt (and still do, to some extent) as if it was just a bad, smoggy day - all the time, except when I was sleeping at night and first thing in the a.m.  Of course, I had it figured as lung cancer.  I had a CT scan and that wasn't it, thank God.

So the next thing my primary care doc did was send me to thes pulmonologist.  He opined that my lung problems are related to a sleep disorder and scheduled me for a sleep study.  You know what happened from that point on . . .  

And so, here I am, sleeping with a mask on and unable to navigate in the morning due to dizziness, all because of a lung problem.  Kind of makes one shake one's head, methinks.

pdmike wrote:

xxStar wrote:

Not using the humidifier can indeed inflame your sinuses, and/or cause dizziness.  Some people do have sensitive sinuses.  If I go without the humidifier, my sinuses burn, get inflamed and will turn into a migrain, both aura migraines and non-aura migraines along with dizziness.

Interesting.  So you think my dizziness might be related to not using the humidifier?  I'll give it another go and see if I can prevent water from pooling up in my nasal cushion.

xxStar wrote:

I just can't' figure out why it's taking me so long to get better. last year, when I first got the machine, I responded fast.

This time, it's driving me nuts waiting for full recovery...It gets OLD!!(ok, i'm done venting)  

Does one recover from this?  It was my understanding that if you have it, you simply have to live with it for the rest of your life.  Tell me I won't have to wear this mask for the rest of my life - please!  BTW - I do have an appointment with my doctor in two weeks to "see how it's going."  I am building up a rather long list of questions for that little interview . . .

You know, in many ways, doctors are like fly paper - once you get involved with one, you get dragged in and never get out.  All of this began for me several months ago because I had developed a lung problem.  My lungs felt (and still do, to some extent) as if it was just a bad, smoggy day - all the time, except when I was sleeping at night and first thing in the a.m.  Of course, I had it figured as lung cancer.  I had a CT scan and that wasn't it, thank God.

So the next thing my primary care doc did was send me to thes pulmonologist.  He opined that my lung problems are related to a sleep disorder and scheduled me for a sleep study.  You know what happened from that point on . . .  

And so, here I am, sleeping with a mask on and unable to navigate in the morning due to dizziness, all because of a lung problem.  Kind of makes one shake one's head, methinks.

I'm so sorry to hear what you've been going through, It took a few years to get diagnosed with thyroid cancer, uterine problems, and sleep apnea. I thought I was dying in my middle 30's, and I went through a few doctors to find one that would listen and take tests instead of throwing pills at me. ((SIGH)) We have to be our own advocates, get educated and demand tests. We know our bodies best...and if a doctor doesn't listen, we need to move on.

with regard to your question dizziness being related to the humidifier:
 I hate to say, yes..because that's akin to diagnosing. I'm just saying that for some people, including myself, dry air blowing into our/my sinuses causes problems..and in my case, severe ones. I HAVE to have moisture, or I'll have a headache or migraine w/dizzy spells that lasts for days because the air blowing into my nose dries out my sinuses really bad.

In my husband's case, he only gets a dry itchy throat..so he has to keep the moisture level on the lowest setting.  (he's FORTUNATE)

When I wrote recover, (sorry about this)   ..I meant, gaining my usual energetic happy self that my cpap machine helped me get back. I'm still waiting for my new machine to help me get back to my former happy energetic self.  I am 40lbs overweight...but all in all, even when I lose the weight, I doubt I will be able to live without the machine.

xxStar wrote:

When I wrote recover, (sorry about this)   ..I meant, gaining my usual energetic happy self that my cpap machine helped me get back. I'm still waiting for my new machine to help me get back to my former happy energetic self.  I am 40lbs overweight...but all in all, even when I lose the weight, I doubt I will be able to live without the machine.

Me too - weight-wise.  My wife thinks that if I lose about 40, my lung problems will clear up on the theory that the weight is pushing down on all of the vital organs, including the lungs, and causing them to feel strained and "tired" all the time (which they do).  I agree with her.  Now that I have a good motivation to lose some weight, I have already started.  Hope I can keep it up.

Here's one for ya - my pullmonologist thinks my lung problems are caused by acid reflux.  The theory goes that acid reflux sucks stomach acid up, into the esophagus, from whence the acid drips or filters down, into the lungs, causing problems.  That's why he wanted me to have the sleep study, and it's why I am where I am today.  I have had some acid reflux attacks - not many.  Who knows?  I figure with everything I am doing now, topped off by (probably most important of all) weight loss, I should be OK.  Right?  Right?  

God, I am starting to sound like a REAL hypochondriac.  Anyway, I'm done with work, off to home and tonight, I'll give the humidifier another chance and hope I can stand up straight in the morning . . .

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) has nothing to do with lung problems.  OSA is simply a collapse of throat tissue.  If you have lung problems, that is a separate issue.  Gastric reflux is associated with OSA.  They are not sure if the reflux contributes to the irritation and therefore the collapse of throat tissue or if the internal body pressures caused by apneic events causes gastric reflux.  It may be some of both.

Weight contributes to OSA, but it is usually the anatomy of our throats that cause it.  Losing weight usually will not cure OSA, but will allow the pressure required to open your airway to be decreased.

Interfaces that stick in your nose (I personally can not stand them) are also called nasal pillows.  If you continue to have panic with your nasal mask (not pillows) post that you are because we have suggestions.  It may be the ramp feature which can be disabled so that you immediately have full pressure.  I don't use the ramp either because it makes me feel like I am suffocating because, well, I am.

Tell your doctor about your dizziness if it continues.  Hopefully using a nasal mask will clear it up.  We have had a handful of people who can not use a CPAP because of physical reasons.  Mainly it has been related to unusual inner ear structure, specifically the eustation tubes.  Our inner ear is where our sense of balance is located.  If it is disturbed, then dizziness and vertigo occurs.  CPAP use in the people with abnormal eustation tubes cause dizziness and vertigo because the pressure disrupts the inner ear.

Vicki


_________________
Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.
Marilyn Von Savant

That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

Vicki wrote:

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) has nothing to do with lung problems.  OSA is simply a collapse of throat tissue.  If you have lung problems, that is a separate issue.  Gastric reflux is associated with OSA.  They are not sure if the reflux contributes to the irritation and therefore the collapse of throat tissue or if the internal body pressures caused by apneic events causes gastric reflux.  It may be some of both.

I have been told by three different doctors that they think my lung problem is caused by acid reflux - not by OSA.  As I mentioned above, the theory is that acid reflux shoots stomach acid up, into the esophagus from whence it somehow "drips" or percolates down, into the lungs, causing the irritation which I experience as a "lung problem."  

I must admit that I have a little trouble with this theory on a purely logical basis but I'm not a doc and three of them have hit me with the same theory.

In any event, my being diagnosed with OSA has been a byproduct of looking for the cause of the lung problem and I must now deal with the OSA.  Hopefully, somewhere along the line (a line which is definitely going to include weight loss), the lung problem will go away.

I can see already that this site is going to be a Godsend.  There is a lot to be learned and an awful lot of misinformation out there.

Vicki wrote:

Weight contributes to OSA, but it is usually the anatomy of our throats that cause it.  Losing weight usually will not cure OSA, but will allow the pressure required to open your airway to be decreased.

Makes sense.  But losing weight is a win/win situation regardless, seems to me.  I intend to go ahead.  I know my wife says I don't snore when my weight is down and I snore a lot when it is up.  I realize that OSA is a lot more than just snoring, however.

Vicki wrote:

Interfaces that stick in your nose (I personally can not stand them) are also called nasal pillows.  If you continue to have panic with your nasal mask (not pillows) post that you are because we have suggestions.  It may be the ramp feature which can be disabled so that you immediately have full pressure.  I don't use the ramp either because it makes me feel like I am suffocating because, well, I am.

These comments are MOST helpful to me.  Thank you so much.  The only time I tried a nasal mask was during my sleep study.  The gal came in with three masks and woke me up.  The first one I tried was the nasal mask (nose only).  I think she may have put it in place before a sufficient amount of air was shooting into it.  I felt suffocated and immediately rejected it.  Same with the full face (nose and mouth) mask.  Again, I suspect that mask was not sufficiently "aired up" when she first put it on.  For some reason, I didn't feel suffocated with the nasal pillows, so I went with that for the remainder of the sleep study.

When I went to get fitted, I didn't even try the nasal/full face masks because I had had such a bad experience with them during the sleep study.  I just went for the nasal pillows and walked out with that type of mask.

I'm thinking that I would like to go back to the fitting center and try the nasal and full face masks, making sure there is sufficient air from the get go.  I'll bet I would walk out with one of them.  We'll see.  

My nasal pillows are ramped.  The setting is 8/4.  It seems fine - at least at the start, i.e., I don't have any trouble inhaling or exhaling.  On the top end, however, it can get to blowing pretty hard.  The other night, it was blowing too hard, so I turned it off and then on again so it would have to ramp up once again and not be so feisty at first.  Then I was able to drift back off to sleep.

Vicki wrote:

Tell your doctor about your dizziness if it continues.  Hopefully using a nasal mask will clear it up.  We have had a handful of people who can not use a CPAP because of physical reasons.  Mainly it has been related to unusual inner ear structure, specifically the eustation tubes.  Our inner ear is where our sense of balance is located.  If it is disturbed, then dizziness and vertigo occurs.  CPAP use in the people with abnormal eustation tubes cause dizziness and vertigo because the pressure disrupts the inner ear.

Oh, be assured I will tell my doctor about the dizziness.  I have read lots of posts from folks who experienced dizziness but only briefly.  Hopefully, that will be the case here.  So you think that maybe the nasal pillows might have something to do with it and perhaps the dizziness will go away if I switch to a nasal mask?  Excellent - yet another reason for me to revist the fitting center ASAP.

Thank you very much, Vicki!

pdmike,

Thanks for clarification on the lung disorder.  The reason I defined OSA is because a lot of people think it is a lung disorder and call it that when it is not.  So you do have a separate lung disorder.  Can I ask you what it is?  That can also have an effect on how your OSA is treated.  For example, with some lung disorders, COPD, for example, APAPs are generally not used.  The algorithms for APAPs were developed for normal breathing patterns and flow rates and people with COPD do not have normal breathing patterns and flow rates.

Vicki


_________________
Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.
Marilyn Von Savant

That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

pdmike wrote:

xxStar wrote:

When I wrote recover, (sorry about this)   ..I meant, gaining my usual energetic happy self that my cpap machine helped me get back. I'm still waiting for my new machine to help me get back to my former happy energetic self.  I am 40lbs overweight...but all in all, even when I lose the weight, I doubt I will be able to live without the machine.

Me too - weight-wise.  My wife thinks that if I lose about 40, my lung problems will clear up on the theory that the weight is pushing down on all of the vital organs, including the lungs, and causing them to feel strained and "tired" all the time (which they do).  I agree with her.  Now that I have a good motivation to lose some weight, I have already started.  Hope I can keep it up.

Here's one for ya - my pullmonologist thinks my lung problems are caused by acid reflux.  The theory goes that acid reflux sucks stomach acid up, into the esophagus, from whence the acid drips or filters down, into the lungs, causing problems.  That's why he wanted me to have the sleep study, and it's why I am where I am today.  I have had some acid reflux attacks - not many.  Who knows?  I figure with everything I am doing now, topped off by (probably most important of all) weight loss, I should be OK.  Right?  Right?  

God, I am starting to sound like a REAL hypochondriac.  Anyway, I'm done with work, off to home and tonight, I'll give the humidifier another chance and hope I can stand up straight in the morning . . .

You're not a hypochondriac!! Those symptoms are real. if acid reflux gets bad enough, it can cause a lot of phlem, wheezing, and yes, even shoot up higher than the throat...which REALLY burns if it gets between the nose and throat.  I think one of the 'labels' is hot burn (or something like that) when it staturates the vocal chords and esophogus. I've had that happen a couple of times, and husband a lot. He can't catch his breath, wheezes really bad.  I saw a note that we're not suppose to post links, this is from webmd

the worst of acide reflux in my opinion
When should I call the doctor with acid reflux symptoms?
Be sure to call your doctor if you don't get lasting relief from medications or if you have heartburn more than two times a week for more than two weeks. Also call the doctor if you have any "alarm" acid reflux symptoms, such as these:

Other acid reflux symptoms that should prompt a call to your doctor include:

********Asthma-like symptoms, such as wheezing or dry cough***********************
Hoarseness, especially in the morning
Chronic sore throat
Hiccups that don't let up
Nausea that lasts for weeks or months
Sometimes, people confuse the symptoms of heart attack with symptoms of acid reflux disease. That's because pain in the chest can feel like heartburn. When in doubt, call your doctor.


let us know how the humidifier works out, and if you used the lowest setting for more comfort.

Vicki wrote:

, I am.

Tell your doctor about your dizziness if it continues.  Hopefully using a nasal mask will clear it up.  We have had a handful of people who can not use a CPAP because of physical reasons.  Mainly it has been related to unusual inner ear structure, specifically the eustation tubes.  Our inner ear is where our sense of balance is located.  If it is disturbed, then dizziness and vertigo occurs.  CPAP use in the people with abnormal eustation tubes cause dizziness and vertigo because the pressure disrupts the inner ear.

Vicki

I too appreciate your posts..thanks!