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Hi ResourcefulCoralSquirrel. There are a couple of things that can cause sinus irritation when using CPAP. Are you using humidification? If so, is it heated and have you checked the setting? Air that is too dry or too cool can cause your sinuses to swell and become quite irritated. If you are using cold humidification, you might consider requesting a heated CPAP humidifier. If you have a heater, I would recommend you make sure it is working properly. The second thing might be to check and make sure your machine has an air filter installed. Most machines have a small filter on the back of the unit. If the filter is missing, the machine could be pulling in irritants like dust and pollen and blowing them into your sinuses. I have terrible sinus issues as well, and I have found saline rinse to be very helpful. My doctor also prescribed Flonase to help open up my sinuses and treat my allergies. Before doing anything, I would encourage you to talk to your physician. It seems from reading your posts that you have significant irritation, and that is generally not a side-effect of normal CPAP treatment with proper humidification. Please let us know how you're doing! -Dan
Hi Pickle. I'm happy to read that you are being treated for your sleep apnea and have been persistent. Has your doctor looked at your compliance data to make sure you are appropriately treated and that your machine and/or mask do not need any adjustment? A download of your machine should provide helpful information about your current AHI, mask leak and hours of usage. Medications can contribute to fatigue, so that might also be a good conversation to have with your doctor if you haven't already. While there are a lot of patients who do have that refreshed feeling after CPAP treatment, there are patients--even those who are not on a lot of medications--that do not have that experience. Some patients report that it takes weeks or months before they start to feel like they have more energy or feel refreshed. The most important thing is to make sure your treatment is working for you and to continue to be persistent. I hope you start to feel more refreshed and energetic!
Hi PoliteApricotSquirrel. There is some research out there about headaches and sleep apnea, and morning headaches are a common complaint of patients with sleep apnea. I will have to do a little more looking to see how much of the research specifically addresses migraines. Of interest, this link to a publication on the NIH website discusses treatment of CPAP improving headaches in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22963547. There is also quite a bit of information linking jaw tension to headaches, and I have personally experienced this condition. I had not even considered jaw tension or that I might be grinding my teeth until my dentist mentioned I showed signs of teeth-grinding. Similar to GoodVioletCrow's experience, jaw exercises and facial massage helped. I'll see if I can find any specific information about migraines and sleep apnea or headache that might be interesting. Good luck, and I hope you can find some answers! Thanks for posting on the forum, and please let us know if you find anything that helps.
Hi Ramon,
I see that you were diagnosed 15 years ago and are just starting to use treatment again. Congratulations! This is a big step in improving your overall health, and I'm glad you feel better. Have you had a more recent sleep study to see if your sleep apnea has changed over time or to check to see if your CPAP pressure is still appropriate for you? A lot can change over a few years, so you might consider talking to your doctor if you have not had a study in a while. I would also encourage you to speak to your doctor about the nasal congestion. There might be some things he or she can recommend to help with that. There is a lot of information available for patients with sleep apnea--both about diagnosis and about treatment options. Your physician should be able to point you in the right direction. Also, please check out our Learn section on our website. We will be posting new information here in the near future!
Dan
Hi Jorja,
Glad to hear you were able to get an in-lab sleep study! Best wishes with your results and potential treatment. There are some great options for successful treatment of complex, mixed and central sleep apnea. As I'm sure you have read on the Forum, there will likely be a period of adjustment as with any new diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Persistence is key, and a good home care provider can really help you achieve successful treatment. Keep us posted on your progress, and we're happy to help support you!
Hi All. There has been mention in the Forum about custom-made CPAP masks made to fit each person's unique facial features. I thought some might find this link interesting. The University of Michigan is doing some research in this area.
http://www.researchposters.com/Posters/COSM/COSM2015/H118.pdf
Hello @Sleep2much, @CompassionateByzantiumGiantPanda3490, and @I8chillywilly,
There are many reasons a person might still be tired after starting treatment. The best thing to do is to talk to your physician about exploring the problem in greater detail. Reassessing whether you are getting the right pressure, whether the mask fits correctly so that you receive the proper pressure or whether there are complicating conditions that might be making you tired are just some of the things to consider. Fatigue can be related to many health conditions besides sleep apnea, and it can be related to medications. It is true that there are some people who do not feel that "wow" effect after starting treatment, but feeling worse or not being able to tolerate therapy is definitely something to explore in greater detail.
@I8chillywilly--Have you tried other mask options made from different materials? There are gel masks, silicone masks, and even cloth masks. There are also barriers, or mask liners, that can help reduce contact between the mask and your skin to potentially help ease the break outs. As for a sore and runny nose, you might mention this to your physician and consider whether you need to adjust the humidity of your machine or be assessed for allergies/sinus issues that cause your nose to run. I have experienced similar issues, and a combination of humidity adjustment and treatment for allergies has worked well for me.
Best wishes in your continued treatment, and I hope each of you can find solutions to these problems!
Hi @SeattleGrant,
Theresa will probably have some great information for you, but I'll share my experience with mouth breathing and chin straps as well.
You mention that you mouth breath a lot because of a deviated septum. If your condition causes significant obstruction, and if you are unable to move sufficient air in and out of your nose, then a chin strap is probably not going to help much. It is very likely that you would still need to open your mouth to inhale and exhale. In my experience, a full face mask would be the better option since it will allow you to breathe through either the nose or the mouth while maintaining appropriate pressure in your airway. If your ability to breathe through your nose is extremely limited, you might consider seeing your ENT to discuss the problem. If you feel you really want to continue wearing a chin strap and continue with a nasal mask or nasal pillows, there are many types of chin straps available. A simple Google of "CPAP chin straps" will return numerous results. I have personally had better experience with the style that has a fabric "cup" the chin fits in versus the style that looks like one large and wide piece of elastic. There are others who have probably had the reverse experience. The style I mention with the fabric chin support is usually a single strap, and I have had more success with placing the chin strap first followed by the mask. Placing the mask straps over the chin strap can help prevent the slipping you mention.
Thanks for your post, and I hope this information is helpful! Feel free to post about your continued efforts and experiences with your mask and chin straps. I'm sure other community members have similar issues!
Hi Ramon. I checked with a couple of sales/support representatives that manufacture 2 popular brands of machines, and many of the newer machines can switch between voltages without the need for additional equipment. My personal machine will automatically switch, but I do have to use an adapter for the plug.
Hi Ramon. A sleep physician is the best person to recommend the right treatment for your condition. I'm happy to hear you are taking up the fight against sleep apnea and attempting to use your treatment again! If you have had your CPAP machine a few years and have not been using it, I would recommend you see a sleep physician. It might be time for a new study to see if your sleep apnea has changed, and it might be time for new machine settings. Your sleep physician can likely recommend an equipment provider, but there are many providers online that sell machines with a doctor's prescription. Having a provider who is near your home can be helpful if you have any problems. Also, the sleepeducation.org website has a search tool that can help you locate accredited sleep centers in your area. One of these centers should be able to help you get an appointment with a sleep specialist. Good luck!
