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How awful is it ok to feel when acclimating to the BiPap?
Greetings,
I got my BiPap the other day - Prior to getting it while I had Chronic migraines since I was 15 and they are hereditary and stress induced. My primary care physician wanted me to go for a sleep study to eliminate sleep issues from my migraine issues. I tend to sleep with my knees propped up and my back at an incline due to a back injury in my teens that gets aggravated bad if I lay flat. so when I went to the sleep study they wouldn't let me do anything other than lay flat on my back with one flat pillow. It was an awful night and I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, then I had to come back but it took 2 weeks and a trip to the emergency room due to the issues with my back to settle down enough to go back. So I got all set up and had another horrid night and another 2 week recovery. just due to they way they said I had to sleep. I am also a long time thumbsucker and I couldn't use that tool for helping me sleep or reamin calm. However at this point I really only have a migraine once every month or two and a severe one about 2 times a year as I am use to handling my stress.
Last week I went in and got the bipap set to 16 - it is a Philips Respironics BiPAP S/T I use a comfort full 2 mask as it is the only mask that mostly fit my face -and then it only works really well if I am on my back mostly flat. So after the first night of horrible sleep I woke up with a headache and a sore throat for the first hour. my lungs were aching and I was grumpy and tired. I reasoned this is part of the acclimation period and to help I tried to do my homework and read with the mask on to get me more use to it. So I went to bed the next night and again had a night of horrible sleep, I woke up with a severe headache. Even though I turned up the humidifier another scratchy throat that took about an hour and a half and coughing to clear up. My neck and back aching worse. Had a drowning nightmare that had me crying off and on and I started becoming more emotionally reactive to things. I was still super tired and exhausted.
Today was after my third night. I woke up with a migraine so bad I had to go into a completly dark room with no sound (even the sound of the machine caused me to cringe) I was in so much pain I spent the next few hours crying. during the machine use I had three nightmares two of them within the one nightmare (I typically have vivid dreams, and having dreams within dreams is not uncommon for me) my lungs still ache and my neck and back are starting to lock up due to how I have to sleep with the thing on my face. I am currently so emotional that I am yelling or crying about everything. I called the doctor to see what I need to do and he hasn't called back, I don't know if I should use the machine tonight and feel even worse or take a break until I talk to the doctor. I am feeling so bad emotionally right now that if it weren't for my 2 year old daughter coming up and hugging me I am not sure what I would do. I haven't felt this emotionally upset or stressed out or headachy in a very long time.
Is the adjustment period really suppose to be this hard?
Views: 264
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Terry Vella on
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Kittn Anne, It does take time to get used to it, some people say they are OK after one night, for me it took about 6 months to get my mask right, settings etc. I was getting back and neck aches, bloating of the stomach etc. If you feel comfortable not having it on until your Dr gets back to you I feel that's fine. you will need to discuss your situation with him and hopefully he can give you some advise. These type of forums are great for newbies and I'm sure you will get some suggestions.
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Permalink Reply by Mary Z on
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Kittn Anne, it can take a while to get used to the Bilevel machine. You are on a relatively high pressure so perhaps a call to your doctor is in order. Perhaps they can reduce the pressure for a bit and gradually raise it back to 16 as you become accustomed to the machine. I would call the doctor again, perhaps talk to the nurse and tell them this is urgent. I would (though as a lay person I cannot really give this advice) lay off the machine until you talk to the doctor. Your side effects are so extreme something needs to be done ASAP.
I'm sorry you had such a bad time in the sleep lab. I don't understand their refusal to be more flexible. A sleep study in a position that causes you pain is not a good sleep study.
Good Luck, keep us posted.
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By the way, if you ever have another sleep study get an order from the doctor that you can sleep however you usually sleep. They have you sleep in different positions in the lab to see if your apnea is better/worse in one position or the other.
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Permalink Reply by Kittn Anne on
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So I didn't use it last night and I feel more stable and no headache. I called my dr again and finally got ahold of the assistant, explained what was going on, she called back and I was told to call the sleep doctor, I called there and the assistant said anything dealing at all with the Cpap needs to go through the rental company, so I called them and while I was explaining the fire alarm went off and he took my number to call back - which was 3 hours ago and I am still waiting.
Terry - Thank you for replying - Oh heavens I can't take 6 months of feeling as bad as I did the last few days. Hopefully we will figure something out.
Mary - Thank you for replying - I am now afraid of putting on the mask again, I wasn't able to concentrate on my schoolwork at all, I am still a bit scattered today in thought and emotion, but I feel so much better by not using it, and I know that it is to help in the long run, I don't know why it is so difficult for me.
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The assistant was wrong- any problems such as you described with your health while on the machine goes through the sleep doc, not the equipment provider. I would make an appointment with the sleep doc. The equipment provider is not allowed to change your pressure or able to deal with the problems you are having. Any problems with the machine and your health should go through the sleep doc, not any other doc.
Good luck, keep us posted.
An exception might be if your equipment provider is connected to the sleep lab, but I still would want to talk to the sleep doc.
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Kittn Anne,
Do you have Upper Airway resistance syndrome as well ? Just an aside...you might consider www.SinusCones.com to ease your nasal breathing. I have no financial interest in this product.
It works great for me.
Jay
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