Headaches when using CPaP

[Sleeping Beauty]

Except that I had no headache, except many hours later in the stay over in hospital - mainly due to people talking on mobile phones until midnight and no sleep. Vomiting in the morning with the headache (and the ward 'companions'). Never again: I'll die before I enter another hospital.

Re the vertigo. I was on the internet the night it happened, listening to music as usual, until about midnight. Put my head down to go to sleep and felt instant dizziness like I'd never felt before. My husband called ambulance who gave Zofran. I went to sleep and woke at 6am with the shocking dizziness back. Uncontrolled. Couldn't even get up to get on ambulance bed without vomiting. God, it was awful. Couldn't go the toilet or anything. The most distressing experience I've ever had (next to childbirth). Doctor said some plaque could have blocked the ear canal (from cholesterol). I'm living in fear of it happening again and have under-the-tongue Zofran in case. But what if I'm driving...???!!

[Beej]

Vestibular migraine may happen without headache. Both of my severe attacks resulting in ER visits had no headache whatsoever. Ondansetron (brand Zofran) helps with the nausea and vomiting as would promethazine.

Seeing a migraine specialist might be helpful. Migraine doesn't always include a headache; that is a mistaken belief. I've been told it is "cortical spreading depression" a kind of neuro-electrical phenomenon.

And yes, you could lose your license if you can't reliably control these. It is most definitely a condition which would affect your driving. It is why I am on several preventatives; I need to be able to drive!

[PoolQ]

I commented about morning headaches to my sleep Doctor and he said it was caused by CO2 retention. I forget what he adjusted, but it went away and has not come back. Just something to consider as I am sure there could be several more complicated causes to also consider.

[Sleeping Beauty]

Thanks very much for this very helpful advice!! So many things to go wrong and so little patience on my behalf!! I'm over it!! Especially doctors who are clueless.

[Sleeping Beauty]

I went to my "sleep specialist" about these headaches I get WHILE USING THE CPAP the week before Christmas. What a joke! They put me with the wrong doctor who knew nothing and didn't know me. The original doctor had been the principal in that practice and they didn't make the appointment with him. Anyway, the doctor I saw didn't seem to get what the problem was. He kept repeating over and over and over, "you need another sleep study" and then told me the 'stats' on my machine showed it was working!!

They didn't charge me for the visit because I didn't get the RIGHT doctor, but I received this letter today from the principal doctor in the practice, whom I'd seen 6 years ago!!! It was from the original doctor who they didn't book the appointment with to the new doctor I saw who was clueless. So, I get a copy of a letter from one doctor I didn't see to another I did and who knew nothing (and, btw, he said "see you in 12 months for a review!!).

"Mrs. * has been reviewed at CPap follow up (!!!). Over a period of 3 years (it's been 6!!!) she has been highly compliant with treatement with 97% usage but usually only just below 3 hours average per night (how in the name of God can that be 97% compliant???).

We will be happy to review her at any stage and provide support".

Well, what a waste of time. I drove 30km each way for it in heavy traffic. There are no other sleep doctors in our area so I must get a referral to one in Sydney, 160km away. What about the headaches in my face which were the reason for the visit? They had NO IDEA.

Now, back to the drawing board - all over again!!!

[Beej]

That is so incredibly frustrating!

Maybe, instead of going to a sleep specialist, you might try a neurologist, maybe one that specializes in headache.
And to prepare for any visit for the headaches, it can be helpful to provide a good couple of weeks of data. Somehow, charts, graphs, written notes, seem to make more of an impact that talking (in one ear; out the other!). I've done that with an asthma flare going to the ER; it really shortened the time to diagnosis and treatment.

Identify the "presenting problem", known related factors or apparent triggers (apnea, allergy, etc.), and then provide some tracking of what, when, how long, how often, antecedents, what follows, what helps it, what worsens it in a chart and graph format may smack the doc upside the head enough to pay attention.

Also, avoid directly asking for pain meds, as they will see that as drug seeking behavior. Keep emphasizing the issue is identifying and treating the cause, thus preventing the headaches in the first place; pain meds are only if unsuccessful.

[chill]

In my limited experience, sleep doctors are usually pretty weak at things like this. Their job is to diagnose, get you using CPAP regularly, and achieve an AHI of < 5. Weird CPAP probably are usually out of their realm. Your problem is head pain, not sleep. As I said before, see an ENT. And if that does not help, try a neurologist.

[Sleeping Beauty]

Thanks so much for your excellent, practical advice Beej.

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Thanks, Chill. I'm going back to my General Practitioner to see what he says. Meanwhile, I'm still experiencing giddiness too - having had one bout this morning and these are appearing more frequently. I don't know if they're related to headaches, but I had an MRI 2.5 months ago which was clear.

Happy New Year.

[Beej]

Vertigo can have numerous causes. Some are inner ear related; some are neurological. I have an intermittent non-painful vestibular migraine (neuro) which can drop me like a rock with vertigo.

If the pain is towards the front of your face around your eyes or deep in your sinuses, start with the ENT.