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Can CPAP help my headaches? - Printable Version

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Can CPAP help my headaches? - Flying High - 12-04-2020

Hi everybody. 

I awoke this morning (as I frequently do) with a headache.

How can I tweak my AirSense 10 to help?

Please see last night's Oscar chart below and thanks for any suggestions that you might have!


RE: Can CPAP help my headaches? - Sleeprider - 12-04-2020

I don't see anything in your results that should contribute to headache. Your pressure varies between 8 and 12 cm and the median is 9.6. There are several episodes of arousal where we see CA events, and I suspect that flow limitation is increased at this times, but the chart does not include that graph. Be sure to check your headgear and sleeping position, watch your hydration and take a couple aspirin. I don't think the headache is related to CPAP.


RE: Can CPAP help my headaches? - Flying High - 12-04-2020

Thanks.  I've included the Flow Limitation graph in the new attachment.

Are there any other changes that I should make in general to optimize my results?

Switch to CPAP at the top of my range ~12 or switch the lower part of my APAP range to 12 or 10?


RE: Can CPAP help my headaches? - Glen e - 12-04-2020

How long have you been on CPAP? I used to have headaches every day when waking up until I got on my machine. For the first two weeks I still had the headaches and then they went away And never came back. I’ve been on Cpap about 3 months now…Same machine as you.


RE: Can CPAP help my headaches? - Sleeprider - 12-04-2020

Through the night your flow rate graph shows a flat top with occasional spikes that may be arousals, but the expiration bottom of the graph is very uneven. This is often flow limitation, but we would need to look at a closeup of the flow rate in a 2-3 minute long zoom. Anyway, go ahead and turn EPR up to 3 and let's do some zooms of the flow rate to compare if this helps.


RE: Can CPAP help my headaches? - Flying High - 12-04-2020

I have been on CPAP for about a month.

Unlike other posts that I have seen here, I do not think that CPAP is causing my headaches.
I rather hope that it will help to reduce or eliminate them.

The first week on CPAP it seemed to do just that!
Then I switched to the AirSense 10 and they came back (even upon waking!).

I set my AirSense to start at a level 8 pressure (like my old Respironics System One) and that seemed to help.

That is why I'm considering starting at a level 10 or 12 now.  I think that I actually enjoy the greater air flow,
but I don't want to create any new issues for myself either...


RE: Can CPAP help my headaches? - Flying High - 12-04-2020

(12-04-2020, 02:36 PM)Sleeprider Wrote: Through the night your flow rate graph shows a flat top with occasional spikes that may be arousals, but the expiration bottom of the graph is very uneven.  This is often flow limitation, but we would need to look at a closeup of the flow rate in a 2-3 minute long zoom.  Anyway, go ahead and turn EPR up to 3 and let's do some zooms of the flow rate to compare if this helps.

Ok.  Thanks.  I'll up the EPR.  I'm attached two zooms.  One during some events and one close to waking.


RE: Can CPAP help my headaches? - Sleeprider - 12-04-2020

We want t tighter zoom, like from 23:40 to 23:42 or 43 so the flow wave is clearly visible. Here is an example

[Image: attachment.php?aid=26092]


RE: Can CPAP help my headaches? - Flying High - 12-04-2020

[attachment=28495][attachment=28495]Ok.  How about this?


RE: Can CPAP help my headaches? - Sleeprider - 12-04-2020

You're trainable!  Well done. You have moderate to severe persistent flow limitation that is under-stated by the statistics.  You do need EPR 3.

[Image: attachment.php?aid=28495]