+- Apnea Board Forum - CPAP | Sleep Apnea (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums)
+-- Forum: Public Area (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Public-Area)
+--- Forum: Main Apnea Board Forum (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Main-Apnea-Board-Forum)
+--- Thread: Nighttime Oxygen Question (/Thread-Nighttime-Oxygen-Question)
Nighttime Oxygen Question - jadzia66 - 04-23-2013
Hi, I'm new here and have a question that I hope someone may be able to answer. I was diagnosed about a month ago with sleep apnea (overnight pulse ox dropped to 76%) and my doctor put me on nighttime oxygen. When my oxygen machine was delivered the gentleman explained in detail how to use it. No problem so far. He also showed where I could fill in a container with distilled water because he said that many people have complained of dryness. I have now used the machine both ways in trying to solve my problem... if I add the distilled water, I wake up in the morning with my left eye swollen, red and kind of gunky... like one would have if they had pink eye. If I empty the container and use no water at all, I wake up in extreme sinus pain, again involving the left eye area. The pain from the bridge of my nose to my left eye, travels to my left ear and downward. So the problem is, how do I use this machine without waking up in pain or with a red discharg-y eye? The only time I wake up looking and feeling normal is if the nose thing has fallen out at some point during the night. My doctor made a big fuss about my low nighttime pulse ox number so I know the oxygen is important but I've been suffering ever since I've been on the darn thing. Has anyone had this happen before and if so, do you have any tips on how to avoid these complications? Thank you in advance!
RE: Nighttime Oxygen Question - zonk - 04-24-2013
CPAP works well for most people but the first few nights of the therapy can be overwhelming and unnerving
Finding the right mask is essential for effective treatment. Don,t over tighten the straps, too tight can causes pain to to your nose and leaks
Too high leaks can lead to ineffective therapy
Please read "Tips for new CPAP users" prepared bu Mayo clinic
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=Tips_for_new_CPAP_users
During sleep study, my oxygen levels drop around 80 but with CPAP climbed to 90 plus
Some uses humidifier and others don,t. I need max humidity while others need less and there are also folk can go by without
Everyone is different. Make sure to fill tank with water each night and not using humidifier with no water in the tank
Please add equipment to profile so we can tailor responses to your particular machine, mask, etc ...
RE: Nighttime Oxygen Question - DocWils - 04-24-2013
Do you sleep on your side or with your head turned to one side? Is the pain always on the opposite side to which you sleep or the same? It sounds like you have an open sinus cavity that lets the circulation of the O2 get a bit more vigorous - this is often seen in patients who have had nasal surgery that has left too much space in the passage (we call it "stinknase" here, because bacteria tends to build up and make the exhalation breath smelly), but can also happen for other reasons in non surgical patients.
My first suspicion as to the swelling and red eye is that you are not using real sterile water and that the pressure is too high, but you need to take all this to your doc and explain. First, to help him get to the bottom of this, answer the above questions so that the simple question of sinal mucous is dealt with, since that is the likely answer (pressure too high pushing air or mucous around you sinus cavity on the left side). The next question is why O2 and not a CPAP? It there no sign of apnoea? Have you done a sleep test? Third is to look at the pressure of the O2 - is it too high (likely)? At any rate, you need to take this to your doc, or an ENT.
RE: Nighttime Oxygen Question - trish6hundred - 04-24-2013
Hi jadzia66,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hang in there for more responses to your post and best of luck.
RE: Nighttime Oxygen Question - Shastzi - 04-24-2013
That is weird that you are on O2 and not CPAP. If your throat collapses during the apnea event the O2 will never get to you lungs!
I think you should get your sleep study records and find a second opinion.
I think your doc likes pay for his big luxury car by selling oxygen.
As for your eyes, O2 is really dry stuff and needs to be hydrated before you breathe it so dont spare the distilled water!
Cheers and good luck!
RE: Nighttime Oxygen Question - vsheline - 05-12-2013
(04-24-2013, 08:22 AM)Shastzi Wrote: That is weird that you are on O2 and not CPAP. If your throat collapses during the apnea event the O2 will never get to you lungs!
I think you should get your sleep study records and find a second opinion.
...
As for your eyes, O2 is really dry stuff and needs to be hydrated before you breathe it so dont spare the distilled water!
Hi jadzia66,
What Shastzi said.
Also, I think you should have your oxygen machine checked to verify it is actually delivering the amount of O2 it says it is delivering.
Also, without waiting until someone actually measures the amount of O2 your machine is delivering and makes sure it is correct, I suggest you talk to your doc to see if, in view of your complaints, he would want to moderate (reduce) the amount of O2 he has you on.
Your doctor may have you on a common dosage of O2 which, nonetheless, may be too much for you if it is causing the symptoms you mention. (Everybody is different.)
O2 therapy can be a life-saver.
It can also ruin your health, if you take too much. For example, it can interact with and change or block the affect of prescription drugs.
We cannot live without sufficient O2 but, at the same time, Oxygen is of course a strong oxidizing agent, highly reactive with just about everything in our body.
Anyway, if you google "Oxygen therapy" you will find many clinical papers which detail how O2 can be helpful but too much O2 can be harmful because it can increase oxidative stress (free radicals) in the body.
Take care,
--- Vaughn
RE: Nighttime Oxygen Question - Shastzi - 05-13-2013
At 2 atmospheres pure oxygen becomes toxic and can cause convulsions after as little as 30 minutes.
Yet another too much of a good thing...
Why wont your Dr put you on CPAP?
Do you have some kind of issues preventing it?
:/