CPAP-Reviews

Many people with sleep apnea that are new to CPAP equipment will do some online research to find out what side effects certain users experience. Here are a few that I have personally experienced:

• Chronic nose bleeds / nose bleeding: This doesn’t sound as bad as it really was. There wouldn’t be a lot of blood at all; just a tiny bit almost every day (noticed when blowing my nose). However it was reoccurring and became a little annoying. I thought that it would never end but after about 6 months of CPAPing it just magically went away. My sleep lab technition recommended not heated humidifier because he said it may increase the risk of of infection (it may be more difficult to keep your equipment clean with the heated humidifier) so I just rode it out.
• Teeth grinding / jawing: I don’t believe that this is a direct side effect of CPAP but I have a theory about this. You need to get used to Sleep Apnea therapy and it could take weeks or even months. After the first few weeks of starting CPAP I noticed minor headaches as well as jaw and teeth soreness and I couldn’t figure out why it was happening. This was only a temporary problem which I solved by purchasing a cheap mouth guard (one of the boil and bite types) which I used while sleeping for maybe 2 weeks. I stopped grinding my teeth and have never had to use it since. My theory is that I was stressed out because I normally have a difficult time getting to sleep and bringing CPAP supplies into the equation wasn’t helping. Some time is needed to get used to the sounds of the sleep apnea unit to alleviate this problem.
• Dry mouth / throat dryness: I used to have a glass of water by my bed occasionally since I would get thirsty during the night sometimes. Now with daily CPAP therapy I make sure I have water by my side every night because my mouth and throat get dry. It’s not severe just taking a sip of water if i wake up helps to remedy this side effect of CPAP.

CPAP can be very strange for beginner users. There are strange sounds introduced into your sleeping environment that previously didn’t exist. You may be breathing differently if you’re used to breathing through your mouth. There can be pressure on certain parts of your face and head to secure the equipment. Some people get used to this faster than others so be patient and hopefully your efforts will pay off.

The benefits of CPAP therapy greatly outweigh the potential side effects. It took a while to get used to it, but now I’m getting a much better night’s sleep and I wake up feeling fully rested now! I never thought I could feel so “awake” after waking up, but this is now typical because of CPAP.