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There are many research studies on CPAP problems in babies, but I couldn’t find any references to problems in adults in Google Scholar or PubMed.
I would like to relate my own personal problems with a CPAP machine, just in case anyone else can’t get medical providers or CPAP advisors to recognize a problem.
i’m currently 90 years old, and have had asthma since I was 14 and diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
I've been using a CPAP machines for about 17 years. About 2.5 years ago, I purchased a new automatic machine and asked it to be set on a minimum of 4, and a maximum of 10 cm water pressure.
Intermittently since then, my wife has made sporadic complaints about the noise of the machine and the amount of cold air leakage. I didn’t worry too much myself because it was preventing my snoring.
However my respiratory conditions appeared to be worsening. For months on end I was wheezing audibly during the day, and I appeared to be using my Oxis and Pulmicort puffers more frequently. My GP also supplied a third type of inhaler that I was beginning to use more often because of my wheezing. At one stage I asked for a referral for chest X-rays. It surprised me that the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease was just given a mention as being mild to moderate. So my GP and myself concluded that chronic asthma was my problem and that I would just have to rely on multiple drug inhalants.
About 4 months ago I thought that I should get my CPAP checked, just in case it might have been part of the problem. My machine apparently keeps records of nightly scores of snoring and hypopnoea and apnoea for the previous 6 months. The technician was able to use software to conclude that the machine was successfully keeping all scores well below acceptable levels.
I realized virtually after two years that I was adapting to the pressure of the machine and not the other way around, when one morning I timed myself at 25 breaths a minute to accommodate to incoming pressure. Now that I knew that software was available, I managed to download the READ software from the company who made my machine. The readings revealed that it was set on a maximum of 20 instead of 10 and that on some nights it was reaching 12 and 16 cm water pressure. I could only read the printout but could not adjust the machine without a special technician password.
it wasn’t just that the pressure of the machine was up, but I often had a distended right jugular vein during the day, and finding that I had to stop to regain my breath after walking less than a dozen yards and my morning blood pressure was up about the 200/100 mm Hg level. Subsequent blood tests, chest X-rays and an echo-cardiograph showed that my liver enzymes were up, my kidneys were failing (estimated GFR 23), my lungs were hyper-inflated and there was some pleural effusion.
My heart was in very bad shape. Most of the valves were leaking, both atria were distended from backed-up blood and only 35% of blood was being pumped out by the left ventricle.
I had the heart echo-cardiograph on a Friday afternoon and the radiographer expressed serious concern that I should not hesitate to call an ambulance if I worsened before I could see my GP on the Monday.
I took my machine back to the technician and convinced him to reset it at a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 7 cm water. His personal opinion was that it would not work, but he reluctantly bowed to my wishes. My cardiovascular/respiratory capacity has returned to where it was several years ago. I can walk around the block again and up moderate hills without distress. I have to point out that my heart was not that healthy to start with. I have a leaky tricuspid valve associated with pacemaker wires, and I have a stent in the right descending coronary artery from a heart attack 17 years ago.
Now it may be that my case is quite rare, but because of the absence of any reports of side effects in Google Scholar or PubMed, in adult users, I thought a mention here could help with any other rare cases. The most abnormal symptom in my case was the persistence of audible wheezing during the day for long periods. That was before the back pressure on my heart reached a tipping point.
It is dangerous to attempt to adjust your machine yourself because you damage your lungs with the wrong setting. Please rely on your doctor's advice, NOT a technician.
With your CPAP, Asthma, COPD, and heart issues it is best to the best cardiologist in your area. I read a lot on the Cleveland Clinic site since I am now too far away for an appointment but they have treated my family for decades with great results. Also, the Eastern U.S. seems to have more Asthma resulting in better options.
Best of luck to you but there isn't more I offer, other than prayers.
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