Booze and CPAP?

pjwalman · Post by **pjwalman** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:51 pm

Okay. Hate to admit I like my alcohol on occasion, but...I do. I've read it's not a good thing because it could cause more apneas and I know I probably have to deal now with the idea of changing my lifestyle and cutting out the traditional evening cocktail (or two)...but I also know I'm human, that habits take some time to break, and that I am coming up on a weekend at the beach with people who will be drinking and will expect me to partake as I have in the past. So I guess I am admitting I know I will likely drink this weekend, whether it is good for me or not.

So my question is about CPAP. I'm safer from my apneas still with the machine than without it. Right? Do I need to make any adjustments? I've read about APAP and BiPAP being more "drinker friendly" , but that is not an option for me. I am on straight CPAP, pressure of 11, 30-minute ramp starting at 6.

Jeez, I feel weird posting this 'cause it makes me feel like admitting I'm a lush or something. I'm not talking a binge here, people, but I'd like to have a few drinks with my friends I haven't seen in ages on what for me is a very rare weekend getaway, and I'd like to know how best to bring my new sleeping buddy into that variation of my usual situation. Does that make sense? Can I safely use my CPAP even after a few drinks or is it better to not hook up? I guess sometimes ignorance is bliss. I never realized before that drinking was such a hazard for me in particular, enjoyed the benefits of being able to sleep a little better through the night even. If it's going to kill me, then of course I need to make the changes, but I just wondered if the occasional indulgence can still work now that I'm a hosehead.

Thank you!

Peggy

tangents · Post by **tangents** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:56 pm

Peggy,

By all means, use your APAP! If you want to switch your machine to auto mode, you can raise the higher pressure limit a few cm. Otherwise, just use it in CPAP mode like always. But please, don't skip using it! Will your AHI go up? Maybe, maybe not. Everyone's different.

Have a great time with your friends.

Cathy

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:02 pm

Hey, I've had a drink or two and gone to bed with my CPAP and been JUST FINE.

You had me worried - I thought you were putting booze in your humidifier chamber!

Cheers,
Babette

pjwalman · Post by **pjwalman** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:20 pm

Thank you for putting my mind at ease, ladies!!!

Peggy

deerslayer · Post by **deerslayer** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:24 pm

Anonymous wrote:Hey, I've had a drink or two and gone to bed with my CPAP and been JUST FINE.

You had me worried - I thought you were putting booze in your humidifier chamber!

Cheers,
Babette

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): humidifier, CPAP

wow thats a great idea !! wonder how Fosters would do ,Salud y'all

hobbs · Post by **hobbs** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:48 pm

CPAP for five years and never had a problem after celebrating with "Bacchus".
What I find REALLY WEIRD is that since getting my APAP some of my best numbers were on nights drinking good Cabernet Sauvignon. Well, my sister always said I was different!

Rastaman · Post by **Rastaman** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 4:00 pm

Ok then, to recap, if you have CPAP (why else would you be here, right?) then use it by all means when you drink...that is if you're still sober enough to get it on...well, what I mean to say is get your mask on correctly. And if one has an APAP use it instead (if you have the option of course) and maybe even raise it on the higher end a cm or two. Or not.

Myself? My range is 10 to 16..and I average about 12.8 which is almost exactly what I titrated at for CPAP, which was 13. So I just have to make sure mine is set to "APAP" ideally. But either way, as long as I can get that thing on, I'm all good.

The wife and I like to sip or mix some fine 100% blue agave tequila from time to time so that was taken into consideration when I got the APAP vs. CPAP but looking back I think I would've been just fine either way as long as I use something!

motogary · Post by **motogary** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:45 pm

I tended to snore more (Hey! I'm a poet and don't know it!) after having a few toddies, so I would think CPAP would be even more important in those cases.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:08 pm

I never read in the set-up manuel, where it was Ok, to replace distilled water with distilled spirits in a HH.

A few drinks 3 packs of Cigs and a Cigar or two and you health is sure to improve on XPAP. As long as you stay awake long enough to get the mask over the correct parts.

A correctly set APAP would do better than CPAP. A FF Mask would be a better option, than a nasal mask and taping. (It will hold more fluid.) Jim

dsm · Post by **dsm** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 1:47 am

I just spent 4 nights in Australia's best wine growing district as part of a car rally - every night we were transported to some winery & fed & filled - I was using my travel S8 Vantage set in cpap mode CMS=13.6 & EPR=3.

Typically my AHI was 7.5 to 9 (usually AI of 0.5 & the rest as HI).

On the last night (another winery dinner) I set my CMS down to 12.6 & left EPR at 3 & guess what ? AHI dropped to 6 !!!

Can't quite figure it out, but the aerophagia was so annoying I decided that a lower CMS was the least pain but the result was also a lower AHI *however* the mix was AI 1.0 & HI 5.0 so the AIs did go up (as to be expected) but the HIs dropped markedly.

DSM

PS After a good wine dinner (good meaning qty ) I wil add 1 CMS to my PB330 Bilevel machine setting. Always seems to work ok.
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alnhwrd · Post by **alnhwrd** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:37 am

I would recommend having your equipment all set up and ready to use for when you go to bed. Because speaking for myself, after tee many martoonies, it is very easy to drop things or get the mask hooked up wrong. One time in a state of inebriation I hooked my mask up to my left ear instead of my nose, and the whistling as the air escaped out of my right ear kept the whole house up all night!!

Just out of curiousity, what part of the state are you from and where are you going? This weekend we are supposed to be getting some great weather, so almost anywhere is bound to be nice.

pjwalman · Post by **pjwalman** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:57 am

Thank you, thank you, thank you all for making me feel, A, not so much like a freak to want my libation of choice and, B, more prepared for mask donning complications. What a blessing it has been to have this forum and this wonderful group of people to help me through these strange and new times.

Peggy

And to alnhwrd: I'm in Keizer, and we've been invited to stay free at a duplex in Gleneden Beach, I think it is, kind of off the highway where Salishan is. So on top of just being able to get away, period, which is priceless, we don't even have to shell out big bucks for the place! Whoohoo! Boy, you will have the kite-boarders flooding your neck of the woods, I'll bet, with our temperatures expected to hit the 70s this weekend. Could we actually see a bit of Spring finally?

anniep · Post by **anniep** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:00 am

I just went to a lecture on insomnia. According to the sleep specialist, alcohol interfers with the levels of sleep; meaning that if you drink alcohol before you go to bed you won't make it to the third and fourth level of sleep. That is the level of sleep where you are getting rested. The cpap allows you to get the the third and fourth level but the alcohol will block that level so the cpap won't help. He recommends that you drink during dinner and then stop atleast 3 to 4 hours before going to bed.
Before learning I had sleep apnea, I was drinking two glasses of wine in the evening before going to bed. I thought I was using the wine to help me relax to get to sleep. I learned from my sleep doctor that many people make that mistake, trying to medicate themselves because they aren't getting the rested sleep.
I hope that gives you a little prespective on alcohol and sleep. Good luck.

Treesap · Post by **Treesap** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:32 am

pjwalman wrote:And to alnhwrd: I'm in Keizer, and we've been invited to stay free at a duplex in Gleneden Beach, I think it is, kind of off the highway where Salishan is. So on top of just being able to get away, period, which is priceless, we don't even have to shell out big bucks for the place! Whoohoo! Boy, you will have the kite-boarders flooding your neck of the woods, I'll bet, with our temperatures expected to hit the 70s this weekend. Could we actually see a bit of Spring finally?

Ah....Oregon Coast. I've stayed at Salishan. It's a really nice resort. The Oregon coast is the best place on earth IMHO. I'm a fellow web foot. I hope to come back some day.......soon!

guest forgot to sign in · Post by **guest forgot to sign in** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:36 am

Please go enjoy yourself but use your cpap or apap, Just dont drink so much to the point of nausea because throwing up in a full face mask is not good. Eat before drinking . Wish I could join you to escape the ugly weather.

End of last Dec. got to visit friends and drank more than usual but used cpap. Woke up a little sluggish but not really hung over which might have been a bonus from cpap use. AHI scores were rather high that night. Wonder if I would have woken up refreshed if raised pressure or had apap.

I always wondered how some people could drink much more than me but were less hung over in the am. Guess they must not have sleep apnea.

Machine	Mask

Additional Comments: straight cpap 12.20 AHI avg.0.79