Whats going on?

[Daisy004]

8 months into Cpap, everything was going fine, was sleeping through the night no problem, this past month its been getting harder and harder to breath on it again, its like Im going backwards. Chest is really sore, waking up gasping for air, having trouble falling asleep due to sore chest , feeling like Im just not getting enough air. Waking at least 4 times a night again...whats going on? Feeling terrible. Has anyone had anything like this happen to them before? thanks

[sleepstar]

Your pressure requirements can change.
Does your machine show you your AHI? Has your weight changed? Are you sleeping on your back more?

[Daisy004]

weight pretty much the same...Im a side sleeper but having trouble sleeping on my side now as I feel Im not getting enough air. I will check my AHI but its always around 2 pretty good. Last night was the worst..the minute I put the nasal pillows on Im gasping for air ( autoset 6 - 10 ) my number is 7. Im constantly fidgeting with the pillows too adjusting them to get them comfy ( something Ive not done in a long time) I even ordered new pillows and headgear incase it was that. No clue.. all I know is chest is sore. Feels like that first month when you are still getting used to it. Strange. Washed out water tank...cleaned everything..what have I missed?

[Pugsy]

Waking up multiple times a night will sure make us feel crappy...figuring out why we are waking up multiple times a night is not always easy though.

Have you checked all your equipment to make sure nothing weird there...especially the long hose...take it off and make sure it doesn't have a tear or something (fill it with water and hold it up covering both ends and look for leaks).
I read of one person who spent months trying to figure out why they felt so bad all of the sudden and come to find out there were pin holes in the hose causing loss of pressure.
It probably is not what is going on with you but it never hurts to double check everything. The hose is often forgotten.

Try a size larger in the nasal pillows...see if there is any reduction in the discomfort with exhaling.

Probably should be talking to the doctor if this doesn't ease up...make sure nothing else is going on. We ten to want to put all our aches and pains in the cpap/OSA basket and sometimes it simply is some other problem rearing its ugly head.

Oh, are you using EPR? If so at what setting? Do you have room to increase it if the setting is 1 or 2?

[sleepstar]

If you're not feeling like there's enough air you could try increasing the minimum pressure.

[Daisy004]

thank you guys...checked the hose , it seems fine. The APR is set at 3. I do have a larger set of Nasal pillows I can try see if that helps with the exhale. Im going to try turning off the humidity tonight. My nose has been a bit stuffy these last few days Im wondering if the humidity is making it worse. At this point I will try anything. Then as you say..the doc may be a last resort.

[STL Mark]

If you are open to it, consider posting some of the reports from your software. That may give us a better idea of what your machine is doing throughout the night.

If your relationship with your DME allows it consider seeing their Respiratory Therapist. It may be something they can provide suggestions on at no cost to you. Also consider if you have had any changes in drugs recently. Pain killers for example can cause some interesting changes in our machine requirements.

[Daisy004]

STL Mark...Doctor has just recently in the past two months started me on Topomax for Migrains and assured me that this would have no affect on the Cpap whatsoever. Im beginning to wonder now that you mentioned the effects of painkillers. According to the doctor the Topomax would help me sleep and he told me to take it at night before bed. The thing is, the Topomax is working wonderful on my headaches, I really hope this is not the cause of me feeling worse on the Cpap....sigh.

[STL Mark]

If the medicine works you may need to keep taking it. Your numbers from you machine will help us know what adjustments need to be made.

It is more important to be watchful of times when things are not going right and adapt the machine to the situation. Determining if it is a dust mite allergy, a change in weight, or a drug conflict may not be very important at all.

My personal soap box: I believe society and the medical community in general does not take it serious when women speak of chest pain. It may be time to get an EKG and determine if a full work up is needed. Heart problems can effect you at age 9 or 99.

[johnthomasmacdonald]

I'm eight months in and I'd say that the overall cpap experience is as crappy as ever ( except for the first month when it was truly intolerable, prior to my switching to bipap). Maybe one good night a week where I feel like I had a reasonable sleep. ahi is lower though, usually always around 5-7, it's been weeks since I've been in the teens so I guess there has been progress. I never look forward to going to sleep as i did prior to starting this. It is what it is.

[archangle]

According to the doctor the Topomax would help me sleep and he told me to take it at night before bed. The thing is, the Topomax is working wonderful on my headaches, I really hope this is not the cause of me feeling worse on the Cpap....sigh.

Topomax has a warning about suddenly stopping taking it, so use caution if you decide to change it.

[khauser]

My personal soap box: I believe society and the medical community in general does not take it serious when women speak of chest pain. It may be time to get an EKG and determine if a full work up is needed. Heart problems can effect you at age 9 or 99.

This is VERY true. I recall an occasion where a young woman I worked with started complaining of lower jaw pain (I wasn't in her presence at the time). She called the doctor, who wasn't concerned ... I think he recommend seeing the dentist!! Fortunately for her she told another woman who took control and literally DRAGGED her to the hospital, saving her life in the process ... she was in the midst of a heart attack! Even the hospital played it down until the test results came in. Women are NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY about it ... it's a known and recognized problem that they (the medical community) are JUST starting to get some control over.

[khauser]

According to the doctor the Topomax would help me sleep and he told me to take it at night before bed. The thing is, the Topomax is working wonderful on my headaches, I really hope this is not the cause of me feeling worse on the Cpap....sigh.

Topomax has a warning about suddenly stopping taking it, so use caution if you decide to change it.

Topomax is typically prescribed for seizure control. Her doctor (any many others) are using it off-label to treat all sorts of pain problems, often with success. I used Topomax for quite some time, and it most definitely DID decrease my perception of pain. Unfortunately for me, it also caused some memory and thinking issues that, as a software engineer, were kind of interfering with my success at work. So I'm off of it.

Most off-label uses are taking a MUCH smaller dosage and don't have the tendency to experience seizures in the first place. That said, since I have no idea of Daisy's medical case, DEFINITELY get the doctor's advice. I

[pikov22]

8 months into Cpap, everything was going fine, was sleeping through the night no problem, this past month its been getting harder and harder to breath on it again, its like Im going backwards. Chest is really sore, waking up gasping for air, having trouble falling asleep due to sore chest , feeling like Im just not getting enough air. Waking at least 4 times a night again...whats going on? Feeling terrible. Has anyone had anything like this happen to them before? thanks

Have you told this to your sleep doctor?