Heavy feeling in chest

[Silverqueen1964]

How long before I get use to the cpack my chest feels like it's starving for air and the cpack is working

[fiberfan]

How long before I get use to the cpack my chest feels like it's starving for air and the cpack is working

Is your machine set to start at a lower pressure and ramp up to your therapy pressure? The default setting for the ramp start pressure was too low for me to get enough air so I changed to a higher starting pressure until I had been on cpap for a while when I turned off the ramp.

It would help if you tell us what machine you are using and what your pressure setting(s) are.

[Goofproof]

Not much to go on here, maybe a doctor. Jim

[torontoCPAPguy]

One thing I never had was a heavy feeling in my chest.

THIS is NOT the place to resolve such an issue by any means.

YOU need to see a doctor, preferably a pulmonologist or cardiologist and get to the bottom of this heavy feeling. It could be angina from lack of oxygen in your blood; it could be aFib rearing its ugly head. It could be a lot of things. Don't you think you would sleep better in any event if you got it checked out and knew what it was for sure?

I know that I sure would and I strongly suggest that you do not self-diagnose or seek medical opinion on here. Tweak, research, educate, by all means. But see a doctor today.

A heavy chest is not a normal thing. Period.

[Elle]

I had a heavy feeling in my chest when I first started cpap and the helpful members here suggested it might be my chest muscles getting a workout. It did clear up as I adapted.

Doctor visit is in order to determine exactly what the cause is.

[Lee Lee]

Yes, I DID have that! I know now that it was my lungs and chest using muscles that had not been used for a while.
Not a pleasant feeling.
Hope you get some relief.

[torontoCPAPguy]

Does anyone wish to categorically guarantee that it is simply muscular strain and not anything else?

[chunkyfrog]

When I was starting out, I felt tenderness in my chest wall as I breathed.
That, I knew was sore muscles.
If I had a "heavy" feeling in my chest, I'd get to the E.R. STAT!

[Elle]

"Does anyone wish to categorically guarantee that it is simply muscular strain and not anything else?"

I'm not sure if that question is sarcasm since most know that it can't be answered. I think what happens here is that people related their similar experiences. That is what the forum is about.

[chunkyfrog]

Elle: No. In fact;
Heck no!
Original post was yesterday.
Poster could be dead by now.
A 'heavy' chest might be a symptom that should not be blown off.

[Elle]

I don't think anyone was blowing it off. We were coming up with possibilities (and a suggestion to call the doc).

It is a cpap forum and it seems to be common for people starting cpap to experience a heavy chest so I think it is ok to relate that information to the OP *shrug*.

[ems]

Does anyone wish to categorically guarantee that it is simply muscular strain and not anything else?

1. That is a ridiculous question. No one could possibly guarantee that!

2. I think a qualified doctor would take a guess.

3. Person should have gone to a doctor not posted this here.

4. Referring to a post above mine, I too hope the OP isn't dead!

[Elle]

AND, the OP seems to assume this heavy chest started with cpap use and has continued for what I assume is a few nights at least. I think an emergency heavy chestedness would have got him on the first night.

[chunkyfrog]

Good points, everyone.
It may be just me, but the word 'heavy' makes me very uncomfortable.
It makes me think of a weight on the chest sort of sensation.
I think that's what the docs say is "not good".
Now, if the pain stays the same with exercise, it's probably not serious; (but who can be sure?)
But, if the pain worsens with mild exercise (walking, going up steps, etc) then quite possibly cardiac related.
Of course, such a test might trigger an event you don't want to deal with alone. Yikes!
The OP has not posted again--I hope she's OK.

[SleepyToo2]

2. I think a qualified doctor would take a guess.

A qualified doctor might take a qualified guess - but only after they had done all the tests under the sun, the moon, and the stars (and the planets!) to make sure they had absolute certainty they had ruled out every other possibility - and checked their insurance coverage if they are not doing all of the above. No one should guess about these things - so, get thee to a doctor, pronto, patient! should be the only response to the OPs request. I, like others, hope it turned out to be CPAP related and not something more serious.

Disclosure - I am not a doctor but I know enough about what they do to know that for serious matters I need to see a doc, not get a response on a public forum!