Panic Over Breathing During Exercise

I've done a search here but have found nothing on my concern: have people had feelings of panic over breathing during exercise since starting CPAP? This is very different to feeling panic under CPAP at night.

Background

I've been on CPAP for some 4 months now, I adapted easily to it (Resmed S9 with humidity tank) and I have no problems sleeping with it. It's made a big difference to my life as I now no longer drop off to sleep as soon as I sit down and relax, although I do still struggle for energy at times.

I'm in my 50s and have always exercised, normally running 2-3 times per week, but had to take a break due to an injury some 6 months ago. I started exercising again a month or so and the first couple sets of alternate jogging and walking were OK.

The Symptoms In Greater Detail

The 3rd time I went out exercising I decided after 5 minutes of jogging I was breathing heavily and decided to walk. Instead of my breathing quickly slowing as normal I felt I wasn't coping, my heart rate seemed to increase, my breathing seemed not to slow and I began to panic and feel trapped by my clothing. I forced myself to remain calm, undid my top clothes and, after what seemed ages, my breathing and heart rate began to slow. I then stopped the exercise.

This sense of panic has come up every other run so I've stopped running. It's also happened several times when knocking a football around with my kids that I consider low stress and once or twice mildly when I've put my CPAP mask on. I've had mild symptoms after walking up a flight of stairs.

I've never had any problems before other than occasionally feeling uncomfortable when swimming under water.

Other Possibilities

I've had the occasional unexplained cough over the past couple of years so I may have a lung issue that is unrelated to CPAP. I don't want to see my doctor until I've ruled out any possibility of the CPAP being the cause.

It's not the CPAP...see your doctor

Hi NedC,

Panic and anxiety happen when we don't feel safe. It could be your body telling you something or it could be anxiety about getting older. The point is, YOU have a concern and your body has a concern about your safety, whether due to CPAP or not (and I can't think of why CPAP would cause these events). I think you need to listen to your own voices and body - and go see a doctor.

I am not trying to panic you further, because that isn't helpful to anyone, but I would have the heart looked at closely. Sometimes blockages will create oxygen panic when one least expects it.

Kind regards,
GB

NearDeadCentre wrote:I've done a search here but have found nothing on my concern: have people had feelings of panic over breathing during exercise since starting CPAP? This is very different to feeling panic under CPAP at night.

Background

I've been on CPAP for some 4 months now, I adapted easily to it (Resmed S9 with humidity tank) and I have no problems sleeping with it. It's made a big difference to my life as I now no longer drop off to sleep as soon as I sit down and relax, although I do still struggle for energy at times.

I'm in my 50s and have always exercised, normally running 2-3 times per week, but had to take a break due to an injury some 6 months ago. I started exercising again a month or so and the first couple sets of alternate jogging and walking were OK.

The Symptoms In Greater Detail

The 3rd time I went out exercising I decided after 5 minutes of jogging I was breathing heavily and decided to walk. Instead of my breathing quickly slowing as normal I felt I wasn't coping, my heart rate seemed to increase, my breathing seemed not to slow and I began to panic and feel trapped by my clothing. I forced myself to remain calm, undid my top clothes and, after what seemed ages, my breathing and heart rate began to slow. I then stopped the exercise.

This sense of panic has come up every other run so I've stopped running. It's also happened several times when knocking a football around with my kids that I consider low stress and once or twice mildly when I've put my CPAP mask on. I've had mild symptoms after walking up a flight of stairs.

I've never had any problems before other than occasionally feeling uncomfortable when swimming under water.

Other Possibilities

I've had the occasional unexplained cough over the past couple of years so I may have a lung issue that is unrelated to CPAP. I don't want to see my doctor until I've ruled out any possibility of the CPAP being the cause.

LSAT wrote:It's not the CPAP...see your doctor

what he said.

why does everybody want to pin every weird thing on cpap?

"I started cpap 16 years ago, and now my hip hurts, why did cpap do this to me?"

palerider wrote:

LSAT wrote:It's not the CPAP...see your doctor

what he said.

why does everybody want to pin every weird thing on cpap?

"I started cpap 16 years ago, and now my hip hurts, why did cpap do this to me?"

I actually really and truly saw a post here once that said "I've been having this pain in my foot ever since I started using CPAP".

No offense to the OP, BTW, just an observation about the quirks of this forum. I agree that you need to see a doctor. I have exercise induced asthma, and didn't realize it until I decided to try some sprints. All of the sudden I realized there was no air going in or out--I couldn't decide whether to call 9-1-1 first or to use my inhaler. It was terrifying! This is best sorted out by a physician rather than assuming it's "just" a panic attack.

Janknitz wrote:

palerider wrote:

LSAT wrote:It's not the CPAP...see your doctor

what he said.

why does everybody want to pin every weird thing on cpap?

"I started cpap 16 years ago, and now my hip hurts, why did cpap do this to me?"

I actually really and truly saw a post here once that said "I've been having this pain in my foot ever since I started using CPAP".

*ROFL* amazing.

Janknitz wrote:No offense to the OP, BTW, just an observation about the quirks of this forum.

exactly. better put than I said it.

palerider wrote:

LSAT wrote:It's not the CPAP...see your doctor

what he said.

why does everybody want to pin every weird thing on cpap?

"I started cpap 16 years ago, and now my hip hurts, why did cpap do this to me?"

Always go for the quick fix, not the things that can end your life quickly. Come to think about it, my right hip has started hurting as have both knees, glad to have found out XPAP caused it. I will change my pressure, for the cure.

Unfortunately XPAP doesn't cause your body to fail, not using XPAP correctly will however, if you need XPAP and you know you do. There are some things that need a medical work up or two, to rule out serious problems. Also we are all getting older, we do wear out. We don't like it, but that's the facts Jack!

You can blame it on anything you like, but that won't make it so. Blaming everything on XPAP treatment makes it easy, but it just allows more time for damage to continue, until things get so bad you must find the answers, or its too late. Jim

I am not a doctor... however Afib often manifests itself in a similar fashion.

NearDeadCentre,

As I understand it, you used to run two or three times a week. The six months ago, you had an injury and 'took a break' - and I assume you mean 'from running'. Then four months ago, you started CPAP. Then one month ago, you decided to go running again. And on the third day of running, you began to experience heavy breathing and heart racing (tachycardia).

And now you're wondering if the CPAP "caused" it.

From what I know, it's unlikely. Here's an alternative explanation.

1. If someone has been exercing regularly, like you were, it doesn't take long to get outa shape. In a study done some years ago, they got a bunch of fit, young medical students to stay in bed for two weeks. After the first week, they had lost half their muscle strength. After the second week, they had lost half of that. Ie, they were down to 25 per cent of where they started. And they were fit, young 20-somethings when they started.

Now, I'm guessing you didn't spend all the time between the injury and starting jogging again totally inactive. But you may have lost more 'fitness ability' than you thought.

2. I don't know if you've ever read or been introduced to the kind of rehabilitation schedule they use for people who've had heart attacks. The idea is to get people active again - gradually. And by gradually, they also mean precisely.

For the best protection against 'doing too much' - and also to get the most training effect - you should aim to keep your pulse rate between 60 per cent and 70 per cent of the maximum for your age. And you get your maximum by going '220 minus my age'.

So if you're 55, your 100 per cent is 165. And your safe training range is: 99 - 115.

And it may be that, starting from where you are now, you'll reach those numbers just by walking. And if so, the plan would be to stay at the walking level till you build up your fitness.

3. Which leads to: how long does that take? The cardiologists I read say you should get your heart rate up to those numbers, and keep them at those numbers, for 30 minutes. And to do that at least four days a week. (Some of them also say 50 per cent of your maximum is acceptable - as long as you do the 30 minutes.)

Another study, done at the sports medicine department of Warwick University, suggested that fit, young athletes should stay at any given 'level' of training for 20 days before moving up to the next level.

Modifying that for older guys like you and me - four weeks of just walking. Then, if you want to, four weeks of jogging 20 paces, walking 40 paces. And so on.

But all the time keeping your heart rate in the safe area - and not 'over-breathing'.

4. I mention the over-breathing because - as one of the other posters has suggested - you may now be in a cycle of - feeling slightly anxious - over-breathing - which causes changes in the body - which make you feel more anxious - which leads to more over-breathing ....

This is a whole 'nother subject on its own. But if I wuz to summarize:

a. when exercising, let your body tell you how much to breathe - but don't ever get to panting and over-breathing in the first place. Not at your age. Or my age.

b. when sitting around, doing nothing, practice abdominal breathing - at eight breaths a minute. Stare at a clock with a second hand if you have to.

And of course, if you have any doubt about your health, go see your doctor. If he or she finds there's nothing wrong with your heart or lungs, he or she might well tell you all the above. I doubt very much if they would disagree with it.

Just see the doctor.
Please.

You did remove the mask before exercising, right? Just checking

Seriously, see a doctor, Cpap did not cause this, if anything you should have a higher fitness ability since you are getting more O2 at night.

I would want to be checked out medically. Someone has already mentioned exercise induced asthma. For me it was undiagnosed lung disease. And cardiac issues come to mind. They may want to do pulmonary function studies and/or a stress test. Even if it means they just reassure you all testing is normal, you'll feel more comfortable to push yourself to regain some ground lost in your exercise routine. Until then I think you are wise to not push yourself. My understanding is certainly not all-wise, but I would think using CPAP would not be detrimental to your breathing unless maybe if there was something else already going on, in which case we'd still be back at seeing your doctor. I hope you let us know what you find out.

Thank you, everyone, for your wonderfully helpful and supportive comments (with the odd laugh too). I feel a bit overwhelmed.

Quite clearly the consensus is that CPAP is highly unlikely to be the source of my problems and that I should see my doctor, where my being able to rule out CPAP will be a big help.

To answer some of the points raised, let me first say that I did take off my CPAP mask when I went running, if only because the power lead brought me to a sudden halt when I tried, I used a nose warmer(!) on my last run/jog and this is only the start of asking about all the problems that CPAP could be causing (I've started with Breathing whilst running and will continue with Cold nose whilst walking in winter, Dry hair, the other Knee gives me a twinge now and then. . .).

More seriously, perhaps I've just not realised how much my fitness has declined. I'm aware of the recommendations for heart rates and I've tried to feed myself back into exercise gently. I thought I was being reasonably gentle by jogging, mostly downhill at little more than a fast walking pace for me, and I was breathing at no more than a fast but comfortable rate that's always been fine before. To give me the right info I need I'll sort out the heart monitor that I have for a GPS runner's watch (7 yrs old with a finicky GPS receiver that takes an age to lock in, but it does the job). I've just remembered that I've also got a pulse oximeter so I'll put that on too.

By nature I do ignore anything that might be wrong and just carry on with life without seeing a doctor unless I really have to. But if I decide that I need medical help I tend to want a quick resolution even if that means my paying out quite a bit of my own money. Getting data from future exercise is a good excuse for me to delay seeing my doctor so I've set myself the limit of booking first thing Monday morning.

By nature I do ignore anything that might be wrong and just carry on with life without seeing a doctor unless I really have to. But if I decide that I need medical help I tend to want a quick resolution even if that means my paying out quite a bit of my own money. Getting data from future exercise is a good excuse for me to delay seeing my doctor so I've set myself the limit of booking first thing Monday morning.

Anything to do with your heart or breathing is not something to ignore. You can live without that leg but not without your heart or lungs (and they tend to work together)

I am glad you saw the humour in some of the comments!

Good luck with your search.

Not all pulse ox's work for exercise. Check the limits of the one you use. Been thru the heart attact thing, I waited too long, (tough guy), it didn't work out well for me. Jim