Body Inflammation seems worse with CPAP use

This posting caught my eye, I experienced a similar event. I was on CPAP for maybe 6 weeks when I started getting
pain in my right shoulder. I took some Advil and tried to work through it. Then the left shoulder and then my hips and
groin area. Orthopedic specialist thought it was a torn rotator cuff, after MRI it was decided that was not the cause and
why were the left shoulder and hips in such pain. 4 months of doctors and blood work I was going crazy with pain and not
being able to lift arms or walk. It turned out that I had some inflammation disease called PMR. Now being treated with small
dose of prednisone for the inflammation. Arthritis specialists says I might be on this treatment for up to 2 years. Not pleased
with that but I am 58 and really want to do more than sit in one place all day. I don't know your age but Sleep Apnea can
hide all sorts of other stuff going on in your body and then when the CPAP treatment starts working those things come to the
surface. Treatment does not cause issues, but getting your health back your body has to get back to how it was designed to work.
While doing some research on my issue, there are some Cholesterol medications that can cause extreme muscle pain, one article
stated 20% of the elderly can't walk or are in pain because of these Statins being over prescribed, not explained to the patient or
properly monitored.

SmokeChaser426 wrote:This posting caught my eye, I experienced a similar event. I was on CPAP for maybe 6 weeks when I started getting
pain in my right shoulder. I took some Advil and tried to work through it. Then the left shoulder and then my hips and
groin area. Orthopedic specialist thought it was a torn rotator cuff, after MRI it was decided that was not the cause and
why were the left shoulder and hips in such pain. 4 months of doctors and blood work I was going crazy with pain and not
being able to lift arms or walk. It turned out that I had some inflammation disease called PMR. Now being treated with small
dose of prednisone for the inflammation. Arthritis specialists says I might be on this treatment for up to 2 years. Not pleased
with that but I am 58 and really want to do more than sit in one place all day. I don't know your age but Sleep Apnea can
hide all sorts of other stuff going on in your body and then when the CPAP treatment starts working those things come to the
surface. Treatment does not cause issues, but getting your health back your body has to get back to how it was designed to work.
While doing some research on my issue, there are some Cholesterol medications that can cause extreme muscle pain, one article
stated 20% of the elderly can't walk or are in pain because of these Statins being over prescribed, not explained to the patient or
properly monitored.

Comments,

I have been taking Meloxican (generic Mobic) 7.5 mg tablet for my Osteoarthritis joint pain. But I think that taking only one such tablet a day is not enough to eliminate all the pain in my limb joints. So I plan to ask my PCP if I could take more tablets. Also, I go for physical therapy to treat my vestibular system for balance (not to fall while walking) and also to treat my Diabetic feet peripheral neuropathy. As to my APAP treatment I think that it has no relation to these joints pain. As to statins, I take Simvastatin (generic Zocor) 20 mg tablet once a day.

SmokeChaser426 wrote:This posting caught my eye, I experienced a similar event. I was on CPAP for maybe 6 weeks when I started getting
pain in my right shoulder. I took some Advil and tried to work through it. Then the left shoulder and then my hips and
groin area. Orthopedic specialist thought it was a torn rotator cuff, after MRI it was decided that was not the cause and
why were the left shoulder and hips in such pain. 4 months of doctors and blood work I was going crazy with pain and not
being able to lift arms or walk. It turned out that I had some inflammation disease called PMR. Now being treated with small
dose of prednisone for the inflammation. Arthritis specialists says I might be on this treatment for up to 2 years. Not pleased
with that but I am 58 and really want to do more than sit in one place all day. I don't know your age but Sleep Apnea can
hide all sorts of other stuff going on in your body and then when the CPAP treatment starts working those things come to the
surface. Treatment does not cause issues, but getting your health back your body has to get back to how it was designed to work.
While doing some research on my issue, there are some Cholesterol medications that can cause extreme muscle pain, one article
stated 20% of the elderly can't walk or are in pain because of these Statins being over prescribed, not explained to the patient or
properly monitored.

Your post caught my eye. Never even heard of Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) until six weeks ago when I was diagnosed with it. The pain for me was centered around my neck, shoulders and between my shoulder blades (upper back). Two days after starting Prednisone, I felt noticeable better. When I began the process of lowering the dose, the pain returned, tho not as intensely. I'm sure you did research and read the same things I've read. Prednisone is not a great drug, but is the most commonly used for PMR. It seems that this 'condition' gets better but flare ups are common. My doctor said I'd have to stay on a low dose (1mg) for 3 years.

Interesting about the Statins... I'll do some research and talk to my doctor about that. Thanks for posting!

I think there may be a simple explanation for this - if you've been unable to sleep soundly for a long time, your body is now revealing the impact of lying still for prolonged periods. I've experienced this as well and increased my daily movement/exercise and started doing yoga again. It helped. A lot. Add some weights to your routine as well, because a lot of body pain is due to pinched nerves and you can create more space in the joints where this most commonly occurs by increasing the size of some muscles that run through the same openings as the nerves and keeping those openings larger. Adding weight to even a regular movement routine will reduce incidental nerve distress. And consider chiropractic. A good chiropractor (yes, there are bad ones) can keep your body in better balance and keep the spine aligned better so that also keeps nerves in better shape and reduces muscle spasms - another cause of body pain.

My mother had PMR and the high doses of steroids caused her to become diabetic which eventually led to her demise with Alzheimer's and multi-infarct dementia. Her quality of life went rapidly downhill. She was on statins, too but thought they were the bees knees along with her carb heavy "heart healthy" low fat diet. What I can see clearly now is that EVERY piece of advice she was given was WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!

There are dietary approaches to reduce systemic inflammation that might be able to reduce or eliminate steroids and pain meds. First and foremost talk to your doctor about statins (but be aware that too many doctors have NO clue that we need cholesterol and statins interfere with a major metabolic pathway implicated in many important processes our health depends on). Avoid processed oils (any oil except olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil) as processed oils are inflammatory. Eat healthy REAL fat from animals including wild caught fish and grass fed meat, full fat dairy, nuts, avocado, and olive and coconut oil. Eat fermented foods to support good gut bacteria. Avoid grains, sugars, starches. Foods like turmeric, gelatin/collagen (broth is a great way to get them) and Omega 3 fats in fish, fish oil, pastured meat and dairy, adequate supplementation of vitamins D3 and K2 may lessen or eliminate the need for destructive steroids.

Even if I knew then what I know now, my stubborn mom would not have listened. She worked for doctors and would never question them. But if PMR is hereditary, I don't plan to do it her way. I'm hoping my anti-inflammatory approach will prevent all she went through.

I am taking 25mg of Prednisone now to control the inflammation I have with PMR. I am having a bone density baseline done in
December. The arthritis specialists saw in my profile that I have psoriasis. Going to do some testing for Psoriatic arthritis and
some genetic test. I was a chef and worked with dietitians for 30 years so I have a pretty good idea of what to eat and have
been tested for allergies so I don't think that my inflammation is coming from that direction. The PMR will rebound quickly
if you play around with Prednisone dosage. Doctor wants to lower my dose down from 25mg over a 5 month period. Fortunately
if the pain comes back, PMR does respond quickly, in a day or so to an increased dosage of Prednisone. RA is something else to look
into and Fibermyalgia. Some of these disease do not have tests to diagnose, sort of just a check list of symptoms. I hope you are
able to peg down your situation and take care of it. I have a good routine and being on the machine has been a real positive to my
sleep and overall health I think. The top of my mask does rub the top of my hairline and it is receding, but my years of being vain
are pretty much behind me.

Guest wrote:I have been having intense pain and swelling in my hands and body in general. I have wheat and grain allergies, so therefore eat nothing with gluten, am sensitive to nightshade so therefore eat no potatos, tomatoes, etc. I have recently started using a res med CPAP machine with the heated humidify ing system on it. In the night, and first thing in the mornings, my hands are screaming with pain, and I can not close my hands into a fist. My fingers seem to "lock" and if I bump them I burst into tears. I have recently wondered if the fluids being pumped through my CPAP could be causing the fluid level in my body to rise and cause inflammation. Any one else noticing this problem? I can not think of anything else in my life that has changed to have brought on this kind of pain and swelling at such an abrupt onset.

Drat, I have this same issue. Started APAP 5 months ago, first 2 months I just had back and neck pain which we all assumed was from lack of movement, but then I started waking up with finger joint pain and a sense of swelling in my hands. This only happened when I slept with the APAP, if I stopped using it he pain would fade over a few days, but as soon as I started it again I'd wake in the morning feeling stiff, sore, and with hands that hurt when I curled my fingers. It seemed the pain and swelling was directly related to the use of the APAP but all my doctors and specialists I've seen say they've never heard of anyone with such hand pain from APAP use. So I'm back to square one with no answers or resolution.

Guest wrote:

Guest wrote:I have been having intense pain and swelling in my hands and body in general. I have wheat and grain allergies, so therefore eat nothing with gluten, am sensitive to nightshade so therefore eat no potatos, tomatoes, etc. I have recently started using a res med CPAP machine with the heated humidify ing system on it. In the night, and first thing in the mornings, my hands are screaming with pain, and I can not close my hands into a fist. My fingers seem to "lock" and if I bump them I burst into tears. I have recently wondered if the fluids being pumped through my CPAP could be causing the fluid level in my body to rise and cause inflammation. Any one else noticing this problem? I can not think of anything else in my life that has changed to have brought on this kind of pain and swelling at such an abrupt onset.

Drat, I have this same issue. Started APAP 5 months ago, first 2 months I just had back and neck pain which we all assumed was from lack of movement, but then I started waking up with finger joint pain and a sense of swelling in my hands. This only happened when I slept with the APAP, if I stopped using it he pain would fade over a few days, but as soon as I started it again I'd wake in the morning feeling stiff, sore, and with hands that hurt when I curled my fingers. It seemed the pain and swelling was directly related to the use of the APAP but all my doctors and specialists I've seen say they've never heard of anyone with such hand pain from APAP use. So I'm back to square one with no answers or resolution.

My suggestion would be to evaluate what you're eating (and drinking) and maybe any medications you're taking.
Too many people are too quick to blame the therapy. It's only AIR.
Get a comprehensive blood draw, too.


Den

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SleepyDeb wrote:I was hoping the muscle/joint aches would actually go away after being diagnosed with OSA

The pain sounds like a pre-exising condition from before cpap therapy was started. Your asking why you are still having the pain. Right or wrong?

Before and during cpap therapy my body hurt so bad at times that I would rather have been dead. It was mostly due to sleep deprivation from improperly treated apnea. I had to sleep for more than 12 hours before my pains would subside. With just 6 hours they were very bad. Once my cpap pressure settings were right; in time the pain started to subside and is mostly gone now. Also I was deficient in vitamin D and taking supplements helped with the severe aching pains a lot.

I wonder if your cpap therapy is not adequate like in my case? The main clue for me was that the aches were directly related to how much sleep I got. More sleep equaled less pain.

Dang it. Got fooled by an old thread. Wish people would start their own new threads instead of piggy backing on someone elses old one.

I guess I would say the same thing to the person that revived this old thread. Are you sure your cpap therapy is adequate? Mine wasn't adequate for three years and was causing severe aches and pains. They are mostly gone now with proper pressure settings and proper treatment.

Guest wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 03, 2016 5:03 pm

I have been having intense pain and swelling in my hands and body in general. I have wheat and grain allergies, so therefore eat nothing with gluten, am sensitive to nightshade so therefore eat no potatos, tomatoes, etc. I have recently started using a res med CPAP machine with the heated humidify ing system on it. In the night, and first thing in the mornings, my hands are screaming with pain, and I can not close my hands into a fist. My fingers seem to "lock" and if I bump them I burst into tears. I have recently wondered if the fluids being pumped through my CPAP could be causing the fluid level in my body to rise and cause inflammation. Any one else noticing this problem? I can not think of anything else in my life that has changed to have brought on this kind of pain and swelling at such an abrupt onset.

I have juast started using a cpap. I have Celiac disease, which means I cannot have any wheat, and the same thing has happened to me. My hands swelled and started hurting and my back ached in all kinds of places it does no tusually ache. I think this is very interesting and hope that some Celiac experts take notice and begin to think aobut what might be happening.

I suspect something similar with gluten is happening with me as well!