CPAPtalk.com

Have any of you more experienced users (or even new users) noticed any increase in lung capacity? At higher altitudes and when hiking up hills or stairs, I notice that I breathe heavier than lots of other folks even though I exercise regularly and am in better shape than some. I was just optimistically hoping that perhaps the reason for this could be a result of my apnea and that CPAP may show an improvement over time or perhaps I'm just having wishful thinking. I'm very interested to hear your input.

I had the shortness of breath under exertion issue too. However, for me it was not an issue of lung capacity. The evil apnea was causing pulmonary hypertension.

If you are an apnea sufferer and are having shortness of breath under exertion, I suggest you get yourself along to a cardiologist ASAP.

The good news was that it was not too late and after a few months on CPAP everything went back to how it should be. Much more fun to exercise now.

Gerald? wrote:I had the shortness of breath under exertion issue too. However, for me it was not an issue of lung capacity. The evil apnea was causing pulmonary hypertension.

If you are an apnea sufferer and are having shortness of breath under exertion, I suggest you get yourself along to a cardiologist ASAP.

The good news was that it was not too late and after a few months on CPAP everything went back to how it should be. Much more fun to exercise now.

Thanks, Gerald?, Did you only have the CPAP as treatment or did you have to have other treatment for this?

I'm glad you are having more fun exercising now! I'm able to exercise-- ski, bike, hike, dance, jog, walk... I just feel like I'm breathing harder than everyone and was wondering if there is a correlation. I've only used CPAP for a week now and my chest was sore for the first few days which led me to start thinking about lung capacity. I'll definitely call my doctor now just to ask and see if I need to be checked for pulmonary hypertension.

This is something you absolutely want to speak to a cardiologist about and I say this from personal experience.

Hi S13py,
It was dyspnea on exertion that caused me to seek medical attention that lead to my sleep apnea diagnosis. My Pulmonologist/sleep Doc sent me to a Cardiologist. Diagnostic study for me was an Echo-cardiogram from which they can calculate pressures. It's a non-invasive test and not too expensive. Probably anyone who has had apnea and hypertension for awhile should have this done. I'm supposed to have it done annually.
Jamis

jamiswolf wrote:Hi S13py,
It was dyspnea on exertion that caused me to seek medical attention that lead to my sleep apnea diagnosis. My Pulmonologist/sleep Doc sent me to a Cardiologist. Diagnostic study for me was an Echo-cardiogram from which they can calculate pressures. It's a non-invasive test and not too expensive. Probably anyone who has had apnea and hypertension for awhile should have this done. I'm supposed to have it done annually.
Jamis

I could be a candidate for that, so Ill follow up with my doctor. I am checkiing my blood pressure at home regularly and it seems fine. there have been little heart pains which xPAP seems to have cleared up, and a stabintheshoulderblades back pain which appeared with CPAP at 6cc and has gone away just as quick with lesser pressures. my old doctor thought there was exertional dyspnea and rushed me off for chest CT, which was clear.

my FEV1 score is 73 and has been for a while and hasn't improved on symbicort or even after taking steroids like prednisone for a few weeks at a time
is it really possible that cpap increases your lung function? I have wheezing when I exhale and my O2 during the day falls to 94%

sl33py wrote: Thanks, Gerald?, Did you only have the CPAP as treatment or did you have to have other treatment for this?

No just CPAP. I did have echo-cardiogram to confirm pulmonary hypertension and another one a few months later with a stress test to confirm it was gone. Although I understand long term untreated sleep apnea can lead to an irreversable change.

As jamiswolf said, there is nothing to an echo.

Hi,

Your lung capacity (compliance) is dependent on exercise and number of repetition you could do in one single breath. CPAP could clear your airway and your lungs improving the work of breathing to certain extent. However, don't set the pressure too high as it may exhaust you as you may try to exhale (and you may feel tired) For CPAP stuff two key things our important: (1) Optimal Pressure (2) Mask Comfort / Seal. Too Much pressure shall cause gastric pains and dry mouth syndromes (air entering from the nose tends to exist from the side of the mouth leaving your tounge dry as a piece of wood) - Use of Humidification is recommended. Too Little pressure is no good either (there is no point). Auto PAP and BiPAP machines provide relief for your expiratory breath phase and provides required pressure for inspiratory cycle to keep the airway open - preventing snoring and Apena events (AHI = less than 5 is normal). One of the method to find the optimal point is with the mask or nasal pillows "on" (and mouth normally closed) increase the CPAP pressure from 5 cm H2O in steps until the air start inflating your cheeks or starts exiting from the mouth - Back off a little and that should be your Airway Pressure for the CPAP. Set your your expiratory relief pressure to 3 (so if CPAP = 8 it will drop to 5 when you exhale) - Enjoy and keep the setup clean !!!

HK

One of the supposed signs of sleep apnea (in children) is a sunken chest.

Well, I've had a sunken chest all my life....until recently....which seems to suggest that I might have had sleep apnea all my life.

I don't know about increased lung capacity though....but my heart murmur went away (doc says the shape of my chest was making the heart sounds echo wrong, which is why they had always thought I had a murmur until I started CPAP)...many pediatricians and primaries before had noted the murmur (and I've had lots of echo's which showed no problems).....why didn't they catch this sooner..than my magically turning 40.

Actually, truth is...I feel my lung capacity has gotten worse...though it could just be that I shouldn't have moved to Kansas...where I'm allergic to most of the common plants/grasses/trees in the region and the humidity makes things worse. (up north I'd only have allergies for a few weeks each year...now its the whole year I'm having allergies...strangely finding that zyrtec helps part of the year, and then need to switch to claritin for the other part...also on flonase and singulair....)

The Dreamer

I was searching the same question. I was diagnosed with apnea in September. At the time my pulmonary lung function tests were terrible. I had an x-ray and and echo. The x-ray tech said I had 50% lung function, echo showed nothing noteworthy. I also was put through some exertion and blood O2 measurements, no concerns there. I just went in for my 6 month follow up and my lung function was described as "perfect ", the tech was visibly impressed. I have made no additional changes, and haven't noticed a difference, but maybe the cpap increased my lung function?

Yes I had this very bad from the sleep apnea, to the point of getting altitude sickness at fairly low altitude and on long flights. It took at least a year to go back to normal.

From a quick internet search, there are conflicting opinions; but the wikihow on how to increase your lung capacity
is interesting--and seems to be relatively harmless.

sickwithapnea17 wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 28, 2011 2:17 am

my FEV1 score is 73 and has been for a while and hasn't improved on symbicort or even after taking steroids like prednisone for a few weeks at a time
is it really possible that cpap increases your lung function? I have wheezing when I exhale and my O2 during the day falls to 94%

I found this thread after doing a search because I was wondering the exact same thing: Can CPAP increase lung function? I was questioning it because something is definitely going on with me after only 10 days of BIPAP use.

My waking O2 levels have been lowish for years, around 92%; I've been using oxygen while I sleep for four years now. A few months ago I had a home overnight sleep study that showed my O2 "nadir" at 70%(!) My issue is primarily neurological; leftover from an old stroke and my breathing gets shallow at night. And I guess they call it "central sleep apnea" when I would stop breathing without a real obstruction and then it would start again. Two months ago I had my 3rd full sleep study at a hospital-affiliated sleep center, and the result was that I did excellent with a BIPAP at certain pressures (15/5). I just got the BIPAP a week and a half ago and am doing pretty good getting used to it with a couple of caveats.
The reason I am wondering if the BIPAP can actually increase lung capacity is that after only using it for 10 days while sleeping, my waking O2 saturation is now consistently 97% or 98%! My chest aches, probably because the BIPAP is expanding my lungs and stretching muscles that haven't been used in a long time. But even at the end of the day, my oxygen saturation is still normal,in the high 90%'s. I'm wondering how this is possible, after years of it being low! I have a regular scheduled pulmonology appointment next month and will talk to her about this.

If the issue is purely Sleep Apnea (with no co-morbid conditions), you don't need to increase lung capacity.