Tighness in chest (lungs)

[134]

I have been very happy and sleep sooooo much better over the last 4 or so years since getting my first and only cpap machine. Initially when I had my sleep study my oxygen level was dropping to 65%!

Since then I have been using a Resmed Escape cpap (set on 9) and a Mirage Activa nasal mask. This combination has been GREAT!

My question is sometimes I wake up and my lungs are hurting. It almost seems like it hurts from having them filled with too much air. This happens once in a while, but most times I don't have this feeling.

Does this happen to anyone else? What is causing this?

Should I start to consider an APAP? Or would that not make any difference.

BTW, I ALWAYS use my machine. I'm a compliance KING! lol

[zoocrewphoto]

Have you been back to the doctor? It could be cpap related, but it could also be a heart problem. A few years ago, I had a bad asthma reaction to some mold in a previously flooded facility that I spent the weekend at. I thought my asthma was really acting up, so I went to the doctor. I had an irregular heartbeat. It cleared up with medication. And after visiting a cardiologist, I was told that a bad asthma attack could set off an irregular heartbeat. But it definitely needed to be treated, and I do have high blood pressure that has to be treated.

In my case, I thought it was my lungs, and i described it as an invisible cat sitting on my chest. Now I know that it was not my lungs, it was my heart.

[134]

Yes, I've recently had my heart checked (tread mill, EKG, cat scan, blood work) all checked out fine.

[chunkyfrog]

--Before or since the tightness.
Also, doctors/tests don't always catch these things the first time.

[archangle]

As always, work with your doctor to be sure it's not heart trouble.

Unless you've changed your pressure, it seems unlikely to develop this kind of pain from CPAP after 4 years.

I guess you might get some sort of irritation from drying out if the humidifier isn't working right or the air's just drier.

It's also possible your pressure needs have changed and you're having apnea again. Struggling against apnea might make your chest muscles sore. Unfortunately, your Escape CPAP machine doesn't record any data that will tell you if you're having apnea again.

If you change machines at some time in the future, be sure to get a fully data capable machine. There are some links in my signature about what machine to get.