Lungs burning after first time using CPAP

[FreddieForgiato]

I got my ResMed AirSense 10 CPAP with nasal pillows in the mail a few days ago, and was instructed to try it out during the day first to acclimate to it. I was also told that I could use any tap or filtered water, although a lot of people opt for distilled. I didn’t have any distilled water, so I just used filtered water, and used it while watching Netflix for an hour or two. About 3 or 4 hours later my lungs started burning every time I breathed in. I’d never had this before so I looked it up on the internet, saw that it could be serious and went to the ER. They did some tests to rule out serious things and then discharged me with basically no explanation of what it was. The pain continued throughout the night and for another whole day. My PCP said it was likely pleurisy from the air pressure from the CPAP, and to just wait it out and see if it stops after a week. I use Flonase for rhinitis, so I asked him if it had maybe been pushed into my lungs from the air pressure and was inflaming them, but he said it was unlikely. My sleep doc said that it was extremely unusual and he wondered if it was just a coincidence, but the CPAP was the only new variable in an otherwise normal day. He lowered the pressure to the lowest it could go, and said not to use it until the pain is gone. It’s been about 3 days since it happened and it’s almost completely gone, but there’s still a little bit of discomfort. Has anyone had this happen?

[Julie]

Going to ask you to be specific re did you mean burning (a fiery feeling), or just unusual, if somewhat severe soreness - which can occur when first on Cpap as your chest muscles get worked in ways they're not used to. If you did mean fire-like rather than soreness, I wonder about the water you used - we recommend distilled in the humidifier to keep it from getting scummy over time, but if you have none, tap water's a good substitute, but random bottled, "filtered" or bubbly water of ?? kind may not be best at all.

Btw - do you actually have the Airsense Auto, or only a plain Cpap? What are your settings?

And depending on where you live you may or may not need the humidifier, at least at this time of year.

Also - you used the machine (running) while awake, so your experience won't be the same as if you were asleep... the machine obviously doesn't know which you were, but breathing patterns are very different for each situation and the machine won't react/work the same or give useful results for an awake person as it would for a sleeping one.

I hope you didn't put Flonase in the humidifier water.... did you? If so, it could explain 'burning' vs soreness! Never put anything in that water.

Please stay in this thread to reply, and please download Oscar (free) from the top of the page, posting graphs, etc. as instructed (some aren't needed, neither is the calendar), so we can see what's what and advise.

[FreddieForgiato]

Yeah, by burning I mean it’s a fiery inflamed type of pain that occurs when I breathe in. As for the water, I should have specified that it is spring water that is naturally filtered. It’s regularly inspected by the FDA and tested for purity, so I can’t imagine that it would be worse than tap water. I did just get some distilled water though, so I’ll use that for my next attempt.

I have the AirSense auto. It was set at 5-7 when I used it, but my sleep doctor has now lowered it to 4. The humidity level is at 4 and the tube temperature is 78 degrees. I live in a pretty dry climate.

No I would never do that lol, I just use Flonase in my nose.

Ok I’ll download that, thanks.

[mastaCpappy]

i use spring water too, no flaming lungs. When I used oxygen for 2 hours, the next day it felt like my lungs were sore.

[chunkyfrog]

Weird stuff nobody has heard of, posted by a total noob.
Yeah, that happened---NOT!
Sorry--sounded like somebody else--folks remember that one . .

[FreddieForgiato]

Why would I lie about that *EDITED BY MODERATOR AS UNACCEPTABLE LANGUAGE* chunkyfrog. I never said it was necessarily due to the CPAP. It’s just that it was the only new variable in another wise very normal day, and my PCP said that he thought it might be due to the air pressure of the CPAP. I know it’s extremely unusual, but I was just checking to see if anyone had experienced something similar or had an idea of what happened. Take a look at yourself in the mirror tomorrow, or the window of the car you probably live in, and ask yourself why you act like *AGAIN EDITED by Moderator*, and make a plan to correct that. Reply back once you’ve figured it out.

[dbebz]

I understand you’re upset but try to keep it civil, I understand that wasn’t the nicest reply from someone. I am also new to CPAP and have been having a tough time unfortunately. It’s very distressing but I hope we can all figure it out.

[Julie]

Have had a number of trolls lately so some people may be a bit over the top about that... Chunky's usually pretty decent.

[Revived1]

I got my ResMed AirSense 10 CPAP with nasal pillows in the mail a few days ago, and was instructed to try it out during the day first to acclimate to it. I was also told that I could use any tap or filtered water, although a lot of people opt for distilled. I didn’t have any distilled water, so I just used filtered water, and used it while watching Netflix for an hour or two. About 3 or 4 hours later my lungs started burning every time I breathed in. I’d never had this before so I looked it up on the internet, saw that it could be serious and went to the ER. They did some tests to rule out serious things and then discharged me with basically no explanation of what it was. The pain continued throughout the night and for another whole day. My PCP said it was likely pleurisy from the air pressure from the CPAP, and to just wait it out and see if it stops after a week. I use Flonase for rhinitis, so I asked him if it had maybe been pushed into my lungs from the air pressure and was inflaming them, but he said it was unlikely. My sleep doc said that it was extremely unusual and he wondered if it was just a coincidence, but the CPAP was the only new variable in an otherwise normal day. He lowered the pressure to the lowest it could go, and said not to use it until the pain is gone. It’s been about 3 days since it happened and it’s almost completely gone, but there’s still a little bit of discomfort. Has anyone had this happen?

Sorry you had to go through that. I haven't had it happen, but I found some info. that might help you.
From the following website: https://www.sleepassociation.org/sleep- ... e-effects/
"Lung Discomfort
Some patients who use CPAP therapy complain of a burning sensation in the lungs. This is often a result of dry or cold air being inhaled from the CPAP mask. This CPAP side effect can possibly be reduced by using warm humidification."
If you were already using warm humidification, there might be something about CPAP (the pressure or something) that just didn't agree with your system at first. Just keep following your doctor's instructions, and hopefully your body will adjust to it. I'm guessing it will.
Best of luck.

[Pugsy]

To the OP......clean up your language and no personal nasty attacks or language or your entire post will be remove.
That sort of language isn't acceptable here.

As far as your perceived problem using cpap....see your doctor. What you feel you are experiencing isn't a normal reaction and you need to be having a chat with your doctor about things.

[FreddieForgiato]

I understand you’re upset but try to keep it civil, I understand that wasn’t the nicest reply from someone. I am also new to CPAP and have been having a tough time unfortunately. It’s very distressing but I hope we can all figure it out.

Yeah sorry about that haha. I just don’t like it when people with a lot of experience in something act like they’re superior and drag new people down. It don’t sit right with me. Hope your CPAP starts working for you. I know I was really looking forward to it helping, I’m sure you were too.

[FreddieForgiato]

Sorry you had to go through that. I haven't had it happen, but I found some info. that might help you.
From the following website: https://www.sleepassociation.org/sleep- ... e-effects/
"Lung Discomfort
Some patients who use CPAP therapy complain of a burning sensation in the lungs. This is often a result of dry or cold air being inhaled from the CPAP mask. This CPAP side effect can possibly be reduced by using warm humidification."
If you were already using warm humidification, there might be something about CPAP (the pressure or something) that just didn't agree with your system at first. Just keep following your doctor's instructions, and hopefully your body will adjust to it. I'm guessing it will.
Best of luck.

Thanks, I appreciate it! Yeah, I’m hoping that all it was was that. I’ll up the temperature for my next attempt, and see if that helps. They told me to lower it from something like 82 to 78 in the set up appointment before I started using it. I’m not sure what the standard temperature is, but I’ll raise it back up to 82.

[FreddieForgiato]

Have had a number of trolls lately so some people may be a bit over the top about that... Chunky's usually pretty decent.

Oh ok that makes a bit more sense. If I was trolling I’d like to thing I’d come up with something more interesting than just “burning lungs”. Maybe: “My eyes turned green after using the CPAP, HELP!!! What do I do???”

[Rob K]

When I started out on xpap I had sore lungs for a while. Every time I would bump up the pressure 1cm to optimize therapy I would have sore lungs for a week or so. Hopefully that is all that's going on for you and not something more serious.

[chunkyfrog]

It bothers me when someone says their "doctor" told them to stop using cpap.
Bad doctor--worse advice.
Not MY doctor for any longer than it would take to replace that incompetent 1-percenter.