shortness of breath

[Brenpbb11150]

Hello,
I am a new user of the Cpap. I was finally told that I have moderate sleep apnea. After numerous visits to the Dr. for fatigue, shortness of breath and just plain feeling terrible. All blood work normal and blood pressure perfect and my weight is about 5 lbs. within my range. So I did not fit the normal sleep apnea patient...they said!!!! I have been through every test for lungs, heart, and you name it. They found nothing...but its my shortness of breath that is still so bad and my question is will it get better on Cpap or is it even a symtom of sleep apnea...Please, since I am new at this I don't want to appear really silly for asking this question.
Thank-You so much
Bren

[Muse-Inc]

The shortness of breath might improve with CPAP therapy. It might be your body's way of compensating for the oxygen deprivation of untreated apnea. It might have other causes.

[Julie]

Have you been thoroughly tested for causes of the dyspnea (s-o-b)? Without anything to go on, I doubt that we can have an opinion about the problem. Without knowing when it happens, what you're doing, what you take for it, etc. etc. ... we would love to help, but post more information so we can try.

[Brenpbb11150]

Julie, Thank-you for responding to my question. My shortness of breath is the worse early in the morning when I get up. Some days I feel ok and its not there. I have had breathing tests done, I have had the dye put in my lungs to see how they are working. I have had a stress test at Drs. office and echo card for my heart and they say all is ok. I went to a pulmonary specilist and he said I have mild case of asthma for which I am on an inhaler but does not seem to help so I am very discourged at this point. This has been going on for me for 4 years and I have been on my cpap for 3 weeks now and still I have the shortness of breath...maybe its anxiety..who knows...but I was just hoping it might just be my sleep problem.
Thnaks
Bren

[tattooyu]

I had shortness of breath, too. It's gotten better since PAP therapy. I also have panic disorder, and it can manifest itself as dyspnea sometimes. How out of breath do you get? Do you actually have trouble breathing, or do you feel like you can "catch a good breath?"

You may be hyperventilating...

[diboja]

For years I have struggled with shortness of breath and use advair inhalor. I have a bronchial condition and a bit of asthma.

I started on CPAP therapy Oct/09 and find that my breathing problems have improved. I look forward to slapping on the mask every night because I know that I will get a great sleep and when I take the mask off in the morning my shortness of breath is not there at all.

A side benefit that I never expected.........

[sleepsurfer]

i am in the same boat.....shortness of breath has been getting worse over the last 2 years for me. i have had all of the tests done and no problems have shown. i have been athletic all of my life{38 years} and have just recently regressed to the point where i cannot exercise at all. i believe what is causing this(after alot of research) is anxiety caused by sleep disordered breathing. my cpap has not improved my shortness of breath because it has not improved my sleep breathing disorder, yet. i have UARS, by the way. i have a turbinate reduction surgery scheduled for march 8th. hard to use a cpap when you can only breath through 70 percent of one nostril. when you successfully treat your sleep breathing disorder, i think you will see your symptoms of shortness of breath begin to diminish. that is my belief. i am not a doctor, though. so good luck.

[dhaxelbarqs]

Shortness of breath is a worrisome symptom and has many acute and chronic causes.
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Looking for CPAP machines in Toronto, Respironics CPAP masks in Toronto, Sleep apnea mask in Toronto?

[rbtgjns]

Although you state that you have had all tests that could point to the source of the problem--have you purchased an oximeter ? This could point to lower levels of blood oxygen levels at different times of the day. Also, check for side effects from all medication that you are currently using (ask the pharmacist for his advice).
Have you have a nuclear medicine study of your heart as this could be the symptom of a leaking valve? Final idea----does this occur after breakfast as it may point to a food allgery?

[Julie]

Have had similar problems, but if I've taken just a tiny half of an antihistamine the evening before, it goes away. Unfortunately, even though the stuff is labelled "non-drowsy", it knocks me right out otherwise and I make a choice every day or night whether to breathe or whether to sleep half my life away. I'm trying to finesse the perfect combination of timing, med, and needs, but it's anything but perfect. But at least I know what the problem is (more or less). I do live with 2 cats to whom I would have been very, very allergic as a child/teen, but now it's down to a very dull roar that seems somewhat aggravated by stress and goes away mostly with the antihistamine.

[Madalot]

I wanted to chime in here and say that shortness of breath was a huge problem for me too. I ended up on xpap therapy because of difficulty breathing when laying down at night (I have a neuromuscular disease). I was also having shortness of breath during the day, sometimes extremely severe. It was sometimes so bad that I debated having my husband call 911!!

It took quite a while, but the shortness of breath has improved a lot since being on the therapy. So, it COULD improve if given more time, assuming there is nothing else going on that they haven't found yet.

Hang in there.

[2flamingos]

I have been on xpap since 11/08. Recently I had noticed some shortness of breath after climbing stairs and other physical exertion. I mentioned it to my cardiologist and since I was having no other symptoms of heart failure, etc, he suggested a lung function test. Well, I failed! Not so much failed as not where I should be. After a couple of other tests and x-rays, the pulmonologist said he was pretty sure it was mild asthma, and that I had probably had it for years - that it was probably why I usually have 4 or more upper respiratory infections a year. I have been on Advair 2X a day for less than a week (and have used resue inhaler once), and boy can I tell a difference! Not only that, my 7 day average (I haven't checked with Encore yet) = which had eased up to almost 6, has gone down to 4.2 in just 2 days.

Everywhere I have looked has talked about the correlation of xpap therapy helping Asthma, but I have not seen anything about treating asthma helping OSA. I know 2 nights is not enough to make that leap, but I am being very hopeful.