New Here- Anyone experience chest/ lung tension?

[pred]

Hello all,

I am a total newbie, and I have a nagging question for those much more experienced than I.

First off, I'm a 35 year old male, married, with a 19-month old son, and a small dog. I'm currently in my last semester of my Masters Degree, and was just recently diagnosed as having moderate obstructive sleep apnea about 2 months ago.

It all started with the diagnosis of hypothyroidism 5 years ago now; as I was always tired and it took forever for me to recover from exercise.

I was on levothyroxine to start, then synthroid, then Armour, now a combination of levothyroxine and Armour. All along, I've not woken refreshed from sleep, was irritable, felt pressure in my chest behind my breastbone that would be relieved when my wife would apply continuous pressure to the area, and anxiety, and a cloudy head.

My blood work kept getting better, but still I would not awake refreshed from sleep. Something was wrong. It was this past summer, when I began to experiment with Breathe Right Strips that I began to notice a change in how I felt.

I started using these little things, and I noticed that I would wake with a slightly better feeling. I would wake dizzy a couple of mornings. Then my mind began to feel slightly clearer. I was less irritable. Hmmm...I felt as though I was on to something.

So I went to my general practitioner, told her my story, and she referred me to an ENT. She also sent me for a sleep study. ENT found lots of blood vessels in my nose (explains sometime stuffiness when I lay down- blood flow), a large base of my tongue, and enlarged tonsils.

Sleep study revealed moderate obstructive sleep apnea, and I was given a CPAP device.

At first, it was a nightmare to use, as I was just not sure how to do it. Was the mask on right? How do I stop leaks? How much moisture do I need? Do I need any? etc, etc, etc...The first week I actually felt worse!!

Gradually, I began to feel better, but it was hit or miss.

The other thing I noticed is that I took the mask off in the middle of the night. This was not improving my condition as I was averaging 3.5 hrs/ night of therapy, when the ENT said it should be 5 hrs/night 5 nights/week for it to be effective.

I also had cramping and gas whenever I used the machine. Sometimes painful cramping. I learned that this is called Aerophagia, or swallowing air. It began to get worse, as this whole past week I would wake in the middle of the night with painful cramps in my lower intestine, gas, and loose stools.

This past Friday, I went for a follow up sleep study, and I am now able to sleep with my CPAP on a setting of '7', which is down from the original '10'.

Last night was my first night, and I actually slept the WHOLE night for the first time in a long time! I woke feeling really good. Mentally much clearer. Little to no anxiety. Rested!!!

But there is 1 symptom that seems to be bothering me, and has for some time.

That pressure feeling in my chest, right behind my breastbone. When I first started using CPAP the same thing was happening, and I was scared. I went to an Urgent Care, and they tested my oxygen levels (99% saturation), listened to my heart and lungs, and stated that it was anxiety. When I left the office, I also felt better. Maybe it was. I certainly have been dealing with anxiety for the past 5 years since being diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I do tend to worry about feeling "off", and I always have.

Anyways, about this lung/chest feeling...can anyone relate? Is this something that my lungs are healing from sleep apnea? I'm relearning how to breathe, or something? And if it is an apnea effect, can I expect it to improve with continued therapy?

Any help would be appreciated.

Sincerely,

Paul

[rosiefrosie]

Allot of us experience chest soreness/discomfort when first starting cpap therapy, I know I did. It should improve. How long have you been using cpap? If you go to the left hand corner right under search on this page, click on the user control panel and fill out your imformation, then we can see what cpap machine, masks, humidifiers, pressure settings you are using. This makes it easier for us to answer your questions. Good Luck!

rosie

[GumbyCT]

Anyways, about this lung/chest feeling...can anyone relate? Is this something that my lungs are healing from sleep apnea? I'm relearning how to breathe, or something? And if it is an apnea effect, can I expect it to improve with continued therapy?

Does it feel like muscle soreness, like after a workout? Maybe from taking larger/deeper breaths than you have been used to?

That's what mine felt like. It did go away once my muscles got a bit stronger.

Good Luck

[kempo]

I had some lung-chest discomfort for the first two weeks and it slowly went away. I thinks others have stated the same.

[pred]

It's not like muscle soreness for skeletal muscle, its like my lungs or breastbone feel like I can't inhale enough air....like my lungs are tight or something. It gets worse with anxiety. Medical testing reveals no asthma, no bronchitis, I don't smoke, no heart problems, lungs seem to be working fine along with heart.

I figure that it is either 1.) anxiety, 2.) something to do with sleep apnea and lung function and 3.) the bane of my existence- hypothyroid disease.

Like I said earlier, I seem to be feeling better now that my pressure was lowered, as I was dealing with some nasty aerophagia at a pressure setting of 10. Last night with a setting of 7 was the first night I slept the whole night without waking.

If I could cure this chest issue, I'd be golden!

[Julie]

It's not clear whether the soreness began before or after you started Cpap... if it started earlier, you need to talk to a doctor (another one?), get an x-ray and whatever else they may suggest, because you don't fool around with chest pain no matter how minor (or not) it seems. There are so many things that could be involved and you have a family to take care of . If it started only after Cpap, then it's most likely related if only as muscular soreness from your body not being used to the new way of breathing at night, but still get it checked by a pro., we're long distance here and can't examine you even if we wanted (and none of us are MD's!).

[pred]

It's not clear whether the soreness began before or after you started Cpap... if it started earlier, you need to talk to a doctor (another one?), get an x-ray and whatever else they may suggest, because you don't fool around with chest pain no matter how minor (or not) it seems. There are so many things that could be involved and you have a family to take care of . If it started only after Cpap, then it's most likely related if only as muscular soreness from your body not being used to the new way of breathing at night, but still get it checked by a pro., we're long distance here and can't examine you even if we wanted (and none of us are MD's!).

Allot of us experience chest soreness/discomfort when first starting cpap therapy, I know I did. It should improve. How long have you been using cpap? If you go to the left hand corner right under search on this page, click on the user control panel and fill out your imformation, then we can see what cpap machine, masks, humidifiers, pressure settings you are using. This makes it easier for us to answer your questions. Good Luck!

rosie

Rosie, thanks for the advice, and I made those updates- well, all except for the machine as it doesn't say anywhere on the model or in the manual what type it is. Philips respironics REMstar. It also has a heated humidifier.

I've been using this device now for some 2 months, and last night was the best night I have had. Did not wake once. Woke up feeling refreshed, relaxed, and like me again.

This chest/ lung thing slowly crept in during the day, and it bothers me when I think about it. Like a chest tension, or something.

[pred]

It's not clear whether the soreness began before or after you started Cpap... if it started earlier, you need to talk to a doctor (another one?), get an x-ray and whatever else they may suggest, because you don't fool around with chest pain no matter how minor (or not) it seems. There are so many things that could be involved and you have a family to take care of . If it started only after Cpap, then it's most likely related if only as muscular soreness from your body not being used to the new way of breathing at night, but still get it checked by a pro., we're long distance here and can't examine you even if we wanted (and none of us are MD's!).

Julie, I've had this for some time now. For about 2 years.

I was suffering from terrible panic attacks back in 2008, and I felt incredible chest tension. Went to an Urgent Care, and they did X-rays, blood work, and an EKG. Nothing was found, and I was sent home with anxiety as the issue.

It comes and goes, and I notice that it sometimes changes in intensity based on my thyroid medication. But it always seems to be there in some fashion. Only recently does it seem to break up. When my former doctor increased my Armour thyroid medication back in 6/09, I felt pressure breathing when I would inhale. Lowering that medication, those symptoms left and never returned in that fashion.

This past summer when I increased the dosage too high perhaps, I woke during the night with a hyperventilating sensation and that really scared me. It only happened one night, and my doctor and I lowered the dose back to normal and that never happened again.

Starting CPAP, the next day after my first night, I had the feeling I have today- I can breathe fine but it feels like my lungs are "tight" or something. I will sometimes lay down, and my wife will apply constant pressure to my breastbone area, and it will immediately clear up...kinda like a tight bunch of nerves or something. Breathing will clear up and I will feel amazing with that pressure.

Anxiety makes it worse.

I went to an Urgent Care that day after my first night of CPAP too....she tested oxygen levels (99%) saturation, did heart, blood pressure, listened to heart and lungs...all came back fine. No asthma, no bronchitis, no heart abnormalities. While at home and while in the office I complained of the sensation that I could not get enough air in my lungs. The doctor found nothing wrong and suggested anxiety. She told me that she would code it as "shortness of breath", but it seems like anxiety.

Funny thing is, when I left the office that day I felt better.

I don't know. I've told several doctors about it, the 2 urgent care doctors investigated and found nothing. My new endocrinologist listened to me about the Armour thyroid breathing experience, and he seemed to get it.

I don't know.

[GumbyCT]

Rosie, thanks for the advice, and I made those updates- well, all except for the machine as it doesn't say anywhere on the model or in the manual what type it is. Philips respironics REMstar

The make/model should be written right across the top of the machine

[Emilia]

Well, I think it may be related to stress. You have a lot on your plate with work, family, and grad school. I remember doing my master's whilst working full time and managing a huge program at work as extra work.... a lot of adrenalin needed!! I also had a bit of tension, soreness and feeling a kind of breathlessness.... it is all gone now. If you don't have software for your machine, or if it isn't a data capable machine, I would suggest that as soon as you can afford to, to get an up to date one with software so you can monitor your therapy better. Another thing to consider, once you are done with grad school, is maybe getting those large tonsils removed. I had mine out at 24 and it is not a picnic when you are an adult, but it may be helpful for your condition.

[Blrfl]

You sound a lot like me, right down to all of the stress.

I spent two and a half years fighting and being incorrectly treated for what endo #1 thought was Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Long story short, endo #3 (there was an equally worthless #2 in the middle) took a look at all of my data, said it didn't add up to the diagnosis. He said I probably had some flavor of thyroiditis, but most cases are temporary, and nothing pointed to an autoimmune problem. A few questions followed and he referred me to one of his colleagues, a sleep specialist. Once I started researching sleep deprivation, I discovered that its symptoms have significant overlap with those of thyroid problems. Both can produce anxiety and "the chest thing." If you're still on thyroid supplements and shouldn't be, I can tell you from bitter experience that the anxiety will be made worse by it, and you'll have days where your heart feels like it would rather hop out of your chest and go for a walk. It doesn't take much of a dose to do it, either.

Anyway, the chest thing is uncomfortable, but everyone I've asked says it's not a hazard. (My wife's had "the real thing" and says you'll know when you're having a heart attack.) Sometimes it's gas related, and I find that downing something fizzy and having a good belch helps relieve it. Breaking wind doesn't hurt, either.

Get a second opinion on your thyroid problem and give your new CPAP settings some time to work.

--Mark

[pred]

You sound a lot like me, right down to all of the stress.

I spent two and a half years fighting and being incorrectly treated for what endo #1 thought was Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Long story short, endo #3 (there was an equally worthless #2 in the middle) took a look at all of my data, said it didn't add up to the diagnosis. He said I probably had some flavor of thyroiditis, but most cases are temporary, and nothing pointed to an autoimmune problem. A few questions followed and he referred me to one of his colleagues, a sleep specialist. Once I started researching sleep deprivation, I discovered that its symptoms have significant overlap with those of thyroid problems. Both can produce anxiety and "the chest thing." If you're still on thyroid supplements and shouldn't be, I can tell you from bitter experience that the anxiety will be made worse by it, and you'll have days where your heart feels like it would rather hop out of your chest and go for a walk. It doesn't take much of a dose to do it, either.

Anyway, the chest thing is uncomfortable, but everyone I've asked says it's not a hazard. (My wife's had "the real thing" and says you'll know when you're having a heart attack.) Sometimes it's gas related, and I find that downing something fizzy and having a good belch helps relieve it. Breaking wind doesn't hurt, either.

Get a second opinion on your thyroid problem and give your new CPAP settings some time to work.

--Mark

Mark,

I appreciate your input, but I do have autoimmune thyroid disease. I've tested positive for the antibodies, and I had a TSH of 31 when I was diagnosed. Don't know where it came from, as not only am I male (most cases are women), there is no family history of autoimmune disease. I've been on meds since 2005, and looking for that "sweet spot" where everything comes back into focus. I've also had too little thyroid hormone and felt terrible with that. An Endo also looked via ultrasound at my thyroid and could see some damage due to autoimmune attack. I've suffered some damage.

Thing is- I just laid down and and had my wife apply pressure to the area, and while laying down it completely eased up. It's like a nerve center or something, and its tight. As soon as she did that, I realized (as I always do) that I'm breathing fine, and heart is fine. We have 2 different types of muscle in the body, voluntary and involuntary. Voluntary is the skeletal muscle kind, and involuntary is like your stomach, intestinal tract, heart, etc. They work on their own without your input.

This feels like a deep tissue, involuntary muscle tension or nerve "knot".

It can get worse w/anxiety, and seems to also flare up with these new CPAP therapies.

[pred]

Well, I think it may be related to stress. You have a lot on your plate with work, family, and grad school. I remember doing my master's whilst working full time and managing a huge program at work as extra work.... a lot of adrenalin needed!! I also had a bit of tension, soreness and feeling a kind of breathlessness.... it is all gone now. If you don't have software for your machine, or if it isn't a data capable machine, I would suggest that as soon as you can afford to, to get an up to date one with software so you can monitor your therapy better. Another thing to consider, once you are done with grad school, is maybe getting those large tonsils removed. I had mine out at 24 and it is not a picnic when you are an adult, but it may be helpful for your condition.

Emilia, thank you for your input.

As I just posted, I had my wife apply pressure to the area as I laid down and it eased right up. Its right off center from my breastbone. Like a deep muscle tension or nerve "knot". It fools me into thinking that its a breathing issue, but when my wife does the pressure technique I come to realize that its neither heart nor lung.

Stress may very well be the culprit. Especially since these feelings started when my Grad program started, was getting married, was working a miserable job, etc, etc. Now we have a 19 month old, I'm finishing the degree, married...no time for anything...you get the picture.

My machine does keep track of my therapy. I have the option of searching it out on the 'therapy' section. I can get my averages off of there, etc.

As far as the tonsils is concerned, I don't know if I should or shouldn't. It does not sound like the prognosis is good for adults when removing tonsils later in life and ceasing sleep apnea. It has me wondering if it is worth it. They don't seem to bother me otherwise. The ENT also said that I'd be a good candidate, and then told me that I'd hate him for about 7-10 days afterwards as I would have the worst sore throat of my life.

Not interested in that.

[Emilia]

You might want to see a chiropractor to see if you have a rib out of place. Acupuncture might help with the stress as well...... I am so good about spending your money, eh? LOL... but, seriously, my chiro had adjusted me and it has helped. Another thing to try is to stand in a doorway, place your hands against the jamb with elbows a 90º angle in front of you and then lean into the open doorway. This will pull the muscles of the chest....pecs and those around the sternum. I have found this to also help with the tension/pain in that area. I sit in front of a computer all day so I get very stiff.... I imagine working, studying, word processing for grad school can result in similar stressors.

Just some food for thought!! Good luck..... I hope the masters is done before the terrible 2's kick in!!

[rosiefrosie]

A TSH of 31! You must have felt awful! I had radioactive iodine treatment at the Mayo clinic because of an overactive thyroid. My TSH level went to 64. I know how you felt. Untreated sleep apnea can cause thyroid problems.

I also think your chest discomfort may be caused by anxiety. Have you tried biofeedback? I had problems with anxiety and this really helped.

The specific model of your cpap should be listed on the top of it so that you can list it in your profile.

rosie