During the tritation, my chest was hurting

Just wondering what causes it to be so uncomfortable breathing with the CPAP. I noticed that my chest was hurting as I breathed and that is probably what kept on keeping me up. Just wondering if there is anything I can do in the future when I get my machine to prevent that from happening again.

I had the same problem with my ASV titration. I think it is the new effort that is needed to breathe out against the pressure. Your chest muscles are not used to working in that manner.
In a few days, that sensation will go away.

It will take a bit to get used to everything. Being in your own bed and sleeping without wires will help. You'll be more comfortable once you get used to a hose

There are a whole bunch of issues when you are going through titration....

• Chances are you don't want to be there, this is not a highlight for most people
• You are hooked up to a bunch of wires, in a strange bed, most likely not comfortable.
• You are using a mask, something you are not familiar with, you are noticing lots of things you may never pay attention to normally.
• This is a test, they are making adjustments while you are doing the test.... some settings are not as successful and they make changes to find the best setting.. So a lot of the time you are not at an optimal setting because they don't know what optimal is yet.

Along with a number of issues you are going through as well... it is not a normal night of sleep.

Like many medical tests, you do the best you can, follow instructions, be polite and get through it.

When you get a machine, you will go through some of the same things, dealing with the mask, leaks, finding out what sleeping positions work best for you, adjusting to using it all the time not just some of the time... as you work through the issues, you get better at it, you get accustomed to it, it gets easier and you pay less attention to the details and more attention to getting sleep.

Also the settings get get from titration is just a one night shot. What worked then, may over time no longer work, so you adjust and work through it.

The goal is sleep... takes time to get there.

Like the others said - it will pass. Your muscles aren't used to it.

Notice what happens to muscles you haven't really used when you work out - they hurt.
You were breathing against higher air pressure - you use muscles for that and they have to work harder - so they hurt.

I agree with everyone else - the discomfort/added effort feeling will quickly pass. Our bodies are amazingly adaptable. Given some time, many people find putting on the mask and turning the cpap on at night to be very comforting and relaxing.

I think that you will do fine in your own bed with a good machine. Sleeping during a sleep test is difficult for almost everyone.

Have they told you when you will get your equipment?

yaconsult wrote:I agree with everyone else - the discomfort/added effort feeling will quickly pass. Our bodies are amazingly adaptable. Given some time, many people find putting on the mask and turning the cpap on at night to be very comforting and relaxing.

I think that you will do fine in your own bed with a good machine. Sleeping during a sleep test is difficult for almost everyone.

Have they told you when you will get your equipment?

No I took the tritation test last Friday. He said he'll get back to me to know if the test was ample enough since I only got in 1 hour of some type of sleep (thought my mind was active). But he says they have to review it.

Also about the chest muscles, aren't we supposed to breathe through our abdomen? So is it healthy to breathe hard through chest?

Your lungs are what you breathe with, but it's a good idea when awake and active to breathe deeply, til you feel it in your abdomen which helps to open up all your organs to more oxygen, but the air only actually goes as far as your lungs.

When you breathe in, or inhale, your diaphragm contracts (tightens) and moves downward. This increases the space in your chest cavity, into which your lungs expand. The intercostal muscles between your ribs also help enlarge the chest cavity. They contract to pull your rib cage both upward and outward when you inhale.