Hi guys - I'm doing pretty well - as long as I remember to wash my face so that my mask stays put - can anyone please tell me if they've experienced an achy chest from the CPAP? I'm feeling it in my back - and I know it could be anything, and I know I know "ask my doctor" and I will when I go in - but I sense and please assume for this thread that it is CPAP related... is it chest muscles, do you think? I don't smoke anymore, been entirely off nicotine for almost a year, but I used to smoke, so could it be the pressure interacting with whatever damage I did then? Do CPAP users who haven't ever smoked get this too? Is it too high pressure, then? What's up?
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aching in chest
aching in chest
Last edited by momexp5 on Fri Jul 01, 2005 9:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
It will go away with time
unless you need a breast reduction operation
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ahujudybear
- Posts: 354
- Joined: Mon May 23, 2005 10:12 am
- Location: Franklin, WI
I found my chest muscles were really sore front and back when I first went ont cpap. It was a really deep pain, that for me tooK months and months to go away.
I have never smoked. I was told it was all part of getting used to xpap that it would go given time and it did.
I just assumed everyone had it, but judging by the response you have had maybe we are in the minority. I still get it on occasions, but not as severe and it just lasts a day or so, but i generally try to ignore it.
I have never smoked. I was told it was all part of getting used to xpap that it would go given time and it did.
I just assumed everyone had it, but judging by the response you have had maybe we are in the minority. I still get it on occasions, but not as severe and it just lasts a day or so, but i generally try to ignore it.
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Guest
Re: It will go away with time
meister wrote:unless you need a breast reduction operation
Oh, yeah, that's it.....
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Guest
Fifi, that sounds like exactly what I'm getting.Fifi wrote:I found my chest muscles were really sore front and back when I first went ont cpap. It was a really deep pain, that for me tooK months and months to go away.
JP, my pressure started at 8, but b/c of aerophagia I went down to 7. On 7, I have to sleep on my back or else air bubbles still are a problem.
oops, those two were me, the OP. Not a guest.
41yow, 118lb, severe OSA, lots of allergies, had surgery for deviated septum.
click to see my introductory post.
click to see my introductory post.
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Guest
chest pains
I started experiencing the pains you talk about a few weeks after starting Bi-PAP, and they bothered me a lot, a whole lot. They would usually get better after I had been up for an hour or two. I did a lot of research on a number of sleep apnea forums, and I found that theses chest/back pains/achiness/spasms are very common, but there are also many people who haven't experienced them and don't really understand what you're talking about, including doctors and DME's. I think it's defintely muscular, although I did find that small pillows or lumps placed in certain areas, such as under my armpit seemed to help a little. At least it made me feel like I was doing something. The good news is that these pains finally went away, but the bad news is that it took about 4 or 5 months for me. I think my chest muscles weren't used to having to work so hard. You didn't say what pressure you are on. I think a higher pressure is definitely more likely to cause the problem, but this doesn't mean that the pressure is higher than you need. For me, Tylenol helped some, a thicker firmer pillow helped some, sleeping on my stomach part of the night helped some, getting up after 4 or 5 hours of sleep helped some, but then of course I was sleepy during the day. In my research, EVERYONE said they eventually went away, so hang in there!
Re: chest pains
That's good news, BH, thank you. Sounds like something that would be helped by a good walk once a day!BigHeart wrote:In my research, EVERYONE said they eventually went away, so hang in there!
41yow, 118lb, severe OSA, lots of allergies, had surgery for deviated septum.
click to see my introductory post.
click to see my introductory post.
Re: chest pains
That's good news, BH, thank you. Sounds like something that would be helped by a good walk once a day!BigHeart wrote:In my research, EVERYONE said they eventually went away, so hang in there!
41yow, 118lb, severe OSA, lots of allergies, had surgery for deviated septum.
click to see my introductory post.
click to see my introductory post.
When I first got the chest pains the pressure was 10. Like big heart it went on for months but I was not really concerned as it felt muscular.
As you say it is probably wise to mention it to doc, but hopefully he will confirm what people have said in the postings that it is just muscular and will pass with time.
As you say it is probably wise to mention it to doc, but hopefully he will confirm what people have said in the postings that it is just muscular and will pass with time.
Breathing and Muscular Problems
OK, the muscular problems could be caused by several things. If you have ongoing medical conditions, you SHOULD complain to your doctor about them. They could be another issue all together...having said that....
If you are having a difficult time with exhalation against the pressure of the machine, it can cause chest pain and muscular pain. DO NOT SUFFER IN SILENCE! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY! Go to your doctor NOW....bitch and scream and throw a hissy fit. Get a CFLEX or BiPap to relieve the exhalation and muscular problems. You DO NOT have to WORK HARD to breathe on CPAP if you are at the correct pressure and the correct machine.
The other simple problem......you have had to change your sleeping habits, positions, pillows etc too accomodate your equipment. Sleeping in a strange new way will cause aches and pains that you never had before.
If the aches and pains are mainly in your chest, you need an equipment adjustment. There is no reason to be in pain while adjusting to CPAP. Aggravated yes, pain NO!
Meister, if we have a headache will a brain reduction help?
If you are having a difficult time with exhalation against the pressure of the machine, it can cause chest pain and muscular pain. DO NOT SUFFER IN SILENCE! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY! Go to your doctor NOW....bitch and scream and throw a hissy fit. Get a CFLEX or BiPap to relieve the exhalation and muscular problems. You DO NOT have to WORK HARD to breathe on CPAP if you are at the correct pressure and the correct machine.
The other simple problem......you have had to change your sleeping habits, positions, pillows etc too accomodate your equipment. Sleeping in a strange new way will cause aches and pains that you never had before.
If the aches and pains are mainly in your chest, you need an equipment adjustment. There is no reason to be in pain while adjusting to CPAP. Aggravated yes, pain NO!
Meister, if we have a headache will a brain reduction help?
Life is not a dress rehearsal
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ahujudybear
- Posts: 354
- Joined: Mon May 23, 2005 10:12 am
- Location: Franklin, WI
FWIW,
I think that as long as it remains "achey muscles" you're oK. But if the achiness lasts into and through the day or if it becomes muscle spasms, you might have something else going on. Please read my post under what other ailments we have and see whether you might fit into that category..Oh, might as well post it here again....
There are MANY undiagnosed polio survivors who either have no history, no memory, or no awareness of having had a mild case of polio. Unfortunately this does not eliminate them from the population that could develop post-polio sequelae. An infection by one of the many polioviri could be seen as the flu with a stiff neck, a cold, "summer ague", or just a reaction to the vaccine - all of which people have tried to discount as something other than polio, for obvious reasons.
PPS (Post-Polio Syndrome) is a Dx of exclusion, but can and often does include diagnoses/ misdiagnoses of Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, premature osteo arthritis, osteopenia, carpal tunnel syndrome, asthma (without having taken the Methocholine Challenge PFT), RLS, PLMD, sleep apnea (misdiagnosed underventilation), beginnings of Altzheimers, poor equilibrium, frequent tripping/falls, MRI detected brain lesions imitating MS, etc. One huge problem is that there is no definitive Dx tool for PPS. It is a Dx of exclusion: eliminate everything else and what's left is the answer. But many Dr.s choose to "identify" something with which they are familiar and think they know how to treat and patients will settle for that, even though the treatment may not be completely effective.
But this cluster of symptoms or a high number of these symptoms occurring at the same time sends up red flags for me that the person might have PPS. Like a neighbor of mine who walked much like I do (slight waddle, weak ankles), had carpal tunnel syndrome, asthma, arthritis, CFS & FM. She said that her father had a severe case of polio when she was a baby, but she didn't get it. Yet the family had labeled her as a hypochondriac because she would develop many of the same PPS symptoms as her father. I finally dragged her to a support group meeting and she could see all the folks who had the same symptoms as she did and where she finally found the answer to all of her maladies.
If any of you fall into this category, PM me, go talk to your Dr. or go to http://www.postpolioinfo.com - or all three!!!
- JB
I think that as long as it remains "achey muscles" you're oK. But if the achiness lasts into and through the day or if it becomes muscle spasms, you might have something else going on. Please read my post under what other ailments we have and see whether you might fit into that category..Oh, might as well post it here again....
There are MANY undiagnosed polio survivors who either have no history, no memory, or no awareness of having had a mild case of polio. Unfortunately this does not eliminate them from the population that could develop post-polio sequelae. An infection by one of the many polioviri could be seen as the flu with a stiff neck, a cold, "summer ague", or just a reaction to the vaccine - all of which people have tried to discount as something other than polio, for obvious reasons.
PPS (Post-Polio Syndrome) is a Dx of exclusion, but can and often does include diagnoses/ misdiagnoses of Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, premature osteo arthritis, osteopenia, carpal tunnel syndrome, asthma (without having taken the Methocholine Challenge PFT), RLS, PLMD, sleep apnea (misdiagnosed underventilation), beginnings of Altzheimers, poor equilibrium, frequent tripping/falls, MRI detected brain lesions imitating MS, etc. One huge problem is that there is no definitive Dx tool for PPS. It is a Dx of exclusion: eliminate everything else and what's left is the answer. But many Dr.s choose to "identify" something with which they are familiar and think they know how to treat and patients will settle for that, even though the treatment may not be completely effective.
But this cluster of symptoms or a high number of these symptoms occurring at the same time sends up red flags for me that the person might have PPS. Like a neighbor of mine who walked much like I do (slight waddle, weak ankles), had carpal tunnel syndrome, asthma, arthritis, CFS & FM. She said that her father had a severe case of polio when she was a baby, but she didn't get it. Yet the family had labeled her as a hypochondriac because she would develop many of the same PPS symptoms as her father. I finally dragged her to a support group meeting and she could see all the folks who had the same symptoms as she did and where she finally found the answer to all of her maladies.
If any of you fall into this category, PM me, go talk to your Dr. or go to http://www.postpolioinfo.com - or all three!!!
- JB