CPAPtalk.com

Slinky wrote:Until your sleep study, try sleeping in a recliner, or if you don't have one, buy a couple of good wedgie pillows and use them to prop you up somewhat during sleep. That will help you be more comfortable between now and your sleep study.

Have you talked about this chest pain w/your doctor? A good place to start would be the "lowly" echocardiogram. I've found the cardiologists jump on the expensive, fancy, nuclear stress tests whereas our family physician is more likely to start us out w/an echo. In my particular case, I "passed" the nuclear stress tests. But the lowly echocardiogram detected a problem.

Not only is the echo cheaper, it is also easier on the patient. No prep, just lay there whilst the tech runs a transducer and some warmed gel over your chest. In addition to the "stress" of the treadmill walk for the nuclear stress test, there is the advance NPO instructions and the need to eat high fat junk food at the facility for the nuclear stress test and then two 16 minute runs thru the scanner w/your arms above your head the entire time. I got so nauseated from the high fat junk food mixed w/the amount of cold water I was to drink I got nauseous to the point of gagging and struggling not to vomit and by the end of the first 16 minute scan my shoulders were screaming. I was in tears the second half of the second scan from pain. And a week later my shoulders were still screaming so bad I had to go to my family doctor for some pain pills. He KNEW I was hurting when I asked for pain pills because EVERY scripted oral pain medication we've tried makes me nauseous and gaggy or even throws me into dry heaves and/or actual vomiting. I forgot now, I think it was an MRI that revealed severe inflammation in both shoulders. Maybe it was a lowly xray. I know I've had both one xray and one MRI of my shoulders, at one time suspecting torn rotator cuff.

By the way, for a cardiac problem such as you describe may be happening, the professionals also recommend coughing. This is also true for those who experience erratic strong heart palpitations. Coughing can allow the heart to regulate itself and return to "normal " activity and BPM.

I feel so bad for you that you had an idiot for a technician. My tech said, "It's very painful to hold your arms in that awkward position for so long. Would you like me to tie them for you?" After he tied them with a soft cloth, the test was a piece of cake.

Ed

Please don't get medical advice from an internet website or Oprah or anything else. If you are having stabbing chest pains, call 9-1-1 and let an E.R. sort out whether or not it's GERD, esophageal spasm, or anything else.

Women's cardiac symptoms can be elusive, and this is nothing to fool around with.

Listen to Janknitz and Julie. Cardiac symptoms in women are not always typical and sometimes difficult to diagnose. With OSA in the mix it's even more difficult and the proper treatment can get off track.

LSAT wrote:Reglan can be a very dangerous drug if not taken properly. It is for short term use only. Search the web and you may have second thoughts about taking it.

http://www.rxlist.com/reglan-drug.htm

Yes, I had read about the possible side effects of Reglan and expressed my concerns to my Doctor. He told me that I may have to take it long term and he seemed to believe that the dangers were exagerated by attorneys. The people closest to me are on alert to watch me for symptoms.

Scents, the hardest part of this medication is remembering to take it 1/2 hour before I eat. How does one do that?

I have had intense severe chest pains and went to the er and after some testing was told it was GERD and put on 2 Prilosec a day, plus Reglan. It helped, but a couple of years ago had another episode. This time I had all the tests run except where they go into the groin with the scope (which I DID NOT want to do since all the other tests were okay). Changed to Prevacid and one a day is all it takes to control it. I have stopped the Reglan as well.

I still have a few problems at times, but as long as it is controlled with less meds I can live with that.

Get it checked out to make sure it isn't your heart -- don't wait and take a chance on it.

Thank you, FoxNewsFan. I didn't say anything to them thru the first scan. But by the time we were to do the second scan my shoulders were absolutely screaming! I told them I didn't think I could do it. They said they had some straps for my wrists and we did use them but it still kept my arms up to the lip of the scanner rather than above my head. I haven't been able to use my arms above my shoulders since a whiplash in 1994. My arms forced my disability retirement. I'd bred and shown Collies for 30+ years and I couldn't do the grooming any more. We now have a small rescue Sheltie and a rescue Border Collie/Spaniel cross and I have to take them to the groomer because I just can't use my arms that much any more. The ONLY way I will do the nuclear stress test again is if they do the 2nd scan the next day so that I can go home after the first scan and soak in a hot tub and pig out on Tylenol overnight. I've read about some facilities doing it that way.

OuttaSync, I apologize for stealing your thread.

Are Dexilant, Prevacid or Aciphex or even Nexium in the same class as Reglan?

I don't know a lot about GERD, I only get occasional heartburn. However, I have a good friend who had GERD really bad with some damage to her esophageal sphincter. Her gastro doc put her on Rx strength Zegerid and it has completely stopped her issues. They do make an OTC version of that, too.... I believe it is the newest kid on the block for reflux meds.

Pam I'm seriuos.............I had chest pain mind felt different they yours.
First the few that told you to do to the ER were right!!! If you don't want too at least tell your doctor!!!
pto the ER....that time I saw a different doctor she was a Cardo speicalist.........she said after nothing really showed on my blood work up..........I want to go in and do a Angoram.....and wouldn't let me go back to work unless I did agree.
So I agree thank God............She put a stint in my LAD of my heart it was block! That is a main vien and people call it the widow maker!!! NO KIDDING!!

My chest pain was sharp and spread over to my shoulder.....That time it was sharp and move around my chest area....it is different. My GP doctor told me if I was having a heart attact I would feel great pressure........let me tell you Pam I never felt pressure, but I also had lots of sweating going on with my pain?

But please get check out ok

Talk about women having different symptoms! I was at a rehab seminar last week and one of the new gals was having severe pain in the palms of her HANDS. It wouldn't go away. She thought it was arthritis. BS! Her daughter called 911 and by the time they got her to the emerg they had already figured it was a heart attack. She missed the golden hour but with treatment the damage was minimal.

You do NOT take chances with your health. Ever. As one who has been on the far side and back twice and on full life support for almost a month of which 3 weeks were in a coma and coming away from the experience with some minor lung damage I can assure you that even a small problem can blossom into 'pushing up daisies' in short order. You want to get diagnosed and fixed. It is that simple. And you need to be your own advocate or have someone dear to you be your advocate. Do NOT take no for an answer on anything. And you need to keep at it like a pitbull because the object of the game these days is cost reduction and SOMEONE is going to want you out and home as fast as possible with a bottle of pills. Hell, I'm still taking pills from the hospital stay that nobody can tell me the reason for.... but they all are scared poopless to remove them from my diet. It is nuts.

Now, add in CPAP/APAP and I have learned that your LIVER, the great mixing ground of all things good and bad in the body is going to become more efficient with some of the meds and the results are that things tend to go 'wonky'. Drug interactions change. Drug efficiencies change. Drug reactions change. All because you are getting more quality sleep and your SaO2 levels are improved (hopefully). Confusing as heck. I am taking two or three pills prescribed in the hospital and have no idea why and no MD wants to curtail them. Go figure. "Go and see the guy that prescribed them" - I was unconscious, in a coma, nitwit... I have no idea who or why excepting that the GP keeps renewing the prescriptions without question and the guy that prescribed the stuff is long gone or impossible to see as he was just an ER MD for the week passing through town. I am baffled. Truly.

One thing I will say in no uncertain terms. Whatever you are doing needs to be done hand in hand with an MD. And anything that is happening that is grossly out of the ordinary (chest pain is a great example) needs to be dealt with and dealt with urgently. Today. Nothing to be afraid of or ashamed about.... it will feel so much better when they tell you in no uncertain terms that this is not a heart issue but is a gastro issue. Then pursue THAT like a tiger. Complacancy kills. I have seen it repeatedly. That is why I am so darned aggressive with my health care. And I am fortunate to be living in a province that has free medical care (sorta) and free equipment to those that cannot pay for it. Like Medicare but better.

Pam,
Are you there? What happened? I have been a cardiac nurse for a long time. I have seen women who have "toothache" pain have a massive heart attack. Your pain could be a lot of things, Gastro, GERD, esophageal spasms, gall bladder, or Cardiac. Please have it checked out. It is nothing to fool around with and post back. You have a lot of people on this forum wondering what happened to you.
Shar:)

I think she feels that if she doesn't go in it means she won't have a problem (confirmed), something to do with a river in Egypt I think .