[CPAP] Dreading bedtime.....

[sunmanx]

I received my first cpap (resmed airsense10) last thursday afternoon. Friday morning I woke up to find myself almost unable to move with an excruciating pain in the dead center of my back. I stood up, removed the mask and could hardly catch a full breath. I walked around for a minute and quickly concluded this wasnt going to help. I turned the shower on, still unable to fully breathe, on the hottest water I could stand and the very second the water hit my back, I felt every muscle in my chest and back release and took my first full breath of air. I stood there for a solid 15 minutes until the pain had subsided enough that I could function and get ready for work.

Saturday morning, same ordeal but more pain than I've ever felt. I was pretty useless the entire day even after taking 3 50mg ultrams thoughtout the day.

Sunday morning, after trying a pillow under my mattress and sleeping on my non dominant side, same thing but not as rought as the previous morning.

Monday morning, different side of the bed, pain killer right before bed, same thing.

This morning, new mask (took nasal pillow back and got nasal mask), same thing. I went to the Dr today to seek advice and was given a prescription for flexeril to take right before bed and a dental scrip for something called a mandibular advancement device. I plan to see the dentist this week or next.

So, tonight I sit here scared to death to use the cpap again tonight. With over 40 events per hour and a high bpm of 208 during my regular sleep (according to sleep lab), can I afford not to wear the mask?

Any advice? Anyone else experience this type of pain and muscle spasms?

[DariaVader]

i have muscle spasms that are dreadful - but cpap makes them better, not worse. Do you have a theory on why it is happening? is it a position you are laying in? an inability to relax with the equipment?

[archangle]

Have you checked your data? See anything?


Post a copy of your SD card if you're willing.

Vary sleeping position if possible. Maybe try sleeping in a recliner if you've got one.

[kaiasgram]

sunmanx, if it helps, you are not alone in your experience. We hear periodically from people who had the same or a similar thing happen. It happened to me too -- not long after the start of my cpap therapy I woke up in the middle of the night one night with hideous low back pain. It took months of massage, therapeutic yoga, physical therapy exercises, heat, flexeril, advil..... before it dissipated, but it finally did. I never really figured the whole thing out and people have made suggestions, e.g., you're sleeping more deeply and staying in one position too long, you're tense trying to get used to cpap, etc. I have no idea!

But I encourage you to keep treating your sleep apnea. Whichever way you go with that, I hope you find quick relief from your back pain.

[OpalRose]

sunmanx,
As others have said, this seems to be a common experience with new users. I don't see that CPAP itself would cause you back pain. The pain you are experiencing possibly comes from sleeping in the same position for too long.

When I first started, I was very anxious about the whole experience, was afraid to move too much at night, and I know I was definetly breathing too hard. When I woke up in the morning, not only did I have back aches, I had trouble breathing. With every breath I took, there was discomfort in the diaphragm area.

I would suggest you get a complete checkup by your doctor, especially see a cardiologist just to be sure that pain is not something serious.
Also, try to relax when going to bed, and breath normally. For some, it takes time to adapt, don't give up.

[3porpoise]

Hi Sunmanx,
Some people experience aerophagia or air swallowing .Some mild some severe. Mine was severe and painful.This may or may not be the case.you could ask your RT to lower the pressure by one to see if it makes any difference. This of course means more apneas can happen but in order for one not to give up may be worth it until your body adjusts .You could try EPR to see if that helps. Were you having leaks? Did you manage to download the data?
3

[vsheline]

I would suggest you get a complete checkup by your doctor, especially see a cardiologist just to be sure that pain is not something serious.

I suggest also seeing a chiropractor. I have been helped a great deal by chiropractic care.