Strange problem with Ab muscles

[CIAustralia]

Before I was diagnosed with severe OSA (AHI 84 and Narcolepsy, including sleep paralysis with hallucinations), I was having weird things happen with my Abs, but not often. Sometimes when I got up from a chair, my Abs would tighten up and I'd end up walking like Egor for about half a minute before they'd relax and I could walk normally again.

Since being on CPAP, it has worsened to almost every time I get up off a chair, but now it happens every time in the mornings when I wake up. sometimes once, sometimes 4 or 5 one after the other and can't sit up until it's stopped.

Not good when busting to go to the toilet, but I've managed to avoid accidents.

My Sleep Tech said he's never heard of this happening in relation to sleep disorders, so I'm wondering if maybe I have something else going on too. It's not from swallowing air...I had my first bout of that this morning when for the first time in almost 6 years of marriage, I greeted my hubby with braaaappp...braaappp instead of 'good morning honey'. My Sleep Tech changed me from a F&P Icon Auto to resmed s9 Autoset yesterday

[trish6hundred]

Hi CIAustralia,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
You might talk to your Dr. about the problem you are having with your ab muscles.
Hang in there for more responses to your post and best of luck to you.

[retired_guy]

Let's see how you do with the S9.... Have you installed the "Sleepyhead" software on your computer? You'll want to do that so you can review your statistics as you go along. For instance, I know you feel your not mouth breathing, but you'll be able to confirm that for sure when you have the statistics to see what you're leak rates are doing.

Also, anything else new in your lifestyle? For instance, now that you have started to improve your health with the CPAP machine, have you also launched an exercise regimen, such as doing 30 or 40 ab crunches a day? I have experienced the ab pain you describe but in my case it was definitely caused by exercise when I had not been used to it. Another good reason to only exercise by moving your hand from your plate to your mouth in quick fashion.

[DocWils]

I doubt that the CPAP could be exacerbating your problem - in all likelihood this is either back related or, if these are your obliques or lower abdominal muscles, problems in the ilius or psoas, which, ultimately, would also be back related, or pelvis related. Since I was an Orthopaedic surgeon for much of my practice, before I moved into teaching, I have seen similar problems crop up often enough to recommend the following - first, go see an osteopath, see if manipulation and message can relieve the problem, if not, your next trip is to an orthopaedist, preferably one with considerable neurological experience, as often this cramping is caused by muscle and nerve compressions.

From what you describe this seems positional, that certain positions, or moving out from them seem to bring on the attacks, and this can clearly be indicative of either back or spinal problems, which are, to the best of my knowledge, never related to apnoea in any way.

I am sorry to say this could also be a warning sign for something more frightening (although usually curable when treated early enough), but your doctor can rule that out easily enough. Either way, heed my advice and get thee to thy healer. In fact, I cannot understand why you have not gone that route already - repeated spasming and pain is not something to shrug off and certainly would have sent me in for a consultation quite early on.