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pain with sleep apnea
I have just been diagnosed with sleep apnea and am going this Tuesday to get an EPAP machine. I don't know anything about it, but am willing to try it.
I am writing this because I have for over two years been suffering with pain in my breastbone, which goes up into my chest and at times down into my stomach. It is not related to my stomach or my heart. I have had all of these checked out by specialists. The sleep Dr. told me the other day that it could be the muscles that are joined to the ribcage, diaphragm and breastbone that are hurting me. He said it may improve with the new breathing machine. I was wondering if anyone else here has ever had this problem. Please let me know your thoughts on this and thank you very much.
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@happyat76 - I'm pretty sure that your doctor will be looking for bacteria and high counts of it, or bacteria that shouldn't be there. Two years is a very long time to have put up with this. I'm sure that you've had blood work done in that AMT of time. Have you experienced any other symptoms with it?
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2 ReactionsHi Merry,
I had been diagnosed with Gerd about three years ago and was on a PPI medication. The GI Dr. thought this would stop my pain, but it hasn't. I don't know if the gerd did some permanent damage to me. I also have a small hiatus hernia, but it doesn't seem to give me a problem. Perhaps these things have done permanently damage to my stomach, chest etc. I am going to a pain clinic in May and I will tell this Dr. that I cannot live with this pain anymore. He is the one who put me on the CBD oil as a last resort to my pain. It isn't doing anything for me now.
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1 Reaction@happyat76- I'm glad that you have taken action for yourself. Have you been checked for COPD? Did you try different PPI's?
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hiatal-hernia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373379
I did go to see a breathing Dr. and he told me he saw something on the chest x-ray, but not to worry about it. That was four years ago. I haven't had a chest x-ray since then. I have tried Tecta, Lansoprazole and another one whose name I can't remember. So I have been on 3 different PPI's and they haven't helped me really. What else can I do now? Thanks for your advice.
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2 Reactions@happyat76 if I were you I would hustle and get another X-ray or CT scan. Seeing something on a chest X-ray and not following up with you is not good medical practice. Perhaps get a new Dr.
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2 ReactionsI have suffered from dull chest pain and shortness of breath for many years I have also been diagnosed with sleep apnea recently. I am currently using a CPAP machine. My doctor also told me that sleep apnea could be straining my muscles in the chest and causing inflammation of the costal cartilage, the structure that connects each rib to the sternum at the costosternal joint. This condition is called Costochondritis. Any update to your condition and did you confirm what your doctor told you? I am trying to understand my condition as well and try to find a solution to it.
@serenity0131, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You may also be interested in joining the members talking about Costochondritis in this discussion in the Chronic Pain group:
- Costochondritis https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/costochondritis-1/
Has the CPAP machine helped relieve the pain? How long have you been using the CPAP?
Thank you so much Colleen. I honestly don't know why I have Costochondritis in the first place. I first thought it could be related to my sleep apnea but now I'm thinking it's the pressure of the CPAP machine that is making it worse probably. I have been using the CPAP machine for a month now.
How did you make out with the sternum pain you were having?
I am having same issues. How did you make out with the chest pain issue?