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Still have shortness of breath after starting treatment
I’m a 71-year-old woman. I was fitted with an oral device for moderate sleep apnea two weeks ago. For the last year, I have felt out of breath with a weakness or pressure (hard to describe) in my upper chest. Sometimes it will be accompanied by palpitations. My heart checks out fine and my thyroid, though slightly hyper, is OK.
If this is related to sleep apnea, can this symptom continue for a while after starting treatment?
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Unfortunately, people report a wide variety of symptoms associated with sleep apnea, and even when it seems to be well treated many report that they don't feel a heckuva lot better. For example, brain fog is widely reported, both pre and post treatment. Even when the treatment is tweaked and dialed in to get an AHI of less than 2 or even 1, some insist they don't notice an improvement in their mood, sleepiness during the day, cognitive deficits, memory, and so on.
It is difficult for us on this forum to help you to nail down what you are sensing, but it could be a premature atrial complex or a brief run of atrial fibrillation, or even atrial or ventricular tachycardia. Your cardio team has done their best and feel that you have no detected arrythmias or other heart conditions. You don't say if your pulmonary veins are in good order, or if you have hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, or any other wild guesses coming from me.
What I would do, if I were you and wanted very much to find out what this is/is not, is to acquire a recording device for heart function and use it when you sense one or more of these episodes. Smart watches by Garmin, Samsung, and Apple all have a pretty good record now of detecting AF accurately. They're not authorized to record other types of arrhythmias except that a sustained rapid heartbeat might be indicative of tachycardia, especially when you are resting or seated. There is also the Kardia Mobile app and the associated device, less expensive by far than a smart watch. Or, the various WellU and Oura smart rings, but still costly. The point is that if you have a record you can upload from one of these devices, it will help to show that something was in fact going on, and that you knew it and reached for your device accordingly. Helps to confirm that you sense 'something.' From there, maybe a Holter monitor worn for several days to try to catch one of these events. Sometimes a Holter worn for 18 hours or so doesn't catch what's really there.
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Have you seen an endocrinologist for your thyroid? If you have hyperthyroidism, it is really important to get that treated since it affects your heart/lungs/body. Sleep apnea should start to improve with regular use of your new cpap so make sure to use it whenever you nap or sleep.
Did you see a pulmonologist about your breathing/chest pressure? You may want a MRI of your chest if it does not improve. Did you get an X-ray of your chest and have you discussed this with your primary doctor?