FIRST NIGHT - help?

[Bdev]

I just had my first night of cpap therapy. I had it on for about 5-6 hours. I felt less anxious and more regulated when I woke up this morning. I was nervous about gulping air but I don’t think I really did, I tossed and turned a bit and had about 4 events an hour. The more I am awake this morning, the more I am noticing almost a strange feeling in my chest and possibly heart? I understand that I normally breathe very shallow so it was a change for me to breathe deeply and consistently. I think I feel a little anxious about the heart palpation feeling. But maybe it’s more in my chest and throat than my heart. I’m not quite sure. I have a very healthy heart and I am young (32). I feel similar to when I would crank a humidifier in a room on a dry winter day. Am I ok and it’s just something to get used to? I feel like if I got it checked out they would say I’m fine. Just wondering if other people have had this experience. Thanks!

[LSAT]

The CPAP sends a constant pressure. You are the one that controls how often or how deeply you breathe. 5-6 hours the first night is great. Your breathing will even out as you get used to the machine/mask.

[Sheriff Buford]

To expand on what LSAT said, the constant forced air cpap sends could initially make your lungs sore. I think overtime, your lungs would adjust to the constant pressure cpap therapy provides.

Sheriff

[Miss Emerita]

You're off to a great start! Exhalation is usually fairly passive; you don't ordinarily need to exert your muscles much at all. But when you use PAP, you do need to push a bit to exhale into the stream of pressurized air. This can cause some muscle soreness at first. It will go away.

Also, as you may know, anxiety can cause some heart palpitation. This should also subside as you get used to using the machine. One way to speed up the process of adaptation is to set up the machine outside your bedroom during the day or evening and use it while you do something mildly distracting, like watching TV, reading, or using your devices.