Suggest Treatment Of Sleep Apnea

Posted on Tue, 24 Nov 2015

Question: I have sever sleep apenia and I my doctor has ordered the mask to wear at night, but I don't have it yet. I am having spells during the day and at night where I can't breath. It starts with my muscles burning, can't breath and getting so weak I can't stand. I had a chest x-ray Friday of last week and the doctor's office called today and said my lungs were clear. It is getting worse every day. Please tell me what I should do.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
CPAP is essential for the treatment of sleep apnea.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Sleep apnea is mostly due to obstruction in the upper airways during sleep. So patient is not able to get enough air.
This obstruction is either fixed like adenoids, large tongue, tonsils etc. Surgical correction of these is needed for treatment.
Or obstruction is due to excessive fat tissue in the neck. For this, you need to loose weight and start CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure).
CPAP will keep the airways open due to continously maintaining positive pressure.
So please let me know
1. Are you obese?
2. What is the reason for your sleep apnea?
3. During study when mask was used, did you feel better?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (24 minutes later)

I know I need the CPAP machine and I am waiting for it to be delivered to me (see my question), but is this the cause of having these spells of not being able to breath, muscle burning sensation, and extreme weakness during and after these attacks during the day and becoming more frequent?

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (11 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes, your symptoms are due to uncontrolled sleep apnea.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on HCM.
I can understand your concern.
Yes, your all symptoms are due to uncontrolled sleep apnea.
In sleep apnea patients carbon dioxide levels are high and this causes all the symptoms like excessive day time sleepiness, lethargy, fatigue, headache, muscle weakness, tremors etc.
So CPAP is must for you. So get it as soon as possible.
Hope I have solved your query.
If you are not having further queries, then please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (24 minutes later)

Would an inhaler help me during these episodes? I have also had a pain right under my breast on my left side that is only relieved by pressing on it until the pain goes away. What would cause this?

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (31 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Possibility of musculoskeletal pain is more.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on HCM.
I can understand your concern.
Possibility of musculoskeletal pain is more because your pain is relieved by pressure.
But better to get done ecg and 2d echo to rule out heart diseases because heart related pain is more on left side.
You are also having sleep apnea, so heart diseases are also more common.
So better to first rule out this.
About inhaler use, if you are having COPD (chronic obstructive Pulmonary disease) in background then inhalers will definitely help.
So please let me know
1. Do you have breathlessness?
2. Did you use inhalers in the past?
3. Have you ever undergone PFT (Pulmonary Function Test)? On the basis of PFT, COPD is diagnosed.
4. Have you undergone cardiac work up?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar