stabbing pain in heart area?

[Scentastics]

Hi everyone,

I first want to say, thank God for this forum! It gives me hope and it's nice to know I'm not alone!

I've been dealing with apnea now for the last 3 years. Having my second sleep study this Tuesday (can't wait). I had my first sleep study 2 years ago (had to pay for it because Blue Cross & Blue Shield denied me it). I never fell asleep at my first sleep study and it was a new clinic so nothing ever came out of that except the clinic got my $3,000. I've since dumped BCBS and am on a new healthcare that is really good and approved my sleep study instantly.

Anyways, I usually get my apnea when I'm nodding off and just as I'm entering into "sleep world" I instantly have to sit up in bed and either pound myself or yell out something in order to get myself to start breathing again. This goes on for a few hours. Lot's of fun. I can deal with that somewhat but lately (twice last week and twice last night) when I rose up and was trying to catch my breath, I got a fierce, stabbing pain in my chest area. The same stabbing pain all four times and in the same place. It hurt really bad and was really scarry. I'm still sore today from it too. Resting at home today. The last time I had a stabbing pain like that it wasn't as intense and I went to the emergency ward thinking I was having a heart attack, but then was diagnosed with GERD. The doctor pointed to the exact area where he said he knew the pain was at. I've been following the GERD advise ever since, but this new intense pain is bumming me out.

I guess my question is that do you think this is just because I'm not on any machine and that it's just gotten to the point where my body is crying out for it to be put on CPAP or BIPAP and that this will go away over time as soon as I can get my machine? Have any of you had this happen to you?

Thanks for listening, I mean reading!

Pam:

[Tom @ Intus]

Hi Pam,

It does sound at though your heart may be struggling to cope with your apnoeas, which sound quite severe from your description. When you have an apnoea, your body is temporarily starved of oxygen, so your heart has to work harder to pump what little oxygen you do have around your system faster. Without wanting to sound alarmist, there was a study recently that showed that sleep apnoea increases the risk of heart failure by 58% for this exact reason. It puts more strain on the heart, an in particular it happens in short, intense bursts with no lead time.

While it may not stop the heart pain, I would suspect that when you get your CPAP equipment you will notice it reduces significantly. The reason I say this is because it does seem as though your pain is directly linked to when you have an apnoea, so theoretically if you stop the apnoeas then you stop the pain.

Hopefully this is the case, and the CPAP will kill two birds with one stone. I would suggest though that it may be worth having your heart checked by a doctor, even if the CPAP does appear to stop it. Heart pain is never positive and it's not worth ignoring it, even if it goes away. It may be nothing, but then I wouldn't take the risk personally. The apnoeas may simply be triggering a bigger problem, you just never know.

Anyway, I hope I haven't scared you! I just wanted to explain the link between the two, but I'm fairly sure that the pains will stop when you start using CPAP as it would appear to be linked to your apnoeas. That said, if you are concerned about your heart in any way then definitely get it checked - you have nothing to lose but it could potentially save your life!

Tom @ Intus

[Topgal]

Stabbing pain

Pam,

In March this year I started to get stabbing pain in the right side of my chest, i ignored it for awhile in the hope that it would go away, but it didn't and I ended up being admitted to hospital for over a week where they carried out every test under the sun (echocardiogram, angiogram etc) thankfully all was okay with my heart so they discharged me. Even when walking the pain got worse and i couldnt do any physical activity. The pain continued and after another three weeks of suffering I went private to see a chest specialist who asked me a series of questions and then proceeded to tell me he suspected i had sleep apnea and sent me for a sleep study. This revealed i definitely had sleep apnea. They suspect the pain i was experiencing was my body's way of telling me something was wrong and the apnea was putting extra pressure on my heart. I have since commenced on a cpap machine whereby the pain has eased in my chest. Go and get checked, you cannot take any chances when it comes to the heart.

[Scentastics]

Update

Hi everyone,

Thanks to those who responded to my last e mail. A lot has happened since and I wanted to share for those who might be in the same boat.

I had a sleep study, which showed no apnea. Then I had an endoscopy, which they found stomach erosion and 2 polyps, which they removed and were negative. Whew.

I've changed my diet (no coffee (I do have tea though), no spicy, low fats, low cholesterol, small meals throughout the day, no eating after 9PM). I take an all-natural stress cap (L-Theanine). I've lost the 5 pounds I've wanted to and feel better about that too. I'm 5'8 and weight 140. Still working on another 5lbs to lose.

I take prilosec 4x a day. I'm trying to find other "natural" substitutes, but so far have to keep using the prilosec.

So, for the last 3 years I have been dealing with silent gerd that manifested itself into full blown gerd (heartburn). And yes, the stabbing pain in the heart area is a significant sign of it. Also, the loss of airway is commonplace too (that's why I thought I had apnea all this time).

I still have the gasping air at night, but nowhere near where it use to be. I am hoping that with everything I am doing now it will eventually go away. I now am on the GERD/heartburn forum.

So for all of you out there, keep at it. Be your own investigator and change doctors until you find the one that will get to the bottom of your problems. It took me 3 years to get to this place that has changed my outlook on life--there is hope!

Take care!
Pam

[Tigers Fan]

Good for you, girl! Well done.

[Berneta]

Gerd

Hi Pam, I read a thread on here somewhere (There are so many I lose track)--that a tablespoon of honey is a natural soothing thing to take for Acid Reflex. You might try it. Try to get honey from the farmer's market. I don't have stomach problems so don't know for sure if it works--but what the heck--anything natural is worth a try. Best Wishes, Berneta