was it sleep apnea?

[sugarplum]

I am wondering if anyone out there has ever had a similar experience.... I had a sleep study a few months ago and diagnosed with mild sleep apnea. So mild the doctor did not see a need to treat. My only complaints were unrestful sleep, morning headache, and occasional daytime sleepiness. Then, a few days ago, I woke up a little after 6 a.m. unable to breathe. Its hard to describe, but the best word I can think of is "suffocating". I couldn't inhale, swallow, or speak! Gradually, (and I mean so slowly I thought I would pass out) I could feel my windpipe or something open. The whole episode lasted about a full minute before I could breathe comfortably. I have mild asthma also, but I felt the issue was definately in my throat rather than my lungs. It was extremely horrifying and my husband was quite shaken as well. I called my doctor and he had a respiratory therapist come to my house with a machine to monitor my heart rate and oxygen levels while I sleep to try to find the cause of this event. Trouble is, that had never happened before and who knows if or when it will again! Anyone have sleep apnea and experience anything like this? Meanwhile, I am afraid to go to sleep now!

[agnf666]

My dad has sleep apnea. He can't lay down in bed because if he lays flat on his back because he's oxygen level drops. when he wakes up he has really bad headaches, reason being is because the oxygen level in his body was so low. So, he sleeps in a chair all night. That helps it some. It has gotten better though, he doesn't sleep during the day like he use to. He use to fall asleep driving and everything. It was scary.

 

Well, the only thing I think that the doctor will do is probably put you on the breathing machine that you have to wear everynight... Now the only thing is that if you can keep it on all night. My dad can't so he doesn't use it.

 

Try sleeping on the couch or something or in a chair and see what happens. If you are afraid to sleep then you need to talk to your doctor and tell him about it.

[Curmudgeon]

Both! About three months ago I awoke to the same sensation except I could inhale but no exhale. It lasted almost two minutes and it was only when I was on the verge of passing out that my throat relaxed and permitted me to breathe again.

 

I, too, went to the doctor who scheduled me for an appointment with the sleep lab. They gave me a machine to monitor Nthey gave me a recording CPAP (Continuous, Positive Airway Pressure) machine to try at home for about four or five nights. Based upon both readings (oxygen levels and the CPAP records), they gave me a CPAP machine that's mine to keep.

 

Sleep apnea was waking me up an average of 37 time a night (you aren't aware of it but your brain and body are) and preventing me from getting the necessary REM sleep the body needs to regenerate during the night. That leads to headaches in the morning (not for me though, just some people), drowziness during the day, congestive heart problems and a host of other ailments.

 

The CPAP keeps the soft tissues of the mouth and throat from collapsing during the night which starves the body of oxygen and causes the wake ups. A second advantage is that it's impossible to snore while using one. The machine takes some getting used to because you have to wear a mask all night (like an oxygen mask) but you wake up alert, refreshed and if snoring was a problem before, so does your spouse/partner/SO/whomever.

 

When I say I was jild with 37 wake ups a night, one man in one of the necessary classes had an average of 179.

[sugarplum]

Both! About three months ago I awoke to the same sensation except I could inhale but no exhale. It lasted almost two minutes and it was only when I was on the verge of passing out that my throat relaxed and permitted me to breathe again.

 

 

I am so glad to hear this! (No offense ) It's good to know I may be able to get some answers. They told me that since I only stopped breathing about 7 times an hour and since I only sleep on my stomach that they thought the CPAP was not necessary and would not be a good idea and I might not comply because of my sleeping position. They might change their mind now. Although, truthfully, the thought of using the mask doesn't thrill me! I never snore BTW. But they did note periods of extremely shallow breathing in between the not breathing at the sleep study.

[quankanne]

your episode is definite SA-related – I started doing that (I didn't know, but my husband did and he told me), and told my doctor. I was sent to a pulmonologist, had two sleep studies done, given a CPAP, then a BiPAP machine – apparently I was waking like 60-70 times a night because I wasn't taking in the proper amount of air.

 

last week I had surgery to correct a deviated septum, which has helped some, it doesn't feel like I'm struggling to breathe or that I've got a heavy cat sitting on my chest. Haven't gotten back on the machine as of yet because my nose still feels tender, but my doctor (the primary care one) suggested putting a two-by-four under my bedframe at the head of the bed to give a slight elevation, which also helped some.

 

try doing that, or even try sleeping in a more sitting up position (lots of pillows on the couch seems to work better than a recliner, in my case) to help open your breathing passage. Also, weight gain is tied into breathing problems; I've been told if I lost weight, it will correct itself, and one of the women in the office said that's what worked for her, she's no longer on a CPAP.

 

don't be worried about falling asleep and not waking up – your body has got a lot of built-in survival mechanisms to wake you up one way or another. Muscle spasms in your legs, tingly feelings if you sleep too long in one position, even grinding your teeth in your sleep are ways your body forces you to wake up because it's being deprived of oxygen. All those symptoms will fade as you begin using the machine, though it's going to take you a bit of time getting used to a face mask AND being connected by a tube to a machine that's on the side of your bed. Until you get used to it, you may feel like you're fighting it or being suffocated some, but your body will train itself to breathe using it. And even those times you're not using it (naps on the sofa, unplanned overnight stays someplace), your body will be so conditioned to breathing deeply from the machine, that you unconsciously force yourself to breathe properly during your sleep.

 

you'll be fine, the cavalry has arrived in the shape of a breathing machine!