Posted , 4 users are following.
So I just woke up in the middle of the night gasping for air , Heart beating really fast , and the only thing I remember is that I couldn't breathe in a dream or something and It woke me up at the end.
Could this be Sleep Apnea? Or is it just Sleep Paralysis and i was actually awake not dreaming when I couldn't breathe.This happen to me a few months ago too.
0 likes, 11 replies
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lily65668 SoberDober11
Posted
Could be either but more likely an isolated episode of obstructive sleep apnoea. It's important to realise that we all wake from occasional episodes of OSA due to having got ourselves into an awkward position while sleeping, or just going a bit too far into the deep muscle relaxation that's normal during dream sleep. These episodes are completely harmless, even if they're a bit alarming when they happen.
If you're only aware of it happening once or twice a year, then you probably don't need to do anything about it. However, if you're getting excessive daytime sleepiness, or if your blood pressure is tending to rise over time, then it might be a good idea to see your doctor and ask if you can be referred to a sleep specialist.
I'm also wondering whether you regularly share your bed with a partner. Sometimes a partner will become aware that their bedmate is going through long periods of apnoea, especially when they're snoring.
SoberDober11 lily65668
Posted
I'm 20 and single currently.
I think this choking thing happens to me that 4-5 times over the past 11 months .
I have sinusitis so maybe that plays a part in it too.My brother said I snore a little when I sleep but not as loud as my dad.
I also wake up with headaches that gets better as the day goes by but never goes away completely.Ive been having these headaches since I was 13 everyday so I've just kinda lived with it.Drs said it's migraines.
lily65668 SoberDober11
Posted
Maybe go back, explain the full situation and ask whether you can see a sleep specialist?
Snoring doesn't necessarily go hand-in-hand with OSA, either way. A friend of mine raises the roof with his snoring, but spent two night in the sleep lab with no sign of OSA. It's just that if someone is snoring loudly enough to keep a partner awake, then long breaks in their breathing are more likely to be noticed.
SoberDober11 lily65668
Posted
Is that normal for a 20 year old?.
lily65668 SoberDober11
Posted
Yes, that's OK. Most people snore at least part of the time.
SoberDober11
Posted
Also I've been having constant chest tightness everyday .Doctors don't know what's wrong with me and have ruled it out as asthma and Acid Reflux.
Both the inhalers and antiacids aren't exactly helping but the drs insist I try them out for a bit longer despite it being 3 months since I started started on them.(10 months since this Chest tightness started)
Should I continue with the Gaviscon?
Truth8 SoberDober11
Posted
SoberDober11 Truth8
Posted
No I haven't.
I'll talk about this possible sleep apnea with my doctor soon.
I only remember it happening 3 times the past 11-12 months.
Not sure if thats normal or not
Truth8 SoberDober11
Posted
Once in 3-4 months does not sound normal to me. I don't mean to scare you, and I am sure it is nothing grave, but I feel you should not let it go.
Truth8 SoberDober11
Posted
Once in 3-4 months does not sound normal to me. I don't mean to scare you, and I am sure it is nothing grave, but I feel you should not let it go.
lily65668 Truth8
Posted
I can only say it sounds well within the normal range to me - though, as I stated in an earlier post, SoberDober should ask to see a sleep specialist since he's clearly worried about this.
My reason for saying that once every 3-4 months is probably normal is that I've had this at least once a week basis for the last 60 years, increasing in frequency over the past 10 years or so. It's true that I've always suffered from excessive daytime sleepiness, and also that I sometimes had severe headaches when I was young (which stopped when I retired from paid employment 8 years ago.) However, at age 74 I'm still in good health and reasonably fit, and my blood pressure is normal, as is my renal function.
That's not to say I never tried to get referred to a sleep lab, but I never got the chance. Medical opinion in both the countries where I've spent my life holds that women can't possibly have OSA. And yes, I know this is nonsense (I'm a former nurse and accustomed to observing sleeping patients in hospitals) but I can't afford to fork out thousands for a private sleep study. I guess the condition might shorten my life by a year or so, but it's certainly had no measurable impact on my health up to now.