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Waking up in the middle of the night gasping for air

Posted , 28 users are following.

scott33607
scott33607

Has anybody ever experienced this before? Over the past year I've been experiencing a lot of unsettling symptoms (severe shortness of breath, PVCs, palpitations, all of which get worse upon exertion) and have seen a cardiologist, got a full workup with all the tests (stress, ekg, holter monitor, TEE) and they couldn't find anything. I even saw a pulmonologist who told me I was experiencing irregular breathing but he hasn't really diagnosed it (just gave me and inhaler, which didn't improve anything).

  But recently, I've been having a new symptom. I'll go to sleep at night, and a few hours later I'll wake up gasping for air, like I'm being suffocated.  My breaths are extremely short and it feels like I'm unable to get anough oxygen, which wakes me up. It's very startling and keeps me awake for hours after it happens, with the dyspnea even more aggrivated. I haven't spoken to my cardiologist yet but after my workup, he seemed to think there was nothing wrong with my heart. However, this new addition to my symptoms has me quite scared.  I don't quite know what to do and was wondering if anyone had any experience that could shed some light on it?

1 like, 42 replies

42 Replies

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  • rachel94769
    rachel94769 scott33607

    Posted

    I am gonna be through the same. Few years ago having pac's, pvc's and no cardiac issues they could find over summer I was diagnosed with an ulcer and know I'm waking up gasping for air !!???

  • emmy61216
    emmy61216 scott33607

    Posted

    The same happened to me, except this last time (two days ago) it happened while I was awake, I called my doctor and he told me to stop my diabetes medication, glucotrol/glipizide because that was one of the side effects, I did a search and sure enugh he was right, I hope this can help you.
  • emmy61216
    emmy61216 scott33607

    Posted

    The same happened to me, except this last time (two days ago) it happened while I was awake, I called my doctor and he told me to stop my diabetes medication, glucotrol/glipizide because that was one of the side effects, I did a search and sure enugh he was right, I hope this information can help you.
  • mark13635
    mark13635 scott33607

    Posted

    I get this I think my hiatus hernia is causing it I get a build up of acid and wake up choking fighting for breath very scary good luck sorting it out.
  • vim01704
    vim01704 scott33607

    Posted

    Hi I’m also experiencing this problem and have a hospital appointment next Monday.  
  • ADaTo
    ADaTo scott33607

    Posted

    It could be GERD. You need to figure out what OTHER symptoms you have that will give you signs as to what it is. If you wake up gasping, then choking, then clawing and seeking water and holding your stomach due to sensing poor digestion or stomach upset then it could be what I mentioned.
  • lori83044
    lori83044 scott33607

    Posted

    Scott this is sounding all way to familiar.  I would suggest u go to primary (if u haven’t already) and ask for chest X-ray to make sure there is nothing more going on in ur lung area.

    I have 8 prev stents / bypass and current heart / aortic blkgs and “never” a thought crossed my mind that I had lung issues.

    Always palpitations and shortness of breath myself.  Just found out recently via pre op X-rays about my lung condition.

    I wish u well and take care as this can b scarey also, the not knowing.

  • monifa28609
    monifa28609 scott33607

    Posted

    I have been waking up gasping for air too. It happens after I've stressed my back or neck out from lifting anything remotely heavy. It does eventually get better (it has happened about 4 or 5 times in the past) but it takes weeks for it to subside. I mean like 6 or 8 weeks. MRI's don't explain it and of course docs blame it on anxiety. Manual physical therapy has been helping me for the last 3 years but this last time I went when I strained my back, p.t. aggravated the situation rather than helping. I also gasp for air if I try to walk a block and my vision gets blurry. It feels like the symptoms get worse.

  • adrianna19398
    adrianna19398 scott33607

    Posted

    I’m only 13 and I’ve been starting to experience this also pretty recently. Sometimes I feel like I can’t breathe or I’m forgetting how to and then I sorta just panic. I’m scared to go to sleep now after it happened to me about 3 times last night. I stayed up all night and got less than an hour a sleep. 
    • Bob37393
      Bob37393 adrianna19398

      Posted

      There is a low cost Pulse Oximeter you can buy which monitors your blood oxygen level.

      Hospitals recommend that you should go to sleep with at least 93% (Spo2) blood oxygen level.

      If you become breathless whilst asleep it is possible your SpO2 is going below 88% for some reason which is the level at which an oxygen supply is recommended.

      It is possible to set the Contec CMS50D+ pulse oximeter (the one I use) to give an audible alarm which would wake you up at less than 88% SpO2 even if your body for some reason is not kicking in your breathing response.

      I have found wearing one of these throughout the night was a reassurance in case I didn't wake up.

      (I don't need to use it during the night now but it is useful to keep a check on daytime breathing response and heart rate).

      P.S. They don't work on fingers with nail polish on the measuring finger.

       

  • kennith81920
    kennith81920 scott33607

    Posted

    Bad dreams, maybe you can't remember yours but I just had another this morning. Guy hits me in the belly, I buckle over, can't fight back, I'm so scared I wake up breathing like I just ran the 50 yard dash. I just remember the last last of the dream,couldn't fight back. ? How long would it take to start breathing that hard.

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