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Waking up short of breath!?!

Posted , 14 users are following.

emilia47047
emilia47047

I woke up at 6am feeling really short of breath. I tried to put it off as anxiety and go back to sleep only to wake 5-10 minutes later with the same symptom. Tried going back to sleep but couldn't. It felt like my breathing was weak and I wasn't getting enough air. Although light headed I immediately got up and measured my Oxygen Saturation level. oxygen 99% and heart rate was 134bmp (i had just climed down the stairs) and eventally dropped to 74. I took .5mg of ativan and was more relax by 6:30am. By 7:00am I was able to go back to sleep. 

Anyone experiance this middle of the night shortness of breath? This is the second time it happens to me, the first being my first ever panic attack on Dec. of last year where I called the ER and they informed me it was just panic. 

3 likes, 18 replies

18 Replies

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  • charlotte82836
    charlotte82836 emilia47047

    Posted

    Yes I know it exactlt what u are going through. I have health anxiety or so the doctors tell me. I'm not.sure I believe them and roughly I've been anxious for 19 years. It all started.with a.few.of.vomiting then. from there has gone to major physical symptoms. Feeling of doom like I'm gonna die. Shortness of breath chest and arm.pain heart flutter I've been seen by more then one doctor and they have all.said not heart related bur.it's hard for. me to trust anyone.especially doctors
    • emilia47047
      emilia47047 charlotte82836

      Posted

      I hear you. sad I had horrible chest pain. Even did a coronary cta and all was good. Kinda regret putting myself under all that radiation. The chest pain is all gone since the day I got my result back, it was obviously in my head. So hang in there, this really is anxiety.
  • XxaimxX
    XxaimxX emilia47047

    Posted

    I've been feeling the same recently! Had a few health problems which caused major anxiety and would wake in the night feeling like I can't breathe but it's anxiety I just lay there and deep breathe and it calms down after a while! If I've been stressed the day before the next morning I feel like I can't breathe properly and I'm tense just try and relax you've measured your oxygen and it's fine so that should tell you it's just anxiety nothing to be concerned about x
    • emilia47047
      emilia47047 XxaimxX

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply. It sucks to know you are going through this too but in another way it's comforting I'm not alone. I hope you get well soon.
  • Chalky1991
    Chalky1991 emilia47047

    Posted

    Hi Emilia,

     I thought i was alone in suffering this, I wake up like i have been breathing through a cloth and have not got enough oxygen in my body. The painic kicks in shooting the HR sky high and causign me to gasp for breath. I like you have a finger pulse oxymeter by my bed and measured my sats, my blood oxygen levels had dropped to 95 an before the HR kicks in with panic it almost feels like it has stopped beating.

     I suspect that its waking up during the deapest part of physical sleep an our active minds kick in really quickly and immediatly think the worse. I was checked for sleep apnea (which may be worth doing) and i have a slight apnea, which does not concern my consultant much at all and says that weight loss will help and possibile mouth guard but he really did not seem worried about any that.

     

    • emilia47047
      emilia47047 Chalky1991

      Posted

      I'm sorry you are going through this too. I agree about the waking up in our deepest sleep and assuming the worse. I read somewhere that our bodies require less oxygen when we are asleep so that's probably why you got the 95% and why we feel short of breath when waking suddenly. As far as sleep apnea my doc never suspected that. I also have no weight to lose since I'm just 100 lbs.

      My oxymeter is my best friend in a panic. Haha. It let's me know that I'm breathing when I feel like I'm not.

    • amand52717
      amand52717 emilia47047

      Posted

      I too have been having shortness of breath.. it started a while back during a vacation.. I thought it was something serious so I went to multiple doctors just to be told it was anxiety.. when I finally really deep down excepted it was anxiety it seemed to go away.. the very beginning symptom was waking up feeling winded..it like I had been rapidly breathing during my sleep. After a very stressful few days it finally became more than Just a symptom at night. It feels extremely scary.. I have really been doing a lot better got a wonderful job and broke up with my kids father..(I believe the stress from that relationship caused the majority of my anxiety) joined this forum and talk about what is going on.. got some important tetest out of the way just for peace of mind.. now that thing's have evened out I seem to be having a slight increase in my anxiety and a few nights ago I actually convinced myself as I was going to sleep that I was having shortness of breath and so now for the last few days I have been having a little regression.. I know its due to my to kids upcoming parties this weekend and the fact that I have so many things to do and only one me to do it.. lol. Please take care.. don't over think things the way I do and convince yourself there is something there that really isn't.. go see your doctor and get anything serious ruled out so you can relax knowing it's something that you will learn to control.. having anxiety is hard..and some days are better than others.. so day's you feel as though you have completely lost all the ground you covered the day before.. just hang in there..

  • jessica74558
    jessica74558 emilia47047

    Posted

    I hope that's what's going on with me I have had very bad panic attack for years but I never had this being woken up cause I can't hardly breath

    • NickThomas
      NickThomas jessica74558

      Posted

      I had panic attacks over 2 years ago but know I was fine then I just started getting these stern wakening it felt like I could not breath for a few minutes
  • lisalisa67
    lisalisa67 emilia47047

    Posted

    You can be awaken by night sleep panic attacks. Its annoying. Can be from a dream or whatever but it happens.
  • NickThomas
    NickThomas emilia47047

    Posted

    Yea this just happend to me it felt like closing my mouth and closing my nose.
  • mary03830
    mary03830 emilia47047

    Posted

    Hi Emilia I'm getting worried now as I have had anxiety and now healthy anxiety also ibs.I used to wake up in the morning not being able to breath but only now and again now it is every morning usually after I have been dreaming I can't go back to sleep I try to relax but but doesn't help I close my eyes and it seems worse it lasts until I get up my eyes are sore and so tired then my my stomach starts blowing up with pain I keep telling different doctors they all say it is anxiety I don't know what to believe my oxigen level is always 99 I can't believe it all anxiety

  • nasar2000
    nasar2000 emilia47047

    Posted

    Emailia i also feel like at midnight i felt the shortness of breathing then i go away from room and taking full breath outside then i relax after then i go to sleep w8 is this madem
    • Chalky1991
      Chalky1991 nasar2000

      Posted

      You could ask your doctor to get you checked out via a sleep study to check for sleep apnea at least you will know one way or another.
  • candice10225
    candice10225 emilia47047

    Posted

    I deal with the exact same thing! I deal with problems with anxiety, but I had always assumed the anxiety went to sleep when I did. Tonight is particularly bad- which is what leads me here. Out of desperating, Ijust used an inhaler and nose spray to insure that I could go back to sleep without disruption. Sleep apnea is unlikely. I am not known to snore, nor do I suffer from obesity. I noticed you mentioned you took ativan and were able to go back to sleep. That is the only part of our stories that do not share a similar experience. I took klonopin 1mg about 2 hours ago and this issue has still awaken me tonight.
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