Sleep Apnea Treatment

Question by : Am I the only one this happens to? Waking up @ night feeling like I can’t breath or that I’m dying in my sleep?
I was wondering if I’m the only one who has had this problem. Basically, soon after I fall asleep… anywhere from right after I doze off up until 1-2 hours I will wake up in a daze feeling as if my lungs are tight and I can’t move any air until after I wake up fully. It doesn’t happen past an hour or 2 of being asleep.

This will happen almost every night for a while, and then it will go away completely and won’t happen at all for months at a time, only to start up again happening almost every night after many months have gone by.

I had a sleep test done in the hospital and nothing happened that night but I was told that my test was normal and I don’t even have sleep apnea.

Best answer:

Answer by willijjj
Did they check you for asthma? I have asthma and the same thing happens to me.

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Question by *Sara*: Healthcare professionals/ patients only please… breathing problems?
Sorry this is going to be pretty long but I’m getting desperate… Thanks in advance to anyone who is willing to read and offer advice
One week ago (Saturday) I started feeling short of breath and felt like I needed to yawn throughout the day in order to get more air in. Sunday was the same, but not bad enough to cause concern.
Monday I went to work and was there for about half an hour and my breathing got worse. I felt the need to yawn every few minutes and my normal breaths felt short- like I wasn’t able to take enough air in.
My husband took me to my PCP Monday morning. EKG was fine, heart sounded fine, lungs sounded clear, PCP could hear air moving through normally.
I had lap band surgery a year and a half ago and he was worried about a blood clot in my lungs… sent me to the hospital for:
CT scan on chest- injected dye for the test- results were negative (nothing in lungs)
Blood oxygen levels checked- blood taken from artery in wrist (OUCH)- negative- results were normal
Basic blood work from vein in arm- all normal
Went back to my PCP Tuesday (took another sick day) PCP did a breathing test where I blew in and out of a little tube- said my results were abnormal but he wasn’t sure why… Gave me script for Albuteral (spelling?) inhaler and Advair inhaler. Neither one of these help at all. PCP mentioned it could be anxiety- but I have not been upset/anxious/ worried about ANYTHING lately and it doesn’t come in “attacks” but I feel this way all day every day.
I used to have sleep apnea before my lap band surgery- PCP said it may be that- but I never had “bad” sleep apnea and I sleep fine- haven’t been waking up even once during the night.
I used to have acid reflux before my surgery too- suggested that… started taking my Prilosec OTC again- does nothing to help.
PCP made another appt. to see me in one week and told me to start on Zyrtec. Zyrtec has not seemed to make a difference- been taking that for 5 days now.
Last night (Friday night) went to a movie w/ my husband and toward the end of the movie my breathing got a lot worse. I was struggling to breathe normally and my need to yawn was increased- I felt like I needed to yawn every 40-70 seconds. I couldn’t yawn right away though- it took several tries and concentration to get enough air in in order to yawn.
Husband rushed me to the ER. I was crying at this point b/c I was scared and very aggravated.
Got a chest Xray- clear, lungs look fine. Lungs sound fine. Gave me a breathing treatment and steroids through an IV- felt a tiny bit better laying there with the steroids in me but as soon as they took my IV out my problems came right back.
ER doctor gave me a script for Methylprednisolone steroid tablets. Just started them today- not sure how long they take to work but so far no change.
If anyone has ANY suggestions or advice as to what this may be or what could be causing it please let me know. I live in Louisville, Kentucky and the allergies are terrible this time of year- I’ve never really had allergies before but this just seems like way too much to just be allergies- but then again, I’m no doctor.
Meds I’m on now: Prozac (been on it for about 10 years) Wellbutrin SR (been on it for about 1 year and a half/ 2 years) Zyrtec (every morning for the past 5 days) Prilosec OTC (every morning for the past 4 days) Advair inhaler (twice a day for the past 4 days) Rescue inhaler as needed (does nothing to help) Methylprednisolone 6 day/ 21 pill pack (just started today)
THANK YOU for any help you can give me. If you know what this might be or have experienced this please let me know- I’ll take anything I can get at this point- I’m desperate to find out what’s wrong with me, it’s effecting every aspect of my life now.

Best answer:

Answer by JT_Grogan
Well, I’m no doctor, but when I had those same symptoms it turned out to be pneumonia. But if that were the case then they obviously would have picked up on it the first time you went to the hospital. I work in a hospital and I’ve never heard of anything like this that didn’t turn out to be pneumonia or some other easily treatable respiratory issue. Seems to me like you’ve got one of those mystery, doctor House type cases. But, if I were to venture a guess as to what you should do, I would say give it time. According to you it’s only been a week, so perhaps the medication just needs some time to become effective. Obviously if you think you’re going to die or the problems persist for a long time then go to the doctor, but it may well be that you’re already on the path to being fixed up.

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Question by Bob: can any doctor write a prescription for a cpap machine or only sleep specialists?
i know i have severe sleep apnea because i had a mono which gave me a bad case of tonsillitis and i was trying to figure out why i couldn’t sleep for the past month, so can i call my regualr doctor as an emergency to get a cpap machine or do i have to wait until i schedule a sleep study?

Best answer:

Answer by hustle4bread121
JUST PRAY AND GOD WILL HELP U

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Question by mark: cpap has no pressure threw my nose. only with my mouth.?
my sleep study says negative for obstructive sleep apnea. does this mean i have central sleep apnea?. had a deviated septum and turbinates removed. my sinuses and head area are clear. i have some fluid in my inner ear area. so i want to know what do you think is the reason i cant get any air from the cpap when i put it on my nose. the ent docs are no help. thanks

Best answer:

Answer by Sarjeet S. G…
CPAP simply means Continous Positive Airway Pressure.

The face mask fits tightly around the mouth and nose. Air enters the lungs via the nasal passages and the oral (mouth). You are saying that, “You cannot get any air from the CPAP into your lungs via the nasal passages.” Air will enter your lungs via the route which offers the lowest resistance. If this does not happen air will leak to the exterior via the soft cushions.

I hope this explanation helps.

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Question by sncandrsj: Sleep Apnea Patients Only Please……….?
I need some advice one a great CPAP mask; nose mask only, no full face mask. I have been using the mirage nasal pillows and now I have a mask that covers my nose and goes up between my eyes and rests in my forehead. It isn’t very comfortable and it makes it hard for me to go to sleep at night. Any suggestions on a better mask will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Best answer:

Answer by opal63
The Mirage Swift™ II is 86% quieter than the Swift and is one of the lightest masks available (2.5 oz). Featuring improved nasal pillow technology and four tubing positions to allow for side sleeping, the Swift II offers the ultimate in flexibility and comfort.

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