A different sleep apnea thread...

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DalekBrittany
DalekBrittany Posts: 1,748 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I saw another poster's sleep apnea question and it reminded me I have one of my own.

When I started here, I was at 310. Sadly, not my heaviest, but obviously still very heavy. Now I am 298 pounds. Even at my highest weight, I never had a problem with sleep apnea. My fiance often lies awake at night and we have different sleeping schedules, so he can attest to this.

Now, however it seems I am starting to have a problem with it! I will be trying to fall asleep only to be jolted because I stopped breathing and am gasping for a breath! I have only noticed it because it seems to happen as I am going to sleep, but still awake.

Now, I do have anxiety, and I take medication for it, but a lot of stuff has been going on lately that is kind of beyond the meds. I only take them to regulate my heart rate and keep me from getting dizzy. I also have asthma, and I have tried using my inhaler just before bed, but that does nothing. I have elevated my head, slept with no pillows, tried different pillows, slept in different positions, even tried basically sitting up while trying to sleep...yet it always happens, anyway.

I am unsure if this is sleep apnea or some mental thing, but I was just curious if anyone had experienced apnea only after they started to lose weight.


Thanks for reading and I appreciate any replies! Let me just add, I have every intention of seeing my doctor. I am not one of those people that takes advice from strangers as medical fact, so I do realize that I need to see my doc. I am just looking to see others' experiences with this and for any advice anyone can give on how to get some sleep in the meantime. :)

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  • DalekBrittany
    DalekBrittany Posts: 1,748 Member
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    Bump?
  • xX_PhoenixRising_Xx
    xX_PhoenixRising_Xx Posts: 623 Member
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    It sounds a bit strange to me. I did have apnoea, but as I was getting heavier. I was just over 300lbs when diagnosed. I got as high as 329lbs, and then as I started losing the apnoea resolved before I even got back to 300. Now I'm 256lbs with no ongoing problems. For the most part, when I still had the apnoea, I wasn't aware of it. I only went to the doctor because of extreme tiredness, I actually fell asleep while driving one morning (luckily I only bounced a curb and woke up). I think maybe once or twice in 6 years did I wake myself up and actually be aware of it, certainly not every time I tried to go to sleep and I never had a whole "can't breathe" panic. Having had severe anxiety as well, it could be more related to this I think? I'm glad you're going to the doctor, they should do the investigation required and hopefully you get some answers.
  • MoRiv1986
    MoRiv1986 Posts: 379 Member
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    Bump.
  • jamesantonyarnold
    jamesantonyarnold Posts: 14 Member
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    I had apnea diagnosed about four years ago after a sleep study. I wondered why I woke feeling like I'd never been to sleep. At the time I was about 190 and pretty fit. In the end it was down to an undiagnosed deviated septum and a soft upper pallette. As I put weight on, getting up to 220, it got far worse and in the end I had surgery (rhinoplasty and septoplasty) to sort the problem. It may be worth looking at either of these, as weight is not the only thing that can cause this.
  • Bettyeditor
    Bettyeditor Posts: 327 Member
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    I have sleep apnea. Its not something that you are aware of. You don't really come fully conscious when you have an apnea episode. It sounds like this is something else entirely. Glad you are going to see your doctor.
  • littlebudgie
    littlebudgie Posts: 279 Member
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    When you jolt awake gasping, do you feel like you can't move the rest of your body? If so, it sounds like hypnagogic sleep paralysis, which can definitely be brought on by stress. For me, all I had to change was avoiding sleeping on my back and it stopped, but obviously that's not the case for you. I suggest keeping a sleep log to track these incidents, since that will be helpful to your doctor when you go to see them.
  • chelcdub
    chelcdub Posts: 49 Member
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    I have been experiencing this (what I believe is sleep paralysis) for years as the poster stated, I also believe it is brought on by stress. I noticed when I don't sleep on my back, or with my room to warm, it doesn't occur. The other thing that I will start doing again that seemed to help was taking a vitamin B stress complex...good luck = )
    When you jolt awake gasping, do you feel like you can't move the rest of your body? If so, it sounds like hypnagogic sleep paralysis, which can definitely be brought on by stress. For me, all I had to change was avoiding sleeping on my back and it stopped, but obviously that's not the case for you. I suggest keeping a sleep log to track these incidents, since that will be helpful to your doctor when you go to see them.
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
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    I have sleep apnea and have been on CPAP for over 16 years, what you are describing does not sound like sleep apnea, you should go see a doctor and get checked. As others have said it could be stress. losing weight would make you less likely to have sleep apnea instead of more. Good luck to you.
  • DalekBrittany
    DalekBrittany Posts: 1,748 Member
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    Thanks for the replies! I don't think I am unable to move, but I haven't really tried to, either, so I'll take note of that. If it makes sense, it feels like my trachea is being "pinched" when this happens. I definitely am still going to the doctor, but hopefully he can find out what it is, if not apnea!
  • BunnyW22
    BunnyW22 Posts: 33
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    I have sleep apnea and have been using a CPAP for about 5 years. That doesn't exactly sound like sleep apnea but you may have some other sleep disorder. I was waking up gasping and god awful headaches. I was at 250lbs when I was diagnosed but now I'm at 310lbs. The heavier you are the worse it gets. Please go see your doctor soon. Good luck.

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