Disordered Breathing

[green]

Hi,

Does anyone have resources on disordered breathing?

I have many of the symptoms of sleep apnea, but cannot get diagnosed. At times, partners have told me that I gasp in my sleep, or wake up shouting. I went through a period where I would wet the bed (as a grown adult) a couple times a month. I often feel like I am not able to breathe well through my nose at night despite having had surgery to enlarge my nasal passages. I often feel worse after a good night's sleep. I often wake up with my heart pounding and can't go back to sleep, often if I do not sleep well at night I have chest pains and fluttering in my chest during the day (heck, lately I have funny pains and fluttering all the freaking time).....

It SEEMS like sleep apnea, but I have done THREE overnight polysomnographies and NEVER had sleep apnea (except once they said I had some mild apnea if I was on my back - it seems to me that I have pretty bad apnea if I am on my back.....). I also don't meet the warning signs for apnea - I don't have a thick neck, a thick jaw, and I am not overweight.

Related to this: I have been looking into treating to learn rhythmic breathing to relax, and I find it really hard. I get tired, I can't find a groove, my throat tightens up.  

Anyway, I can't put all of this together - you know it is not considered pathological apnea if you wake up a couple times a night due to not breathing well. For example, a person might roll on their face and start to suffocate, then roll over again, all without waking up. It's not a big deal normally. But maybe people with POTS have an overreactive sympathetic nervous system response - so that  even one or two mild events per night leads to disrupted sleep and feeling sick the next day? If that were right, then the problem would not really be the APNEA, but the CNS overreacting to the apnea. I don't know how to treat that either though.....

Any thoughts would be appreciated. 

 

 

[JaniceSmith]

Hi Green,
Do you know that this can also happen due to the irregular response of your immune system in the body. Have you ever gone for the whole internal body check up to find out the main reason? I think irregular blood flow in the body and hypertension too result in sleep apnea to most of the people. I personally believe that if a person is healthy by his mind, no disorder can affect him, and the best to make mind happy healthy in by giving a cool and calming massage to body everyday. I know I sound off topic, but it does affect positively to all your body action. My uncle was also in the same situation 3 months back, he was having the sleep apnea disorder and was unable to concentrate on his work. On his doctor's suggestion he has installed a tub that has air-jet massage feature embedded, instead of going to the massage center daily. A company has helped him a in getting the tub installed, and after the usage of the massage feature in the tub, he really got positive result and also got his blood circulation improved.

 

[Don]

I had a sleep study done a few years ago.  They also did a overnight oxygen oxymetry.  The test showed that I did not have sleep apnea.  I would snore and wake up gasping for air and would be tired all the time.  I was diagnosed with nocturnal hypoxia.  My O2 sat was dropping below 85 for more than half an hour for periods during my sleep.  I was placed on oxygen at night, 2.5 L/pm.   Also, when my pulmonologist discovered this, I was referred to a pulmonary function lab where upon further testing it was discovered I had asthma adding to my symptoms.  So apnea didn't explain my symptoms, but there were other factors involved leading to a positive conclusion.  Once placed on oxygen, my situation resolved.  

[green]

HI Janice:

> Do you know that this can also happen due to the irregular response of your immune system in the body.

No, I didn't. Do you have any sources on this?

Have you ever gone for the whole internal body check up to find out the main reason? I think irregular blood flow in the body and hypertension too result in sleep apnea to most of the people.

No. What is a "whole internal body check up"? A few years ago, I complained about general malaise to a doctor and he prescribed testosterone, which didn't seem to address the problem.

>I personally believe that if a person is healthy by his mind, no disorder can affect him, and the best to make mind happy healthy in by giving a cool and calming massage to body everyday. I >know I sound off topic, but it does affect positively to all your body action.

I believe you that massages and positive mental health can contribute to proper physiological functioning. Thanks!

Hi Don,

So you did not have apnea, but a sleep study lead to your diagnosis, right? I am in the boat where, I SEEM to have a problem with sleeping and breathing, but the sleep studies say otherwise.

Thanks!

[Don]

The sleep study as far as apnea goes was normal.  However, as I mentioned, the disorder showed on the O2 oxymetry that I desaturated in my sleep.  Which lead to further evaluation by pulmonology leading to an asthma diagnosis.  I do not have apnea.  But do have breathing disorders.