I am 44, 5'10", 195 lb.'s (not obese).  I have been told for over 2 decades that I have very loud snoring.  I've had some minor problems with allergies to our two cats for a couple of years.

For about 2 years now I've had the following problem which has increased from a once or twice per sleep occurrence, 2-3 times a month, to once or twice per night, 3-4 times a week:  I am usually in the dream phase of sleep when the dream takes on the aspect of either difficulty in breathing (physical exertion or underwater in the dream) or physical excitement (running or physical threat).  From this I awake to find myself usually laying on my side (I prefer back-sleeping) and with a very rapid heartbeat and - from what I can tell by checking my pulse at the neck - an elevated blood pressure.  If I lay quietly and breathe normally the rate decreases rather rapidly though the apparently increased blood pressure takes longer to drop.  I usually find myself needing to visit the restroom (though not for the apparently common urination, but the other...to be modest).  Rarely, I will also have perspiration on waking from this.

I have not noticed a lack of sleep (i.e., daytime drowsiness, etc.).  I am concerned about the rapid heartbeat and apparently increased blood pressure though.

Does any of this sound familiar to those of you with S.A.?  I would be thankful for any thoughts on this.  I had believed for a long time that the allergy/mild asthma I was having was the main cause.  Just 2 weeks ago I recalled reading something about apnea and now re-reading some informantion I think this is the route of exploration for me.  Rest assured (no pun intended), I will be soon be seeing my doctor about this in any case.  I just wonder about these dreams that coincide with the symptoms and the symptoms themselves.  Is it more likely that the dreams cause the symptoms or that the symptoms trigger the dreams?  Thus far, my sense is that the latter is the true case since the dreams seem to change course just before waking with the symptoms.  Is waking and noticing the increased heart rate/blood pressure common? From my reading it seems more common that S.A. patients don't fully awake as I do, so they would not sense the increased work of the heart.

Thanks for you time,

   Patrick

Patrick,

I don't know about the dreaming, and I will be interested in hearing if others experienced this.  But it sure sounds related, doesn't it?

The rest of your story sure sounds familiar to me.  I was diagnosed and started treatment in November.  I developed high blood pressure a year before, which was a surprise for me, but I attibuted it to having abused my body, payback.  Hahah!  I had the excessive daytime exhaustion, and it seemed to be getting worse by the day.  My job was in jeopardy from nodding off.  It all was awful, and I felt depressed from it all.  And I didn't know about sleep apnea.

My sleeping patterns became more and more bizarre.  Like you I was going to the bathroom often, but in time I realized that there was no reason for it.  I'm single and live alone.  There was noone to describe my snoring and breathing (most experience a kind of choking sound and that can freak out a spouse or partner).  But I kept waking up.  I would sit up to sit at the edge of my bed and feel my heart pounding!!  That alarmed me, because I'd always read that the heart is sorta at rest during sleep.  For some odd reason, I wasn't anxious to lie back down and sleep, even though I was exhausted.  I would literally sit up, at the edge of my bed, for as much as an hour or more.  I would start to doze off in that position and often start to fall and wake.  But for some reason I got good at it and eventually I was even sleeping sitting up!!!  So bizarre.  I'd repeat the process several times a nite.

My doc mentioned sleep apnea only casually.  I asked for a referral to a heart doctor first.  I figured I was dying or something.  What on earth would a sleep doc to me, I'd wonder.  But the cardiologist said I was fine.  He recommended a sleep doctor.   Don't have to tell me more than twice!!

Yes, the heart does react at night.  It is working overtime because you are stopping breathing, and it needs to pump as much oxygen through you to compensate for the loss.  And there are arousals, where the brain jumpstarts your breathing by sending signals to your throat muscles and you then choke a little.  You're heart is likely busy helping there too.  All of this happens in split seconds, as you sleep.  Go figure!  The frequent needless bathroom breaks, the pounding heart, blood pressure, all are familiar symptoms.  And you can be all shapes, sizes and ages to  have this.  

You might want to get familiar with some of this by reading from our Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) section.  Also, our "Interersting Links" section might interest you.  The news ticker at the top of the first page is pretty popular, for you can click on the latest news article title and you link right to it.  So hopefully these can answer more questions.  But you are ALWAYS welcome to post more questions here.  

Click here for our FAQ section

Click here for our Interesting Links section


I would suggest you register here as a member.  It's easy and has some advantages.  You will be notified by email of responses and you can use the Private Message (PM) feature if you like to post a private question or comment.  And you can edit your own posts if registered.  But you needn't be registered to post.  Either way, let us know how things go for you.  It's a learning experience for everyone.


Linda

Thanks for the above reply.  When I originally posted I had just had my second wake-up experience of the night at 5:30 a.m.  After posting I got about 30 minutes sleep and have since made an appointment to see my doctor today to start the sleep-trial ball rolling.

It was helpful to read about your having the same heart-pounding episodes on waking.  My wife has mentioned previously that she has heard my snoring stop suddenly with a restart a few seconds later, which matches much that I've read of S.A.  In the last 1-1/2 years we had our toddler nephews staying with us on a kinship-foster parent basis.  I recall many nights waking to these symptoms and assuming it was a precursor to some type of impending heart failure.  I would wake and go pray for the boys and my wife that the Lord would watch over them, provide for them, etc., after my demise (not a bad thing to do as a Christian, really, but feeling a pressing need to do it is not fun).  Finally I saw a cardiologist and all was normal for my age.

Now I want to nip this problem in the bud before it causes corollary problems to my heart.

I'll update this when I know more about the diagnosis.  Perhaps I'll need recommendations on CPAP machines.

Patrick

Patrick,

Glad to hear you are taking steps to duce the likelyhood of not being around for your kids.  Sleep Apnea when untreated can and has killed.  

Please do keep us posted, and I do suggest registering as that will allow folks to private message you possibly with the recommendations that you are looking for.

Regards,

UPDATE:  Our family doctor believed I may have apnea so he gave me a referral to a sleep specialist.  For the second time in a year he also noted a high blood pressure reading of 138/95 (for most of my life it was at or around 120/80), for which he noted the possibility of using a short-term prescription if it’s still not down when I see the specialist.  So I have returned to a practice I stopped 18 months ago - daily brisk walking.  I’ve been doing this now three days in a row and already feel much better, energy-wise.  I also seem to be sleeping more soundly. There are still waking episodes though without the racing heart...thus far.  He also noted a sinus infection which we’re treating with Augmentin along with Rhinocort nasal spray (I had noticed a metallic taste in the top rear of my mouth which was probably from this infection).

I called the sleep specialist’s office and the soonest he can be seen is July 28th.  Much in line with what I’ve been reading on this site about long wait-times.  I followed the advice given here and asked to be called should any cancellations be made.  The receptionist said she’s sending me a new patient package with information and that the doctor will probably order a chest x-ray prior to the initial consultation.  She said that the lungs sometimes have a role in apnea (?).  She mentioned that this doctor is only one of two sleep specialists in this area (Orange County, CA).  I believe I found four of them through one of the apnea sites mentioned here but who’s quibbling?

I assume that after the x-ray and the first appointment that the doctor will arrange for the sleep test, should he believe it needed.  I’ll know more after I get my mailed information.

The receptionist asked if my family doctor had ordered a sleep study.  Do any of you think I should call my family doctor to have him do this so I might have it done before the first specialist visit?

Anyway, the ball is rolling (slowly) now.  

Patrick

Student wrote:

UPDATE:  Our family doctor believed I may have apnea so he gave me a referral to a sleep specialist.  For the second time in a year he also noted a high blood pressure reading of 138/95 (for most of my life it was at or around 120/80), for which he noted the possibility of using a short-term prescription if it’s still not down when I see the specialist.  So I have returned to a practice I stopped 18 months ago - daily brisk walking.  I’ve been doing this now three days in a row and already feel much better, energy-wise.  I also seem to be sleeping more soundly. There are still waking episodes though without the racing heart...thus far.  He also noted a sinus infection which we’re treating with Augmentin along with Rhinocort nasal spray (I had noticed a metallic taste in the top rear of my mouth which was probably from this infection).

I called the sleep specialist’s office and the soonest he can be seen is July 28th.  Much in line with what I’ve been reading on this site about long wait-times.  I followed the advice given here and asked to be called should any cancellations be made.  The receptionist said she’s sending me a new patient package with information and that the doctor will probably order a chest x-ray prior to the initial consultation.  She said that the lungs sometimes have a role in apnea (?).  She mentioned that this doctor is only one of two sleep specialists in this area (Orange County, CA).  I believe I found four of them through one of the apnea sites mentioned here but who’s quibbling?

I assume that after the x-ray and the first appointment that the doctor will arrange for the sleep test, should he believe it needed.  I’ll know more after I get my mailed information.

The receptionist asked if my family doctor had ordered a sleep study.  Do any of you think I should call my family doctor to have him do this so I might have it done before the first specialist visit?

Anyway, the ball is rolling (slowly) now.  

Patrick

Hi Patrick,

This is all such interesting news.  Glad to hear that other health issues are being addressed.

I'm not sure why your specialist's receptionist asked if your family doctor had ordered a study.  You might want to call back and see if that should be tried.  It's good to coordinate things, in my opinion.  Don't know how good your family doctor is, but if you can keep both doctors informed of what's going on, the better, especially if you have other health concerns.  I would say that if you can set up a sleep study earlier that way, why not, but coordinate that with both doctors.  But it may be your family doctor won't be able to arrange an earlier study.  But you never know.

I've read somewhere (forget where) how the lungs have a role in apnea.  If I can find that again, I'll post it or its link.  I was diagnosed with hypo-ventilation, which apparently is some problem with the lungs and I am given supplemental oxygen.  But frankly, I don't understand it all.  

Great news about your walking and you feeling better and getting better sleep.  If the sleep study reveals you do have sleep apnea, I bet your walking will help in getting used to the treatment and who knows, even help in alleviating the severity of the condition.  Regardless, I'm glad you're encouraged.  

Keep us updated.  I love hearing about how you're doing.


Linda

Student...good luck finding out what is wrong. When I had my sleep test done they said that my blood pressure and my heartbeat were shooting high and low all night long....I think that is why sometimes I woke up with my heartbeat pounding and in a panic.   I am better now since using the CPAP machine...anyway, good luck.


_________________
*** Linda ***

thank-you.

When I first posted back in late June writing as “Student,” I was reasonably convinced by my experiences and the response of Linda that I had apnea.  I’ve since seen a sleep specialist in late July followed by my sleep test last night.  My visit to the specialist showed my related daytime health measurements (pulmonary function, lung capacity, blood oxygen and pressure, etc.) to be very good.  I had been exercising daily since my first post and this seemed to lessen the number of full-waking episodes during the night while lowering my daily blood pressure significantly.  The specialist still recommended the sleep test based on my original problem with waking with a fast pulse rate.  

One month later (last night) I arrived at the sleep-test center at 8 p.m.  I got hooked up with the various sensors and retired to my hotel-type room.  For whatever reason - the technician mentioned “first-night syndrome” - I slept very, very little.  My estimate was about 2 hours, tops.  Nevertheless, the technician did monitor some stage 1 and 2 sleep, during which I was told I had apneas that would require treatment.  I was not given the number of episodes and I had read here that 60-80 episodes per hour was pretty high so I figured I’d be somewhere well below that number.  I was treated to the CPAP nose-mask for titration purposes.  That was quite a first-time experience.

I read here of the claustrophobic sense on first fitting and confidently believed this would not be a problem for me.  Well, when the mask was pressed to my nose and the pressure started, I was startled by my immediate sense that this would not be tolerable.  Perhaps my tiredness contributed to this reaction, I’m not sure.  But I recalled the advice given here that relaxing and adjusting my expectations would be best.  So I tried to relax: starting by sitting up and viewing television (reports on Hurricane Katrina) with the mask working, then laying back, then finally turning off the television.  I found it hard not to muse on visions of various scenes like one from the movie The Abyss (learning to breathe "liquid" oxygen), or my nephew fighting the application of a mask to administer albuterol, or the very odd photo of Michael Jackson in an iron lung machine (please don't ask me to account for this one - I've no idea!), even the face-hugger from the movie Alien, as I slowly learned to live with this strange device stuck on my face and seeming at times to push against my breath.  As the titration began I could sense the different pressures being tried and this was sometimes slightly disturbing but with time I became okay with the feeling.  But still I never fully slept, or so I thought.  

After the test I was told that my set pressure was 7.0 cm H2O, which I was told was on the low-end of the scale.  I was also told that I never reached REM sleep so I would likely need to come back for re-titrating after getting used to a CPAP machine at home.  So I figured that the technician was recommending CPAP to the specialist.  No mention of how many episodes I had was offered nor did I ask.

Getting back home early this morning I slept for about 2 hours and called the sleep specialist to set up an appointment.  I was told the soonest date would be three weeks out.  As I was getting ready to go to work I took a call from the specialist.  I figured the test must have been unusual for him to call me.  He told me that after seeing my faxed preliminary results I had an average of 90 apnea episodes per hour!!  He went on to say that he was ordering his office to loan me a self-titrating CPAP machine to be picked up today if possible.  Since the testing technician had given me a form saying I ought not to drive myself home based on my test (I did anyway - 2 miles away from home), and now the doctor seemed concerned that I get the machine ASAP (he used the term, “severe apnea“), I decided to stay home from work to recuperate and contemplate the application of the term, "severe," to an aspect of my health.

This was quickly followed by a call from the specialist's office.  Two hours later I went to the specialist’s office where I was given the loaner CPAP (ResMed Autoset Spirit) and shown how to operate it.  Since I had read of nostril-plug masks I asked about them.  The nose-mask seemed a bit bulky and I felt this might have contributed to my initial claustrophobic feeling.  I was shown a ResMed Mirage Swift Nasal Pillows System.  I tried it on and knew immediately it was for me.  It looks like something I saw Lloyd Bridges wear on that old diver show, Sea Hunt.  I really like it - meaning, of course, that since I need to wear something, this model is far more tolerable.  It came with a nifty CD-ROM with all you need to know about how to use and maintain the nasal pillows device.

So tonight will be my first home-use of CPAP.  On Thursday I am to return the unit for download of its memory regarding my final titration reading during REM sleep.  I hope it goes well and I will now register on this site to keep in touch about progress.  Most of the positive aspects of my journey thus far have been due to the advice given here.  In particular, having foreknowledge of the first reaction to mask application helped immensely in calming myself down.  Thank you for that.  

More soon.  Especially my wife's reaction to the end of my snoring.

Patrick

Good luck with your CPAP!  As many have said here, the first month or so is tough but if you will get used to it like everything else.  If you experience congestion, Flonase helped me tremendously.  The hardest part for me is laying off the alcohol before bedtime ;)  That will really screw you up bigtime unfortunately.  Pleasant dreams!

(Actually, I had to slightly change my username, but I am "Student."  I registered last night as I wrote last night and perhaps that is why the Forum indicated that I was using someone else's username when I tried to use, "Student.")  

Last night I used the CPAP for the first time.  For the first 30 minutes I found myself mentally monitoring my breathing, especially exhalations.  This was probably due to getting used to the constant back pressure against exhalations.  Then something strange happened.

All of a sudden it was as though my mind switched off trying to control the length and force of my breathing in and out.  This is usually the case in life anyway since God designed the autonomic nervous system for good reason, in this case so we don't have to think about breathing.  The strangeness of it came soon after as I began to feel a very comfortable warmth inside of me.  If you've ever read Tolkien's Lord of the Rings he describes the inner warmth that infuses the characters who drink the Ent-draught.  That's what I thought of as this happened.  Along with this came something like acute clarity of vision and thought.  Also a real contentment as though I could get out of bed very refreshed if I wanted to or choose to just lay there and enjoy the feeling.  The sensation was so strong that I found myself giggling every so often.  This was all very odd but quite enjoyable, as though I had not felt this physically good in many years.  Like some kind of "high."

This feeling lasted almost 90 minutes and I felt no desire to sleep.  I just rode it out.  Just before I fell asleep my left leg felt like it was ready to jump off my torso and do a jig and the sensation there was like being tickled.  I was sharing all of this with my wife and she thought it quite funny.  Then I felt as though I could run a race right there.  All of this and I HAD NOT EVEN GOTTEN ANY SLEEP WITH THE DEVICE YET.  I can't quite figure it all out the morning after but I REALLY enjoyed the ride.  Perhaps it has something to do with the increased oxygen flow at a time of day when it normally has been significantly lowered - call it, "oxygen loading."  I cannot imagine that whatever the cause it will happen again - or, each time I use the machine - but it would be wonderful if it would.  I told my wife that I would use the CPAP 24/7 if this was the reaction to it.

In a word, I felt like Superman for 90 minutes or so.  Very odd.

As for my sleep after this, I believe it was very good.  I still woke at both 2:00 and 4:30 a.m. as I have on and off for the last two years.  The difference was that though I awoke from dreams they were quite normal in content, even re-assuring, though I cannot recall the content of them now.  Also, I checked my pulse on each waking and it was slower than normal, which is a delightful change.  I assume the waking up at those times is just old habit now and will dissipate with time.  My level of wakefulness at both times was drowsy as opposed to the full alertness I would feel when waking with the increased heart rate, pre-CPAP.  I take this to be a return to normal sleep patterns (it's been so long since I've had normality that I can just barely remember the feeling! ).

At each waking my first reaction was one of slight surprise that this strange thing was attached to my face.  I removed the mask both times but returned to its use shortly thereafter.  Regarding personal comfort with the device, I actually feel most comfortable after the automatic titration reaches the higher levels (it begins at 4.0 cm H2O).  This is a surprise to me as at the sleep test I did not enjoy what I took to be the higher pressures.

On awaking I only could hear the soft hissing of my mask vent AND the soft snoring of my wife.  As to her reactions this morning, she says she does not recall hearing me snore at all - and she ought not have, I would think.  The quantity (only two) and quality of my waking episodes last night seem to indicate a real improvement over the last 2-3 years and I take great encouragement from this.

As for my morning waking, it was to a phone call.  My wakefulness I would equate to slightly drowsy but slightly more refreshed than usual at this time.  The difference is my apparent energy level.  I probably could still sleep more but I'm ready to test-drive myself today.  One last thing to note is a little more nasal congestion than usual which I will monitor over the coming days and take up the advice from Bob about Flonase or other types of nasal sprays.

That's all for now.  I would be very interested to discover if the near-euphoria I experienced last night was linked to the CPAP/oxygen theory I posited above.  Whatever the cause, I thank God for the nice introduction to my first CPAP-night.  I'll take it as a good sign for the future.

Patrick