Question
The last few nights, I have had some kind of trouble with my breathing. I have asthma, but this does not feel like asthma, it feels more like I actually stop breathing at night. I then wake up, and although my airways feel clear, I am totally out of breath and dizzy from not breathing for a short period. I have a brother in law that had a similar problem, my sister said that he would "forget" to breath, he would eventually wake up and start breathing again, then stop again and wake up. According to (sister), for him it would be "stop and go" throughout the night. Lately I have been very drowsy during the day, today I almost fell asleep at the computer. I am still not driving yet due to my injury. Could this be what I think it is? Thanks for any info in advance.
Erik.
Answer
I came upon this site,its called National Sleep Foundation www sleepfoundation.org They have information about various sleep related problems.Marmon
Answer
Dear Eric,
We can not make a diagnosis over the internet for obvious reasons.
But I will tell you that you have all of the classic symptoms of someone experiencing sleep apnea.
This malady affects more men than women and may not appear until the mid-thirties.
It is most often the result of soft tissue in the throat blocking the airway when you lie down and the musculature of the area relaxing as you go to sleep.
There is much more to the causes than this, however. Allergies, weight gain, and medications can be contributing as well.
The bottom line is this......You must go get checked out! Not only is this a serious health risk while you are asleep, but the fact that you are becoming drowsy and less alert throughout the day can cause problems as well.
There are several methods of treatment to choose from(with the assistance of your physician)that range from simple weight loss, decongestants, or forced air thru a mask as you sleep to the most drastic which could be surgery to remove excess soft tissue.
Let me know what you find out. Please get this checked right away!
Keeping you safe, healthy, and on the road.
Nurse RedVisit us at
Answer
Hi,
Funny how *I* just found this forum...
I read your post and agree with Nurse Red. It is something that needs quick attention. There is also a simple test your Doctor can perform. It's called a sleep study. You go to the hospital, they hook up some wires to monitor your heart, respirations, etc. No, there is no pain involved
You mentioned an injury...depending on that injury, could this be more?
Good luck,
Jim
btw...You may have seen me post as a newbie/wannabe trucker but am currently a practicing critical care/emergency care RN.