Can't wake myself up, can't breath

[tiff23]

Hi,
I have had this since I was a teenager, been worse lately (I'm 45 now)
I fall asleep and then sense that I can't breathe, almost like I'm holding my breath.
I try to move a finger, open my eyes, or yell and I can't do any of it. 
As soon as I feel like I'm going to die, I wake up and my heart rate is always high. 
It doesn't happen every day, but at least once a week. 
I have had two sleep studies, I do have restless legs. 
It scares me and then I have trouble going back to sleep.
I can't find any research where anyone else has this. Can anyone relate and is there a way solution? Thanks all

[SarcasticDave94]

Welcome to the Apnea Board,

The not breathing while asleep and dreaming is very likely associated with Apnea of some form. I would suggest consulting with your primary doctor about getting a new diagnosic sleep study to generate data so that you can be issued a CPAP to help with this.

Always request your copy of the sleep reports for your personal health record. HIPAA law permits you to request and receive it. You may then choose to post a redacted version here for us to help decipher the results.

If you do have Apnea, ResMed AutoSet is the best there is available. You have the ability to choose the DME supplier, the brand of machine, and make choice. Don't let the decision up to the doc.

[unidee]

Many people think that their symptoms ensues from sleep apnea.  This is not always the case. are quite different. It is worth exploring and ruling out the possibilities. Eventually, the right cause of the symptoms will be found.

[Jeff8356]

tiff23,

Part of what you describe sounds like "Sleep Paralysis".  Part of your brain is awake while the other part is still asleep.  You feel awake but can't move any part of your body.  I have experienced it myself.  While it seems frightening at the time, it is usually nothing to worry about.  Might be worth discussing it with your Dr though just to rule out anything else.

Plenty of info out there on it.

To get you started:
https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-paralysis

[OpalRose]

Google "Sleep Paralysis".  There are lots of articles on this.

"Sleep paralysis most often occurs in people who have narcolepsy or sleep apnea, but it can affect anyone."

I've experienced this many times myself, from childhood and on.  It can be very frightening.  I haven't experienced it since I've been on Cpap.  

This is just one of many symptoms that folk can experience if you have "untreated sleep apnea".  Or it could be totally unrelated.  

It may be a good idea to pursue a sleep apnea test.

[desaturator]

Can anyone relate and is there a way solution? Thanks all

Yup. I have a feeling that many people on this forum will relate to this. I don't experience problems of this kind often but, when I do, they're ghastly.

I wake up in a state of utter confusion, knowing that something is badly wrong, but it takes a few seconds before I realize -- oh sh*t, I'm not breathing! Then I take a huge, gulping intake of air, my heart pounds for a while, and then I go back to sleep.

I suspect, but can't prove, that what I experience is a long-ish central apnoea, which I wake up in the middle of. While this might be sleep paralysis, as others have mentioned, my experience is that textbook sleep paralysis rarely has a severe effect on breathing. Also, the episodes I experience only last a few seconds after waking, although they seem a lot longer. Classic sleep paralysis usually lasts longer than a few seconds. It's also much, much less common that sleep-disordered breathing.

It's hard to diagnose something that only happens occasionally, and at unpredictable times. However, you might be having similar, but shorter episodes that don't wake you up (that you notice), which a sleep study might be able to detect.

Best wishes, DS