Horrible sleep paralysis last night.

[PhyllisBalboa]

Did you look at the SleepyHead data for the time in question? It would be interesting to find out how long the "mechanical" part of the event lasted, and how much was perception.

Be sure to check it fairly soon before the high resolution airflow waveform gets deleted.

(Curse you, ResMed for your lousy data management.)

If it happens again, try to be calm (Yeah, I know, easy to say) and try consciously to slowly and gently breathe in and out. Sometimes when you can't catch a breath in, you will find you can squeeze a bit of air out if you try and exhale and then you can breathe in.

Well, I was off the machine the night of the paralysis due to terrible chest pains earlier in the day. Trouble with air swallowing. That sleep paralysis is so bizarre. You can't move anything. One hint I read somewhere was to try to wiggle a finger. One movement will break it. It's that one movement that takes forever. I know I couldn't breathe in or out.

[PhyllisBalboa]

No the Resmed Adapt isn't a true ventilator but what is does is gently give us a push of air when it recognizes we are having a Central Apnea, which in turn causes us to take a breath

I don't think even on its highest flow its not enough to cause a lung to collapse in a healthy lung. I would think it would cause a mask leak first, and there is no way air can get into the area around the lung unless there is a hole in the lung and you would feel pain and know that almost immediately if your lung collapsed. I have had one and they are very painful !!!.

What you described sounds very scary and its hard to understand unless it's happening or has happened to you.

Is there a chance you could return to the US and get in to see a doctor here across the border ?

Hi Whitewabit. As you know, you and i are both struggling with our machines and too much pressure. I'm almost at the lowest setting I can take mine (epap=4, PS 1-5) and I'm still getting blasted sometimes and still swallowing air. I went back on it last night, so still working at this.

I know my heart and lungs are in good shape, but that chest pain was really bad. My husband had a collapsed lung and didn't know it. He walked to emergency because he all of a sudden couldn't stop coughing. But he was hospitalized for a week, and it ended up being very painful after all.

Can't go back to the states easily because the border patrol could stop me from coming back in for whatever reason or no reason. They could be in a bad mood that day from what I've heard. It's certainly a different world these days...

[Evpraxia]

Greetings from another Pacific North West CPAPer;

I was just diagnosed in Aug 2014, my hubby was diagnosed in 2003.

Sleep paralysis sounds Horrid! But it has gotten me thinking - my hubby has been known to almost fall over while standing up and I am wondering if this is a type of apnea.

Hi, Evpraxia. Yes, I've been following your comments for awhile, and noticed your location. I miss Oregon!

I was just reading in wikipedia about sleep paralysis, then jumped to narcolepsy, which talked about the dizziness that comes with that, as well as signs of apnea. Might want to read about that.

Greetings,

Yes, I will read up on that. We have noticed his episodes with almost falling have decreased markedly with a newer and better APAP. He used to take a cane to church (which is where the episodes occurred) to help steady himself while standing (which we do a lot in our church).

[PhyllisBalboa]

We have noticed his episodes with almost falling have decreased markedly with a newer and better APAP. He used to take a cane to church (which is where the episodes occurred) to help steady himself while standing (which we do a lot in our church).

I had lots of dizziness and vertigo before going on VPAP, and it's all disappeared after 4 months of using the machine, as well as many other improvements in health and energy. That's why I'm really trying to make this work for me. Plus as the last 4 days of no machine reminded me: without it I only dose off and on, and the nights as so, so long. And then I have to nap during the day, starting a vicious cycle of insomnia and extreme nightmares.

[TyroneShoes]

... it's interesting that your dream items stop working while your body is also not working. Pretty direct symbolism. Ever hear of 'Alice in wonderland syndrome'? I used to get that all the time. It was 'big and little' for me, 'rough and smooth' for my brother, 'near and far' for my son. It's on wikipedia. That was dreadful as well.

OMG, that is brilliant. I had not put that together but it makes perfect sense. It has not happened in a while but that symbolism was always a very distinct part. Usually 3 things would appear as these sorts of "things going wrong" and then that would make me realize I was dreaming. Fascinating stuff. I also never tied this to possibly an OSA event before. I see that migraines and hallucinogenics are associated. I have not had either since the 80's, but I also have not had this sort of event since then.

[Whitewabit]

do you have the same dreams all the time? is the out come always the same and do you wake at the same moment each time ? have you tried writing your dream down as soon as you wake?

I don't remember any dreams so am not sure if I dream or not. I use to when I was much younger and in living color also. But has been years since I have dream continuously .

during the sleep studies I never reach deep REM sleep.

[PhyllisBalboa]

... it's interesting that your dream items stop working while your body is also not working. Pretty direct symbolism.

OMG, that is brilliant. I had not put that together but it makes perfect sense. It has not happened in a while but that symbolism was always a very distinct part. Usually 3 things would appear as these sorts of "things going wrong" and then that would make me realize I was dreaming. Fascinating stuff. I also never tied this to possibly an OSA event before. I see that migraines and hallucinogenics are associated.

Yes, the things that are beginning to be linked up to sleep apnea are fascinating. And the dream world, in my mind, is a reflection of it all, with very 'readable' symbolism, if one cares to learn its language. Sounds like your dream world talks to you in a very clear way. Maybe just waiting for you to notice.

[PhyllisBalboa]

do you have the same dreams all the time? is the out come always the same and do you wake at the same moment each time ? have you tried writing your dream down as soon as you wake?

I don't remember any dreams so am not sure if I dream or not. I use to when I was much younger and in living color also. But has been years since I have dream continuously .

during the sleep studies I never reach deep REM sleep.

Not sure if you're talking to me or to TyroneShoes, our other dreamer, but I'll answer anyway.

Yes, my dreams run in distinct themes, usually just new episodes, and mostly last a year or so. For instance, last year it was traveling cross country, this year it's traveling through a city. Every night the same city, different neighborhood, changing companions. Most of my nightmares are the same as well. And no need for keeping a journal since I remember hundreds of my dreams. And mostly I wake up at exactly 3:30.

It's an interesting aspect of life, especially for us with sleep disorders. I feel like there's a dimension to dreaming that we're missing or maybe dismissing would be a better word.

I think your dreams will come back to you when you're sleeping well again. My husband, also newly on APAP, is finally noticing that he's dreaming and can remember them.

[Evpraxia]

do you have the same dreams all the time? is the out come always the same and do you wake at the same moment each time ? have you tried writing your dream down as soon as you wake?

I don't remember any dreams so am not sure if I dream or not. I use to when I was much younger and in living color also. But has been years since I have dream continuously .

during the sleep studies I never reach deep REM sleep.

Not sure if you're talking to me or to TyroneShoes, our other dreamer, but I'll answer anyway.

Yes, my dreams run in distinct themes, usually just new episodes, and mostly last a year or so. For instance, last year it was traveling cross country, this year it's traveling through a city. Every night the same city, different neighborhood, changing companions. Most of my nightmares are the same as well. And no need for keeping a journal since I remember hundreds of my dreams. And mostly I wake up at exactly 3:30.

It's an interesting aspect of life, especially for us with sleep disorders. I feel like there's a dimension to dreaming that we're missing or maybe dismissing would be a better word.

I think your dreams will come back to you when you're sleeping well again. My husband, also newly on APAP, is finally noticing that he's dreaming and can remember them.

,

Ah, I have not remembered any dreams for years, then after being on APAP for a few days I realized I am dreaming/remembering my dreams.

Glad to know I am not the only one.

[PhyllisBalboa]

Ah, I have not remembered any dreams for years, then after being on APAP for a few days I realized I am dreaming/remembering my dreams.

Glad to know I am not the only one.

Hmmm, I wonder if this happens to others, but they never think it's interesting or pertinent enough to mention. I bet there's a wealth of information here to tap into.

Anyone else?