No breathing

[jfmusil]

Is there a medical condition where there is no urge or trigger to breath? My wife tells me there are periods when I do not appear to breath over an extended period of time and then I gasp for air.

I can also be talking to someone and simply run out of air mid-sentence without a warning or urge to breath until I am totally out of air.

This does not appear to be apnea. Are there tests for the breathing triggers?

Thanks.

[robysue]

The short answer to your question is: Yes, there are disorders that result in a decreased "breathing urge". When the "lack of a breathing response" occurs only at night, it is typically called central sleep apnea. But some causes of a decreased breathing urge can occur during the daytime.

The basic breathing trigger is the CO2 level in the blood. Subtle increases in CO2 trigger breathing. And so the basic control of breathing is done through a feedback loop involving the brain properly interpreting the CO2 levels in the blood and sending out the signal to "inhale now." If "forgetting to breath" is a concern of yours, you should speak to your primary care physician about your symptoms.

By the way, one kind of "forgetting to breath" problem is Chenye-Stokes respiration, which is a form of periodic breathing that is frequently associated with congestive heart failure and other heart disease. So if you have any heart problems, you should also speak to your cardiologist about your symptoms.

[retired_guy]

Is there a medical condition where there is no urge or trigger to breath? My wife tells me there are periods when I do not appear to breath over an extended period of time and then I gasp for air.

I can also be talking to someone and simply run out of air mid-sentence without a warning or urge to breath until I am totally out of air.

This does not appear to be apnea. Are there tests for the breathing triggers?

Thanks.

That's pretty much the definition of an apnea event, especially a clear-airway event. Your sidebar indicates you're using Sleepyhead software? What is you AHI experience? How many CA's vs OA's?

As far as running out of breath when talking to someone, that's probably nothing, but could be the beginnings of a COPD situation. Bronchitis, Emphysema... That sort of stuff. But not to panic, none of this is really all that big of a deal at this point. Do you smoke? Don't do that anymore.. Yeah, I know.............

You could make an appointment with a Pulmonist and be evaluated to see how Mr. Lungs are doing. That would tell you where you're at.

[PaulaO2]

But does someone having a central apnea event then gasp for breath afterward? I know they do not struggle during the event. Do they once the event is over and the body is trying to catch up?

[jfmusil]

With treatment my AHI is around 3.6 of which 2.4 are hypopnea, clear airway 0.5, and obstructive 0.7.

RERA 2.5

Doctor did not seem to be concerned with the difference between hypopnea and the others.

[retired_guy]

Those numbers are great... So if you continue to be concerned about the running out of air thing, get with the various docs and see what could be the issue.

[PaulaO2]

Yes, those are good numbers. Hypopneas are, basically, where the airway is narrowing and not as much air is getting through. Consider it a pre-event event. But the machine's pressure is keeping the airway open so all is well.

I don't think shallow breathing without a narrowed airway is considered a hypopnea by the machine. You can confirm this by looking at the Flow limitation. I think.