has anyone ever experienced this before it’s kind of hard to explain on text, I’m sat at rest and relaxing and randomly I have a gasp of air but a intake like I’ve been jumped out on and scared, is it a skipped beat or is it anxiety ? I’m soo soo confused as instantly think the worst and think I’m going into af.
Any experiences would be much appreciated as it’s scaring the hell out of me when it happens
Wow I have the same problem…. relaxing and starting to doze off then my body inhales and I wake suddenly and I feel nervous. Heart beats faster. I think it’s the reason I can’t sleep. It’s ruining my life.
Had Covid in 2021 pretty bad case and this started then. Wasn’t always happening but recently very bad and coinciding with diagnosis of artery disease. I’m 61 not overweight and don’t smoke or drink. Eat reasonably well and do some good supplements and healthy foods. Thought I was pretty healthy but fading fast waiting for tests and such. Lack of good sleep and anxiety really taking a toll. Very depressed as well….
yes, I get that with sleep apnea, might be worth talking to your GP!
My guess it is sleep apnoea (check with a sleep test) and/or a missed heart beat. I have had it occasionally, maybe best to consult the medics to reduce your anxiety.
yes I had that often I think it’s when your blood oxygen levels drop. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and now use the CPAP machine it’s stopped the gasping during the day
Sounds like skeep apnoea, Best talk to your doctors and get tested.
Thanks for the reply’s it’s always worse after I’ve eaten a bit to late or after a large meal now and then but yesterday it was 2/3 times whilst sat upright on the sofa relaxing. I’ll give the GP a call today but you all know how that will go lol
Try not to eat late. I would prefer to eat my main meal in middle of the day but husband doesn't. I already eat slightly different foods from him and we sleep in separate bedrooms so don't want to become too separate. He cooks 4 times a week and I cook 3. I asked if we could start before 7 pm. Yes, but it's often 7.30 😕 Don't mind now and again but eating later I find uncomfortable.
I get this sometimes randomly when sitting watching TV, it scares the life out my husband. I just put it down to yet another symptom along with the pulsatile tinnitus that randomly started when AF appeared.
Yes, it happens to me occasionally usually when I'm watching the TV or reading a book. I've been checked for sleep apnoea and don't have it so I put it down to my AF or meds.
You seem to suggest that this is whilst you're awake, just resting so bit confused by folks references to sleep apnoea......... unless I've misunderstood your post.I have had the odd gasp of breath out of the blue, whilst awake, but not regularly and not AF related.
I fully agree Ducky . I have this experience also. I was misdiagnosed with SA as a result ! I am now off the cpap machine ( after further tests): and still get the sudden intakes of breath ...... I think its normal .
I too assumed you meant whilst awake and during the day from what you said. I have had this for several months and it happens out of the blue. I can be doing anything. It can happen up to 6 or 7 times a day. It’s already happened today. I agree with Ducky re folks references to sleep apnea and think there is some confusion there of when it is happening. Likewise it isn’t AFA related for me.
Yeah it’s in the day and when drifting off to sleep happens more after I’ve had alcohol or eating a large meal but some times it comes on sitting in my car driving or just resting. It’s hard to describe almost like a bit of air get sucked out of you’re lungs or someone’s jumped out and scared you, hopefully the gp may have a clue but I doubt it.
When the lungs are in question, it is an interesting story. There is automatic way of breathing, regulated by the nervous ganglion in the prolonged spine cord, which is active when we sleep, but also during the day. As a difference to heart automatics and other automatically regulated processes in the body, we have the possibility to put breathing automatics at halt and to control our breathing consciously, at will. Switching from one way of breathing, to the other, is easy and happens smoothly, many times during the day.
But while on automatics, if the regulated number of breaths goes very low, there is the pause in breathing, which is terminated by a sudden deep breath. It is very similar to what others in the forum have reported about numerous times - the heart, when bradycardic, can also make long pauses (some have reported about pauses up to 7 sec, what seems to be OK, but lately, someone has said to have the pauses of 20 sec, what I consider to be too long...). After the long pause, the automatics breaks the silence with a strong signal, which causes a "thump" in the chest, meaning that the heart has started again, after unusually long pause. Hope it sheds some light...
l get this awful feeling too. I think mine is oesophageal spasm as l have hiatus hernia and acid reflux. It makes my HR go up as it is quite an alarming feeling. Apart from that, all muscles when you relax, can go into spasm, especially if you have been tense and hyperventilating. Perhaps try deep breathing excercises and see if that helps, if not perhaps ask your GP., because it’s just guessing as l am not a medic.
I’ve got something called volume reflux well that’s what consultant thinks so I’m awaiting investigations, so perhaps that’s what’s causing it and then I’m worrying thinking it’s my heart starting to flip out of sinus into af
These weird sensations are very worrying. I have never heard of “volume reflex” but l suppose if it was serious you would have been in hospital for the investigations. It does feel as if you are going into AF when these diaphragm things happen, so not nice at all and will make your HR even faster. Try to relax if you can. If you have AF you would have already had a good check up.
The BHF help forum on here have nurses that you can phone if you are worried. Someone on that forum might have the same complaint so perhaps worth joining for you.
I do get that awful feeling of air as you describe and it does at times make me feel very off and anxious, so you have my sympathy.
Keep us updated and hope all goes well, as l am sure it will.
I get that just before I doze off watching TV in the evenings -- it startles me awake, but doesn't alarm me. I also get it while laying on my back before going to sleep at night. It prompts me to turn on my right side and I have a good night's sleep thereafter.
I too have had that happen and my GP said it wasn’t anything to worry about and lots of people get it. I can’t find a link to my af episodes either. I call it my heart hiccup. It’s strange but has never caused a bigger issue with me.
Hi, No one as mentioned hypnic jerk yet, it could be something as simple as that. Sleep apnea also but hope it is nothing too much to worry about.
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Not tolerating any of my drugs .
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