Weird shortness of breath pls help .. Feels as if I'm not breathing when I'm about to fall asleep I wake up gasping for air...

[Spomales]

Having shortness of breath but today it's a bit different I'm feeling like a more narrow breathing n not deep enough and when I'm about to fall asleep I feel as if I stop breathing and wake up gasping for air

[Mamakatie84]

I've had that before. And when I think about it before I fall asleep I'll do it too. Take a deep breath. Hold it for 6-8 seconds then exhale. It feels good to take a very deep breath in.

Are you falling asleep on your back? I noticed that when I have those gasping moments it's because of my head position. You know when you start to snore and your tongue gets in the way? That's what's happening. Change your position and see if that helps.

You can't stop breathing so don't even think of that.

[Spomales in reply to Mamakatie84]

I sleep on my sides and a bit up not Totally flat ... I didn't sleep at all this continued the entire night it even happened while I was awake o gasp for air I stopped breathing and until I realized I didn't breath ... So scary totally drained at this point ...

[Mamakatie84 in reply to Spomales]

Are you new at having anxiety? I went through a whole thing where I thought I wouldn't breath unless I thought about it. From my experience please do not over think it!

It took me a long time to realize to let it go and do the things I like to take my mind off of my thoughts.

it gets better and then you'll move on and be like "what was I thinking!?"

Do what you enjoy

[sgbmandy]

Have the same every night feeling it now makes me light headed aweful feeling, sometimes I wake up and it feels like my body has dropped like I'm in an elevator and the ropes get cut. I jolt up my heart pounds and I'm gasping for air anyone else get this

[Tarekbenz in reply to sgbmandy]

Happens to me often and it scares the hell out of me I've had anxiety my whole life and it's always health related. Mostly about heart and breathing like throat closing up fears. I was worrying that I have sleep apnea. But my mom thinks it's anxiety cause I always have it

[Spomales]

Anyone of you in meds for anxiety ... And I've have. Gotten anxiety for over four months now .. I've had plenty of symptoms so last night I ended up in the psych ER they have me Ativan 1mg and everything went away no side effects felt so good to feel a bit normal again and able to feel as if your breathing again.. I just got discharged in still going to see my ENT today at 3pm . Let's see what happens wish you all luck ... Feel better...

[tdawgg123 in reply to Spomales]

I have tried several different meds but many didn't sit well with me. I currently carry Ativan with me and only take one if I REALLY need it to calm down. I find I feel better just having it with me .. kind of like a placebo affect. I get no side affects from it either. BUt they do say that frequent use can cause depression, and also it can be very addictive so beware.

[Debbweb01]

Hi I'm Debbie newly diagnosed with APS! I live in Nassau County, Long Island New York! According to this u r only 14 miles away from me! Thx pleas let me know?

[Spomales in reply to Debbweb01]

Hi Debbie,

Hope all is well I'm in Brooklyn Williamsburg area ...

[Mrsticklefeather]

I get the same thing. I wonder if it's a weight thing as I'm about 2.5-3stone overweight and worry this might be the cause! Hope it's not sleep apnoea (sp?)

[BonnieSue in reply to Mrsticklefeather]

You took the words from my mouth! I have sleep apnea and what several of you are saying is exactly how it affects me. Yes! to the snoring and waking yourself up when you can't breathe. Yes! to your tongue cutting off your air! Yes! to your weight gain making it harder to breathe and Yes! to sleeping on your back making it harder to breathe! Yes, it's harder to breathe if your anxiety level is high. You have to purposely count and slow down your breathing.

The solution is to bring these problems up to your doctor and hope he/she will order a sleep test and then hope you have results that indicate a need for a CPAP or BIPAP or other solution and you will get used to the equipment and sleep well forever after. I find it fairly easy to sleep with my CPAP but right now I need a new one so everything isn't working ok now and I'm very, very tired and looking forward to my next real night's sleep. I wish I knew when that will be.

[GraceD]

I'm also suffering from this! The moment I feel myself falling asleep it feels like something closed and I jerk awake out of breath. There are so many heart conditions that cause shortness of breath and I've spent the last 6 months going to several cardiologists for answers. Without going into frustrating details, the bottom line is supposedly nothing is wrong with my heart. I even went to Dr. Noel Bailey-Merz at Cedars Sinai's Women's Heart Institute, thinking I had coronary microvascular disease. I ran a gamut of tests, including a cardiac MRI. Nothing. Disappointed, yet relieved. She suggested I see a pulmonologist and do a lung study and a sleep study. Have an appt. in a few weeks. Will repost when and if I get a diagnosis. Good luck everybody. Whoever gets answers, please post.

[Tarekbenz]

So is what I have anxiety or sleep apnea? I have the sensation that when in falling asleep I loose my breath. But I'm constantly thinking about it. And anxious about it. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air freaking out and Sprint to get water. My friend witnessed it and said I screamed cheetah when it happened. Idk if I have a nightmare or what . But I am terrified by this and it happens monthly. Me waking up gasping for air with a racing heart then in so scared I can't fall back asleep Everytime I do I end up jolting back up as if I forget to breath. What is going on!?

[Ahjin in reply to Tarekbenz]

Do you have a facebook