For Those Suffering Horrible Nightmar... - Lung Conditions C...

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For Those Suffering Horrible Nightmares...

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10 years ago•30 Replies

I'm conscious that I didn't reply to all your comments when I was muttering about COPD the other day...there were a couple of people who mentioned having nightmares...

Especially those appalling nightmares which stay with you throughout the following day...

It wasn't until my Consultant was asking me various questions and mentioned nightmares, that I realised they can be one of the symptoms of being a CO2 retainer...at the time...four months ago... I dismissed them. Told her I'd always had nightmares since being a very small child...

But now they are very much worse...these are truly awful and frequently stay in my head for most of the next day...

Remember there are various symptoms of being a CO2 retainer...nightmares or night terrors are only one of many differing symptoms, I suppose according to how serious the retention is in an individual case, always supposing it varies from person to person.

Although I'm not due to see the Consultant for another couple of months, I'm going to ask my Doctor if he can arrange to bring the appointment forward...

The brain fug I often have isn't funny either...it's not so much forgetting things or not being able to recall where I left something...this is a general feeling of apathy I suppose. Looking at something which would probably take five minutes to accomplish and just leaving it...almost as though I can't be bothered, but it isn't that...

Losing your innate ability to breathe in and out is horrible...losing your marbles is seriously scary!

30 Replies

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starveycat10 years ago

Both my daughter and my husband have rheumatoid arthritis and their nightmares are horrifying. I wonder if it can be one of the rotten things that happen when you have a serious on going health condition. Wishing you a few sweet dreams, you deserve them ♥♥♥♥

knitter10 years ago

Hi Vashti, I have always had nightmares but I notice if I have to take antibiotics or extra steroids they are much much worse. Also one preventive inhaler does it too...

One Christmas I foolishly drank a gin and tonic on top of a high dose of prednisolone....Heironymus Bosch painted nothing like it...I don't know where the ideas came from.

I also wake with a headache often, and had a problem in hospital when on oxygen...my SATS went down. So I guess I am a retainer too.

I have told my GP and my pharmacist about the nightmares, but I don't think they understand how distressing they can be.

Weirdly I find if I manage to sleep more than 7 hours, even in fits and starts , I get the brain fog effect.

I have never touched gin since.....good aversion therapy if nothing else!

CELAT0610 years ago

Hi, Vashti, what makes a CO2 retainer, and how are you tested for it? I had never heard of this before joining this site, and wonder if it always goes with COPD.

I always enjoy your stories, you make every experience seem surreal and magical, please keep them coming.

Take care,

Christine.

pattylusk• in reply toCELAT0610 years ago

Celato6 I was told everyone with copd retains a little. If it is too much retaining I think a sleep mask helps. To get one you need a sleep study done.

Magpuss10 years ago

Hope you won't mind me asking, what does being a CO2 retainer mean?

10 years ago

I get terrible dreams which I think is caused by being on anti-depressants. The brain fog I do suffer from which makes it very hard to learn anything new, and forgetting things I thought I knew! One of the side effects for me is not being able to spell anymore. I used to be a really good speller all my life and now I find myself getting stuck on relatively simple words. The number of times the dreaded red line appears as I keep trying different spellings... x

Halapps• in reply to10 years ago

If you right click on the word with the dreaded red line it gives you automatic correction options.

• in reply toHalapps10 years ago

Wow didn't know that. Thanks. x

pollyjj• in reply to10 years ago

Me too coughalot I have always been a good speller but not now.

I think I may be a retainer I have headaches and fog everyday.

take care

polly xx

take care

polly xx

• in reply topollyjj10 years ago

Can you be a retainer with COPD? x

Toci• in reply to10 years ago

Yes. Many of us are. And my spelling is becoming dreadful, too!

• in reply toToci10 years ago

Yes but you are severe Toci - I am only mild/moderate. Can brain fog and retaining affect me yet? x

Toci• in reply to10 years ago

I don't think the severity of the disease bears any relation to whether or not CO2 is high, cal. My levels were very high when first diagnosed, before being an oxygen user.

• in reply toToci10 years ago

Ok thanks Toci. I don't know whether I am a retainer or not - doctors and nurses tell me nothing. Either they don't know or care or do know and still don't care! x

pattylusk• in reply to10 years ago

They see so much really sad problems that they have no empathy for most of us. One Dr. told me that he just wanted people to buck up and have a good attitude after he saw things like young people riddled with cancer.

pattylusk• in reply to10 years ago

Just saw where being a retainer is important. I stand corrected. Better get some info from your Dr. Take care-coughalot2

• in reply topattylusk10 years ago

Thanks Patty. I will ask next time I'm up there but am not holding my breath. x

pollyjj• in reply toToci10 years ago

How strange our spelling has been affected I wonder how many others.

Toci• in reply topollyjj10 years ago

So do I!

• in reply topollyjj10 years ago

I am one

Toci• in reply to10 years ago

Wow! Here is a piece of research begging to be done!

pattylusk• in reply topollyjj10 years ago

pollyjj I have been blaming age.

pattylusk• in reply to10 years ago

Coughalot2 drag a search bar up on to your menu bar and you can type your word and see a correct one. I found a page of options containing the search bar on the upper right of the menu bar. i use it a lot. Must be copd messing up our spelling.

RibvanRey10 years ago

CO2 retention is usually an issue that can arise with some oxygen users. It is tested for by testing arterial gases.

• in reply toRibvanRey10 years ago

Hi Rib,you can be a retainer,without being on oxygen! xx

RibvanRey• in reply to10 years ago

Thank you Wens for the correction. I had perhaps not worded that post as well as I aught to.

• in reply to10 years ago

Thats fine Rib,just wanted to clarify it! xx

• in reply toRibvanRey10 years ago

It's vital that those around you know you are a retainer...especially if an ambulance needs to be called for you...too much oxygen can result in coma!

sassy5910 years ago

Pete has nightmares sometimes and tends to talk in his sleep or get out of bed on occasion. He is also apathetic about things as he always says "the mind is willing but the body isn't." I think he gets frustrated at seeing something that needs doing but it takes him a long time to get up and even attempt anything including taking a shower. I also feel he is depressed and that is mainly down to his back. The breathing is something we have both lived with for years and Pete is not on oxygen but the back is a whole different matter.

I hope you do get your appointment brought forward Vashti and wish you well as always. xxxxx

pattylusk10 years ago

helenann12 sounds like Pat really needs some help. If u r non religious the library should have self-help book on that subject. You may have already tried but please don`t give up.