Wake up with a giant Gasp

[JCMartin]

Hi, i have Mobitz 1 block, underactive Thyroid and im wtg a Loop Recorder. I am breathless on excertion (which maybe the Thyroid) but have recently woken up with a large gasp for breath. I have also noticed the time this happens my fitbit does not register a heart beat? Obviously this is worrying me - in case it stops for good? Is this just a fitbit error and wierd coincidence? My bpm is all over the place at the moment. Wtg further investigations.

[andreasuperstar]

hi I just had something similar and when I posted on another group I’m in they all said get tested fur sleep apnea. I also have a loop and they all told me the loop doesn’t detect it . It should however record great pauses so many ring your cardiologist / loop team and see if they can check your loop recording around that time and hopefully pass on this info to your consultant . I think it’s best to get checked or the anxiety could get worse . Good luck

[Eddybear]

When I used to smoke my wife said my breathing would stop and start and I would snore and keep her awake, she said every now and again I would stop breathing and all of a sudden take a large breath, We discovered that I had Sleep apnoea, I hope this helps, regardsTed

[L8Again]

Be wary of reading too much into smart devices as they have their limitations. If I recall correctly, my wife’s Loop Recorder was programmed to report after 3 seconds worth of missed heart beats. We were told that Ectopic heart beats in themselves are not that unusual. Prior to getting her Loop Recorder, my wife had a 14 day holter monitor which showed 19,000 + heart pauses of between 2 and 3 seconds.

A Loop Recorder will provide your cardiologist with more information. In my wife’s case it was fitted after 4 years of unexplained losses of consciousness lasting up to 20 seconds. A month on from having the Loop Recorder fitted she lost consciousness again. The trace showed a definitive heart stoppage and a Pacemaker was fitted a week later.

Finally, I am not sure what standing Fitbits have in the medical community. My wife has a 6-lead KardaAlive heart monitor. This device is not approved by NICE or the FDA for diagnostic purposes but it is certified by these organisations as being suitable for monitoring previously diagnosed heart conditions such as Atrial Fibrillation. That said, it was print outs from KardiaAlive that persuaded my wife’s cardiologist that she needed a 14-day holter monitor.

Finally, you should speak to your GP about your new symptoms. You also have the option of going to a private cardiologist in you want to hurry things along. We were advised to choose a NHS cardiologist that specialises in arrhythmias but one who also does some private work. The cardiologist that my wife chose was very sympathetic to the fact that we were self funding.

[JCMartin]

Thanks. I have paid for a 24hr holter and had a 7 day previously. Definately have a Mobitz block diagnosed but they cant be persuaded to fit a pacemaker currently. Therefore they are going to put a Loop recorder in my chest. The Cardiologist told me if i saw a private consultant they would take me off all the NHS lists for Cardiology. I definately could not afford an operation privately. My heart worse lately but they wont do another 7 day. So i have a heart CT this week and waiting a recorder.

[Weetabixie]

Hi JCMartin, my brother and my partner both did this and have been diagnosed with sleep apnoea,, my brother and his friend have a CPAP machine. A friend does too. Even the stopping breathing for a couple of seconds as has been mentioned by Eddybear. However all also have Copd (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) I think it may be worth seeing your gp if you can and telling them. :-

Hoping all goes well wit your CTscan this week and you find some answers. 🤞)

[Mostlybeating]

Hi,

I agree it's worth mentioning to those treating you.

I had exactly the same symptom very rarely for years, then much more last year. 24-hour and then 7-day ECG found pauses about once a day (as well as a lot of other issues) but it was the pauses that worried cardiology.

It still took 5 months to get it fixed, despite me being an urgent case (they encouraged me to get the tests done privately).

But if you have sleep apnea and have clear ECGs it might be different. Though when I later reported that I had always occasionally had this symptom (maybe onece a year) my GP and consultant both thought it hilarious that I hadn't thought to mention it to a doctor before.

Hope it's nothing.

[EMBoy]

Hi,

I have Hashimoto's and Mobitz type 2 (treated with a pacemaker), so understand what you must be going through. It's very frightening when your heart misses beats, but they don't seem to like treating people unless they have to. I'm sure your cardiologist will get to the bottom of things.

Before my hypothyroidism was diagnosed, I had classical sleep apnoea and I would snore like a trooper and then stop breathing for a few seconds and wake up gasping for breath. This is a known symptom of hypothyroidism and disappeared when my thyroid medication was optimum. However, it did take a couple of years of gradually increasing my Levothyroxine dose before I was feeling OK.

If you give it time to get your Levo dose up to your optimum level, I'm sure you'll feel much better. Mobitz type 1 and hypothyroidism can be associated, so make sure your cardiologist knows you are hypo.

[JCMartin]

Thats sounds encouraging. Yes i have Hashimotos and have only just started my meds. Seeing my consultant to hopefully put my meds up tomorrow. Did you have breathing problems on excertion too? I still think i may have a hidden Goitre.