SLEEP APNEA?

[Desanthony]

Hi,

Back at the end of April this year I awoke one morning fighting for breath. Spent all night sitting up downstairs watching TV then went to the Doctors who did two ECGs and decided I had Atrial Fibrillation. However, my wife tells me that actually where I thought I was falling asleep and as I relaxed I couldn't breathe and didn't fall asleep what actually happens is that I am asleep and she says my breathing just gets shallower and shallower and less frequent until at some stage I take about one breath to her four and then start twitching and then wake up. I am waiting for a referral to a sleep clinic but with neither of us getting much sleep I was wondering if there are any tricks any of you sufferers know of that can keep me going until I get my appointment or if there are any private clinics where they deal with this in the South Wales area. I look forward to hearing your replies. Thank you.

Des

[Hidden]

Hi Des,

Sorry, but just saw this. Since you posted awhile ago, I hope you’ve seen a sleep specialist by now. If not, you could try a wedge pillow for your upper body. Keeping at a upward angle can help keep the airways open.

[Desanthony in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jess,

Thanks Jess for a while I did try and sleep propped up. Then a close friend of mine who is coincidentally a lecturer in pharmacy told me to try using "nasal strips" to keep my airways open and it has worked - she said to try this as it helped with her Dad. I used these for a couple of months until about August and then found I could sleep without them - this could also have been because I was taken off beta blockers which really did their job perfectly but took my BP and pulse too low. This was all fine until my cardio put me on verapamil tablets last week and now it all seems to be kicking off again as this medication is taking my BP and pulse down too low. Though I am not quite as bad as I was back then and it is not affecting my sleep at the moment though I am getting breathless again.

[Desanthony in reply to Hidden]

Hi, thanks. A friend suggested trying nasal strips as that had worked for her Dad. Either that or coming off the beta blockers which worked too well sorted this by mid August. Now cardio has suggested verapamil and having breathing problems again but not affecting sleep. Verapamil does the same as a beta blocker but in a different way but seems to be doing exactly the same to me. Got to give it a whole week on the new tablets before going back.