Very Serious Problem and need help

[cortez356]

Before I begin I must state that I know I might need medical help but am in a little village in Mexico with no real medical care. A small clinic with 2 Drs. who are excellent but no equipment to do an ekg.

My CPAP therapy has been going really well. I finally go the Swift FX masterd and my results have been very good. I dont use my oxometer every night as my sp02 has been great for 3 weeks. Tuesday I started to feel a little strange. I have a mild case od CFS and when I feel like this it usually means I will be useless for a few days. My skin gets very sensitive and although I dont have a fever I feel cold. Yesterday I felt better and tckled a major pliumbing repair that I put off for 3 years. Working under a kitchen sink on a hard tile floor is hell. My neck and back were hurting nut I felt fine otherwise. Last night I put on the FX and no leaks first try!! I had my oxometer on as well. Went to sleep. About 1:30 am I was half awake with a small leak. Or at least I thought it ws a small leak. I sudenly realized that I could feel my heart beating. Almost pounding. Turned on the light and looked at my pulse Was running from 72 to 86. SP02 was 97 to 98. I just lkay there feeling my heat beat. It finally skowed down and I went back to sleep. Was still beating fast but not as bad. Fell asleep. I awa oke at 6 am and immediately put the sd card in the slot and read the results. Lots of apneas around that 130 to 300 am mark. Way more than usual. Also high leak rate at that time. But still nothing horible. Then I read the oximtere and almost dies on the spot. High pulse rate was 148 and rates over 100 were about 20% of the time. SP02 was great. I guess I was excited reading those results and somehow the data was not saved from my oximeter. I have checked my BP 3times this am and it did start out being very low 96/74 but I have never checked it that early in the am. My BP right now is 115/74. Still quite low for me.> I did not take my BP medication. I am getting worried and may have to go to the hospital 65 miles away>

Thanks

Bob

[LoQ]

Nobody can diagnose you over the internet, and I have zero idea whether what you have is dangerous or not. However, I will say there are a number of harmless conditions that can cause the symptoms you describe. But if you are worried you should call a doctor today and see if you need to be seen right away.

You probably should not discontinue your blood pressure medication without talking to a doctor first, unless it is clearly doing you harm. 96/74 is not "very low." If your BP medicine happens to be a beta blocker, it may help with your heart palpitations, in fact. And if you drink, you need to quit; if you are seriously addicted, you may need medical supervision to withdraw. Tossing that out there just in case.

But get a physician's advice. I'm not a medical doctor.

[Julie]

Hi - there are so many reasons things could look bad... you did a lot of physical work on one day and possibly went to bed at a 'different' time. You awoke with what could well have been the result of the hard work (not a daily occurrence I gather) and became aware of a pounding heart beat, something you might not have been quite as aware of if you'd e.g. been in a crowd, still busy, etc. In itself, it doesn't mean you're dying, though you could have had a little 'spell' of a. fib., not unheard of in OSA patients.

It's also possible the events you calculated were due to your mask having been jostled or smooshed one time, allowing a lot of apneas. Your BP sounds ok.

In the time it took you to write your note, and maybe wait for answers, could you not have been on the road (with or without help) to get to the hospital for an EKG? I really doubt that anything terribly serious happened except for a reaction to unusually (for you) hard work, maybe in a bad position, and possibly a mask gone sideways, but I hope you've gone to reassure yourself at the hospital. And take up a collection for those 2 MD's to get a machine!

[cortez356]

Thanks
I will try and find a Dr. soon! I guess I was more scared than anything else!
LOq: Dont drink or use drugs!

[kteague]

Having something worrisome happen in the middle of the night is scary enough, and knowing a hospital is so far away would add to that concern. If you have not yet chosen to seek medical help, have you considered wearing your recording oximeter during the day while you can be alert and noting symptoms in comparison to reports? If it is not related to your cpap and mask function, seems you might see daytime signs as well.

I know I tend to ignore symptoms and assume they'll pass, and that could be to my detriment. It recently was only after the fact in the light of day that it dawned on me that my episode during the night of being wakened with the most awful unrelenting left arm pain and numbness could have been more than a worsening of my usual carpel tunnel symptoms. Duh! Unfortunately, having this episode pass only furthered my dangerous habit of waiting things out. And I'm 15 minutes from about a half dozen hospitals.

Tough decision. Let us know how things pan out for you. Wishing you well.

[guest too]

Not much help, but two possibilities. Mask relief valve was blocked (by pillow or blanket or ?) or machine setting is too low and machine was chasing apneas with pressure too low to succeed. Are you able to call a sleep doctor or pulmonologist with these happenings?

[Julie]

Oh, Guest Too - what a smart guess (the CO2 vent being blocked)! That would certainly cause a scare (done it more than once!) and I'd be careful about it in future.

[cortez356]

Good guess and I think l the problemis definitely connected with the mask, The high pulse was at the same time as the apneas and the leaks. My BP is back to almost normal and I feel fine. I had none of the classic heart problem symptoms. Initially I was fine even when my heart was pounding. But after awhile you start to think something is wrong and it becomes a self fullfilling prophecy! I will monitor everything again tonight and if it repeats will drive the 65 miles to a hospital. Thanks Julie and others for the advice. My wife is away for a week and I guess I felt very alone!

Bob

[DoriC]

The right bed pillow is important, a little on the firmer side so the edges don't lift up from the weight of your head. And your wife being away may be giving you some anxiety. That's sweet!

[Laurie1041]

It's very frightening to experience a crisis especially when away from home and alone.

The first thing that comes to mind is paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). This is an electrical conduction problem in the heart which causes the upper chambers of the heart (atrium) to "jiggle" or fibrillate. The heartbeat is "irregular". "Paroxysmal" means to come on suddenly and then go away. A person is considered "symptomatic" if their blood pressure drops (below baseline) and or has other symptoms such as dizziness. A doctor who suspects PAF will often do an EKG and order a Holter Monitor (portable EKG monitor). Treatment for PAF consists of anti-arrhythmic medication(s).

The second thing that comes to mind is a classic anxiety attack. Anxiety or panic attacks can occur out of the blue and can cause over 60 different physical symptoms, including rapid heart rate. As scary as a panic attack can feel, no one has ever died from one.

I recommend that you see your doctor and discuss the symptoms you had and make sure to ask him or her about PAF - this is something that you would want to rule out. You also should ask your doctor when you should hold your BP medication. In other words, should you hold your BP meds if your systolic (top number) blood pressure is, for example <95?

In the meantime, continue to monitor your heartrate and rhythm (is it regular or irregular?) by taking your resting pulse for one minute in the morning and before going to bed. Also continue to monitor and record your morning blood pressure (after emptying your bladder) but before eating with the BP cuff at the level of your heart. It is important that your arm is not above the level of your heart or below the level of your heart in order to get an accurate reading.

In the event you experience a crisis without having access to 911, it is never wise to drive yourself to the hospital/doctor unless there are absolutely no other options. As a reminder to all, if a heart attack is even remotely suspected, NEVER have someone drive you to the hospital. Call 911. Remember early defibrillation saves lives. I have seen many wives drive to the ER with their loved one slumped in the passenger seat. Sadly, it was always too late. Laurie