muscle spasms and sleep paralysis

[thimarine]

About a 1 1/2 years on cpap now and don't know if this topic has been posted before, but I thought it might be of interest to new people and those who have this problem and have been diagnosed with OSA.

Prior to cpap, I had muscle spasms in my calves, with or without exercise. They were so bad that it looked like invisible fingers were kneading my calf muscles. The contractions never stopped and they were deep and fast. No pain really. Also, I would wake up at night feeling like I was choking to death (hypopnea, of course, but didn't know it then) and I couldn't feel one or both legs. It wasn't just like I'd slept on my leg and it was "asleep", I literally could not feel my leg. I tried to stand up and would fall. The worst time was when I was in a room alone on a military base about 10 years ago. Combined with the panic, I was sure I was having a stroke. I have since learned that our bodies, when we go into deep sleep, go into "sleep paralysis" to keep us from doing harm to ourselves and others.

Last week, while sitting on the sofa, my wife said "you know you haven't had any muscle spasms in your legs for a long time." I never thought about it, but they have completely stopped. Not even s twinge. Also, no hypopneas. No waking up in a panic in the middle of the night and loss of control of any body parts.

I would assume my whole body was oxygen deprived and that my muscles were responding accordingly. I also assume I am still in recovery mode. I continue to be amazed at what cpap has done for me and would hope that this makes others who might think of giving up, like I once did, that the benefits are unimaginable and to hand in there.

[Moby]

Hi thimarine,

I also had bad but painful muscle spasms before cpap. Often in my ribs back and torso, and I couldn't "stretch them out" because stretching one cramp would set off another one. I also got frequent cramps at night in my calves.

They have much diminished since cpap, though I still get both sorts sometimes.

The sleep paralysis/numbness you suffered sounds horrific.

I am so pleased you are benefitting so much from the cpap. I love it, though this morning I feel like like throwing all the equipment from a high building, after a night of whistling (my fault actually filled the humidifier with hot water, got steam/water in the mask where it shouldn't be, and had a wind ensemble performing on my face most of the night)

Di

[Lee22633]

I was in a car accident, and had mostly one-sided spasms in the face, neck arm and down my back. It also moved down to my left leg. No doctor beleived this crap going on, thought it was all fake. I have severe problems with this.

Lee

[Pineapple]

Lee,

Like Moby and thimarine, I also had leg cramps (#2 on my list of problematic sysmptoms) somtimes they kept me up at night. I had talked to people with RLS and was pretty certain that my sysmptoms were not the same - but we did try Requip (I only got sick on it). I also had a dopler test (sonogram) on my legs to check my circulation (you might want to ask your doctor about this posiblity) my doctor was befuddled.

About 3 weeks into CPAP therapy - the cramps started to disapate, my husband has the theory that they were being caused by the oxagen deprivation.

I know your still tring to get your therapy right. Don't give up. I may be the answer to your musle pain.

[Lee2263]

Yes, but what did you all get your Apnea from? Just come along natural? Woke up one day and realized this had crept up on you? Spouse say something about how you sleep? Have an MI?

I don't just have cramps, I have a numbness that allows me to stick a friggin' needle into my legs and feet, and neck and hardly feel it. And pain, crushing, awful pain all over to the bone it feels like, when I don't have 4 specific drugs. And to add insult to injury, dystonic head movements and muscle loss.

This was not something that crept up on me either. It happened becasue of a car accident. Plain and simple. I woke up from a night of CPAP hyperventilating over the weekend. Now is that normal?

[joyjohn]

I have used Fexmid be used for muscle spasms. Has any one used the same drug. The details of this drug can be got at http://www.internationaldrugmart.com/fexmid.shtml