Fainting episodes (but not)

[hillbilly1979]

Let me begin by saying that I am dealing with some anxiety issues and I understand that what I am about to share might be related. However, many times I have slept without my CPAP and even though I gag and choke and snore, I make it through the night (with a lot of strain on my body). Many times that has happened and I have gone through my day with no perceived issues.

Lately, whenever I skip wearing my mask, or whenever I remove it in my sleep, I have these episodes where I will wake and feel weak and dizzy and as I am just about to fall back asleep, I am jolted awake. I finally checked my O2 level upon waking in one of these episodes. I used the pulse oximeter within a min of waking up. I was at 92. It took a few minutes of laying there breathing to get the level back up.

Now, I know that this sounds like the definition of sleep apnea, but it feels different sometimes than others. On the bad nights, I will wake the following day and be in a fog until noon.


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[hillbilly1979]

Many CAs and OAs first two hours of therapy last night

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=ht ... are_type=t

I think this post I just made might be related.


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[OkyDoky]

If you are sleeping without your machine, don't. Feeling weak and dizzy when I woke up in the morning was a symptom of sleep apnea for me. I would have to set on the side of the bed before I could muster the strength to start the day and in the shower things would start to fade out at times. I never attributed this to sleep apnea but tried to connect it to other things, age, diabetes, blood pressure, etc. Since I have regularly used cpap, I've not had this problem. So for whatever reason you are not using it, I would think twice about it.

[hillbilly1979]

If you are sleeping without your machine, don't. Feeling weak and dizzy when I woke up in the morning was a symptom of sleep apnea for me. I would have to set on the side of the bed before I could muster the strength to start the day and in the shower things would start to fade out at times. I never attributed this to sleep apnea but tried to connect it to other things, age, diabetes, blood pressure, etc. Since I have regularly used cpap, I've not had this problem. So for whatever reason you are not using it, I would think twice about it.

No. The only time I don't use it now is if I am sick (nauseated) or I happen to knock my mask off and not wake up. But at those times, I often get this feeling. After drifting and waking a few times, it gets my attention and I reach for my mask. It is weird. I assume it has to be my sleep apnea, but I was on my machine while this was happening last night. It happened every 5 minutes or so for two hours.


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[Krelvin]

See your doctor. Seriously.

[hillbilly1979]

Update: Over the last couple of weeks, I have not had any more of these supposed central apneas. SleepyHead is showing maybe one per night, which I think is an error. So, I guess my apneas were causing this. I don't know. It is just a guess. I am just glad it is not happening anymore. I am sleeping like a baby now.


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[D.H.]

I think that once you started using CPAP, you became more aware of the episodes that were always happening. This is because of a general awareness and also because if you used CPAP (even a little bit), you experienced good (or at least better) sleep.

[Guest]

See your doctor. Seriously.

+1
When we have untreated undiagnosed sleep apnea feeling bad becomes our new normal. Then once treated we can tell the diff. After being treated then suddenly stopping treatment you shock your body and the shock can be fatal. Who knows when the last shock will come? IMO not a good idea.

[hillbilly1979]

I cant disagree. I think stopping use of the CPAP is much like discontinuing pills without your doctor's knowledge. I absolutely was messing with myself physically by using my machine sometimes and then stopping. I have been consistent with my new mask. I love that thing. Years of off and on again relationship with that stupid machine. I wish I had tried this mask first. There is no telling how good I would feel now.


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[hillbilly1979]

I started using my CPAP religiously again in Dec of 2017. I can say that I am no longer experiencing these episodes. I don't know what they were, but it is odd to even think about it now since it hasn't happened in so long. However, it was so memorable that I can still picture them happening and how I felt. I definitely think people should stick to the treatments assigned to them by their medical professionals. Sleep is not something to play with, as I have learned.

[zonker]

I started using my CPAP religiously again in Dec of 2017. I can say that I am no longer experiencing these episodes. I don't know what they were, but it is odd to even think about it now since it hasn't happened in so long. However, it was so memorable that I can still picture them happening and how I felt. I definitely think people should stick to the treatments assigned to them by their medical professionals. Sleep is not something to play with, as I have learned.

thanks for the update.

glad to know you are doing better!

[D.H.]

Sleep Apnea must be diagnosed and treated. You wouldn't walk around with untreated high blood pressure or untreated diabetes. This is equally dangerous and quite prevalent in the population.

[Goofproof]

Sleep Apnea must be diagnosed and treated. You wouldn't walk around with untreated high blood pressure or untreated diabetes. This is equally dangerous and quite prevalent in the population.

A large percentage of the population does, every day. Jim