Sleep Apnea

[zanacal]

I've been having weird episodes during the night for some time but I haven't been able to explain how I feel or what's happening. Last night was particularly bad and I had to get up and read for a while until I felt 'normal' again and I was finally able to describe what I'm feeling, which is the sensation that I'm falling or that I'm drowning and I have to swim back up again! This will happen as I'm falling asleep or when I'm dreaming and I'm often dreaming about whether I can or can't breathe. When I wake up and have that falling sensation I feel as though something has taken my breath away but I know I'm breathing normally and it's really disconcerting.

I phoned my midwife this morning (I've also been getting some irregular heart rhythms during the day which I've already seen my doctor about) and she wants me to go back to the doctor so I'm doing that tomorrow. In the meantime, now I think I know what it is I'm worried about not waking up and resuming normal breathing and also the effect this is having on the baby. Has anybody experienced this?

This pregnancy is bringing me one weird and worrying symptom after another!

Thank you x

[nuthinbutpink]

Do you sleep on your back? Side? If you have put on a good bit of weight, it could be apnea from the swelling...my DD just has a sleep test and I was told that most of us have some sort of apnea, what is important is obvious we wake up and resume breathing!

To be tested for apnea, it is an overnight stay with all kinds of stuff hooked up to you...it was very expensive here but I know your HC system works differently. I am not sure how they can diagnose it without the test though.

[atomic sagebrush]

I agree with NBP - it sounds like apnea to me and I def. had it in my last 2 pg. It's pretty common - they may want you to get a machine to help keep your airway open but I never had one. If your husband can stay awake while you fall asleep, he will be able to hear you stop breathing and then restart. Sleeping on your side will help. Good luck and I hope you get a clean bill of health.

[zanacal]

Really Atomic - you had this as well as the irregular heartbeat? Do you think they're connected somehow? I also have a bad reflux cough which I had with DS3 also and I wonder whether this is also somehow related as it's very bad today.

I sleep on my side and with lots of pillows as I haven't wanted to lay too flat since I started to feel breathless a few weeks ago. I'm dreading seeing the doctor as I felt quite fobbed off when I went in about my irregular heartbeat and I'm genuinely worried about both me and the baby.

I have put on way too much weight but I haven't worried about it because I've done the same with my other pregnancies and lost it fairly easily with healthy eating and breastfeeding. I guess I need to make sure I start that regime now (will have to wait for the breastfeeding though!).

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes, I get it all LOL. If there is a weird medical condition that makes your life miserable yet doesn't manage to kill you, odds are I had it. :/

No, the sleep apnea is not related to the irregular heartbeat altho I do think it's possible that when you stop breathing for a few seconds, the burst of adrenalin then triggers the irregular heartbeat so they may happen at the same time - one isn't really causing the other tho. Many, many pregnant women get sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is related to weight gain and also the "relaxin" in your system that renders your tissues softer during pg so your body can allow a baby to pass thru. It allows your tongue and soft tissues to block your airway and then you wake in a panic unable to breathe. My dad has horrible sleep apnea and while he does have a tummy, he doesn't have the irregular heartbeat and shocker - I don't even think he's pregnant LOL! He ended up getting the sleep mask and says it was the best thing that ever happened to him. He's like a whole new person. I noticed that after I had Marshall I had apnea for a few months after he was born and once the weight came off, I didn't have it any more.

Reflux is also not connected, that happens because the pressure in your belly causes your digestion to slow down so food takes longer to leave your stomach and also because the "relaxin" makes the sphincter between your stomach and esophagus relax and allows acid to come up and burn your throat. Once the esophagus is a little burned, it only gets worse because then everything swells and doesn't close as tightly and more acid can come up. Try papaya enzyme for that (sold at health food stores), it really helps a lot and tastes better than Tums.

I wonder if elevating the head of your bed a bit would help with both the apnea and the reflux??

I think the main factor for experiencing a lot of these things is just being on your 4th pg as opposed to your 1st...I think they do take their toll on you over time!

[glory]

It could be apnea, in Australia you can actually take the test home, I think you go in and they put all the probes on then you can sleep at home, it may be cheaper to do it that way.

It could be asthma, especially if you have put on a lot of weight, in some people asthma gets worse in pregnancy (in a lot it gets better) but mine got really bad in 2 of my 3 pregnancies.

It could also be the side sleeping, there is one side that you are not mean't to sleep on, can't remember which side, I did ask my dr about it, cause all the books said not to sleep that side and he said that it is generally fine, but maybe you are that one unlucky one, you could try switching to the other side and seeing if it helps.

Also get them to check your heart with a scan just to make sure all is going fine, irregular rhythm is scary but generally OK, but good to get it checked.

[zanacal]

Thanks Glory.

Atomic, did you ever worry that you would stop breathing in your sleep and wouldn't wake up? That's my biggest fear. I read that it can be associated with scary things like heart failure if left untreated - would high blood pressure come before that? I've had mine checked recently and it was fine which is reassuring if that's the case. Why do all the pregnancy symptoms I'm having lead me to fear for my life?!

[atomic sagebrush]

People have apnea for years and years and years before they develop high blood pressure and heart failure!! Having a little sleep apnea during pg is totally normal. Think of it this way - there are people out there right now who weigh 300, 500, even up to 1000 lbs!! And they go on that way for YEARS, decades even and with way way more severe apnea than you could possibly have. Those are the people who have long term health problems over time.

The prob. with sleeping on the left side is it's supposed to be beneficial for pg/baby, but for those of us who have the heart rhythm disturbances, sometimes sleeping on the left side can actually make it more noticeable by increasing blood flow thru the heart. My understanding is sleeping on either side is ok for most people, it's sleeping on your back that can really cause issues with restricting blood flow to the baby (because they literally lay on your aorta!)

Anxiety during pg and postpartum is normal. It is nature's way of forcing you to be a little extra cautious, which makes sense in a world with saber tooth tigers and Attila the Hun lurking around every corner, but can be kinda maladaptive in the modern world where the Internet makes very unlikely situations seem plausible and harmless things seem like they are about to kill you at any second. :)

[nuthinbutpink]

The reflux and apnea are caused by too much weight. I too put on way too much with DS and it affected me greatly. Being overweight is just not healthy and causes your body to do crazy things. I suggest you get out and walk and start watching your diet better. Only getting the weight off after baby will help.

[Indira]

DH´s cousin had a completely normal pregnancy with her first child, with her second she had panic attacks and anxiety. She had them only during the night and also had breathing issues. Her dr. told her it was caused by the pregnancy hormones, and after her DS was born she was fine again.

[zanacal]

Thanks all.

Lol NBP, tell it how it is :D I would love to walk more but it's not possible during my working week. We backed off the weekend walks we usually do when my hip was bad but we've already decided to re-start that habit and I'm eating healthily to help my reflux also.

My doctor was completely unconvinced that it might be sleep apnoea. He thought it more likely that I was having an irregular heartbeat during the night and it was the burst of adrenalin waking me up. He's referring me to a cardiologist so I guess I'll get one of those machines to wear for 24 hours which will put my mind at rest if nothing else. My blood pressure etc. are perfectly fine still.

[nuthinbutpink]

Hey, I ate everything within reach with DS and I was a whale at delivery. So unhealthy. Blood pressure was high at the end too. I put on over 60 pounds- more than a 50% increase from my normal weight. It was not a good look on me. My DD saw a profile pic someone took of me at the end with DS and asked who it was in the picture!

All my issues were due to excessive weight. Do, no glass house here, just can empathisize with you because I've been there!

[nuthinbutpink]

Also, the reflux/heartburn is way worse when you eat sweets, especially before bed. If you cut out sweets, I bet that will improve. I spent many nights googling at home heartburn/reflux remedies desperate for relief!

[atomic sagebrush]

I think he's wrong about the apnea BUT i do think the holter monitor will help to put your mind at ease.

[zanacal]

I agree Atomic and I've noticed that I even kind of catch my breath in the back of my throat occasionally when I'm awake! I've had a good couple of nights without incident (that has bothered me anyway!) by doing things to control my reflux. I've been eating very basic food (nothing spicy/fatty/tomatoey/sugary), taking Gaviscon, drinking lots of water and not eating for a few hours before bedtime. I'm also sleeping in a very raised (not at all comfortable) position.

The thing with the sleep anpea is that I had no idea that my body would always wake from it - now I know that it's much less worrying!

[atomic sagebrush]

Zana I wish I had a recording of my dad - you would never worry about minor apnea again. He would be asleep and you could hear him stop breathing for almost a minute before he'd snort and snuff and jerk awake - again and again and again, dozens of times a night (he slept so poorly from apnea he would fall asleep the second he would sit down so he was always asleep in the living room) This went on my entire teen years before anyone even knew of apnea, before he was finally diagnosed with apnea 2 years ago and got the mask - he can now stay up until 10 pm LOL!!

He did develop high blood pressure, but it was not until he was in his 60's. This went on for at least 25 years before he got HBP!!