sleep problem, or?

[sleepy_pete]

I'm a 30-yr old male  5'10"  250 pounds,   I was sent to a sleep doctor with mild polycythemia, and my sypmtoms of heart palpitations,  tightness in my chest,  and the feeling the something is "pulling" at my heart making me feel very weak and faint all the time,  if I walk up stairs too fast when feeling like this,  it often leaves me very short of breath and with fading vision (near syncope),  just from walking a flight of stairs when I feel that "pull" on my heart already.
I have good days and bad days...I just came off a 2 week very good feeling stretch, but I woke up in the middle of the night with a racing pulse and shortness of breath,  then for several days I feel very bad again with the pulling at my heart, weakness, severe lightheadeness, and I sweat much too easily.'
The sleep doctor also said that I "walk the clock"  in that i have to stay up later and later each day to straiten my sleep out...and I have been in this cycle for years, since I'm self employed and have no set hours,    I'll stay up an hour or 2 extra each day until I skip a 24 hour cycle.

About my symtpoms, I had a thorough cardiac workup with echo, Thallium stress, and cardiac CTA...I also was tested Liver, Thyroid, CBC, CMP, BNP...and only the mild polycythemia showed.

So to review my symptoms :  Feels like something is pulling at my heart making me feel very weak and lightheaded, and sweaty.   Waking up at night SOB or SOB w/ racing pulse.  Heart palpitations,  mental coudiness.    And, all of these symptoms started maybe 8 months ago after I gained 25 pounds for no reason.

Could all this really be sleep apnea?    Or is there something more going on that should be investigated?
You thoughts are appreciated/

[Cleveland Clinic]

I suspect that most of you symptoms, including perhaps the sleep apnea and/or obesity hypoventilation syndrome are secondary to you being probably 90 pounds overweight. I suggest that you get tested for the OSA syndrome which if present has dire consequences if left untreated. But in the end what you need is to loose weight, and a supervised exercise and diet program is my recommendation in addition to a formal polysomnogram. I suspect that if you set realistic goals of weight loss, as you loose even small amounts of weight your energy level and mood and overall quality of  life will improve dramatically.

[erijon]

The symptoms you describe could certainly in part be attributed to sleep apnea. At 250 pounds you are failry overweight for 5'10" which in itself can cause sleep apnea. I'm sure the doctor will explain the mechanism that causes these symptoms resulting from sleep apnea.

Now I have a question for you, it seems that this same question has been asked several times under different new screen names over the past 30 days or so with subtle differences in the story. It's always from a male between 29 and 31 years of age, usually mention they are 5'10" and 50 pounds over weight, sometimes 250 pounds has been used and the symptoms are always the same. I only ask because if you are the same person asking this question repeatedly then I think you really need to look at anxiety as part of your issue and may be causing some of your symptoms. If you are not the same person responsible for all these posts please forgive me for bringing this up. I only mention because if you are using different screen names to get around the posting rules please know there is a heart disease community with many knowledgeable people that would be very happy to help.

Again, forgive me if I'm wrong and I hope everything works out for you.

Jon

[sleepy_pete]

PPS-- THe racing pulse is sinus tachycardia,  my loop recorder showed this, and it will stop after I wake up good.

[sleepy_pete]

PS---also some mild bilateral ankle edema