waking up gasping for air?

So I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air. I feel like my heart has stopped, I feel a warm sensation in my chest, I can't breathe, I begin to lose consciousness, then I feel a sudden release and my heart beats fast for awhile and I have a huge hangover-like headache for awhile after. And I certainly can't go back to sleep. This has happened a few times during the day too. What kind of arrythmia is this? Is it life-threatening? What is the treatment? Thank you!

[Mom2four85]

have you been checked for sleep apnea? even people you wouldn't think have it can have it but what you've described is exactly what I've gone through the past 2 years with it...sometimes I'll wake up and my HR is 200+, can't breath, and heart feels like it stopped because I actually do stop breathing, hangover is a great description and headaches galore.

when you wake up at night like this; try breathing in through your nose for 10 full seconds with mouth closed, then exhale for 10 seconds through your mouth and repeat at least 3-5 times until you feel your HR go back down; Dr. Steven Park did a seminar here and that's a tip he showed us that helps me when I wake up - it brings oxygen rich blood up quickly; he's in the sleep disorder forum for more great tips like this

sleep apnea itself is life threatening if left untreated; ask your husband/s/o children if you snore; I never did until a few months after surgery, and try sleeping on your side w/pillows propped up behind you, plus stacking 2 pillows to sleep on may help...and def check with a doctor to make sure everything is ok and nothing is going on cardiac or sleep wise

[Mom2four85]

I read your other post, have you had a heart attack? what did they say caused the ventricular aneurysm?

[shanelenin]

Mom2four85—thanks so much for your response! Sleep apnea sounds right -- though I think it's being caused by my heart condition, so i don't know whether or not it's sleep apnea per se, since i don't know if sleep apnea is caused by arrythmia or not. Regardless, it's worth looking into, and I'll *definitely* try your breathing technique and try to sleep on my side (I tend to sleep on my stomach). Probably should get back to bed now.... :). Sorry about the double post of this question, by the way; I'm still getting the hang of all this...

[shanelenin]

Well it's all very mysterious. One day last November I suddenly felt chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, etc. After about a week of feeling this way, I went to the ER. The doc there didn't think I had had a heart attack. When I went to see a cardiologist a month later, a stress echo revealed a small bulge in my left ventricle. A CT scan showed no blocked arteries whatsoever. But as I had myocarditis at 8 months old, the doc is saying I've had the aneurysm for 36 years, despite my never having had symptoms and leading a generally active life. I feel like I had a heart-attack of some kind last November, but what do I know. Anyway, the doc tells me my heart is "quasi-normal", that is, my EF is borderline, at 48% just below a normal operating range. But I've been having palpitations and headaches and sleep apnea since. I was finally put on a 30 day event monitor, and I'll know the results next week. My doctor isn't the most helpful or forthcoming, however, so I'm glad I found this forum. I've been given no instruction on what to do about my condition except to get an echo every six months. I'd like to be somewhat more proactive, even if that means eating my 4g of chocolate every day. :) Thanks again for your response, I truly appreciate your advice.

[Mom2four85]

it's ok =) just ask for the other to be removed if you don't want to have it there, maybe combine them?

ventricular aneurysm sounds like something you need to ask your dr some specific questions about and get them to explain to you what's going on and make sure you understand.

it may be sleep apnea but it could be something along with it or the ventricular aneurysm; I would get my dr to explain sooner rather than wait

[Mom2four85]

we were posting at the same time =)  opps sorry...chocolate sometimes can be a problem with those of us with arrhythmia's, so I would def ask the dr about that...caffeine free chocolate maybe?

hopefully someone else will know something to tell you

[cindy707]

My money is on sleep apnea also...you pretty much have the classic symptoms from what you described.........good luck w. this its pretty easily remedied..........