Apnea as a symptom?

Hello, I am in process of diagnosis, and very much in limbo.  I have a new symptom which I can't place and am wondering if anyone else has experienced this...  Lately I have had several brief occurrences of what I believe is apnea, except that I am awake (at least I think I was... Both times I was reading in bed, and so could have been beginning to drift.  felt like I was awake though!).    I simply didn't inhale automatically, had a brief second of thinking "what the heck??" and then consciously forced myself to inhale.  In both cases I could do so without problem, and also felt a tightness across my chest, which went away as soon as I took the breath.   I have also started talking in my sleep  which I've never done before.    

I know these arent typical of MS but wondered if anyone has had any similar experience?

Thanks for any response!

[jcrain9663]

HI Sloopie,

What you're describing sounds very much like what is called "sleep onset apnea".  This is perfectly normal.  The reason you probably noticed them is because you weren't asleep YET, but were nodding off.  There is a transitional period between waking and sleeping when the brain "shifts gears" and this often causes brief episodes of apnea.  

However, I would encourage you to seek a sleep study to make SURE that's what's going on. If you ARE having the kind of apnea that doctors become concerned about, it's good to know this ASAP and treat the problem.  Long term untreated apnea can have serious health consequences leading to organ damage, stroke or heart attack.

Although MS doesn't USUALLY present initially with breathing difficulties, there's no hard and fast rule that it can never happen. But it would be rare.

I have both MS and sleep apnea.  I don't know which came first, but I know I snored for many years, and suffered from morning headaches for at least 10 years before diagnosis.  For all I know, one could have caused the other, but I wouldn't know which was to blame.  What matters is getting it checked out and treated if it IS apnea.  If it's not, you can relax.

Hope this helps!

[COBOB]

The sleep study is a good idea.  The study needs to determine if there might be "obstructive sleep apena" (the most common) or "central sleep apnea".  In central sleep apnea, the brain stops sending the signals to the diaphragm needed to breath.

Central sleep apnea has been associated with MS and other CNS diseases.

Bob

[Sloopie]

Thanks to both of you for this info. Much appreciated.

[Lulu54]

Sloopie,
I went through almost the identical thing a while back - it happened all too regularly and was the strangest sensation.  I knew I had stopped breathing and had to force myself to take a deep breath - it was difficult.

The most extreme episode happened when I was at the acupuncturist.  After he does his thing, he lowers the light and leaves the room to let me relax and the needles to do their work.  I often fall asleep during this time.  This particular visit, each time I almost dozed off I found myself gasping, needing to take a deep breath.  It happened multiple times.  IT really bothered me, and I have no idea why this was happening.

I also had it occur a few times at home, always when I was in that state of almost falling asleep. I was concious it was happening to me.
Fortunately a short time later this stopped and hasn't happened again.


We do know that sleep disorders are very common in people with MS.  It is so common that the NMSS devoted the cover to their magazine and much of the inside pages one time last year to the topic.

Please talk to your doctor about having a sleep study performed.

Lulu

[Sloopie]

Thanks - glad to hear I'm not alone (although sorry you've experienced it too)   Makes me feel a little less nutty and hypochondriac.

[Irene5353]

I recently read that sleep apnea, while not a symptom,  is one of those areas under study because an awful lot of people with MS have it.  

Also if you have no physical obstruction that is causing the apnea then it may be neurologically based.  It also might be good to check with a pulmonologist for breathing tests just to see if there is any diminished capacity.  

Good luck!

[Irene5353]

I recently had this vibrating symptom that was wierd and out of the blue.  Because I am having a bad day I thought - MS of course...but then I realized that I had not taken my Potassium tablet along with the high blood pressure med I take and that I could be K+ deficient.  So not all is absolutely MS.  

I ate a bunch of veggies with K+ and remember to go to the pharmacy and pick up the med.  

Check K+ levels if you have that sensation because a low K+ can be very dangerous!