Odd symptom . . .

[lovecorgis]

I have been diagnosed with COPD--my primary physician calls it "probably emphysema".  Lately, several times a week I wake up unable to catch my breath or swallow for a couple of seconds.
Could this be a sign of sleep apnea, or has my general breathing slowed down significantly in the night?

[dllfo]

If it is covered on your insurance, run, don't walk, to find a good pulmonologist.  You may want to find one even if it isn't covered by your insurance.

I wasted over 5 years taking thousands of dollars in meds, doing who-knows-what to my body in side effects when I had Vocal Chord Dysfunction and Asthma.  I am doing a LOT better now with the correct meds (we dropped several meds) and a sleep apnea machine.

Very, very few PCPs are experts in pulmonary issues. My allergy dr. finally said "I give up, go find a pulmonologist." AND I did. Best move I ever made.

There are specific tests they can run to find out what the problem is.  Good luck with it.

[PlateletGal]

Those breathing strips (and you can buy them anywhere) are wonderful. They really do help you breathe better. But of course before trying anything and making sure you were correctly diagnosed, always check with your physician before trying anything new.

[Between]

I would definetly bring it up to my doctor. The funny thing is when I was told I might have mild emphsyema, believe it or not I did the same thing. I would wake up taking a big breath through my nose. It stopped so I figured it was only anxiety.

[PlateletGal]

My breathing is worse at night and that is from my allergies alone. The answer to your question is probably not, but I would address this with your physician. You could also ask your physician about breathing strips that can help you breathe better at night.