SUDDEN ONSET OF AIRWAY SPASM WHILE ASLEEP!

[liamo]

About 7 years ago I awoke one night from sleep totally unable to breathe..it seemed that my airway in my throat/neck had gone into spasm. AS I struggled to get air..the noise I made sounded like a pig squealing...eventually..after about 2/3 minutes, during which time I was in severe distress I gave a huge belch and the airway partially cleared..over the next 15 minutes my breathing returned to normal...with intermittent belching occuring.
No further episoded until about 3 months ago when the same scenario occured again. I awaoke from sleep with a start totally unable to breathe....Again great distress and the belief that I was about to die when a belch partially cleared the airway and over the following 15 minutes breathing returned to normal.
Went to doctor who prescribed a nasal spray and a humidifier plus anti allergenic pillows....!!!!
However even with these another episode occured a week later.....and a few nights ago the most terrifying attack of all....when I was in distress for some 10 minutes....some air...a tiny amount must have been getting to the lungs as I survived...but this time no belching......during the "recovery" period the airway went inro two further spasms (while I was awake and just beginning to get air in) and it started all over again.
Went to doctor first thing following morning and he made an appointment for me to see a sleep apnea specialist.....IN 3 MONTHS TIME!!!
Meanwhile he has given me LEXOTAN  1.5 mg twice daily..one before going to bed at night.
I am NOT happy with his diagnosis....any help PLEASE ?

[Vizslamom]

I have had these same symptoms for 6 weeks now.  I have slept 1 complete night in six weeks; and that was after I had been given a prednisone shot that day.  My general practioner said that she doesn't know what else to do and is sending me to a respiratory/chest specialist.  I have gone through a series of medications including antibotic, cough medicine, allegra, cough spasm pills, inhaler, etc.  Now, I am taking predisone pills and an inhaler.  I wake up every night coughing and my airway is clogged.  It takes several minutes each time to gasping, making uncontrolable noises and not being able to breathe.  This happens every single night.  On the right side of my neck, starting at my right ear and going all the way down my neck, it hurts when these spasms appear.  It's almost like there is drainage which might be causing the mucus or whatever that is clogging up my throat and airway.  I have an appointment on Sept 7th with this specialist; but I am not real sure if this is what I should be doing.  I just don't know.  Having this episode every night makes it hard to function during the day.  Anyone, help!  Thanks.

[Concerned lady]

Sunnygal made some good points! Check that out (diffuse esophageal spasms).

Also, see whether you have any problems with air quality ("indoor air pollution"), like mold, dusts, irritating &/or toxic fumes.

Go to Nat'l Jewish Hospital (if possible) or call Nat'l Jewish Hospital's LUNG LINE, too, for help.

Good luck to you.

Concerned lady
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com

[sunnygal]

Have you had an EGD?  I too have these bouts of spasms, and have been dx'd with diffuse esophageal spasms.

[Concerned lady]

Dear Liamo,

I had similar "choking" attacks at night, when I first had Vocal Cord Dysfunction (VCD) attacks several years ago. The night attacks (in my case) were caused by GASTRIC REFLUX.

The belching could be one clue to your having some nighttime episodes of gastric (stomach) reflux, into the esophagus.

One type of gastric reflux is called LPR (Laryngeal-Pharyngeal Reflux), and this is a COMMON cause of LARYNGO-SPASMS/VCD attacks, especially at night.

A very good ENT (ear, nose & throat doc), &/or a very good allergist, can SEE if you have signs of gastric reflux, by doing a LARYNGOSCOPY (thin flexible tube with tiny light & camera, is gently passed through a nostril, down to just above the vocal cords. A lot can be seen by this test.

Some signs of gastric reflux are:

--redness of the vocal cords &/or throat area

--swelling of the vocal cords

--mucus "stranding" between the vocal cords

There are other tests (like a "ph"/acid-alkaline probe overnight, into esophagus) to see if you are having gastric reflux into your esophagus, but, because stomach reflux can sometimes be intermittent, this test can miss the episodes, and give a false negative result.

There can be MANY different causes of your symptoms. If you are anywhere near National Jewish Hospital, (Denver, CO) I urge you to be seen there. That's where both my husband and I were diagnosed with VCD several years ago. Nat'l Jewish Hospital is a great place, with kind and knowledgable docs, nurses, etc., able to diagnose (and treat) all sorts of respiratory (& other) problems.

I urge you to call up the LUNG LINE, and speak to a LUNG LINE nurse. Call 1-800-222-LUNG(5864), between 8am & 4:30pm (Mon-Fri). If you can't go to Nat'l Jewish, you may be able to get names of good docs who trained there, and are now in your area.

If you would like to compare notes, you can email me at ***@****

Sincerely, Concerned lady
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com