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454966 tn?1225158761

Pulse?

Does anyone else pulse drop really low when they fall a sleep and you wake gasping for air and feel like your drowning?

Tara
4 Responses
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Avatar universal
yes sleeping ur pulse drops so much..im low by nature..mine drops  to mid 50,s..it sounds like ur apnea like me...james
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Avatar universal
Please see your MD!!  If you do have sleep apnea (and it sounds like you may) treatment will make a big difference in how you feel.  I have lost part of my ability to recall things quickly at times and I feel like it is due to the apnea.  I don't have the attention span that I used to etc.  (wonder if it's due to being over 50???? LOL) Woke up every morning achy and sore and didn't know why.  Unbelievable tired after sleeping all night.  Headaches every morning (no wonder-the brain wasn't getting oxygen)  Swelling in my legs.  
I wear CPAP and I don't overnight anywhere without it.  I am also losing weight which will help.  Provigil helps me with the morning tiredness that I still have.
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Avatar universal
Hi. I just want to second that suggestion for you to talk with you doctor about a sleep study. The sleep study will also monitor you heart rate overnight and see if the low heart rate is of any concern. In some areas it takes a while to get in for a study. If that's the case where you are, maybe you could ask to be called if there are any cancellations. If it is going to be a bit of a wait, maybe your doctor would want to order an overnight oxygen monitor that you could do at home with the clip on your finger, as it also monitors the pulse. Tell your doctor what you've told us and I'm sure they'll want to pursue some answers.

My only other comment is if you have any issues with edema you need to see a doctor right away just in case you have fluid built up in your chest, which worsens on lying down. Also happens with pneumonia.
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Avatar universal
Hello, Tara.

A low resting pulse is not uncommon, especially in fit people.  Some, like me, have a low resting pulse despite being out of shape.  How low does you pulse drop to?

What concerns me is that you are waking up gasping for breath and feel like you are drowning.  This is a classic sign of sleep apnea syndrome.  If this has been happening for more than a few days, it's time to see your doctor and talk to him about your sleep problems.  Hopefully, he'll request an overnight sleep study to determine if you have a sleep disorder.  

Do you feel tired during the day?  Are you depressed at all?  If so, the odds of having a sleep disorder is really high.  Please see a doctor soon as untreated sleep apnea can cause damage to the brain, heart and other organs.  Apnea can even cause sudden death while sleeping.  If you're battling daytime fatigue, you could possibly fall asleep behind the wheel and cause an accident.  

I hope that your symptoms are temorary and benign.  Let us know what happens.

Best of luck!

Curt
Helpful - 0
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