A related discussion,
sleep disorders was started.
A related discussion,
Sleep Apnea? was started.
Sometimes I drift off to sleep and "snort." I feel like a fool. I'm thinking that I've stopped breathing and this is a gasp/snort. I'm glad to find this site and will be checking with my doctor for more informtion and tests.
I've been thinking about what both of you said and unless you don't have any other symptoms of apnea, I would not just disregard this as anxiety. This health issue can actually be a cause of anxiety, depression or mood swings. If you are fighting for your breath, on top of having the gasping spell, I'd be concerned. If you have any of these symptoms, you should discuss it with your physician, if you have most all of the symptoms, I'd demand a sleep study be done. And also, smoking does not have to be a factor into having this condition. If you are prone to morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, feeling like you never had any sleep, have loud snoring possibly interupted with pauses and then followed by a loud gasp snort or choking sound, have high blood pressure, or a rapid/pounding pulse.
You could also, as I did, record yourself to make sure this isn't going on all night in your sleep. What I am doing is taking a forceful breath through my nose, and after a short time following that, I quit breathing and then I resume breathing with a deep breath. And sometimes I moan like I was suffocating to death. My doctor sent me home with an oximeter but the results were normal. I don't know if it was because I was awake for awhile during the middle of the test, or maybe the oxygen level was too high because of the carbon monoxide level in this house with all the gas stoves for heating, or where I smoke, but something wacked these results up. I am about 99% positive that I have sleep apnea now. I had surgery monday and during recovery, they repeadedly woke me up and told me to stay awake because I wasn't wanting to breathe. I figure I have a deviated septum like my brother did. My nose is larger to one side than on the other and I am keeping otitis media and what seems to be chronic sinusitis, of which a deviated septum will cause. I am going to be following up with an ENT specialist but am hoping to show my doctor that video and get him to order a sleep study on me too because an oximeter is not accurate enough to diagnose or disclude the condition. But it can be helpful enough into helping to get a diagnosis.
I take Buspar for my anxiety and it works wonders. I absolutely love it. It really helps. I've had anxiety problems for 18 years, it started when I was a teenager. The only type of breathing problem I ever had from that was hyperventilation and it stopped years ago after I started using Buspar. These episodes do not always wake me up but when they do, it can be quite disturbing. I video taped myself taking a nap today to see exactly what is happening and I breath normal up until the gasp for breath and after I breath back out, my chest muscles quit moving for about 15 seconds. I couldn't tell that I was breathing at all. I seen this happen after each forceful breath I took. That was scary to see that. But I'm really confused now. Because with sleep apnea, don't you quit breathing before that gasp for breath or during it? I really don't think this is an anxiety issue for me. I woke up to a mild headache this morning only for it to end up being so severe, that it was causing me to cry. I took a nasty sinus attack. I'm sure that has something to do with what's going on here. I'd figure that's why this breathing problem was so much worse last night. Thank you both so much for the comments!
Difficult to say without examination. You can consider diseases like asthma or sleep apnea for instance.
A reasonable approach would be a sleep study - so one can examine whether you have apnea (i.e. stopped breathing) during sleep. If so, a CPAP machine can be considered for proper treatment.
I would also consider imaging the lungs (with a chest x-ray or CT scan) as well as measuring the pulmonary function to evaluate for asthma or other lung diseases.
The chronic sinusitis can be evaluated by an ENT physician as well as imaging the sinuses (with a CT scan).
These options can be discussed with your personal physician.
Followup with your personal physician is essential.
This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.
Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_b
This also happened to me but it was really weird. I was actually dreaming that I was drowning, and when I woke up, I had the same gasping for air and it took a couple seconds before I could catch my breath. And then it happened a few more times when I wasn't dreaming. My doctor said it was also anxiety related. I'm not a smoker and I have no asthma or any breathing problems when I'm awake. And it hasn't happened in a long time, either.
Good luck, I know it's scary and annoying!
Hi mary,
I just wanted to tell you your not alone. I have the same problem at night gasping for air but it seems to only happen when I am over tired , not getting the right sleep or my diet is off. I am on zoloft for anxiety and that has seemed to help my doctor told me that this problem is anxiety.
My new doctor would like me to go to a sleep clinic to be monitored at some point. I just wanted to write to you because I always feel like it only happens to me. If you get any other information I would be interested in hearing from you.
take care and I hope it gets better for you.
Dawn