.Xanadu,

What you describe regarding having apneas during REM is very typical. I didn't realize that myself until I dragged myself into a neurologist/sleep doctor who explained it to me along with the other results of my sleep test. What happens is that during REM we are essentially paralyzed, all muscles are shut down. All muscles except the diaphragm which is obviously need to breathe. We have other breathing muscles too, but during REM sleep it's the diaphragm basically going it alone. Obviously, if you have mg and your diaphragm is weak that's going to present a problem. But even if a person does not have mg but just ordinary sleep apnea, it is during REM that the problems present themselves because the diaphragm is struggling to breathe against a throat that has collapsed.

When a person is diagnosed with sleep apnea and mg they are always given a bipap. When I first went to see my sleep doc he told me because of insurance all he could do was give me a CPAP, which was better than nothing although I did really struggle to breathe out against the pressure. I had very severe apnea, my oxy sats were dropping into the 60's and I wasn't breathing for over 45 seconds repeatedly all night long so I took what I could get. As soon as I got the official mg diagnosis I went in to see him and he told me great, let's switch you up to a bipap which will also gives some breathing support. I love my sleep doctor!

I want to encourage you to try to get help with sleep apnea. It is a very, very damaging disease. If you look at the survival charts for people with severe sleep apnea 10 years out it is absolutely hair raising. In addition, getting sleep apnea taken care of will make you feel so much better during the day. I don't understand why your doctor would give up after the first time. EVERYBODY feels like they're suffocating when they first put on the mask! That's why they made the "ramp up" feature on the machines. Also, you have breathing troubles which is going to make things worse. I know you're struggling to get a diagnosis and in the meantime no one is taking you seriously. Trust me, I've been there. Still, it seems like if they've seen that you have sleep apnea then you should be treated forthat.

Ally