I posted this in the sleep apnea forum but thought I'd cross-forum it for your thoughts. Anyone ever experience this?

MsRrio,

I know the feeling. I have Central Sleep Apnea that sometimes effects me when awake. I have found that I need to sleep in a perfectly straight posture to avoid the neck inflammation that causes my Central Apnea. You may have a similar problem. My wife stayed up one night and counted stoppages in my breathing as much as 16 times per hour.

I sleep on my back with my pillow bunched on the sides so it hold me head from rolling to the side. I can tilt to the right a bit but any tilt to the left causes problems.

When you experience this, try icing your neck then going back to sleep in a good posture. It took me a while to learn to sleep flat on my back but it was worth it.

You can buy a PulseOx monitor and alarm to wear while sleeping. A 'at home' sleep test may be possible. Ask your doctor if you can do an at-home sleep test.

Most sleep specialists do not nhave much experience with Central Apnea. They focus on Obstructive Apnea where the obstructions in the airway cause the problems. Central Apnea is a neurological issue where the brain stops telling the diaphragm to pull a breath.

Avoid any sedative or CNS depressant meds, Benzos, Gravol, etc. Try consuming ginger for your nausea.

I sleep in a recliner when I am having problems sleeping in a bed. The recliner prevents me from changing positions keeping my neck in proper posture.

Hope this helps. The gasping and night terror dreams can be very scary.

My best to you.

I was recently diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome. The question most asked by the doctors was, "Do you feel refreshed in the morning when you wake up". I was referred for a sleep study which resulted in the diagnosis. Its important to understand that a sleep study tests for sleep disorders, not just Apnea. A sleep partner can see if you appear to stop breathing, but that observation is not foolproof. Its possible that breathing stoppages can occur without the gasping for breath usually associated with apnea.
Jamie

Thanks for the prompt replies. You guys are awesome! The post in sleep apnea forum goes unanswered so far. I guess it's more a PCS thing...


Mark how did you get diagnosed with central sleep apnea? I see my quite uninformed uninterested doctor tomorrow for reassessment to determine if I'm able to return to work (which I'm not but WCB will likely try to make me) and I'd like to bring this up to her. If I can get a referral out of her, I'd like to know how to specifically ask but like you mentioned most specialists focus on obstructive apnea.


I don't think it's obstructive simply because I've never had this before, but I know anything is possible. With the medical system I guess the usual route is to test for everything it's NOT before determining what it IS. All I care is finding a way to cope. I'll try positioning like you said, and avoid any CNS depressants because that was terrifying.


Off to take my fish oil.... Mark if you ever doubt that your wisdom makes a difference let me tell you, your experience has already made a huge impact to me. Not one medical professional has offered any guidance for supplements, type of rest, or even icing. I received NADA advice. So you've been my guru.


That goes for everyone who gives of their time and resources on here! Thanks so much for giving your patient advice to newbies like me!

I have never had a doctors diagnosis. I became aware of my apnea when I was having an EEG with sleep session. The tech rolled a towel up and wedged it behind my head which held the top of my head off the bed so the electrodes were not disturbed. He told me to go to sleep. I have stayed up the night before so sleeping should have been easy.

As I relaxed to sleep, I would end up gasping for air. After a few attempts to relax, I realized that I was breathing purposefully but if I relaxed, I stopped breathing. I was never able to do the sleep part of the EEG because I would stop breathing and start gasping.

Since then, I have tried different sleeping positions and have problems breathing when my head is forward and especially forward and to the left. The sleep doc has tried twice with a take home sleep test. The first time, the recorder did not record. The second time, I did not have a apnea episodes.

But, my wife has observed many apnea events. As I said, up to 16 per hour.

My father died from a 40 year struggle with Central Apnea. He and my mother denied it and he refused to get treated. It slowly took his mind from him. When we'd go camping or skiing and sleep in the same area/room , I could hear him stop breathing then start back up with a huffing and puffing.

My wife goes to bed before me because she has become so sensitized to listening to my breathing. Sleep has been a struggle for me for 12 years. Other than maintaining good sleep position discipline, there is not much that can be done for Central Sleep Apnea. There are the pulseOx alarms and a diaphragm stimulator that can be surgically implanted.

I can tell when I have had an episode. I have very stressful dreams. My wife can predict my bad days by how she hears me sleeping and breathing in the early morning. She knows to try to get me back onto my back. As I said, it has been a long struggle but we make do as best we can.

Once, I fell asleep during a long car ride. My head was hanging forward for hours. When I woke up and got home, my pulse and blood pressure would drop very low. It took a while to get the neck inflammation down. Now I know to ice my upper neck to reduce the inflammation faster.

I hope you can find a good sleep position. An adjustable bed may be a solution until you get help to resolve the cause.

My best to you.

About a year and a half in to my PCS diagnosis I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. My neurologists told me that they often see sleep apnea with PCS. I've never got a great explanation for why they are related but it makes sense to go to a sleep doctor. I now use a Cpap machine and have fewer headaches and I am less fatigued during the day. Good Luck.