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    Choking while sleeping

    This is an old symptom I suppose but I have a new situation I'd like some help with.

    It's been a couple years or more since the first time I awoke, struggling to breathe, coughing, gasping and panicking. It will happen fairly regularly for a period of time and then subside.

    It's been months since it last happened.

    I have been diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and use a CPAP nightly, or at least I should be. I have only had the machine a few months and aside from the first few days which were amazing, I have had nothing but issues and haven't used it in more than 6 weeks.

    The first issue being the feeling of food stuck in my throat and even coming up and causing a choking sensation. I had to stop using my CPAP because it seemed to make this worse and would wake me.

    Right now I am still awake because I decided to try again so I hooked myself back up tonight, as those sensations have subsided. Within minutes I was mildly choking on small amounts of saliva, and it happened several times before I really began to doze off. I didn't want to give up tonight because I'm exhausted from poor sleep again and I'm getting really fed up.

    Then all of a sudden I couldn't breathe, I felt like I was drowning and I shot up to a seated position gasping and coughing.

    I have an open referral to a GI specialist that's been in place since early November and the first doctor declined to take me on about 6 weeks ago so the referral has been passed on to another, and I'm still waiting.

    If you've seen my other posts you know I'm in Limbo and that I'm also waiting on an MRI in May after some abnormalities were found in my Left Temporal Lobe during an EEG. I honestly don't know what to make of this situation but I'm not sleeping well at all and when it gets really bad I can spend upwards of an hour coughing and clearing it out.

    I know one suggestion is to sleep at more of an angle but not only am I side sleeper and find that uncomfortable but it's not really an option to adjust my bed for reasons I prefer not to discuss.

    Any similar experiences, advice and help will be greatly appreciated.

    #2
    Hi LibraAngel74.

    Then all of a sudden I couldn't breathe, I felt like I was drowning and I shot up to a seated position gasping and coughing.
    Sleep Apnea means you have x amount of times a night you stop breathing. Suddenly waking up gasping for breath choking and coughing is what happens with uncontrolled sleep apnea. During these episodes your heart stops. Your body is automatically trying to get air. Untreated Sleep Apnea can put you at a higher risk for a heart attack or stroke.

    Although it can be difficult for a person to adjust to using a CPAP with time and practice it will be beneficial for your health. It sounds like you are dealing with post nasal drip and/or nasal dryness. Talk to your Dr. about possible options to treat this issue which can make using a CPAP difficult. You may also have GERD or acid reflux which will also cause problems using a CPAP. Again, see your Dr. about possible treatments.

    If your CPAP has a humidifier you may have to play with the level of how much humidity helps or makes things worse. Sometimes adjusting the humidity setting can be something you need to do often depending on how dry/humid the indoor climate is.
    Diagnosed 1984
    “Lightworkers aren’t here to avoid the darkness…they are here to transform the darkness through the illuminating power of love.” Muses from a mystic

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