Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Just before sleep

Hi all. This is what I think as a weird symptom of something but I don't from quite what. Some nights when I go lay down to sleep I get short of breath (hard to explain really) and it doesn't matter what side I try to lay on. It gets bad enough that I have to sit up or walk around and it goes away quite quickly. I lie down after a few minutes and it happens again.
This doesn't happen all the time but it's disconcerting when it does reappear.
Anyone else have this? I have a feeling this is not common for some reason, it's too odd.....
Thanks!

Timo

Wow,
I can identify with you there. Except mine has become a nightly ritual. My doctor has run almost every test known to man, and still no idea what is causing it. I think it has to do with lungs being pressed on by other organs because I have very little chest mobility left. And with my slope (forward slant) the heart lungs etc are being pused down where they don't belong causing an unusual pressure on the lungs and heart. When we lay down the weight of the other organs rest on our lungs making breathing very hard. There by making us feel like we have to fight for our breath. Standing or sitting up relieves the pressure and allows us to breath easier. I have actually slept in my recliner because I found it much easier to get a good nights rest. Of course all of this is my explanation of what is happening and my doctor although agrees this is a posibility, still fears there is some cardiac involvement causing the problem. I have been through more cardiac tests then I care for. With every test, the reports come back that my heart is in very good shape. But he still is concerned. I am no physician so don't just believe my explanation. Talk it over with your doctor. It can be scary to wake up because you can't breath. I know how you feel. I just look at things in a common sense approach and that is how I came up with my explanation. Is it something to worry about?? YES. Even if my explanation is correct, the consequense could be dire. Please bring this to your doctors attention.

Phill


Somedays it just doesn't pay to get out of bed.

I've been bothered by similar stuff,
not as bad as Phill, and my heart has checked out okay, but still...

Three other things that could contribute to this:

1) AS is known to cause changes in muscle tissue (actually
confirmed through biopsy). I think these changes tend to weaken the
muscles...

2) If I remember correctly, breathing during sleep is under
autonomic control. As the chest becomes more and more restricted,
breathing patterns will change, and it may take a while for the brain
to relearn the appropriate autonomic breathing patterns.

3) I think restrictive lung disease can cause pulmonary hypertension,
which may cause difficulty breathing

Now, I'm not a doctor, and don't even play one on television; I'm
just an idiot with a web browser and a Medline URL.

-p

PS. I've found that the "idiot with a web browser" line is a good,
nonthreatening way to let your doctor know you do
online research.

Edited by Paul_in_MD on 04/17/02 11:11 PM (server time).

Thanks Phil and Paul, your explanations sound very plausible and I will mention it to my Rheumy next week. As a matter of fact, I'll print your replies and show him, he's very receptive to information from KickAS.
And yes, the recliner is a good friend in times of uncomfortableness : )
Thanks a bunch,

Timo

I have been there many times,waking up at all hours of the night and can't
catch my breath,feels like a panic attack and is pretty scary. It has been
awhile since i have had one of those spells and i do not miss them.I still
do not know what brings them on.I hope you get to feeling better.

Best of luck, LD

This is too strange! I have noticed a slight shortness of breath after lying down at night. It has never woken me, just been a slight annoyance while I'm trying to go to sleep.I've never noticed it when lying on the couch during the DAY, just at night .
I tend to take deep breaths to "snap"out of it. And some nights I don't notice it at allI'm not fused as far as I know, and I have function in my ribcage (as far as flexibility). I wondered if it had to do with my meds, especially the trazadone I take just before bed for sleep.
Thanks for posting and let us know what if anything you find out!
Darla

"Starting today, your kindness will lead you to success" from a recent fortune cookie

You too? These are almost exactly the same symptoms I have...
palpitations...blood pressure spikes...


Oh, and before I go to bed, there's one more comment I'd like to add
to my previous post:

I think Phill is onto something here, because I've noticed that
stretching my chest as far as I can yields an immediate 10-point
reduction in both systeolic and diastolic blood pressure.

-p

Paul...
what kind of muscle changes were confirmed through biopsy ?? I only ask b/c I've had muscle problems lately.....and my legs are weak. I'm due to see my GP's partner on Friday. They thought at first it was nerve pain from the surgery.....but it's not. Any information would be appreciated.....

take care!


Toodles!
Angie

Hi Timo!


You are not alone on this one......I have shortness of breath when I lay down to sleep......sometimes it is just for a couple of minutes....I always contributed it to my costochondritis...since all the heart tests always show that the ol'ticker is working just fine! Sometimes it happens several times through the night....so I sleep on my side always....It felt like my blood pressure would shoot up suddenly. My neurologist thought it was vasculitis attributed to the AS....but tests came back normal.....so I dont have a clue....I'm not a doctor....just a Bugg!

Hope you get some answers...
Take care

Toodles!
Angie

I get this happening sometimes up to 2 nights a week and usually a few minutes after I have fallen asleep. Wife Dorrit hates it as, her words, "you lay there just drifting off to sleep and then suddenly, you stop breathing for several seconds, sometimes up to 30 seconds and then you gasp loudly and wake up breathing hard like you were suffocating"

I found out from ny Doctor that I have a minor case of what they call "sleep apnea". Described in a few words, sleep apnea is a temporary stopping of breathing, usually caused by an excess accumulation of oxygen or an insufficient amount of carbin dioxide in the brain.

I know of one person who has it so bad that he has to wear an attached breathing mask when he goes to bed.

You would think that sleep apnea would be the first possibility that the Doctor would check out. Use one of the search engines and look for more info on sleep apnea on the net and see if your symptoms are somewhat the same. It is scary but so far, I have got the breathing started again every time.

George

Breb Assyl