This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

The last few nights I have awoken feeling like I was holding my breath and gasping for air. I am not sure that I always do this or if this is something new that I am doing!! Has this happened to anyone else out there ?? This sure does not help out our already low oxygen levels

I observed my husband doing this for years and he finally went to a sleep specialist and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. He has to use a bi-pap machine now at night. I think it could really help you to go and get the study done. He hasn't slept so good in years. It's very taxing on the heart to let it go.

MS can cause sleep apnea, this is worth getting checked out, and you are absolutely right about the oxygen levels, especially if CCSVI is worse when we are lying down because that is when the jugulars are most needed.

I have a family member that has sleep apnea. Your symptoms sound similar. They now use a CPAP machine and are doing better. I would follow the recommendation to get referred to a sleep clinic to get tested.


NHE

I have sleep Apnea (not MS though - it's my partner that has that).

I now use a CPAP machine and in my particular case it was life changing. Get tested.

I used to get saleep apnea lots - this seems like it is a common thing with people with MS.. I wonder if it could relate to CCSVI at all?

Here a study on the causes of Als
(Hazards of Hypoxia - the cause is the cure)
http://www.als.net/forum/Default.aspx?g=posts&t=48608

It suggests that stop breathing during sleep a role in hypoxia, which means that sleep apnea may be cause of the disease, not the result of it .
What do you think?

It's very interesting, sara-sama. It suggests that people with ALS have a different response to hypoxia than healthy people. If a person has CCSVI, the resulting hypoxia could be a promoter of other neurological conditions too, such as ALS if there is this odd response to hypoxia in ALS.

I never hear of people going to sleep studies and learning they don't have sleep apnea. I'm sure it happens. But I think by the time someone makes the effort to go, it's because they really need help.

i have sleep apnea.

i use a cpap... dx the same year as ms 1999.

many people assume only heavy ppl have sleep apnea. not true. many ppl assume only loud snorers have apnea. not true.

I think that only applies to one of the two forms - there's one which is physical, mechanical and one which is neurological. Since I'm a slim non-snorer too then I guess that I had the neurological version. I'd realise as I was sleeping that I wasn't breathing and it felt as though I was willing myself to wake up, which I did gasping. Can't test what was going on now since it doesn't happen any more, like I say (at least not that I'm aware of.)

Perhaps I should set up a tripod and film myself asleep with the camera set to time lapse? I tell you what though, I'm willing to bet anyone any amount of money that I won't get round to it.

Here's a recent thread on this topic--
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopic-15280-da ... eep-0.html

_________________
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
dual stents placed 5/09
CCSVI in MS

So I was looking through medical records this weekend (I know, my life is a blast) and I found a sleep study with all the bad stuff on it. Now I need a new one to show the improvement.

Thanks! I missed that completely, very interesting. And thanks Cece - you could publish that thread as as a medical review!

I have a rather severe case of mixed (both obstructive and central) sleep apnea. On my sleep study, I had 97 apneic episodes recorded per hour. I've been on bipap for the last three to four years (after refusing to have a sleep study for many years) and it really made a huge difference for me. It took several episodes of me waking up while driving on the wrong side of the road to realize just how dangerous this was.

I had sleep apnea .
I had CCSVI about 2 months a go.

resoling my sleep apnea is the only improvement that I have noticed so far.

brave