choking preventing sleep for days

[[an...]]

I recently posted a similar message, but we're on about the 5th day of incredibly little sleep. Every time my husband tries to sleep, his body jolts him awake, choking, coughing, huge adrenaline surges. He's at the point where he has to stand up or he will fall asleep, but if he lets himself fall asleep, he chokes, feels like there is strangling pressure on his neck, that his throat is closing. Instead of eventually letting him sleep like others say happens to them, the panic gets worse with each round of this. This is going to be a zero sleep night for him on the heels of several that were probably 2 hours or less. Trying to avoid supplements. Any ideas on how to stop the symptom so he can sleep?

[[Fi...]]

Hi Anxious,

I feel so bad it's gotten to that point for your hubby. Wish I had a tip for you however I will tell you that the more I amped myself up about choking when sleeping the more it would happen. I think for me at least it was a result of the massive anxiety the wd was creating. I would say to just push though it. I would go to sleep and keep trying even if I kept continually choking because I knew eventually it wouldn't happen at all.  I told myself that it's not going to kill me because it's my anxiety. You know how sleep is key to us healing. Even if he only gets 2 hours a couple times a day it's better than zero right? I'm so sorry he's going through this, wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. He is stronger than he knows, I hope he keeps trying to sleep even though it can be a horrifying experience right now.

Sending you both strength and love 

[[an...]]

Hi Fighting,

 

I'm relieved to report that just after I posted overnight, I was able to get him to go to sleep for a couple hours. Just the knowledge that he COULD sleep has done very good things for him. He still woke up disoriented and feeling shitty, but I reminded him to accept that he's going to feel terrible right now, but that doesn't mean he has to feel this anxious about it since he can see that it is true - his body will sleep when it absolutely has to.

 

Thanks for your encouragement.

[[Fi...]]

Hi Anxious. Oh that's wonderful. I thought of something else that helped me a lot when I was going through the same thing. Music! It's unreal how it can change our emotions. If I was anxious I would put on something calm or even beautiful sounds of nature. I still listen to music now a lot, when I remember too. If I'm feeling depressed I will put on music to lift my spirits and it's amazing how fast it works. May be you could just put some on and see if it will have the same effect on your husband. Just a thought, so glad to hear he got some sleep! 

[[ca...]]

First, I want to say that it is absolutely wonderful that you understand what your husband is going through and that you are giving him encouragement. It took  my wife some time to accept but once she understood, she too has been a pillar of strength to me. The apnea and choking that your husband is experiencing is something that I had issues with during the first 6 months off and also while I was on Xanax. This is not uncommon and it gets better. I don't know if this will help but I will tell you what I did. I think that my EMT training helped. If he sleeps on his back this allows the tongue to fall back over the airway. This is why people snore. I tried sleeping on my stomach and it seemed to keep me from having this issue. I also slept on my side. I think that the medication overly relaxes the throat. I was in constant panic and was afraid of falling asleep fearing that I would strangle. Waking up in a panic and struggling to catch my breath terrified me.

Another thing that he may try that I didn't do if he can't sleep on  his stomach is to sleep without a pillow and roll a towel and place it behind his neck. this will tilt the head back and open his airway.

 

I applaud you for being supportive. It's not easy, I know!

[[...]]

Cpap machine & Atarax

[[an...]]

Thank you everyone for your support. It seems right now that we're in a phase where every few days some horrendous new symptom shows up out of the blue, makes life unlivable, and then is completely replaced by something else. So we seem to have moved on from the choking, and he's able to get to sleep, but after a nap (whatever time of day, he has to fit in what he can) he wakes up with terrible shortness of breath and chest pressure. He's also a bit disoriented and definitely scared. He's also started having what we are calling "muscle events" as all the muscles in his body start quaking and spasing. They seem related to the shortness of breath when he wakes up too, like the muscles in his throat and around his lungs are so constricted that he's truly having difficulty breathing. And then it wears off. Sigh.

 

We've been focusing on reading a lot of posts about what is physically happening and why these symptoms are normal and a sign of healing. It's so easy to become obsessed with the symptoms themselves.

[[kn...]]

Thank you everyone for your support. It seems right now that we're in a phase where every few days some horrendous new symptom shows up out of the blue, makes life unlivable, and then is completely replaced by something else. So we seem to have moved on from the choking, and he's able to get to sleep, but after a nap (whatever time of day, he has to fit in what he can) he wakes up with terrible shortness of breath and chest pressure. He's also a bit disoriented and definitely scared. He's also started having what we are calling "muscle events" as all the muscles in his body start quaking and spasing. They seem related to the shortness of breath when he wakes up too, like the muscles in his throat and around his lungs are so constricted that he's truly having difficulty breathing. And then it wears off. Sigh.

 

We've been focusing on reading a lot of posts about what is physically happening and why these symptoms are normal and a sign of healing. It's so easy to become obsessed with the symptoms themselves.

 

Anxioususer,

 

I cut and pasted your post b/c I can;t remember things well. I too have this pattern of symptoms. Like the past 3 weeks have been this unbearable belching. I do my best to not eat too close to bedtime and when I lie down to sleep, the need to belch forces me awake. And I mean loud forceful belches that would make a trucker go "damn". Its gone on so long that the zings and muscle jerks are keeping me from sleeping for very long. I too wish that I had the answers to help your husband. My post is to encourage you to keep up the phenomenal support and to let your husband know that he truly isn't alone in this. Including the obsession with the symptoms. Healing just doesn't seem to be a word that means much these days but it's gotta be happening right? Please take care of yourself...for the both of your sake.

[[an...]]

Thanks knotingut. He's still struggling with the shortness of breath when he's sleeping and waking up that I wrote about in my last post.

Knowing that others experience similar things to him really does go a long way.

 

 

Thank you also for the reminder to take care of myself. I haven't been doing a good job of that simply because he's suffering so much. It's hard to walk away and take time for myself when he's sobbing and afraid for his life. But I have to find the time, or I'll go down in flames and that doesn't help either of us.