Does anybody have that feeling like you have to remember to breath otherwise it feels like you stop breathing. Like breathing becomes a conscious action.. It's kind of scray.. I took 30mg of codeine yesterday morning at 9am then another 30mg at 3pm and then 1mg of ativan at 11pm. This morning I woke up at 9am with this feeling. I thought I had left enough time between codeine and ativan to cause any respiratory depression.
Posted by daystar1952 (Member # 3255) on :
I've had this problem with any drugs causing it. Also when drifting off to sleep I sometimes have a central type sleep apnea. It doesn't feel like the obstructive type but when drifting off I am jolted awake because it's like when I fall asleep I stop breathing....as if my brain (at the point of falling asleep) forgets to tell me to keep breathing. It's not fun. But hey...I'm still here so I wouldn't worry too much that you will actually stop breathing for too long.
Your symptoms may just be due to the drugs...and many of us are oversensitive to even low amounts of certain drugs
Posted by ericaf (Member # 10929) on :
Thank you daystar, I'll try not to worry about it too much..
Posted by painted turtle (Member # 7801) on :
Hi ericaf,
Yes. During the height of the worst of it for me in 2005-2006, I would often say I am forgetting to breathe.
The person treating me at that time put great emphasis on my hypothalamus gland as the culprit at the time.
These days I continue to sometimes have a delayed impulse to breath in. Like what you said, I realize I'm not breathing and then have to consciously breathe in. I just went through a three day trigeminal nerve then migraine flare compounded with a respitatory and digestive thing and it is possible that this breathing problem flares up when I'm in this kind of distress.
I don't attribute it to any drugs I am taking, I think it is merely a symptom although I do not know the actual causing factor.
Just wanted to say you're not alone with this little bit disturbing sympom.
Posted by Peedie (Member # 15355) on :
I go through this for periods at a time - like daystar, when lying still in bed about to sleep.
I'm on monotherapy and switched abx four times - I don't think it's meds. Always thought it was babs - but tested neg for that.
Think it is a symptom of the disease also. -p
Posted by OptiMisTick (Member # 399) on :
Try lying on an elevation or extra pillows, or lying on your side slightly elevated. Sometimes it can help. But over the long haul, treatment will help this.
Posted by ericaf (Member # 10929) on :
Thank you guys! I have been flareing up quite a lot and yesterday I was in horrible pain so i think you're right this is another symptom...my nervous system is overdriven and symptoms are popping out like crazy recently.
Posted by Laurie (Member # 159) on :
Reading a post like this is so reassuring to me - I know that sounds strange - but I started in with this having to remember to breathe back in the mid-1980's after severe illness and undertreatment. No internet back then and not even the slightest acknowlegement by any doctor that this was a real symptom on my part. Also had the gasping awake Daystar talks about. (In fact Daystar was a big part of my salvation, finally talking to someone who knew EXACTLY what I meant.)
Posted by BlueCheetah (Member # 18626) on :
I have had this happen for a while now and it would happen way before I knew I had Lyme.
It is almost like I have to think inhale...now exhale. I will get it while I am driving, etc. It is scary for sure. I always thought it had something to do with the vagus nerve.
Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :
A thyroid or other hormone disorder can cause apnea. It is very possible that if it is low you could be experiencing apnea. My husbands was so severe he had to use a breathing machine till he got his hormone up.
Before going to the DR. because he refused to he slept in a chair I bought him just for the purpose of getting a little sleep or away from me waking him 15 times a nite. Just a possible cause that should be checked out as it can be very dangerous no matter what the cause. But I believe it is commonly hormonal.
Posted by Ivy (Member # 18365) on :
I have this breathing issue also. It happened really bad with Bactrim and now not as severe with Levaquin. I cannot get to sleep until usually between 5 and 6 a.m. All night I continually jolt myself awake to breath. Does this get better with treatment? BTW-I am going to have a adrenal stress index test done next week.
Posted by paulieinct (Member # 17514) on :
I have sleep apnea which May or may not be due to Lyme. (had a sleep study to confirm it). I sleep with a CPAP device very night to keep me breathing. HATED it when I first started, but now am sort of used to it. Sleep apnea which is untreated can lead to congestive heart failure, since your heart has to jump-start your breathing hundreds of times a night.