posted
I was diagnosed with obstuctive sleep apnea a few months ago. I would wake up several times a night gasping for air because I would quit breathing, or forget to breathe. I now have a CPAP, which helps somewhat.
Here is my problem. NEW SYMPTOM. I have noticed this VERY bizzarre thing happening. It has only happenned four times, but it scares the crap out of me.
As I start to go to sleep, I get this strange electric shock like feeling. It feels like when your foot goes to sleep, only it is ALOT stronger. And it is throughout my whole body.
When this happens, I feel like I'm paralized. All I can do is open my eyes. That's the only part of my body that I can move. I can't even breathe. It only lasts a few seconds, but it feels like forever. All I can think is, "did I just almost die?"
Has anyone else felt this? I'm seriously afraid to go to sleep.
I have had sooooooooooo many strange things happen to me since getting sick in July of 2006. My whole body has turned against me. I know eventually this disease will kill me.
Posts: 111 | From northeast Iowa | Registered: Oct 2006
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
hi fellow iowan july!
call the place where you bought your cpap machine; sounds like a short in the electrical system!
that would be terrorifying ... moving your eyes only and paralyzed for those seconds up to a few minutes!
i can understand why you are afraid plus the SHOCKS you get; uffda!
never had that during the months when i tried to use mine after my dx.
up for others comments and experiences.
does your have humidifier on it? i tried 1 for 1 month but the humid air felt like 32 vs. 80; i just froze from it!
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posted
Hey July Dont be too worried about these symptoms. It will not kill you. With this disease our brains do do very strange things but it is nothing life threatening. I had the same symptoms you experienced which yes were EXTREMELY scary but I always survived it. I had the feeling of my body "forgetting to breathe", electric shock feelings, trouble breathing while falling asleep and also waking up in the middle of the night feeling like I was getting no air. It got better with treatment and im sure you will too.
The scariest of all was the feeling of my brain forgetting to breath (which happened about 4 times since contracting Lyme as well) but it is just our bodys way of telling us that the chemicals in our brain are not exactly functioning properly and sending the right messages to our body. You will survive it and you will get better with the right treatment.
Try not to worry, cause that could make it a lot worse.
Posts: 370 | From NJ | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Hey July Dont be too worried about these symptoms. It will not kill you. With this disease our brains do do very strange things but it is nothing life threatening. I had the same symptoms you experienced which yes were EXTREMELY scary but I always survived it. I had the feeling of my body "forgetting to breathe", electric shock feelings, trouble breathing while falling asleep and also waking up in the middle of the night feeling like I was getting no air. It got better with treatment and im sure you will too.
The scariest of all was the feeling of my brain forgetting to breath when drifting off to sleep(which happened about 4 times since contracting Lyme as well) but it is just our bodys way of telling us that the chemicals in our brain are not exactly functioning properly and sending the right messages to our body. You will survive it and you will get better with the right treatment.
Try not to worry, cause that could make it a lot worse.
Posts: 370 | From NJ | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Hey July Dont be too worried about these symptoms. It will not kill you. With this disease our brains do do very strange things but it is nothing life threatening. I had the same symptoms you experienced which yes were EXTREMELY scary but I always survived it. I had the feeling of my body "forgetting to breathe", electric shock feelings, trouble breathing while falling asleep and also waking up in the middle of the night feeling like I was getting no air. It got better with treatment and im sure you will too.
The scariest of all was the feeling of my brain forgetting to breath when drifting off to sleep(which happened about 4 times since contracting Lyme as well) but it is just our bodys way of telling us that the chemicals in our brain are not exactly functioning properly and sending the right messages to our body. You will survive it and you will get better with the right treatment.
Try not to worry, cause that could make it a lot worse.
Posts: 370 | From NJ | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hey July Dont be too worried about these symptoms. It will not kill you. With this disease our brains do do very strange things but it is nothing life threatening. I had the same symptoms you experienced which yes were EXTREMELY scary but I always survived it. I had the feeling of my body "forgetting to breathe", electric shock feelings, trouble breathing while falling asleep and also waking up in the middle of the night feeling like I was getting no air. It got better with treatment and im sure you will too.
The scariest of all was the feeling of my brain forgetting to breath when drifting off to sleep(which happened about 4 times since contracting Lyme as well) but it is just our bodys way of telling us that the chemicals in our brain are not exactly functioning properly and sending the right messages to our body. You will survive it and you will get better with the right treatment.
Try not to worry, cause that could make it a lot worse.
Posts: 370 | From NJ | Registered: Dec 2007
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When I was being evaluated for sleep apnea, the Dr. indicated that the paralysis was a symptom of narcolepsy.
Sleep paralysis is the inability to move or talk at the beginning or end of sleep. About 25 to 50% of narcolepsy sufferers experience sleep paralysis. It is worth looking into.
Posts: 8 | From Pennsylvania | Registered: Mar 2008
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djf2005
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11449
posted
you will be ok i have also had this sypmtom throughout my lyme journey.
try not to worry about it as it will make it worse, and keep your eyes fixed on how you will feel when you are better.
best of luck, praying for you.
derek
-------------------- "Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you."
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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Yes, I have had the electric shocks! Mine seemed to start in my feet, and travel upward. I used to hear a sort of zapping noise in my head and sometimes saw a burst of color. This always happened when I was starting to fall asleep.
Of course, I always got a huge burst of adrenalin and an elevated heart rate. It happened most nights, once or twice, for about 5 months.
I hated it, too, because I was so tired and each time it happened, I would be jerked awake. You are the only other person I have seen write about it. It scared me because it was so "neuro" in nature, and noone else seemed to be having this symptom.
I can't remember exactly what my LLMD said about it. Basically, he said it was your CNS mis-firing as your body entered sleep, and compared it a little to the massive jerks some of us experience at the same stage of early sleep.
Mine went away with treatment for Bartonella, and I have not had one in over 6 months. Xanax at night did help prevent their occurrence.
Good luck-they will go away.Make sure you talk to your LLMD about it! Kris
Posts: 520 | From Maryland | Registered: Jan 2007
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Andie333
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7370
posted
I only had that feeling of electric shocks one time: and it did end in full body paralysis.
The paralysis resulted in me being rushed to the ER and treated. It lasted about 4 hours.
I wasn't on the verge of sleep when it happened, though. I was typing an email. First the shock, then the numbness began to spread from my feet upward, until I couldn't move. I was still in my desk chair when the ambulance arrived.
The electric shock sensation scared the h*ll out of me! And while the paralysis happened twice, the shock only happendd that one time.
Now, that was during my first month on abx (I had lyme and Bart that were untreated for at least 9 years). I don't know where you are with your treatment, but it seemed to be a symptom that, for me, responded well to abx.
I hope this helps!
Andie
Posts: 2549 | From never never land | Registered: May 2005
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LisaS
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10581
posted
Ive read a lot lately about the shock and sleep paralysis in Lyme patients.
Another is waking and seeing strange shapes or spiders.
I cant offer any advice on how to fix it. But Ive been looking into both these things myself lately. So you are not alone! I hope it gets better for you quickly!
posted
Thanks everyone for your replies. I always feel like such a fool asking about or trying to explain these insane symptoms, especially to people that don't have lyme. (I wonder sometimes if they think I'm a real crackpot). I honestly don't know what I would do without all of you.
I would never wish any of this on anybody, but it helps to know that this isn't only happening to me.
I am not on any treatment. Wish I was. I haven't been for a year. My primary care doctor had put me on IV rocephin for three months in January of 2007. I made great improvements at the time, but since then I am slowly but surely going backwards. We are only treating my pain now.
I have never seen a llmd. I had checked into it, but they don't take insurance and I can't afford to go. It sucks, but that's my life.
Betty, at first I thought it was my CPAP too, but then it happened when I didn't have it on. I should have said that in my post.
Thanks again everyone for your replies.
july
Posts: 111 | From northeast Iowa | Registered: Oct 2006
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