# Late night breathing & instant sleepiness



## peaches (Sep 29, 2009)

I am just wondering whether anyone else has this problem. When I am falling asleep at night it feels like I have to make myself breathe and I feel like I have been drugged with a crazy strong sedative. It is quite unnerving. It happens several nights a week. I am always scared that I am just going to stop breathing during the night but I always wake up the next morning. My temperature is always low as well. It stays around 97 degrees but I have taken it and had it be between 95 and 96.


----------



## arizonamom (Mar 10, 2010)

peaches said:


> I am just wondering whether anyone else has this problem. When I am falling asleep at night it feels like I have to make myself breathe and I feel like I have been drugged with a crazy strong sedative. It is quite unnerving. It happens several nights a week. I am always scared that I am just going to stop breathing during the night but I always wake up the next morning. My temperature is always low as well. It stays around 97 degrees but I have taken it and had it be between 95 and 96.


Peaches:

I've experienced something similar to this. I'm thinking, with me, that stress is a large factor here. I also, in the recent past, experienced something like sleep apnea, or so I think. I'll be falling asleep and find myself gasping for a breath. It only seems to happen once a night, for a few days at a time. It hasn't happened lately though, thankfully.

My temperature is constantly low - below 97.6 and sometimes 96.5ish. I am hypo and on Levoxyl. I'm hoping that once my meds even out and I start to feel like my old self, my body temp will increase.

As for the breathing issue, it could be stress. Try relaxing at least an hour before you go to bed. I read every night, or at least try to. I find it relaxes me and makes it easier for me to fall asleep. If I feel myself still stressed after I turn out the light, I start counting backwards from 100. It may sound silly, but many a nights it's helped me to fall asleep quickly. I think it helps to clear my mind.

Give the counting thing a try. It may work.


----------



## peaches (Sep 29, 2009)

arizonamom said:


> Peaches:
> 
> I've experienced something similar to this. I'm thinking, with me, that stress is a large factor here. I also, in the recent past, experienced something like sleep apnea, or so I think. I'll be falling asleep and find myself gasping for a breath. It only seems to happen once a night, for a few days at a time. It hasn't happened lately though, thankfully.
> 
> ...


I have had a sleep study done and everything there looks normal. I didn't have any instances where I actually stopped breathing. I just feel like my body has forgotten how to automatically breathe and I have to think to take each breath. I also have no trouble falling asleep because it feels like someone has slipped about 4 Benadryl's and a couple of atavans in my water. It is quite disconcerting because I feel like I am just going to die. I still have the typical thyroid anxiety attack and wake up with an amazing adrenaline rush about 1 am every night when my thyroid dumps although with my medicine (5mcgs Cytomel and 100mcgs Synthroid daily) it has almost stopped that from happening on a regular basis.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

peaches said:


> I have had a sleep study done and everything there looks normal. I didn't have any instances where I actually stopped breathing. I just feel like my body has forgotten how to automatically breathe and I have to think to take each breath. I also have no trouble falling asleep because it feels like someone has slipped about 4 Benadryl's and a couple of atavans in my water. It is quite disconcerting because I feel like I am just going to die. I still have the typical thyroid anxiety attack and wake up with an amazing adrenaline rush about 1 am every night when my thyroid dumps although with my medicine (5mcgs Cytomel and 100mcgs Synthroid daily) it has almost stopped that from happening on a regular basis.


You may be having an issue w/ the muscles supporting your lungs. I had that. I referred to this as faux myastenia gravis. It is common for thyroid disease to affect our muscles.

Breathing out was harder than breathing in but both were a problem. It might be wise to speak to your doctor about this.

What do your labs look like? Are you near euthyroid state?


----------



## peaches (Sep 29, 2009)

Andros said:


> You may be having an issue w/ the muscles supporting your lungs. I had that. I referred to this as faux myastenia gravis. It is common for thyroid disease to affect our muscles.
> 
> Breathing out was harder than breathing in but both were a problem. It might be wise to speak to your doctor about this.
> 
> What do your labs look like? Are you near euthyroid state?


Andros these are my most current labs. My work does them for free so I don't have all of the thyroid tests.

AST (SGOT): 45 (0-40)range
ALT (SGPT): 43 (0-40)range
Cholesterol, Total: 207 (100-199)range
Triglycerides: 186 (0-149) range
LDL Cholesterol: 122 (0-99) range

Thyroxine (T4): 7.3 (4.5-12.0) range
T3 Uptake 29 (24-39) range
Free Thyroxine Index 2.1 (1.2-4.9) range
Hemoglobin Alc 5.6 (4.8-5.6) range
--- (Increased risk for diabetes: 5.7-6.4)
--- (Diabetes: >6.4)
--- (Glycemic controls for adults w/ diabetes: <7.0)
TSH: 0.939 (0.450-4.500) range


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

peaches said:


> Andros these are my most current labs. My work does them for free so I don't have all of the thyroid tests.
> 
> AST (SGOT): 45 (0-40)range
> ALT (SGPT): 43 (0-40)range
> ...


It does look like you are undermedicated based on your T4 which is bound and unbound hormone. It should be mid-range (8.2) at the very least and since this is bound and unbound, it would be hard to say what is available for cellular uptake.

The Free T3 and Free T4 tests would be much more informative.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

peaches said:


> Andros these are my most current labs. My work does them for free so I don't have all of the thyroid tests.
> 
> AST (SGOT): 45 (0-40)range
> ALT (SGPT): 43 (0-40)range
> ...


And thank you for your lab results and ranges. I am going to go over them again a bit later.

Some on that thyroid panel are very outdated but I will review "all" of it once again.


----------



## peaches (Sep 29, 2009)

Thank you Andros. It is nice to have someone to ask about these things. I am still trying to figure out what is what when it comes to labs and what is a good number and what could be better. I am going to see my doctor soon so we will be able to discuss a change in my medication. I am currently taking 5 mcgs. of cytomel and 100mcgs of synthroid. 2000IU of evening primrose oil and 2 flintstone chewables daily. I also took some advice on soothing evening tonics and am drinking a cup of chamomile tea with rose petals and lemongrass, adding a tsp. of blackstrap molasses to it which has iron and magnesium.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

peaches said:


> Andros these are my most current labs. My work does them for free so I don't have all of the thyroid tests.
> 
> AST (SGOT): 45 (0-40)range
> ALT (SGPT): 43 (0-40)range
> ...


So, hi again!! Is your liver okay??? AST and ALT are a tad over range. Have you been checked for fatty liver or hepatitis? Because the lipid profile is also out of sorts.

Are you taking any med that would be hard on the liver?


----------



## hillaryedrn (Dec 14, 2009)

> I also have no trouble falling asleep because it feels like someone has slipped about 4 Benadryl's and a couple of atavans in my water.


I'm sorry, that made me giggle! I know exactly what you are talking about!! hugs3

Yes, your liver enzymes are just a tad high. However, this does kinda go hand in hand with your elevated cholesterol. The liver is what metabolizes fat, so given your cholesterol is high, it would kinda make sense that your liver enzymes are up a hair. You should probably be on a statin drug. In the meantime, I recommend you take 2 fish oil capsules a day if you aren't already. At your next visit, I would ask about starting Lipitor or something of that nature for your cholesterol. Lipitor is good because not only does it lower the "bad" cholesterol, but it helps raise the "good". I don't see the good cholesterol level on your post, it will be HDL.


----------



## peaches (Sep 29, 2009)

I have a muscular disease called McArdle's disease that is heck on my liver. I can't process carbohydrates for energy so my body picks the next best thing which is protein (muscle tissue) and protein clogs the ole' liver right up, hence the mild liver damage. It also means that I can't take certain drugs like lipitor because it can cause liver damage. I will try the fish oil though. I don't know why I didn't think about trying it sooner. Thanks for the suggestion Hillary.

I just found out that I have basil cell carcinoma (skin cancer). I think that I am falling apart at the seams. I have to laugh though, I feel like I'm in a race to "out disease" everyone else. The good thing is that the doc said it was a slow growing kind that doesn't metastasize well. I will probably be having it cut off by a MOHS procedure. It is supposed to be 99% successful.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

peaches said:


> Thank you Andros. It is nice to have someone to ask about these things. I am still trying to figure out what is what when it comes to labs and what is a good number and what could be better. I am going to see my doctor soon so we will be able to discuss a change in my medication. I am currently taking 5 mcgs. of cytomel and 100mcgs of synthroid. 2000IU of evening primrose oil and 2 flintstone chewables daily. I also took some advice on soothing evening tonics and am drinking a cup of chamomile tea with rose petals and lemongrass, adding a tsp. of blackstrap molasses to it which has iron and magnesium.


I think it would be a good idea to insist on the Free T4 and Free T3 so we can get an idea where you are at w/hormone that is available for cellular uptake. The FT3 is your active hormone. It is your energy and healing source.

Understanding thyroid lab tests.....http://www.amarillomed.com/howto

The above link is a very good site to explain thyroid labs.

I love Blackstrap Molasses and often have it on my oatmeal. I consider it a treat because I have to watch my calories as well as sugar but I'll bet it is good on vanilla ice-cream? What do you think???


----------



## peaches (Sep 29, 2009)

Andros said:


> I love Blackstrap Molasses and often have it on my oatmeal. I consider it a treat because I have to watch my calories as well as sugar but I'll bet it is good on vanilla ice-cream? What do you think???


You should try Blackburn made syrup on vanilla ice cream. Talk about yummy!
arty0049:
I have to wait until I go home to Georgia to get more, so I always buy lots to get me through til my next visit.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

peaches said:


> I have a muscular disease called McArdle's disease that is heck on my liver. I can't process carbohydrates for energy so my body picks the next best thing which is protein (muscle tissue) and protein clogs the ole' liver right up, hence the mild liver damage. It also means that I can't take certain drugs like lipitor because it can cause liver damage. I will try the fish oil though. I don't know why I didn't think about trying it sooner. Thanks for the suggestion Hillary.
> 
> I just found out that I have basil cell carcinoma (skin cancer). I think that I am falling apart at the seams. I have to laugh though, I feel like I'm in a race to "out disease" everyone else. The good thing is that the doc said it was a slow growing kind that doesn't metastasize well. I will probably be having it cut off by a MOHS procedure. It is supposed to be 99% successful.


Aha!!! That could be why you have trouble breathing at night; especially when lying down because the law of gravity causes the muscles surrounding the lungs have to work harder.

I forgot about the McArdle's although I did not mean to.

Fish Oil is awesome. We even give it to our dogs. I personally take Carlsons which is a cold water source and also no rifting up or after taste.


----------



## peaches (Sep 29, 2009)

Thanks Andros. I will definitely try the Carlsons.

You know, I just love coming here and talking with everyone. It feels go good to have people you can share your experiences with, who understand and don't look at you like you are from another planet. We've all created a "normal" place where our abnormal selves can feel comfortable. :hugs:


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

peaches said:


> You should try Blackburn made syrup on vanilla ice cream. Talk about yummy!
> arty0049:
> I have to wait until I go home to Georgia to get more, so I always buy lots to get me through til my next visit.


I have not seen that but I am going to look for it. I also love Sorghum. Oh, yum!!! I grow it and sometimes just chew the cane. Hummingbirds love it too!


----------



## daisydaisy (May 12, 2010)

I used to get that as well at times gasping for air when my hashi's acted up pretty badly last year. It came and went and stayed and had a mind of its own. I think its something related to our chest muscles hurting as well on this disease. Its like Dr.Oz said on tv....our wires get crossed and send the wrong signal in our bodies on this disease. Its scary I know. I used an elevated pillow and that helped for a while as well.


----------



## peaches (Sep 29, 2009)

daisydaisy said:


> I used to get that as well at times gasping for air when my hashi's acted up pretty badly last year. It came and went and stayed and had a mind of its own. I think its something related to our chest muscles hurting as well on this disease. Its like Dr.Oz said on tv....our wires get crossed and send the wrong signal in our bodies on this disease. Its scary I know. I used an elevated pillow and that helped for a while as well.


That's funny. I have been sleeping on two pillows for a while now to get some relief. I feel like my great grandmother in the mornings. Ouch at the achy old back. It does help though. I sleep on my side and that helps some as well. I have an appt. with my endo on the 20th to discuss it with her and whether I may need to bump up my meds a bit. I still am having symptoms although they are quite a bit better that in the beginning.

I also need to talk with her about being diagnosed with skin cancer. I just want to make sure that I will not be screwing anything up with treating the two different problems. I don't know what I'm in for yet with whatever it is going to take to get rid of it.


----------

