SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information - View Single Post - i am concerned about Restoril and what its supposidly doing to me

shutterbug · 09-07-2005, 11:36 PM

((((RYAN)))))

If you stop breathing in your sleep then that is what sleep apnea is! It's where the soft tissue in your throat collapses and you stop breathing. Something in your brain realizes you aren't getting any oxygen and wakes you up just enough so that you start breathing again. Most people with sleep apnea stop breathing 100's of times a night and never even know it. So you are literally waking up hundreds of times each night so that you can start breathing again.

The only clue I had was that maybe once every couple of months or so...I would wake up gasping for air. Never thought much of it...just always thought I was choking on my own saliva or something stupid like that.

I was also tired all the time...all my life.

When I was on insurance and off work...I decided...what the hell, I do a sleep study and see.

Well...come to find out I stop breathing an average of 40 or so times an hour when I'm asleep. Usually, I only stop breathing for about 10 seconds or so, but my longest recorded time was for 90 seconds. (I even have trouble holding my breath on purpose for a minute and a half, I didn't understand how I could sleep right through something like that....but millions of people do it every night and never know it).

Like I said....sleeping meds are a BIG no-no for a person who has sleep apnea. SO PLEASE TELL THE DOC IN THE MORNING THAT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOUR WIFE WAKES UP BECAUSE YOU STOP BREATHING!! The doc really needs to know that!

My Pdoc's wouldn't prescribe me anything other than 100 mg of Visteril at night to help me sleep...doesn't help much, but it's better than nothing and better than dieing in my sleep.

I guess that's why I still have a stash of Restoril that I haven't used....be the dosage is much less than what you take too...and I also take Lamictal too...so I guess I will just throw them away now (especially since I havent' been using my sleep apnea machine when I sleep at night...I gotta start doing that again.

God Bless

09-07-2005, 11:36 PM	#5 (permalink)
shutterbug A picture's worth a 1000 words Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: With any luck, I'm lost in a view finder Posts: 2,947 Blog Entries: 5	((((RYAN))))) If you stop breathing in your sleep then that is what sleep apnea is! It's where the soft tissue in your throat collapses and you stop breathing. Something in your brain realizes you aren't getting any oxygen and wakes you up just enough so that you start breathing again. Most people with sleep apnea stop breathing 100's of times a night and never even know it. So you are literally waking up hundreds of times each night so that you can start breathing again. The only clue I had was that maybe once every couple of months or so...I would wake up gasping for air. Never thought much of it...just always thought I was choking on my own saliva or something stupid like that. I was also tired all the time...all my life. When I was on insurance and off work...I decided...what the hell, I do a sleep study and see. Well...come to find out I stop breathing an average of 40 or so times an hour when I'm asleep. Usually, I only stop breathing for about 10 seconds or so, but my longest recorded time was for 90 seconds. (I even have trouble holding my breath on purpose for a minute and a half, I didn't understand how I could sleep right through something like that....but millions of people do it every night and never know it). Like I said....sleeping meds are a BIG no-no for a person who has sleep apnea. SO PLEASE TELL THE DOC IN THE MORNING THAT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOUR WIFE WAKES UP BECAUSE YOU STOP BREATHING!! The doc really needs to know that! My Pdoc's wouldn't prescribe me anything other than 100 mg of Visteril at night to help me sleep...doesn't help much, but it's better than nothing and better than dieing in my sleep. I guess that's why I still have a stash of Restoril that I haven't used....be the dosage is much less than what you take too...and I also take Lamictal too...so I guess I will just throw them away now (especially since I havent' been using my sleep apnea machine when I sleep at night...I gotta start doing that again. God Bless __________________ I'M FINE!! Fanatically Insecure Neuratic & Emotional Bipolar/Depression support: 1-800-950-NAMI(6264).