HEALTH I had a VERY bad night last night

Dennis Olson

Dennis Olson

Chief Curmudgeon
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Last night, I had an absolutely terrible night. Symptoms: severe shortness of breath, pounding heartbeat, shakiness, and the inability to find a comfortable position. I woke up every hour, worried that I might be in need of a ride to the hospital.

Test results: ECG showed heart rate of 63-65, waveform showed normal sinus rhythm. Pulse-ox showed 98%.

Thoughts: I’d taken tramadol 2 out of the preceding 3 nights for pain. Last night I didn’t. In the last few years, I’ve not been able to tolerate opioid painkillers well, and that ability has been deteriorating.

Postulate: I was experiencing withdrawal symptoms (I’m fine this morning.)

Question: Is it possible for a person to experience withdrawal symptoms after only a couple days of use? Particularly when their sensitivity to the med has increased.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.
 
hunybee

hunybee

Veteran Member
how was your water intake, and how were your electrolytes?

edit: what about your blood sugar? when was the last time you had eaten, and what what it that you had eaten?
 
db cooper

db cooper

Resident Secret Squirrel
Sorry to hear of this. I often experience some of the same and attribute it to old age aches and pains compounded by excess worry. There are times I swear I should head off to the ER, but home testing shows BP, heart rate and Ox levels normal.

The shortness of breath bothers me the most, but disappears after a few hours. For the shakies I take glucose tabs. Being uncomfortable in bed is always. Pounding heart and waking up is nerves.

IMO, it's just old age shit. If some hot 25 yo blonde babe said I could have her if I could catch her, I'd likely stroke out on the spot.
 
Dennis Olson

Dennis Olson

Chief Curmudgeon
_______________
Don’t know about electrolytes. Water intake yesterday was about 64 ozs over the course of awake-time. Took two potassium supps over the course of the day.
 
hunybee

hunybee

Veteran Member
Dennis Olson said:
Don’t know about electrolytes. Water intake yesterday was about 64 ozs over the course of awake-time. Took two potassium supps over the course of the day.
Click to expand...


i know lots of places say you only need 8 8oz glasses a day of water, but lots of drs say this is not enough. that number is based on one size person. i don't know how tall and how much you weigh. that does make a big difference. i am ( i think) a much smaller person than you, and i drink more water than that in a day. it could be a factor.

electrolytes are another big factor. especially as one gets older. fezzik has found this out. what he is able to tolerate in regards pushing his body in terms of electrolytes is much less than it was even 5 years ago.

the blood sugar/when the last time you ate is something else to look at too.
 
N

NCGirl

Veteran Member
Acid reflux can do a real number on you. I sleep on an incline bed, a pretty large incline. It has helped me tremendously. Try sleeping in a recliner and see if it helps.
 
Dennis Olson

Dennis Olson

Chief Curmudgeon
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No reflux since my surgery in December.

I had a small snack at about 9:30 pm. Went to bed at 11.

No idea about blood sugar overnight. (Having the checker is new for me, so I haven’t integrated into my “automatic routine” as yet. I’ll remember if it happens again.)
 
SmithJ

SmithJ

Veteran Member
Waking Up Gasping for Air: Anxiety, Falling Asleep, Acid Reflux (healthline.com)

Waking up gasping for air can be jarring. Some people describe experiencing shortness of breath and feeling like they’d been suffocated. Many cultures share the myth that it happened because some sort of supernatural spirit was sitting on a person’s chest. Read on to learn about the health conditions found that explain this phenomenon.

Acid reflux can cause a backflow of the stomach’s acid into the esophagus. This condition is also known as GERD. Sometimes this acid will move far enough up the larynx or throat. This can lead the person to wake up choking, coughing, and gasping for breath.
 
Dennis Olson

Dennis Olson

Chief Curmudgeon
_______________
It’s not reflux. I had reflux with aspiration for a decade before my surgery. The reason for the surgery was to stop it. The surgery worked.
 
SmithJ

SmithJ

Veteran Member
Dennis Olson said:
No reflux since my surgery in December.

I had a small snack at about 9:30 pm. Went to bed at 11.

No idea about blood sugar overnight. (Having the checker is new for me, so I haven’t integrated into my “automatic routine” as yet. I’ll remember if it happens again.)
Click to expand...
There is a condition known as "silent reflux" where awake symptoms are sometimes unnoticed. If your issues started after your surgery, I would think that might be worth seeing your gastroenterologist about.
 
SmithJ

SmithJ

Veteran Member
Dennis Olson said:
No medical insurance (or paying work) now. Can’t afford it.
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Yeah, Try not to eat close to bedtime and use an extra pillow. If you notice it helps maybe that's a clue that its gastric related. it may not help, but it is something that is free to try. :shr:
 
TxGal

TxGal

Day by day
An off-the-wall thought - any chance you might be missing/have a less functioning liver enzyme? A small percentage of the population has Gilbert's syndrome, a genetic condition which affects the metabolism of many meds. If your bilirubin tends to run higher than normal with no liver disease, you may be one.

People with Gilbert's often have difficulty processing out meds, resulting in higher blood levels than is good. They'll often have problems with alcohol, pain killers, and plenty of other meds, both prescription and OTC. We're very familiar with this :-)
 
Sacajawea

Sacajawea

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Dennis, sorry to hear this.

Is it possible you were having wild (unremembered) dreams? Any painkiller can mess with your standard neural connections - depending on sensitivity - and cause an upset. I'm so sensitive to even OTC meds I end up taking children's dosages because of what it does to my mind's normal operating.
 
greysage

greysage

On The Level
May want to see about testing for tick borne diseases. Kind of reminds me of what I was going through before treatment.
 
hunybee

hunybee

Veteran Member
SmithJ said:
Yeah, Try not to eat close to bedtime and use an extra pillow. If you notice it helps maybe that's a clue that its gastric related. it may not help, but it is something that is free to try. :shr:
Click to expand...


this is interesting. fezzik has been complaining about heartburn for a little bit. he has not slept well for a while. i asked him about it and told him what you said, and he said that he does do this sometimes.

i went to look it up, and a few non medication helps are to sit upright after eating for a good long time. another is to sleep with the head of the bed elevated. they suggest getting extra tall risers for the legs of the head of the bed, but if the other person doesn't like it, then to use the wedge pillows. they advise against using more regular pillows as it doesn't seem to have the benefit.


www.health.harvard.edu

9 home treatments for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) - Harvard Health

GERD, or acid reflux, can lead to heartburn, a bad taste in your mouth, and other unpleasant symptoms. Here are some treatments you can try at home....
www.health.harvard.edu www.health.harvard.edu
 
Dobbin

Dobbin

Faithful Steed
Owner will not do Opiates for pain.

Rather he follows a regimen which was suggested by his oral surgeon after a tooth removal.

The regimen is:
Acetaminophen tablets: 2 every 6 hours.
Ibuprofin tablets: 2 every 6 hours
The dosage overlapping by three hours and in essence a doubling of normal dosage of either alone.
If pain is not relieved, the dose can be doubled momentarily but not to exceed 24 tablets in a 24 hour period.
ALWAYs take pills with full glass of water (8oz).

Owner recently had a fall on the ice which resulted in crushing his sciatic nerve on his left side. The pills became ESSENTIAL and he was on the above regimen exceeding two weeks. He was NOT a happy camper.

Good luck Dennis. Walk, eat sensibly, divert your mind (the board certainly helps) and limit your sleep time to night.

And drink coffee but don't go for "buzz." Coffee (caffeine) make you "more awake" when you are drinking it, but your body compensates for the more awake by putting you "further under" when you do sleep. You'll sleep better at night if you drink coffee somewhat during the day.

And a single donut (sugar buzz) along with the coffee certainly can't hurt.

Dobbin
 
C

Coulter

Veteran Member
No help here - doubt it is was withdrawal - but just opinion.

At close to 70 - if it happen to me - I would expect it - but freaked out for sure.

I work hard physically everyday - but diet sucks - if it's supposedly not good for me - I'm addicted to it.
 
Maryh

Maryh

Veteran Member
Sounds like anxiety but good to get everything checked out. Daughter has something similar going on and she has very low ferritin and sat levels right now. Was your iron checked in all your tests? I guess everyone could offer a "diagnosis" best listen to the doctors. Prayers for your good health!
 
O

Ogre

Veteran Member
I know it' not possible for everyone, but we eat our main mean at noon. Evening meal is usually nothing more than a piece of toast and some fruit. If I eat even a sandwich, I have a miserable uncomfortable night. Are you on a CPAP (I think you've mentioned it in the past)?
 
G

glennb6

Inactive
for what it's worth, I was having sleep problems, waking often and not getting deep sleep. I think but not 100% sure I was getting indigestion and the burning feeling in my stomach. tried the apple cider vinegar treatment and it seemed to help reduce the frequency of that burning.

other part of this is what google describes as obstructive sleep apnea. snoring and occasionally finding my uvula and soft pallet sort of wanted to close thus obstruct airflow, not good. sleeping on my sides helped. I did stop a med I was using and that seemed to help too.

what I found interesting was I would get similar dreams of going into smaller and smaller places, tunnels, pathways, crawlspaces. at first I'd sort of get shocked awake and almost have panic attack feelings. figured out that I was in fact darn near suffocating and the dreams were indicators of the progression. actually did have a few panic attacks but not lately. that really sucks and is totally irrational. now I can recognize when this dreaming starts and I roll over or sit up. sometimes have to get up and stay up for a half hour. a psychological but none the less.

odd also, I was taking to a guy at the gym and he said he had the very same dream and apnea issues but nose strips fixed his breathing problems.

lately due to stopping a med and the ACV, the net result is better airflow and much much better sleep. FYI my neighbor said he has similar issue and uses a cpap. last resort.
 
AnniePutin

AnniePutin

Veteran Member
I'm sorry you had such a terrible night. I think that sometimes, the best thing is to get up for a while. It sounds like anxiety is a distinct possibility, but I wish you could talk with a trusted doctor. Too bad you're not an illegal alien and it could probably be arranged. And another thing, you need a good friend - someone nearby.
 
Jubilee on Earth

Jubilee on Earth

Veteran Member
Just a thought... are you eating anything with MSG in it? Flavored chips or snacks, Chinese food, ranch dressing mix, anything? I’m super sensitive to MSG and this is the exact same way I get when I’ve had some. If I accidentally eat a lot, I get flushed and heart palpitations. Case in point, I bought flavored pork rinds without even thinking to check the ingredients. I had a bad nights sleep and my HRV (heart rate variability) dropped into the 20s. It wasn’t pretty. Any kind of flavor enhancer will have this effect on some people.
 
Q

quar

Doc
Most meds takes take 4-6 weeks. I have taken tramadol, and the only symptom I had was bubble guts. I am 42 and I am not sensitive to meds at all.
 
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