Near death experience from sleep apnea

by Susan
(Newcastle, Australia)

Thinking back I believe I had OSA from the time I was a small child. I experienced what I now understand to be Sleep Paralysis as a child and deliriums for no reason. I still experience sleep paralysis if I fall asleep without my CPAP on, and it's terrifying. I have a 'mechanical' fault with my epiglottis and other than risky and often unhelpful surgery, I am stuck with this for the rest of my life.

I recently fell asleep after a night shift. My husband was watching television and I rolled over, enjoying listening to the droning of the TV in my exhausted state, just happy to be beside the man I have adored for 35 years. As a Registered Nurse, I recognize that at some point I became hypoxic and although my brain was trying to wake me up, I was too oxygen-deprived to do so. My husband began shaking me as he could hear me making awful sounds and thrashing about in my sleep. Luckily he was able to wake me but didn't realize what had really happened and I immediately fell back into my oxygen deprived state. He again woke me and I was able to grasp that I was hypoxic and needed my CPAP on. He helped me put my mask on and I fell asleep and experienced no further events.

This however; terrified me and alerted me to the catastrophic risks associated to OSA. I still fear to fall asleep without my mask on. I have issues with my nasal mask leaking air in the mornings, often because I'm on my back. This noise wakes my husband up, but until he can catch it for long enough to record it on his iPhone, I have no idea exactly where the leak is coming from.

As an ICU Nurse I educate and advocate for OSA suffers to use a machine. It changed my life.

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May 09, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		I'm happy to hear you survived that episode!
by: Remy

Thank you, Susan, for sharing your story with us! I'm glad your husband was next to you when it happened. OSA is no joke. And you made it clear to me.
May 09, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		I Feel I Almost Died
by: Anonymous

I was told 30 years ago by my partner that I snore and stop breathing. My 2nd husband wore earplugs every night due to snoring. Now a senior citizen sleeping alone I am on my own. I am exhausted everyday but the scariest episode was last night in my sleep had saw all white light and my body was frozen and could not move or wake up. It was terrifying and now am afraid to sleep. Am waiting for sleep study. I am very scared and also have no energy for anything.
Oct 04, 2022
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starstarstarstarstar 		Near Death Sleep Episode
by: Ronnie0266

I have had two separate issue, two nights in a row. First, i felt like an explosion happened in my head, my ears started popping and ringing, then I became paralyzed. My subconscious mind began trying to kick my legs. My husband woke me due to my thrashing. Last night it was more intense. I had the same ringing and crackling in my ears but I slowly felt like my heart stopped beating and could feel life draining, like I was fading away. At some point I started thinking "help me" over and over until it was aloud and my husband woke me again. I felt like my heart suddenly started beating again and I was able to wake up. My heart raced for a long while, but I was never able to sleep again. I am terrified to go back to sleep tonight.

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