Hyperventilation Syndrome

Don't you just hate all the syndrome's that are "available" today!!  I think there is a syndrome for everything but I happen to have this one.  Since I was very young, I can remember having a hard time breathing.  If it were today, they would probably say "asthma" but I don't wheeze or have any of the other things that asmatics do except I can't breathe deep.  It is like not having a good satisfying breath!  I am a shallow breather and it was like I almost forgot to breath and then when I would remember, my lungs would not open up enough for deep breathing!  When I was younger, I thought I was having a "heart attack" until I remembered I was "heartless"  haha!!  


I took a tai chi class last year and it seemed to help because it focuses on "deep breathing" exercises.  One of my instructors, who was an RN was encouraged by my progress of not "gasping" for breath as much but suggested I see about being tested for sleep apnea.  Everyone I know say they have that and I thought it was a "rip off".  Well I mentioned it to my doctor and she immediately set me up for a test.  Well, of course I needed a sleep apnea machine.....  imagine that!!  haha.....  Anyhoo, I struggled with it and since I am claustrophobic, I did not like the full mask and tried a nose mask but it was difficult too.  Then my therapist suggested a nasal type mask that was only in my nose and it was better.   


When you have a hyperventilation experience, you want to yawn and what do they tell you to do..... breathe into a paper bag.  You can't open your mouth with a sleep apnea machine so you can't yawn.  So, when I had that experience, I would yank it off to breath and not be able to go back to sleep with it on......  Finally, I went to a sleep disorder specialist and he ran some breathing tests and immediately said chronic hyperventilation syndrome along with another "big medical term". 


There are different sleep disorders so I have been reading up on them after the doctor said that they were a leading cause of death more than breast cancer.... Yikes....  AND, he also said it could have been a "contributing factor" to my "carotid" issue I had last year.  Sleep disorders can cause all kinds of pulmonary and heart problems.... Did you know that?  I didn't but I can now remember friends who were seemingly healthy and would just literally "drop dead" for no apparent reason.  Looking back, I have to ponder if there was a "sleep disorder" that made their pulmonary system not operate properly from the lack of good deep sleep.  Did you know that you need to have good REM sleep to let your heart rest during the night?  Well, anyhoo, I am scheduled for another sleep study and this time it will be done by a sleep disorder specialist looking at my hyperventilation problem along with my sleep habits.   My lungs are very strong and I can breath in and out and hold it for a long time.  It seems to have something to do with the way my body mixes my carbon dioxide and oxygen, thus yawning and breathing in the paper bag helping.  Not sure what will be the treatment but he says it can be reversed in about 3 years so at least I have something to look forward to!!  haha  


AND by the way, if someone is trying to yawn and get a good deep breath, don't talk to them or interrupt them.  It is like when someone is trying to sneeze and you say something to them thinking it will help them sneeze....  Hello, it doesn't and it doesn't help hyperventalation either!!