Guest guest Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 Does anyone wake up with rapid heartbeat? I saw a program on the discovery channel the other day about sleep apnea and rapid heartbeat. I've woken up several times (usually from an afternoon nap) with a racing heartbeat--usually happens when I'm having a really good flare-up with fever, rash, and sore throat and having trouble swallowing and breathing. Apparently if you suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), you can experience strangulated breathing or cessation of breathing during the profound muscle relaxation which occurs during REM sleep, the sleep stage during which dreams occur. If the apnea is sufficient, there will be an engagement of the body's " fight or flight " response in order to re-establish an open airway, and thus, breathing. The combination of the adrenal surge and low levels of oxygen in the blood can cause you to awaken in a gasping and heart- pounding state. in Maine > > Hi Gail, > > I too experience rapid heart rate, but i am not on pred. My first > really bad bout with it I called my gp at home and she told me to go > straight to the hospital. Of course they found nothing wrong with me > and I monitored my pulse and bp at home. I too found it was usually up > mid to late afternoon. My gp put me on atenolol and since then I've > only had a few bouts of rapid heart rate but not long enough or high > enough to be alarmed - it's been about 2 years since the hospital > visit. I never thought about it being related to meds and for me, I > don't think it was. This disease however, possibly. > > Take Care, > > Houston > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 No, no real anxiety. I'm a pretty low key, relaxed person. When it starts beating like that, I can usual " breath it out " (do some yoga type breathing and focus on slowing my heart). Takes a couple of minutes to get it back to normal. in Maine > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 Hi , I have had rapid heart beat since childhood. It doesn't happen all the time but it does more times than not. I also have a fast resting pulse. One Dr. told my Mother once that he believed that it was due to the auto immune diseases I have sharing my body. He even said I would have heart disease later on in life. I'm making an appointment with a heart specialist in a few months. Only when I am flaring that I have morning rapid heart beat but not at waking. It usually takes me about 1-2 hours to get out of bed each morning, and if I'm flaring the heart is overactive. I hope you find this somewhat helpful. , Oregon > > Does anyone wake up with rapid heartbeat? > > -- SPEEDY :-) Meds: MTX 15 mg; Prednisone 5mg; Leucovorin 5 mg; Armour Thyroid 60 mg Supporters: MSM; DHEA 25 mg; Omega3 fish oil 8 daily; Vit. C; Vit. D; B-Complex; Vit B-12; Lithium Ortate; Osteo Comlex; Glucosamine & Chondroitin; and Essential Minerals, AND cALCIUM 1500 mg " Love endures all things. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 25, 2006 Report Share Posted May 25, 2006 I do but think it's from the Pred. & now that it's tappered back some it isn't as bad. wrote: Does anyone wake up with rapid heartbeat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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