when I lie flat on my back I can't breath

hello.. I'm Really Starting To Get Worried... When Ever I Go To Sleep I Always End Up Lying Flat On My.Back I Wake Up Cuz I Feel Like An Elephant Or 10Ton Brick Is On My chest And I Can Feel My Heart Beating In My Throat... I'll Roll Over On My Side.And Try To Go Back To Sleep But It Doesn't Stop Doing It Till I Physically Get Outta Bed... NORMALLY When I Can Feel My Heart In My Throat It's Time For A Change ...But This Time Is Different...It's ONLY when I Sleep And Only When I Am Lying Flat On My Back.... I Had My Last Surgery Nov 10 And Only Had 1 Maybe 2.Check Ups With My Doc... I Moved Outta State So It's Very.Hard To Get 3 Hours Away To My Doc...And I Don't Trust Anyone Else With My Heart She's Been My Doc 25+ Yrs ...And No Point On Going To Er Where I Live I Went 1 Time And Told Them When They Did The.EKG It's Going To Look Funny Don't Flip Out When U See It...And They Seen It The Doc Rushed In And WasTrying To Tell Me I Was In Congestive Heart Failure So I Had To Sit Him Down And Explain No It Always Looks Like That BC I've Had.This.Surgery And This Surgery It's Normal... So Right Now I'm At A Loss Of What To Do I So Want A Good Nights Sleep And Not To Wake Up Feeling Like I'm Dying...Thank U For Letting Me Vent...It's Nice To Vent To Ppl That Understand ...Any Helpful Ideas Suggestions Greatly Appreciated...

9 Comments

A couple of things come to mind

by janetinak - 2013-07-24 05:07:54

have you been checked for sleep apnea? Also maybe sleeping with more pillows may help. But I would call my Dr that you trusted for 25+ yrs & ask her for a referral to a new doc in your new area.

Hope that helps & you feel better soon.

Janet


time to get checked

by Hope - 2013-07-24 07:07:01

Hi! Waking up unable to breathe while lying down is something that needs to be evaluated now regardless of past diagnosis. Go to ER with an open mind, or as Janet suggested, get a referral and please do not delay. Please do not rely on a past evaluation of your state of health. Will be thinking of you. Hopeful Heart

Ummm

by queen78 - 2013-07-24 09:07:17

I Googled That Superior vena Cava.And It's Saying It's A Tumor Or Cancer...It Said Nothing About Pacemaker Leads... But Now I'm Convinced I Have It And I'm Dying...O Did.I Mention I'm A hypercondriact

.

by queen78 - 2013-07-24 09:07:33

I Have Sleep Apnea diagnosed Long Time ago

thanks

by queen78 - 2013-07-24 09:07:52

I Use 3 Pillows...If I Try Laying On My Back But With Pillows Under Me Elevated It Still Does It... Only Way It Don't Do It Is On My Side Or On My Stomach (And I'm A Fat.Chick With A Horrible Back) So Sleeping On My stomach Isn't Really An Option...Again aboved Mentioned I Can't Kneel But There Is Times I Bend Over And I Feel Pressure And Sometimes While Walking Standing Sitting I Get The Elephant On My Chest Heart Beating In My Throat Feeling But Mainly When IKLay On My back

SVCS

by golden_snitch - 2013-07-24 09:07:58

Sorry for the worst case scenario, but I thought it was worth mentioning: superior vena cava syndrome. It's rare, but it's something that can be caused by pacemaker leads, and not being able to breath when you are lying flat on your back is one typical symptom. Does that also happen when you bend over or when you kneel down? Do you have any other symptoms, as for instance pressure in your head or neck?

Like Hope said, it's time to get it checked out, and if I were you, I'd not wait till I get to see the cardio that has treated me for the past 25 years.

Best wishes
Inga

SVCS

by golden_snitch - 2013-07-25 03:07:11

Can be caused by pacemaker leads or ports, too. There are some case studies on the web. Tumor or cancer usually presses on the SVC from the outside; pacemaker leads etc. can cause stenosis or occlusion from the inside, with blood clots forming around the leads. That you need three pillows to sleep is typical for SVCS patients. Best to get it checked out! It's one possible explanation, but I'm sure that there are others, less serious.

Inga

.

by queen78 - 2013-07-25 05:07:36

I Called My Doc Today Waiting In Call back

.

by queen78 - 2013-07-31 12:07:43

I Don't Have A Cpap Or Anything... And I Go To Doc Friday

You know you're wired when...

You can proudly say you’re energy efficient.

Member Quotes

It may be the first time we've felt a normal heart rhythm in a long time, so of course it seems too fast and too strong.