waking up suddenly unable to breath?

[bignbrown]

this just happened last night for the first time, i was actually dreaming and in the dream i started to choke, i woke up unable to breath for about 10 seconds, as if it was closed up, scary as hell and i didnt take anything, ive been getting odd symptoms really so im giving up stims and sticking to downers, my heart has been feeling odd with alot of pressure round that area, plus abdominal swelling so i hope to hell its not congestive heart failure or something (paranoia here hehe), but still gonna get more excerise and lay off stims.

But what would cause sudden waking unable to breath? ive had anxiety attacks before but this time i actually couldnt force the air into my throat it was so closed up.

 

[marsmellow]

This only happened once? It's probably nothing. That happens to a lot of people. But it might be sleep apnea:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_apnea

 

[bignbrown]

ok thanks i hope it is, im worried as i havent done any excerise at all for the past year but have hammered stims alot, im getting abdominal swelling and pain in my ankels (no swelling there though) and alot of fatigue and shortness of breath, so looking up i thought all this stim abuse had weakened my heart and its not working strong enough so im gonna try and get fitter, then this waking up breathless was another symptom listed on wiki cor CHF.

damn paranoia lol, excerise makes me feel better though now.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Sleep apnea is a really reasonable hypothesis. But if it happens much more get to a clinic. I have a friend who had such symptoms often and it was due to clogged arteries causing arrythmias that required he get a stent put in and got some medication started, which according to his Doc prevented a heart attack. He is in his seventies though. I'm not saying it is likely to be what is up with you, just pointing out that recurrent awakening with difficult breathing can be serious.

One time is very likely a fluke. If it were a pattern you'd need to figure out what the cause is and get it straightened out..

 

[kultron]

It's "breathe".