Sleep Apnea from statin damage?

[SusieO]

I am wondering if anyone here has developed Sleep Apena since taking a statin and having damage from it?

I am having a problem with waking just after falling asleep gasping and choking - not often, but it happens enough to really scare me.

My snoring is so bad it wakes me up and I am moving all over the bed when I sleep. I wake up and feel like I didn't get much rest and I am tired all day.

Also, upon waking I feel very nervous and like I am hyperventilating. I check my b/p and it is very high until I am up for a few hours and my meds for my mitral valve prolapse kick in.

I have done some research and it seems I may have developed sleep apnea and wonder if this is another wonderful problem due to Lipitor???

My PCP is going to schedule a sleep study for me and has told me to take an extra Atenolol before bedtime to see if that helps with my b/p.

[Darrell]

Gasping and choking? Yes, I had a few bouts of waking up suddenly with laryngospasm while on a statin (Zocor):
[http://www.voicedoctor.net/therapy/laryngospasm.html]

The sounds on the video clip make me relive the moment.

My wife made me go to the doctor (and she accompanied me right into the exam room) and the doctor was as clueless with this as he was with statin muscle damage.

I haven't had it since stopping the statin two years ago.

If this is what you're having, the key is to recognize it won't suffocate you, try to be calm, and try to breath slowly. That said, it scares the hell out of you none-the-less.

[cjbrooksjc]

SusieO: Yes, indeed. For months I would wake up with that breathless feeling. It's the feeling you have in returning from an underwater dive or swim, a sort of panicked gasp to bring you back from the brink; really nasty. I also had terrible night thirst and would feel like I was drowning when I tried to drink water. I used to get up and go to sleep in a recvliner in my den so as not to disturb my wife, and to breathe easier. The feeling can come upon you at almost any time; sitting, eating, anytime. It's called Dyspnea and is a common side effect of Statin use. Before I became "educated?" and still had confidence in my Phys, he sent me to a sleep center where they wired me with so much junk I couldn't have fallen to sleep if I had been sexually exhausted and 20 yrs old. They diagnosed Apnea and said I should buy this extraordinarily expensive space suit helmet thing to wear at night. I told them to sell it to someone more gullible.
BTW: Ray Holder just posted a thread under, I think, Peripheral Neuropathy that speaks to this disturbing event (just do a search on all Ray's posts if it isn't there; it's dated today). I still get occasional bouts, but nothing like I did while on the Z-pill. It does get better.


Hope this alleviates some concern.

Brooks

[Dee]

I developed severe sleep apnea after 2 months on Pravachol. I still have it, even though I discontinued Pravachol almost 3 years ago. I use a CPAP in order to sleep.

The sleep apnea, difficulty walking, and shortness of breath all developed at the same time. Body wide muscle failure it seems.

[SusieO]

Thanks everyone - I quit Lipitor almost 3 years ago and still have this problem and finally thought I might want to have it checked out.

I wake in the morning in a panic and my b/p is so high until I take my meds that bring it down as well as an Ativan because of severe anxiety...this just started happening lately since I had the bad reaction from taking Niacin.

At times it makes a person want to crack up how many things keep going wrong from taking a statin! :lol: :( :x

Sorry, but I just needed to vent!

[Donna Ashmore]

Suzie O,
I was diagnosed with apnea a year after starting on Lipitor. Would wake in a panic, gasping for air and choking. Sometimes felt like I was trying to swollow a ping pong ball. Was sleeping 16 hrs a day. strangers were asking if I was okay. They would tell me I was breathing funny. I had no idea why they were saying that.
I am in the UCSD School of Medicine statin study. They recomended CoQ10, cod liver oil and Vit E oil. It has helped some with the fuzzy brain, the neuropathy, eye focus, muscle pain and a little on the fatigue. I now sleep 11 to 12 hours, even with CPAP therapy.
Donna Ashmore

[cjbrooksjc]

Donna: Hopefully you are NOT still taking Lipitor. I was on Lipitor, then Zocor. I had the same experience (the sort of gasping you might do when breaking the surface of the water after being submerged), leg twitching, etc. I took the leg twitch meds for a week and stopped, got the apnea test and was diagnosed positive - told them to stuff the CPAP. I quit the statin drugs, began the supplements, and now, almost one year later, I can say I'm much improved, but not fully recovered. I still have night sweats occasionally, but no longer have the breathing problems, wheezing, and coughing fits. Lots of other problems have cleared too. Statins were positively the cause!

Regards,

Brooks

[slrpro02]

Hi all
I have been reading on this forum on & off for awhile now, but when I seen this post I went ahead an registered. I just got my cpapp machine yesterday. My muscles are all screwed from the statins.
The veterans hospital did a sleep study on me approx. 3wks. ago. The night of the study they hooked me up to a machine. In the morning they woke me & told me to go home. I called my wife to pick me up, & on the way home I realized how much better I felt. My muscles didn't hurt.
I`am hoping this will help.
I also recently joined a forum about sleep apnea called *www.cpaptalk.com
It seems there are others in the same boat.

[bunnylady]

Interesting- yes I've had this problem too- my daughter and I went to the Hyatt near Sea World and slept in the same room- she said I was having such problems breathing she almost woke me up and it lasted an hour- wish she would have woken me up- then she said I calmed down and slept good- I know that awful feeling of waking up gasping, heart racing and the headaches then come into play - it takes a few waking hours to get the system calmed down and back to normal- when my doctor asks me if I work or what I do for a living I say no or nothing and he says then you you take care of your house and I said not much anymore- he thought I was joking! I do clean my house- just takes a lot longer than it used to! I used to be such a neat freak and have everything in its place, I'm more relaxed nowadays- just enjoy the good days with the grandkids

[Allen1]

Donna Ashmore and slrpro02,

how long did it take you to get used to the mask and the sensations. I just got my unit from my local hospital yesterday which is mine for 1 week and was shown how to use it and powered it up, what a frightening experience that was, the compressor is a ResMed Autoset S8 and I think this little so and so would blow up car tyres!

I managed to stop myself from having a panic attack by lifting off the mask and switching the machine off, only by holding the mask in place by hand did I manage to get a little used to it. Anyway's I wore it last night and had a really bad night, this morning my chest feels like I had run a mile and had been puffing and panting the way that hurts to breath and I am exhausted.

The other problem is that I have a blocked nose and sore throat, this is making a panic attack very hard to stop under these conditions and you really have to think hard when breathing. Although I do not wish to depend on a machine all the time, I also do not want to be tired like this so easily any more.


slrpro02

I will take a look at this site later on, I really will have to go for a sleep shortly as I am totally drained just now.
*www.cpaptalk.com


All the best,

Allen.

[Dee]

Hi Allen,

It took me a long, long time to make peace with my CPAP machine. I could not stand the usual mask set up. I tried the nasal pillows, which were better but not perfect. I finally settled on the Oracle 452, which fits in your mouth. (I am a mouth breather).

Your insurance company should let you try how ever many masks it takes to find one that works for you. Many sleep apnea folks get discouraged before they find "their" mask.

I HATED my CPAP machine. I mean HATED it, dreaded bedtime cause I knew that at what we paid for it, I had to try to use it. It was probably 1 year or more before I could tolerate it.

Now, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, my CPAP. I don't spend a night without it, even when we travel.

The sad part is, I never had sleep apnea until I was on Pravachol for about 8 weeks....and at that point I developed one of the worst cases the Neurologist had ever seen....another expense the drug companies should have to pay for!

Here is a forum you should join:

*http://www.cpaptalk.com/

Please do whatever it takes in order to use your CPAP, your quality of life will improve drastically.

[Allen1]

Thanks for the reply Dee,

here in the UK we get issued with a unit when we are found to be suffering from sleep apnoea but first off we are lent a unit for a week or so to see how we get on with it.

The unit I have is self sensing and regulates the flow automatically, I have tried it again tonight and for no apparent reason about half an hour after switching it on, the pressure starts to climb and no matter how hard I control my breathing it didn't seem to alter the pressure rise. I ended up switching it off and removing the face mask, I am so tired at the moment but after that experience I am finding it hard to actually get to sleep now hence being on my PC after midnight.

If I wasn't bunged up (nose and throat), this may have been a bit easier, but at the moment it is terrifying especially when you are so tired. I am also a mouth breather and I will have a look for the Oracle 452 and also go to that site, hopefully sleep will come soon and maybe I could try the mask out during the day to either get used to it or to find out if the sensing part is out of whack.

About 3 months prior to my heart attack 13 years ago, I was woken up with a start on several nights, the sensations were similar to what I am still having now but that could also have been my heart or magnesium deficiency or something along those lines. I only know that in the last 4 years it has become much worse and that this is actually sleep apnoea at this moment in time.

Thanks again Dee, I am off to take a look at that site and maybe go to bed again.

All the very best,

Allen

[Dee]

Gee Allen,

I just noticed you already posted the cpaptalk.com site...sorry for repeating that.

Just hang in there, you will be glad you did. I was a mess, passing out and stuff, before I got the sleep apnea under control. If the CPAP could only fix all the other statin damage I have...lol.

[Allen1]

Hi there Dee,

I had a look around for the Oracle 452. I see it is to be used with a heated humidifier because it bypasses the nose and the air would be too dry otherwise. The unit I have at the moment has the option to fit a heated humidifier and the mask is available over here in the UK, I don't know if it would be supplied by the hospital though. I do like the idea of the quick release cord on the Oracle 452 it would maybe make me feel more confident wearing it than the Ultra mirage full face mask that came with it.

I am now at the stage where even thinking about using this machine is making me tense up, as I already mentioned earlier, the nose and throat problems are exasperating the problems even more and now I find myself reacting with dread at the thought of trying to use it.

I managed to get some sleep in the early hours by not using the CPAP but I am still very tired and in no fit state to do much today and I think a rest is what I need just now so I will have a lie down and see how I get on in the daylight with this device.

All the best,

Allen

[Dee]

Allen,

With the Oracle 452, I don't even use the strap. I just stick the thing on my mouth and it stays pretty secure.

Yes, you do need a heated humidifier, and even with mine set on high (5 on a 1-5 adjustment) my mouth still gets dry...but that is a trade off I don't mind for a deep sleep.

The oracle is not for everyone, that is for sure. My Mom just tried it, and while it did the best of any set up she has tried, she had trouble with air coming out her nose when her machine ramped up in pressure.
(even with those nose plugs, which I have NEVER used, I don't have the air-out-the-nose problem).

A friend tried it and sent it back, she had excessive drooling rather than dry mouth.

It took me several weeks to get used to the Oracle...a little at a time. First, I could use it for an hour, then 3, then 4....until I could go all night.

They say there is about a 40% non-compliance rate with CPAPs, that folks just give up on using them. I can see why, but I urge you too stick with it, it is SO worth it.

You may get along OK with your full face mask if you give it time. With that you don't have to worry about the nose or mouth choice, you have both covered.

Everything else considered, I couldn't stand the nose mask they sent home with me....I felt like I was suffocating, and it had all kinds of straps and velcro...and I have long hair, down to my waist, and I get up about 4-5 times a night...well you can imagine the issues I had....hahaha.

Hang in there Allen, you will make it all work, I know you will.

[Allen1]

Hi there Dee,

thanks for the advice and kind words,

I did manage to have a sleep from about 1:30 to 3:50 this afternoon (just after the last posting) and it was using the CPAP. I am still on edge when using it and kept wakening up with a jolt at the slightest noise, the pressure increase problem didn't seem to happen this time, it did rise but stabilised and dropped to a comfortable pressure again fairly quickly.

The suffocation sensation is strong for me also, that was the reason for thinking the quick release cord on your mouth piece was a good idea. I never used to be claustrophobic but 2 years ago since an MRI scan of my brain and a one of my lower back straight after, I have started to go down that road, the full face mask adds to the fear.

The crazy thing about this is that I had to wear a full face mask and it even had windows for your eyes this had to be worn for spraying conformal coating onto circuit boards, this was shiftwork and I did it for about 2 years without any problems!

Your posts have given me reassurance that things will get better, I really needed to hear that at this moment in time. This unit has to be returned next Monday for downloading, I will then have to wait for a while before they issue me a unit of my own and by then my nose and throat problem should be ok.

The getting up 4-5 time a night is something that I had to do (for a wee), but since stopping statins a year ago things slowly got better and now it is only 1-2 times. I don't know if q10 and l-Carnitine had anything to do with it, but it got better around the time I started the carnitine the later with q10 (probably coincidence though).



I am going to hang in there and try not to be one of the 40% non-compliance folk.

Thanks again for keeping my spirits up, I really think that I would have given up after last night if it wasn't for your posts boosting my determination,

All the very best,

Allen.

[vipergg22]

It could cause this as many people tend to gain a fair amount of weight taking these wonderful drugs which could make this condition worse. also i know when i took them my sinuses were congested 24 hours a day to the point where I could get very little air thru one or the other nostrils. This completley cleared after stopping statins along with other side effects , I was not as lucky with the peripheral neuropathy i developed within a month of starting statins .

[Dee]

In my case, I developed the sleep apnea, then the weight gain of 80 lbs. The sleep apnea struck me when the muscle weakness did, so my best guess is that I had body wide muscle damage, including the ones in my neck/throat area.

It can be difficult to get that across to a doctor...since it is a vicious circle...weight gain can cause sleep apnea, and sleep apnea can cause weight gain.

I know a person that was on the same statin I was (Pravachol) and developed sleep apnea shortly after she began taking it, and she was never overweight.

[Allen1]

Hi there Dee,

well I tried! Unfortunately the interference with sleep and the claustrophobic feeling plus everything else got the better of me. I think that if the pump had the maximum output limited to the lowest practicable setting until the wearer got used to it, that would have made a vast difference. The nose and throat issue confounded the situation for me, but in reality getting used to wearing such apparatus without any congestion issues would still be very hard.

Thanks again for all the support you gave me, it did make a great difference but the claustrophobic and suffocation sensations won in the end.

All the very best,

Allen :)

[Donna Ashmore]

To anyone with statin induced sleep apnea:
I started Lipitor in September, 2002. I stopped the drug in June or July
of 2003 because of the many side effects including weight gain and fatigue. I Was diagnosed with Apnea in December 2003.

Date --AHI -weight -sleep latency -desaturation -oxyhemoglobin %
12/03 -29 -- 183 ---------52------- ------64------- -------93-----------
12/04 -50 -- 190 ---------11------- ------77------- -------96-----------
12/09 -06 -- 190 ---------09------- ------92------- -------99-----------

I hope this comes through okay, computer geek I am not.
From severe apnea to almost none, does anyone have an explaination?
Although somewhat better, I still suffer from the fatigue and other effects.
Donna Ashmore