Thanks for you insights here. In my case, the Vertigo, which lasted for about 6 weeks never fully went away. Now 7 months later, I am having balance issues and trouble focusing due to Nystagmus. I am scheduled for some balance testing and MRI.

I wanted to tell you that within the lat 2 months or so, I’ve experienced that within the first hour of lying down to sleep–just as I’m almost asleep, I will gasp for air, as though I have just been holding my breath. It is interesting to note that it only happens right as I’m heading into sleep, not when I’ve been sleeping for a while.

Another symptom after I’ve been lying down is that I have tremors (that appear to be intentional tremors) in my arms/hands. I’ve been experiencing the tremors for about 4 months, but have recently been more curious about what seems to be a type of apnea symptom, and does feel related.

Your video helped explained that the two may in fact be connected.

I found your video very informative. My fiancee has obstructive sleep apnea and it is severe. Recently he has experienced an increase in BPV symptoms, chest pain, sweating as well as mood swings, and many other apnea related symptoms. He has been evaluated by cardiology and found to be fine in that respect. He is about to undergo another sleep study to adjust his CPAP correctly with a new doctor. While I’m glad for all of this, he still has chest pain and BPV symptoms that are fairly constant some days. I have informed him that those are probably related to his apnea, as no other explanation has been found and he’s had thorough testing, but he refuses to believe that BPV or chest pain can be associated with apnea. He’s also gained weight and I think that too has played a part, but he refuses to believe me. Am I wrong about this? His physician tried to explain it to him, but he again refuses to listen. He sleeps constantly, and when not sleeping he is eating. I’m at my wits end about what to do to help him. Any information would be appreciated. Thank you. :)

I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia about 14-15 years ago after years of chronic pain. My chief complaint to doctors over the years was lack of energy & all over pain I thought due to poor sleep. I struggle with CPAP; removing the mask almost nightly without remembering and then deciding to not bother to put it back on after multiple wakings so I can get some sleep. This last BPV episode, I was under additional stress – not only from lack of sleep (chronic problem), fibromyalgia, and surgeries, but were also facing our moving my in-laws (whom I love dearly) from another state to where we live. The swirling feeling with head movements lasted probably about 3 weeks, but since that time, I’ve had multiple incidents of light headedness, especially when getting up after doing my shoulder physical therapy or after sleeping which my family doctor says is probably just drop in blood pressure from getting up too fast – which I try not to do. That has eased now this past month however. We have my in-laws moved into their own apartment but they are 87 & 88 so I’m taking them to new doctor appts, and trying to help them sort and unpack, etc. and am their primary “driver” until they are able to get more familiar with the area. So although I still have stress of their caretaking, my hand and shoulder are finally getting to the point of “uncomfortable” but not “painful”. So, your theory of stress related to BPV I believe is a good possibility. And the increased nerve sensitivity, I’ve felt for years that I have with loud noises, a “bump” against a chair that is “painful” and should only be mild discomfort.

My 1st BPV episode, as I think back probably was work stress related in Aug 09 (I resigned my position in Oct 2009 because of health problems); my 2nd BPV episode – I was facing septoplasty last May 2010 – my own choice to try to help my breathing in hopes it would help me with CPAP compliance. And this 3rd I’ve explained above.

I am a new subscriber to your website which I found while trying to locate information about oral appliances for mild sleep apnea/hypopnia patients. (Before the septoplasty, I was diagnosed as moderate to moderately severe sleep apnea/hypopnia – so that surgery seems to have helped somewhat. They have lowered my pressure from 7 to 6 but I still struggle with the CPAP mask.

Sorry for the length of this comment, but thank you for your website & the information you have available. I do plan to get your book soon, just no time to read until I get my inlaws settled.