I have been having trouble breathing at night, especially when I am laying kind of flat. It helps a ton if I put a few pillows under my head. I have also been getting awful night sweats. I wake up in the middle of the night and my pillows and sheets are soaked through! It's a VERY cold sweat. It's like someone dumped a bucket of cold water over my upper body. Any ideas what may be going on? I have to see my Dr. on Wednesday, but this is getting out of control! Last night was the worst night with the sweating ever!
2006-10-28 18:35:59 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
you might be suffering from GERD, which is reflux disease, at night it does cause you to sweat, and difficulty breathing, because the stomach acid is backing up into the esophagous, try drinking a glass of very cold water, or maybe taking some mylanta, or pepto bismol, if that doesn't help and you are having chest pains during these episodes, by all means, go to the local emergency room, and get checked out.
2006-10-28 18:40:12 · answer #1 · answered by dahorndogd013 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It could be any number of thiings--
You might have GERD, as has been mentioned above. In that case you'll need to modify your diet &/or take meds, all things that are very easy to do.
You may have sleep apnea and need a CPAP or BiPAP machine to breathe or some simple ENT surgery to keep your breathing passages open. If you're over-weight or snore heavily, this will make things worse overall.
When you sleep better with extra pillows, say two, that's called two-pillow orthopnea, three-pillow, etc. It could indicate a heart and/or lung problem. Here's a link that can help explain it:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003076.htm
I know it's scary and hard not to panic, but do try to hang on and not dig your grave already before you get a medical exam and get some tests done. Good idea getting yourself to a doctor.
I'll keep my fingers crossed that things turn out well for you and you get the answers you need.
2006-10-29 01:43:48 · answer #2 · answered by answerme 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well if you're a woman it could be menopause if you're at the right age that is....the breathing could be a hiatal hernia and like the other person said...sleep apnea....also night sweats...how's your blood pressure...any diabetes?....and have an EKG to check the heart out too....good luck...one thing/one day at a time...this is all workable stuff!
2006-10-29 01:18:17 · answer #3 · answered by TWISTER 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
an infection or poison
warm bath before bed
keep warm (cotton)
2006-10-29 01:53:15 · answer #4 · answered by q6656303 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
do you smoke and have alot of caffiene, if so cut back., that was my trouble
2006-10-29 01:39:11 · answer #5 · answered by blue_eyed_southernman 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋