Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on December 29, 2009 at 12:42pm

I have not experienced this to my knowledge. Hopefully one of the more knowledgeable members will jump in and help you out.

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Permalink Reply by Carl Speas on December 29, 2009 at 12:47pm

lisa i too suffer from sleep paralysis. it mostly happens during the day while napping in a recliner i also choke and gag alot in a recliner. i refuse to allow myself to even nap in a recliner anymore it is to scary. if i take a nap i go to bed. i rarely suffer paralysis in bed, but it has happened. i do not know what causes it or the solution. maybe your post will show us the answer.
carl

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Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on December 29, 2009 at 4:36pm

I can't imagine the feeling of panic that I would experience if it happened to me. I know it would be a feeling I wouldn't want to happen!!

It would appear to me to be pretty scary.

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on December 29, 2009 at 5:37pm

Hi Lisa Merry christmas to you too. I still have to go to Chicago tomorrow to see the wife's family. So it is almost over for me.

Anyone who has tried to wake themselves from a dream has probably experienced some of the panic brought on by sleep paralysis. Most people experience this phenomenon a few times in their lives whether they realize it or not. Are you experiencing any dreams or "out of body" experiences with the paralysis? Any wierd reactions to emotions, or jokes? I would suggest that you talk to your doctor about ordering a MSLT to test for narcolepsy. I am off to work right now. I will try to post some more info this evening. Search "Dr Mark Dyken" at the University of Iowa. He has done some amazing research on this topic.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Marie Cardillo on December 29, 2009 at 6:28pm

Hi Rock, I had the MSLT 2 yrs. ago I do have narcolepsy and cataplexy, with the sleep paralysis, yea, I'm so lucky, I know your all jealous, lol. help me, please! Have fun in Chicago, safe travels, hugs Lisa

Rock Hinkle said:

Hi Lisa Merry christmas to you too. I still have to go to Chicago tomorrow to see the wife's family. So it is almost over for me.

Anyone who has tried to wake themselves from a dream has probably experienced some of the panic brought on by sleep paralysis. Most people experience this phenomenon a few times in their lives whether they realize it or not. Are you experiencing any dreams or "out of body" experiences with the paralysis? Any wierd reactions to emotions, or jokes? I would suggest that you talk to your doctor about ordering a MSLT to test for narcolepsy. I am off to work right now. I will try to post some more info this evening. Search "Dr Mark Dyken" at the University of Iowa. He has done some amazing research on this topic.

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on December 29, 2009 at 7:50pm

What meds do they have you on? I have so many questions! You are the first true narcoleptic that I have come in contact with. How severe is your cataplexy? Is your sleep paralysis at the beginning or the end of your naps? Do you have crazy dreams?

Fair is fair though. I will also answer your questions to the best of my knowledge if you post them. Be specific. Once i get my trainees settled into the night I will post some specifics on narcolepsy, cataplexy, and sleep paralysis. I am one very excited sleep geek to be able to participate in this post.

Lisa Marie Cardillo said:

Hi Rock, I had the MSLT 2 yrs. ago I do have narcolepsy and cataplexy, with the sleep paralysis, yea, I'm so lucky, I know your all jealous, lol. help me, please! Have fun in Chicago, safe travels, hugs Lisa

Rock Hinkle said:

Hi Lisa Merry christmas to you too. I still have to go to Chicago tomorrow to see the wife's family. So it is almost over for me.

Anyone who has tried to wake themselves from a dream has probably experienced some of the panic brought on by sleep paralysis. Most people experience this phenomenon a few times in their lives whether they realize it or not. Are you experiencing any dreams or "out of body" experiences with the paralysis? Any wierd reactions to emotions, or jokes? I would suggest that you talk to your doctor about ordering a MSLT to test for narcolepsy. I am off to work right now. I will try to post some more info this evening. Search "Dr Mark Dyken" at the University of Iowa. He has done some amazing research on this topic.

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Permalink Reply by Mack D Jones, MD, SAAN on December 29, 2009 at 11:01pm

I've known about sleep paralysis for years having had a few episodes myself. They can be terrifying, lying seemingly awake and not being able to move. A sense of doom or imminent danger hangs over you and you feel total inability to defend yourself (a least that's the way I've felt). I have seen patients with similar experiences.

You have narcolepsy which makes you much more prone to have them along with the rest of the characteristic features, i.e., excessive sleepiness, cataplexy, and hypnogogic hallucinations. Medications help control the sleepiness and cataplexy, but to my knowledge do nothing for the sleep paralysis. It is my understanding that poor sleep at night can make the problem worse especially if you have untreated OSA. I assume that has been ruled out in your original PSG. GHB is used to control cataplexy and supposed to have a positive effect on sleep. I am guessing here, but better nighttime sleep may help reduce your sleep paralysis episodes.

It is supposed to help cope with the problem knowing that the paralysis episodes are brief, will pass and are not harmful, i.e., they are not going to do you in or kill you. They are just a part of a misplaced dream state that can scare the bejabors out of you, but in the end are not a real threat to you or your health.

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Permalink Reply by Pam McReynolds on December 30, 2009 at 5:35am

WOW! I've experienced this, but had no clue what it was. I didn't tell anyone because I thought they would think I was nuts. I will say though. It seems since I've been getting better treatment for my central apnea this has stopped. At least I hope it has. My prayers are with you Lisa. I hope you get answers and help for this very soon. And thanks for posting. I will be watching this discussion closely. I had no idea this had a name.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Gilliard on December 31, 2009 at 5:14pm

I've suffered with episodes of sleep induced paralysis for over 25 years now, my narcolepsy and OSA only being diagnosed around 5 years ago.

Whilst the experience is initially frightening, now for me it is mostly a frustrating inconvenience!

As a normal part of going to sleep, your body "turns off" your voluntary muscles. Many if not most people experience this. On waking, some people - like us %-) - don't produce the necessary chemical that naturally re-enables voluntary movement. This is usually due to our brain still being in a dream state. Effectively the opposite effect to sleep walking.

It can induce hallucinations known as hypnogogic or hypnopompic, depending on whether your are falling asleep or waking. These are believed to be the explanation for out of body experiences (OOBE) and alien abduction stories.

I am away from my computer at the moment, but can point you to more info if you wish. Two well known sleep specialists on this topic are Merle Dahlitz and Dr. J Parkes.

From experience, I have found that fighting furiously to move seems to build a backlog of nerve impulses to my muscles leaving me with tremors and spasms once mobile. Being gently moved by someone can usually break the "lock" on my muscles and full mobility returns over a short period of time.

I hope this of help to fellow sufferers, feel free to vontact me if I can help further. Happy New Year! :-)

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Marie Cardillo on December 31, 2009 at 9:42pm

Hi Christopher,I just wrote this really good post and lost it darn-it, I had a moment of clarity,and was really spillin my guts, i'm to tired now maybe another time it will come back to me, anyway , I do lay there and pray that the cat will walk on me, or my husband will accdently kick me with his leg or put his arm around, like the slightest touch will bring you out of it and allow you to move and breath, I can't even take a breath, just a slight little one, I hate it, my mind is fully awake while this is happening I know it for sure, I'll get into that another time, back to the touch, they never do in all my years no one has ever touched me to get me out of it, but how would they know to, it would just have to be luck, or by accident, if I'm not making any sense don't mind me, it's 9:39PM on New Years Eve and i'm ready to go to bed, talk to you soon. Happy New Year! Lisa

Christopher Gilliard said:

I've suffered with episodes of sleep induced paralysis for over 25 years now, my narcolepsy and OSA only being diagnosed around 5 years ago.

Whilst the experience is initially frightening, now for me it is mostly a frustrating inconvenience!

As a normal part of going to sleep, your body "turns off" your voluntary muscles. Many if not most people experience this. On waking, some people - like us %-) - don't produce the necessary chemical that naturally re-enables voluntary movement. This is usually due to our brain still being in a dream state. Effectively the opposite effect to sleep walking.

It can induce hallucinations known as hypnogogic or hypnopompic, depending on whether your are falling asleep or waking. These are believed to be the explanation for out of body experiences (OOBE) and alien abduction stories.

I am away from my computer at the moment, but can point you to more info if you wish. Two well known sleep specialists on this topic are Merle Dahlitz and Dr. J Parkes.

From experience, I have found that fighting furiously to move seems to build a backlog of nerve impulses to my muscles leaving me with tremors and spasms once mobile. Being gently moved by someone can usually break the "lock" on my muscles and full mobility returns over a short period of time.

I hope this of help to fellow sufferers, feel free to vontact me if I can help further. Happy New Year! :-)

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Marie Cardillo on December 31, 2009 at 9:59pm

Hi Rock, I must have missed your second post, I'm happy your excited, I'm a real science'y geek too always wanting to get to the bottom of things,i'm relentless, i'm told, but as of late to tired to follow thru with my thoughts, i'll answer your questions soon maybe tomorrow, I'm gonn head up to bed, to tired to type, Happy New Year to you and your family, Hugs Lisa

Rock Hinkle said:

What meds do they have you on? I have so many questions! You are the first true narcoleptic that I have come in contact with. How severe is your cataplexy? Is your sleep paralysis at the beginning or the end of your naps? Do you have crazy dreams?

Fair is fair though. I will also answer your questions to the best of my knowledge if you post them. Be specific. Once i get my trainees settled into the night I will post some specifics on narcolepsy, cataplexy, and sleep paralysis. I am one very excited sleep geek to be able to participate in this post.

Lisa Marie Cardillo said:

Hi Rock, I had the MSLT 2 yrs. ago I do have narcolepsy and cataplexy, with the sleep paralysis, yea, I'm so lucky, I know your all jealous, lol. help me, please! Have fun in Chicago, safe travels, hugs Lisa

Rock Hinkle said:

Hi Lisa Merry christmas to you too. I still have to go to Chicago tomorrow to see the wife's family. So it is almost over for me.

Anyone who has tried to wake themselves from a dream has probably experienced some of the panic brought on by sleep paralysis. Most people experience this phenomenon a few times in their lives whether they realize it or not. Are you experiencing any dreams or "out of body" experiences with the paralysis? Any wierd reactions to emotions, or jokes? I would suggest that you talk to your doctor about ordering a MSLT to test for narcolepsy. I am off to work right now. I will try to post some more info this evening. Search "Dr Mark Dyken" at the University of Iowa. He has done some amazing research on this topic.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Gilliard on January 1, 2010 at 11:16pm

Computers are like that Lisa %-) The only answer is frequently saving what you write, or even write it in a word processor program so you can save it often :-) On a PC, pressing Ctrl+A then Ctrl+C will at least keep a temporary copy on the PC clipboard in case of accidents. Even in a web page like this, you can always press Ctrl+Z to undo the last action, sometimes more than once.

I'm stuffed up with a stinking cold at the moment, and even though it's 4am, I'm coughing and sneezing my head off so wearing my CPAP and trying to sleep is not much of an option

I found a quite comprehensive article on sleep induced paralysis on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis

Responding to something Rock or you mentioned, I also have been diagnosed with narcolepsy and cataplexy. Strong emotions such as laughing at a really funny joke or just being tickled causes me to literally collapse in a heap like a puppet with the strings cut! My sisters used to think that in itself was hilarious and would tickle me just to see it happen %-)

I too have that "enquiring mind" ;-) and wondered if SP is similar/the same as when patients have told of being anaesthetized and whilst their body is, they remain conscious and aware of their surroundings? When having an SP episode, I also noticed that my breathing is very slow and shallow and although unable to move, if my eyes happen to be open, I can see normally as well as hear.

The greatest relief for me was to just have it identified and labelled! Up to that point, I was having the awful feeling it could be a stroke or worse %-( Incidentally, a Google search for "Meryl Dahlitz sleep paralysis" turned up a few interesting links which you might want to look at.

Well, this has sufficiently dulled my brain to the point I will try to get a few hours of sleep, Happy New Year to all

Lisa Marie Cardillo said:

Hi Christopher,I just wrote this really good post and lost it darn-it, I had a moment of clarity,and was really spillin my guts, i'm to tired now maybe another time it will come back to me, anyway , I do lay there and pray that the cat will walk on me, or my husband will accdently kick me with his leg or put his arm around, like the slightest touch will bring you out of it and allow you to move and breath, I can't even take a breath, just a slight little one, I hate it, my mind is fully awake while this is happening I know it for sure, I'll get into that another time, back to the touch, they never do in all my years no one has ever touched me to get me out of it, but how would they know to, it would just have to be luck, or by accident, if I'm not making any sense don't mind me, it's 9:39PM on New Years Eve and i'm ready to go to bed, talk to you soon. Happy New Year! Lisa

Christopher Gilliard said:

I've suffered with episodes of sleep induced paralysis for over 25 years now, my narcolepsy and OSA only being diagnosed around 5 years ago.

Whilst the experience is initially frightening, now for me it is mostly a frustrating inconvenience!

As a normal part of going to sleep, your body "turns off" your voluntary muscles. Many if not most people experience this. On waking, some people - like us %-) - don't produce the necessary chemical that naturally re-enables voluntary movement. This is usually due to our brain still being in a dream state. Effectively the opposite effect to sleep walking.

It can induce hallucinations known as hypnogogic or hypnopompic, depending on whether your are falling asleep or waking. These are believed to be the explanation for out of body experiences (OOBE) and alien abduction stories.

I am away from my computer at the moment, but can point you to more info if you wish. Two well known sleep specialists on this topic are Merle Dahlitz and Dr. J Parkes.

From experience, I have found that fighting furiously to move seems to build a backlog of nerve impulses to my muscles leaving me with tremors and spasms once mobile. Being gently moved by someone can usually break the "lock" on my muscles and full mobility returns over a short period of time.

I hope this of help to fellow sufferers, feel free to vontact me if I can help further. Happy New Year! :-)

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