I have not had a sleep study--or diagnosis, but my symptoms are right in line with sleep apnea AND sleep paralysis. My last episode was a month ago. Some years are worse/ or more frequent than others. All my life, it's been Sleep Russian Roulette, and it feels dangerous. Last month, I woke up panicked, to feel my heart breaking out of my chest almost, and that quicksand-sinking feeling that comes with rapid loss of consciousness. It feels like you are dying.

I honestly believe when otherwise healthy people who passed on in their sleep, and noted "died of natural causes" that it was probably from this disorder. It is NOT natural.

Whenever I have had an episode,like last month, I jump out of bed and shout out loud--to startle my body out of that decline. I have had these episodes all my life--I just did not fully realize you could get help! That it can actually get better. I have also had the horrible sensation of lying rigid, conscious,unable to move or breathe and my heart pounding like it was to burst. My husband, at that time, shook me awake. There nothing visually noticeable, he said, but he "felt" some thing was not right.

This forum offers hope with the success stories of treatment. Unfortunately, I have no insurance or funds for sleep study and treatment,though I badly need it. Wondering what are self-help alternatives or low-cost medical options for those who are uninsured?

Thanks in advance for your courageous and honest stories

Look in to a home sleep study. I think you can get one done for around $200. It does not provide as much detail as an in lab study but it is better than nothing.

kayte wrote:I have not had a sleep study--or diagnosis, but my symptoms are right in line with sleep apnea AND sleep paralysis. My last episode was a month ago. Some years are worse/ or more frequent than others. All my life, it's been Sleep Russian Roulette, and it feels dangerous. Last month, I woke up panicked, to feel my heart breaking out of my chest almost, and that quicksand-sinking feeling that comes with rapid loss of consciousness. It feels like you are dying.

I honestly believe when otherwise healthy people who passed on in their sleep, and noted "died of natural causes" that it was probably from this disorder. It is NOT natural.

Whenever I have had an episode,like last month, I jump out of bed and shout out loud--to startle my body out of that decline. I have had these episodes all my life--I just did not fully realize you could get help! That it can actually get better. I have also had the horrible sensation of lying rigid, conscious,unable to move or breathe and my heart pounding like it was to burst. My husband, at that time, shook me awake. There nothing visually noticeable, he said, but he "felt" some thing was not right.

This forum offers hope with the success stories of treatment. Unfortunately, I have no insurance or funds for sleep study and treatment,though I badly need it. Wondering what are self-help alternatives or low-cost medical options for those who are uninsured?

Thanks in advance for your courageous and honest stories

'erinprime' has given you some good advice.
Self help alternatives are not really an option until at least you know what your condition is.
At present, some symptoms may point towards Sleep Apnoea and possibly Sleep Paralysis, BUT some of your symptoms are not......and might even point towards other sleep related problems, such as Parasomnias.

It is not possible to treat something until such time as you know exactly what your condition or conditions is/are.....remember within the grouping of Sleep Disordered Breathing alone, we have Obstructive/Central/Mixed Apnoea and Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome.....each with common and different treatment regimes. Parasomnias are another thing altogether.

First step is to get a proper medical diagnosis and then discuss treatment options with a qualified sleep physician.

Daniel.

You probably need to have a definitive diagnosis first before you can get a PAP from the ASAA (the sponsors of this forum), but the ASAA provide PAPs for those with a financial need. As has been suggested, find a good sleep physician (www.abms.org) and discuss with them your options for testing given your financial situation.

Vicki