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Miss heart beats during sleep

Hi, I have been diagnosed with Mitral Regurgitation and for the past 2 weeks, I am abruptly awakened with I believe skipped heart beats.  Very scary and wonder if this has happened to anyone else in my situation
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612551 tn?1450022175
COMMUNITY LEADER
Not to hijack this thread, MickyMonkee may indeed need to check on OSA. and this information may help.

I underwent an at home recording oximeter test (I have a personal finger clip on meter myself) and it indicated the need for  a sleep study, which I also underwent.  My results were "mild" OSA, and it didn't appear (for the one night study) to reduce my sleep enough to cause fatigue - which I have anyway for beta blockers and AFib, not to mention AGE.  The doctors, two of them in the sleep center, said I was overweight, called it Obese (240 to 250 at 6' 5"+), and loss of some weight might open my throat sufficient to stop the OSA.  I lost about 20 pounds and I no longer feel any of the OSA symptoms.  I continue to suffer from night time nasal congestion and a slightly enlarged prostate that makes for a need to get up a couple of times a night.  The sleep doctor said a CPAP would not make any dramatic change in my sleeping.

I have not been retested while weighing about 230, but I don't experience any symptoms and have not pushed for a follow up test.  If I'm going to I'd better hurry, I am losing my company provided (retired) health insurance which I am NOT ALLOWED TO KEEP, like so many others.  My sponsoring company as at least offered some financial help in going to the insurance exchange for my Medigap coverage.   I lose prescription and dental along as  the company gets out of sponsoring retiree health. I bet this will save them bundle, may help them pay the high corporate taxes that exist in the USA where they are incorporated.
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1423357 tn?1511085442
Obstructive Sleep Apnea or OSA is tough on the heart.  Low oxygen levels in the blood cause the heart to beat faster and a sufferer may abruptly awake with a elevated, pounding heart. I had a very severe case of it years ago.  A particularly bad night would leave by heart skipping for days.  A sleep study and CPAP therapy completely cured the problem.   Yo umight want to look into breathing problems while you sleep as a cause for your problem.
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612551 tn?1450022175
COMMUNITY LEADER
I believe it unlikely that the "typical" heart rhythm problem would wake anyone form a sound sleep.

Are you short of breath when you wake up?  

The only problem I have experienced with waking up suddenly and regularly always came with a feeling of suffocation, more than just a shortness of breath.

I was diagnosed with mild obstructive sleep apnea.  I lost about 10% of my body weight and that seems to have fixed the problem.
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