what causes bangungot

[pu...@ohsu.edu]

western medicine tried to explain this as Acute pancreatitis. Due to
ingestion of large quantity of carbohydrates (rice), the pancrea goes
overtime to secrete insulin.(?) this leads to failure and imminent death? The
mechanism of pancreatitis causing death is not clear to me.

Sleep apnea on the other hand is a state wherein the body ceases to breathe,
probably from enlargement of the soft palate. When the body senses oxygen
debt, the heart beats faster, you try to breathe harder, until a hard snore
ensures and you fall back to sleep. Over time, heart enlargement happens
(cardiomegaly) which can cause some heart disease down the road. I had a
procedure called uvulectomy done where they trim the soft palate /uvula,
allowing more space for air passsage. My snoring decreases tremendously and I
don't have episode of sleep apnea anymore. So, consult your dctors. They
can also do the procedure with laser. The side effect is that you cannot make
"pig" sounds. You'll also have a severe sore throat for 1 week. A great way
to lose weight.
Patrick Pua
OHSU

[ext.missouri.edu]

After two sleep tests at the University hospital lab, I was diagnosed
with acute sleep apnea. The symptoms were loud snoring with periods of
cessation of breathing (bangungot?) and a feeling of drowsiness during
the daytime brought about by not having enough sleep. Two options were
presented to me - surgery or C-PAP. I of course chosed the C-PAP.

As explained to me, sleep apnea is caused by the blockage of the
bronchial tubes brought about by the collapse of said tubes due to
pressure loss inside. When one breathes in, air pressure blows the
tubes up and down as one breathes out. This could also be brought about
by fat accumulating around the neck area. Every so often during normal
sleep, the tubes collapses completely when breathing out and restricts
the process of breathing. The body recognizes the loss of oxygen after a
while and the person wakes up with a start and commences on breathing
again. This could recur a number of times during the night so that one
can never have a fitful sleep.

The C-PAP treatment involves sleeping with a mask over the nose attached
to a machine that blows air into the nose to maintain a constant pressure
enough to prevent the bronchial tubes from collapsing. Because of this
pressure, snoring is also completely eliminated. It is a bit
uncomfortable but well worth it. Because I no longer snore, my wife now
has to feel in the dark to make sure that I am still in bed. Best of all,
I feel well rested when I get up in the morning.

-eli perez-

[The Gentle One]

I, too, am using CPAP to control my sleep apnea. After many near misses while
driving on the road, and innumerable arguments with my wife who was insisting
that there were periods when I would seem to lapse into sleep even while
engaged in group discussions, I finally went to get myself examined. Call it
self denial, but I was one who never liked to languish in bed and I thought
that all the hours of missed sleep was finally just catching up with me. I
never even knew that there was such a condition called sleep apnea. The
University of Illinois Sleep Lab, one of the pioneers in the field, correctly
diagnosed it. The same night I was fitted with CPAP was like a revelation.
The following morning, upon waking up, I felt like the legendary phoenix
risen from its ashes, reborn. It was a delicious feeling after years of
suffering.

For those Pinoys out there who snore loudly at night, trash in bed, and feel
sleepy almost constantly during the day, even immediately after just getting
up from bed, better get yourselves examined. Sleep Apnea can be a killer:
elevated high blood pressure and increased chance of road accidents.

While obesity has been linked to this condition, you do NOT have to be obese
to suffer from sleep apnea.

The Gentle One
Woodridge, Illinois