Sleep Paralysis

[Alex_Rogan]

Has anyone witnessed someone experience sleep paralysis?

If so, I have questions.

How long does it last?

What was it like?

 

I had a scare event with my aging father. I assumed it was a medical event and responded appropriately. Called for emergency paramedics.

(this happened a few days ago)

so, I was finishing up some board games with a nephew and my dad (his grandpa) fell asleep.

My Dad was snoring for a minute, then jolted awake. Breathing heavy in an odd way that inflated his upper lip. He turned his head from side to side with wide eyes that were filled with a plea for help, without seeming to see anything. 

I don't know Five Nights at Freddys, but I get that it's like an animatronic going haywire or something. It was like that.

I called 911 and tried everything they asked. My dad couldn't move his arms or legs or answer any question.

All he could say was a meek "I am lost". 

The paramedics finally arrived and suggested it was a transitory clot (can't remember their acronym), but they thought it was a clot that passed through, instead of clogging up causing a stroke. 

He got more responsive on the way to the hospital, but doesn't have a memory of any of it. We cleared triage

We have him seeing doctors to be sure of what actually happened, medically speaking.

During the diagnosis, sleep apnea came up.

Perhaps he stopped breathing and had an apnea episode, but how long does that last?

How long does sleep paralysis last?

Well, that was a bunch of backstory just to ask if anyone has witnessed someone having sleep paralysis.

How long does it last?

I'm not looking for medical advice, that's already in motion.

 

[Alex_Rogan]

if it was apnea or paralysis, would it have lasted an hour with no memory?

Has anyone been with someone experiencing sleep paralysis?

Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree for answers here.

[Alex_Rogan]

hypoxia?

[Alex_Rogan]

damnit. I figured that there were so many people dismissing paranormal stuff as sleep paralysis, there would be someone to pipe up in regards to a real consideration. 

Has anyone witnessed someone go through it? 

How long does it last?

 

Edited September 26 by Alex_Rogan

[Alex_Rogan]

(also, I think there should be an ER for junkies separate from people who are having real medical emergencies. The clogging up of emergency services is ridiculous. Farming for a fix vs ppl aged out with medical need. 

I haven't been to a hospital since my kids were born. 

Everyone should visit their local ER and their local landfill to get a perspective on their humanity.

[Alex_Rogan]

I have had sleep paralysis.

I don't know how long it lasted.

My original question is:

Have you witnessed someone having sleep paralysis and how long does it last

[Ell]

Was your aging father on blood pressure reducers? i.e. vasodilators?

Edited September 26 by Ell

[+ouija ouija]

I experience sleep apnea and it includes paralysis. It's hard to judge how long it lasts . . . possibly only seconds, although it feels longer because of the panic. I have nothing to base this on, but I wonder if sleep paralysis only happens when you're lying down?

I hope your father is feeling okay now.

edit to say: The "I am lost" could be related to whatever your father was dreaming about immediately before he woke up. When I have a sleep apnea episode my dreaming mind tries to fit the distress of not breathing into the dream . . . makes it part of the story in some way.

Edited September 26 by ouija ouija

[Abramelin]

26 minutes ago, ouija ouija said:

, but I wonder if sleep paralysis only happens when you're lying down?

😆

 

[+Liquid Gardens]

I've had sleep paralysis several times but never witnessed someone else who's had it.  My experiences usually last no more than a minute or so I'd guess, and I don't think I've ever been able to talk but have been able to look around.  I also have no issue remembering it so good call on your dad seeing doctors on this, it sounds like he had more going on than just sleep paralysis.

[+Desertrat56]

10 hours ago, Alex_Rogan said:

Has anyone witnessed someone experience sleep paralysis?

If so, I have questions.

How long does it last?

What was it like?

 

I had a scare event with my aging father. I assumed it was a medical event and responded appropriately. Called for emergency paramedics.

(this happened a few days ago)

so, I was finishing up some board games with a nephew and my dad (his grandpa) fell asleep.

My Dad was snoring for a minute, then jolted awake. Breathing heavy in an odd way that inflated his upper lip. He turned his head from side to side with wide eyes that were filled with a plea for help, without seeming to see anything. 

I don't know Five Nights at Freddys, but I get that it's like an animatronic going haywire or something. It was like that.

I called 911 and tried everything they asked. My dad couldn't move his arms or legs or answer any question.

All he could say was a meek "I am lost". 

The paramedics finally arrived and suggested it was a transitory clot (can't remember their acronym), but they thought it was a clot that passed through, instead of clogging up causing a stroke. 

He got more responsive on the way to the hospital, but doesn't have a memory of any of it. We cleared triage

We have him seeing doctors to be sure of what actually happened, medically speaking.

During the diagnosis, sleep apnea came up.

Perhaps he stopped breathing and had an apnea episode, but how long does that last?

How long does sleep paralysis last?

Well, that was a bunch of backstory just to ask if anyone has witnessed someone having sleep paralysis.

How long does it last?

I'm not looking for medical advice, that's already in motion.

 

From your description I would think he had a stroke.   Let the doctors tell you what it is and quit asking for medical advice on a forum.  

[+Desertrat56]

9 hours ago, Alex_Rogan said:

if it was apnea or paralysis, would it have lasted an hour with no memory?

Has anyone been with someone experiencing sleep paralysis?

Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree for answers here.

You are barking up the wrong tree, it was a blood clot or stroke like the paramedics said.

[+Desertrat56]

9 hours ago, Alex_Rogan said:

(also, I think there should be an ER for junkies separate from people who are having real medical emergencies. The clogging up of emergency services is ridiculous. Farming for a fix vs ppl aged out with medical need. 

I haven't been to a hospital since my kids were born. 

Everyone should visit their local ER and their local landfill to get a perspective on their humanity.

You are right, the junkies do clog up the ER every day of the week.  My daughter worked in an ER for several years and most good hospitals do have a way of handling the junkies in order to better serve the people who have an actual emergency.  It isn't always pretty though.

Edited September 26 by Desertrat56

[Guyver]

10 hours ago, Alex_Rogan said:

I have had sleep paralysis.

I don't know how long it lasted.

My original question is:

Have you witnessed someone having sleep paralysis and how long does it last

No, I have never witnessed that, and I don’t know how long it could last…..but more than a few minutes would be very terrifying I would think. According to the internet….it’s only supposed to last for a few seconds or a few minutes at most.

[openozy]

I used to have it frequently as a small kid, it was always a hag or witch laughing in my ear, waking me. Used to scare the s--- out of me so I kept my eyes shut until one day I opened my eyes and saw the hag, I told it to leave and never had this again. It would only last about 15 to 30 seconds. it was not like other paranormal stuff so I do think it was sleep paralysis.

[openozy]

17 hours ago, Alex_Rogan said:

so many people dismissing paranormal stuff as sleep paralysis,

Completely different thing mate but if that idea comforts people so be it.

[Alex_Rogan]

20 hours ago, Ell said:

Was your aging father on blood pressure reducers? i.e. vasodilators?

I don't know exactly.

He is on some kind of heart meds and a baby aspirin regiment.

The paramedics looked at his prescriptions.

He does see doctors and takes care of himself accordingly.

He uses the CPAP for apnea while sleeping at night.

The ER doc suggested he shouldn't take naps without the CPAP.... kinda hard to do when drifting off into a nap after lunch in a recliner.

From what I've gathered, his heart is good.

The ER doc suggested hypoxia from the apnea.... which I could assume causes brain problems from periods of oxygen starvation.

I wonder how many times this has happened when nobody was around to see it... and he regains full consciousness eventually, after the episode passes and regains oxygenation.

[Alex_Rogan]

19 hours ago, ouija ouija said:

.... I wonder if sleep paralysis only happens when you're lying down?

I hope your father is feeling okay now.

edit to say: The "I am lost" could be related to whatever your father was dreaming about immediately before he woke up. When I have a sleep apnea episode my dreaming mind tries to fit the distress of not breathing into the dream . . . makes it part of the story in some way.

He was leaned back in a Lazy-boy style recliner.

Thank you for your well wishes for my father. He seems okay and seeing his doctor. I really appreciate your compassion.

The "I am lost" was also a response to questions from the paramedics... like "how many quarters are in a dollar".... I don't think it was related to any dream. He was lost inside his mind. Like things weren't firing correctly in his mind.

It must have sucked for him at the moment. He had an engineering career and mindset.

He doesn't seem to recall anything about the event, which is probably a good thing.

[Alex_Rogan]

15 hours ago, Liquid Gardens said:

I've had sleep paralysis several times but never witnessed someone else who's had it.  My experiences usually last no more than a minute or so I'd guess, and I don't think I've ever been able to talk but have been able to look around.  I also have no issue remembering it so good call on your dad seeing doctors on this, it sounds like he had more going on than just sleep paralysis.

It is curious that there are no witnesses to someone experiencing sleep paralysis

That's kinda weird.

I only began considering sleep paralysis after I learned about the apnea events and possible hypoxia.

Looking back, he did seem to display behavior that fits my personal experience with sleep paralysis (and what I've read about others experiences)

 

Edited September 27 by Alex_Rogan

[Alex_Rogan]

13 hours ago, Desertrat56 said:

From your description I would think he had a stroke.   Let the doctors tell you what it is and quit asking for medical advice on a forum.  

the paramedics ruled out a stroke because he regained "normalcy" eventually - after an hour or two - and slowly began regaining normalcy while they were initially asking questions and trying to get him move his limbs - hands and feet..... 

If it was a stroke, he would not have "bounced back" so quickly. That's why they thought it was a tranistory clot that passed through.... if the clot clogged and stayed in place, it would have been a stroke.

Edited September 27 by Alex_Rogan

[Alex_Rogan]

Thanks for all your input and I especially appreciate your concern and well wishes for my father.

It means bunches in this generally cold and uncaring world.

Bless each one of you.

Life is short. Hug your loved ones. Life often turns in the blink of an eye. Good one moment, then blammo... chaos and uncertainty.

Thanks again and be excellent to each other

[Alex_Rogan]

13 hours ago, Desertrat56 said:

Let the doctors tell you what it is and quit asking for medical advice on a forum.  

Sorry. Never asked for medical advice from any forum.

[Ell]

7 hours ago, Alex_Rogan said:

I don't know exactly.

He is on some kind of heart meds and a baby aspirin regiment.

Better find out if he was on vasodilators. When the blood vessels dilate, the blood will flow more slowly and the blood will start to clot more than it simultaneously unclots: the balance between both is disturbed.

[diddyman68]

7 hours ago, Alex_Rogan said:

Sorry. Never asked for medical advice from any forum.

You did the right thing calling medics straight away.i also think the medics were right in their diagnosis.

I had quite a few sleep paralysis episodes in the past but never witnessed anybody else having one.

They only lasted maybe up to a minute and never had any loss of memory and didn't take an hour to get back to normal .

Pleased to hear your dad is on the road to recovery thanks to your quick response.

[Claira]

On 9/26/2024 at 1:16 AM, Alex_Rogan said:

Has anyone witnessed someone experience sleep paralysis?

If so, I have questions.

How long does it last?

What was it like?

Sleep paralysis lasts anywhere from a few seconds to about a minute or so. It ends as soon as a person properly awakens.

It most definitely is not the underlying cause in your father's case. I'm glad you contacted emergency services and that he is getting the medical help he needs. Best wishes for his recovery. Keep us posted.