excessive yawning

[NancyMVP]

My husband been complaining about my yawning all the time.
Bad Habit? Or heart symptom?
We were out at the park with our dogs about 6:30 pm.
He says to me. Thats the third or fourth time you've yawned. Not counting the ones I'm trying to hid. lol
Can't you try not to do that?
I think he thinks I'm bored with him lol.
I did a search this morning on yawning. I came up with this site.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003096.htm
It actually mentions that excessive yawning can be a sign of a underlying heart condition.
I can't wait to show it to him.
Have any of my wonderful valve buddies experience this symptom before or after surgery. (I still have my valve).
I thought this was an interesting topic.

 

[gary]

Depends on the 'quality' of the yawn.

Depends on the 'quality' of the yawn.

A good healthy yawn, usually does its job and you feel a relaxing of tension, satisfied.

In my case in June of 1999 after working in 94 degree heat for a few days, laying down some bricks in my yard, and doing some other very strenuous work I began to notice yawns at rest in the evening, but they were not 'satisfying'. It was as if my body was fighting to complete the yawn but it could not, so it tried again and again. Eventually I could not 'catch my breath', dyspnea.

After testing it turned out to be 'Mild' congestive heart failure due to my faulty Aortic Valve, which was replaced within months of the episode.

'Disturbing' Yawns were my warning sign.


AVR; 4/00; Bovine Pericardial; CCF; Cosgrove

 

[NancyMVP]

To Gary,

So far I'm asymptonmatic. Except for fatigue and this yawning.
Yes at night its gets to the point somtimes when the yawns are unsatisfying.

Thanks for your response.

 

[gary]

Since the real issue is oxygenation of the

Since the real issue is oxygenation of the

blood, (yawning is a symptom of insufficiently aerated blood, normally) severe regurgitation may be depriving you of adequate oxygen on each beat.

If the fully oxygenated blood is regurgitated back thru the mitral valve into the left atrium, and permitted forward thru the aortic valve, and on out the body's tissue, it could account for the fatigue, which seems to be one aspect of being 'symptomatic'.

 

[Ross]

Gary hit the nail on the head. Nancy, I think your problem is as he has pointed out. I have nothing to add, so I'll go back to my little hole in the wall.

 

[NancyMVP]

Thanks for all your input!
I've been trying not to yawn today or cut back on yawning.
Sounds a bit weird.
I'm just curious to see if thats possible.
Now that I'm paying attention to it, it seems I do it all day. It is sorta embarrassing.
I'll let you all know what happens tomorrow.
Because if I find myself short of breath without yawning I'll have to call my doctor and make an appointment.

As far as fatigue goes. I've always had some form or another of that...

 

[gary]

If you are permitted good exercise, in the

If you are permitted good exercise, in the

20-30 minute target heart range, do you do it?

It may help relieve the fatigue. I understand that even patients with severe regurg need to get some form of C-V nearly every day even more than those with healthy hearts.

There are times when I have had to stop my C-V workouts (I'm going thru one right now wherein I've had a mysterious fever for two weeks which is just beginning to abate) when I have been off my program of 3-4 times a week (for as long as 6-8 weeks)and have felt a fatigue that ONLY a reumption exercise seemed to cure and getting started seemed counterintuitive.

I dread having to begin again hopefully next week when the weakness of this fever fades.

 

[NancyMVP]

gary,
I haven't been going to the gym lately. I was also doing this ecliptical machine that I have in the house. I think I had more energy then. Maybe I should give it a whirl.

 

[Simon Gee]

can i stick my nose in?

can i stick my nose in?

Hi Nancy and Gary,

this is a very interesting topic. For what it's worth, I've always been a great yawner and I can't say I've noticed much of a difference since my AVR two years ago - they still keep coming. I have the same problem as Nancy in that yawning can get a little embarrasing, particularly if you're listening to someone and trying to stifle a yawn so as not to appear bored!

I just assumed I yawned because I'm tired!!

Yours sleepily

Simon

 

[Nancy]

When I was a child, and for most of my life, I have had the same problem. Family members used to tease me about it. The yawns weren't satisfying and I had to yawn repeatedly. I couldn't get my breath. It wasn't until I got older when I came down with a full blown case of asthma, that I discovered what the problem was all along.

I now have my asthma under control and the problem has gone away. As I look back on it, I can remember others in my family who had similar breathing difficulties. They were never diagnosed with asthma, but I bet it was there in the background.

So I guess excessive yawning has much more to do with oxygen deprivation than it does with boredom. Although, there are those to whom a good yawn in the face would seem appropriate. LOL

 

[McCln]

Nancy MVP

Nancy MVP

I just got on and noticed your question. Before I had my bypass, I yawned quite a bit during the day. After bypass it susided to normal. You never know about yawning till you learn about it. There could be a connection. We learn new things about medical science everyday. Thanks for what you did learn. Take care.

Caroline
09-13-01
Aortic valve replacement
St. Jude's valve

 

[John Cochran]

Nancy,
Lots of good replies to your question so far. The one thing I'll add is that excessive yawning is also associated with elevated anxiety (not unusual for heart patients!).

There is also a curious phenomenon: When one person yawns in front of another, the other person often yawns shortly thereafter. Curiouser yet, this is a trans-species phenomenon; try yawning when your dog is looking at you, and the dog will likely also yawn.

Heart problems do tend to precipitate sleep problems, which brings on fatigue during the daytime; fatigue lends itself to elevated states of anxiety, and when you add it all up, you have 1 reasons to yawn

--John
P.S. Next time your guy complains about your yawning, just tell him to quit being so damn boring! Then mention you never yawn around OTHER guys! KIDDING!!

 

[NancyMVP]

..
Yes I know that yawning is know to be contagious.
If I meow to my black cat. We have 3. She will meow back as well. lol

I will have to try that test on all my pets. I'm starting to think it would be a cool science project for my son.

I can't say I sleep great. But I do sleep better now than when the boys were little.

My yawning isn't that serious I believe.
My sons been sick with allergies and asthma. This has been going on for the last month. Never this bad before. We went to an allergist yesterday. I think things are going to improve soon. I'm hopeful we are on the right track now.

 

[Ross]

The one thing I'll add is that excessive yawning is also associated with elevated anxiety (not unusual for heart patients!).

Now just what makes you think that we heart people suffer anxiety? You do know that they can label you mentally out of it for that don't you?

P.S. Next time your guy complains about your yawning, just tell him to quit being so damn boring! Then mention you never yawn around OTHER guys! KIDDING!!

John, you never cease to crack me up. I'm darn glad you have a good sense of humor. If it weren't for some of the things you come off with, I might not have made it through my extended vacation! You Rock!

 

[Gnusgal]

Here's one for you, John...

Here's one for you, John...

As I read this thread I think I yawned at least twice for each post. What does that mean?? Is it just power of suggestion? Or is it coincidence? Will the world ever know?

 

[John Cochran]

Niki,
Your multiple yawns is a sign that we need pictures to liven up this thread; I have, therefore, posted the main reason many of us here yawn so much:

 

[Johnny Stephens]

Dang, John, that thing on your head is getting bigger. Might wanna have it looked at or something.

Me? Pumphead? Nah. I'm not forgetful.
Me? Pumphead?........

 

[Boomanchu]

I yawned a lot before valve replacement but had serious regurge. 10 weeks post op and I'm yawning like crazy. My numbers are all great and have a 100% blood oxygen so I'm thinking it's just a matter of continuing cardio rehab. Or maybe after all the excitement and attention of surgery life really is just boring by comparison.

 

[Boomanchu]

sorry......repeat

 

[Boomanchu]

Guess hitting the post button repeatedly doesn't work out so well.