Question about apnea diagnosis

[GrammaBear]

You're right - I was tired every afternoon. That's what caused my doc to first order the sleep test.

Still just trying to digest the apnea diagnosis!

Before my sleep apnea diagnosis, I also had no typical symptoms. One of the things I did notice was that I was ALWAYS tired in the afternoon. I happened to mention that to my doctor and my husband was with me at that appointment. He told the doctor - "Yes, my wife snores loudly too." He had never told me that, but he told the doctor. Doc ordered a sleep study which revealed I stopped breathing 163 times in 90 minutes. The sleep technician stopped the test and sent me home. Next day I saw the sleep doctor who revealed the diagnosis. Getting a cpap machine was the best thing to happen to me. I don't fall asleep anymore in the afternoon and I actually look forward to bedtime with my cpap.

[chill]

My main symptoms were difficulty concentrating, making decisions, and generally thinking about anything complex. I just thought I was getting old at 52. I did snore sometimes, but nothing dramatic. My wife never mentioned me breathing oddly. I felt that I slept well. Now, being on CPAP, I realize that I was exhausted all the time. All day, every day. It just happened so gradually that it became my new normal.

Take the diagnosis as the gift of feeling better for the rest of your longer (than if not diagnosed) life. Sucking hose is not that bad. The sun still rises.

[SideSleeper]

Jane, i didn't think I had a sleep problem! I was tired in the later part of the day, but generally shrugged it off as not getting enough sleep. My husband wears hearing aids so couldn't hear me if I snored. I didn't seem to have any sleep disturbances. Over the years I did get sleepy while driving a few times--had two scares over about a 10 year period where I luckily didn't fall completely asleep. Then the big wake-up--I fell asleep and rear-ended a car stopped at a cross walk with kids crossing. Kids saw me coming and got out of the way before I pushed the other car through the crosswalk. No injuries to the people involved--just a lot of really bad bruises from my seat belt. My primary doctor scheduled me for a sleep study right away. I was in denial about the sleep apnea, but ended up with the diagnosis just into the severe area--30.8 AHI. My husband has sleep apnea was was on CPAP to treat his over 70 AHI--I was sleeping with earplugs since his stop-breathing sessions were so song and often and he started up with a huge snort. I didn't adept well to the machine at first, still partially in denial, but did A LOT of research in a short period of time and decided my attitude better change and quickly. My age, 75, not so great physical condition, and several heart problems and high blood pressure could make my chances of a longer life not so good! It took about a month to adapt to that thing on my face, but I embraced it, thankful there was something I could do about this bump in the road. I now sleep much more soundly--actually look forward to going to bed. I've been very fortunate not to have had many of the problems forum members deal with. I didn't find this forum for about a month after I started--things go much better after that first month! Be thankful you have found the problem before you got in a wreck and lost your license--I could have killed those kids or injured the people I hit. You will find a lot of support here so keep in touch as you start this new, healthier, chapter of your life!

[holden4th]

Jane, my cardiologist suggested the sleep test after an 'event' was deemed to be non-cardiac related. I had noticed some daytime tiredness but put it down to other things such as a reaction to statin medication etc. Denial is so easy.

I'm now on CPAP and am getting better every day. The one major way I was affected was my decision making. I shudder now when I think of some of my decisions/reactions over the last couple of years. At the time I could see nothing wrong with what I was doing and I'm grateful for the forebearance of my colleagues.

A vastly improved psychological state has been the first blessing that CPAP has given me. I'm now proactive instead of reactive and find that just going with the flow makes so much sense.

Go ahead and do the test, you've got nothing to lose.

Best wishes.

[0rangebear]

You're right - I was tired every afternoon. That's what caused my doc to first order the sleep test.

Still just trying to digest the apnea diagnosis!

You might want to ask your self a different question.

Will I benefit from positive airway pressure therapy?

There is only one way to find out. Let the doc hook you up with a machine and give it a try. Download sleepyhead and learn what the data is saying. You be more informed and will understand you own personal sleep habits much better.

My wife repeatedly told the doctors I did not snore or stop breathing, and they did not believe her .

I never woke up gasping for air b4 starting therapy, but did a few times after started therapy. (first few weeks)

I never have any headaches or daytime sleepiness

I always felt like I slept fine

The doctors wanted me on therapy because I have a 23 inch neck, I am Obese, and diabetic; when I was hospitalized they noticed I could not sleep on my back. Therefore, I did not sleep much in my sleep tests, where they kept insisting I sleep on my back.

I have been on therapy now for 140 days and have identified some significant benefits. The best way to sum all of them up is to say.

I feel younger since week 8 of therapy

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[green wings]

Hi, Jane. Welcome to Apnea Board.

I had about 30 apnea events per hour during my sleep study, too. I had recorded myself before the study using the app SleepBot, and I could hear myself restart breathing about 4-5 times during the whole night, so I was very surprised to find out that it was actually happening so often.

It's possible to have obstructive sleep apnea without snoring.

There's also another type of sleep-disordered breathing called UARS (upper airway resistance syndrome) that messes up your sleep quality. If they put the stretchy bands around your ribcage during your sleep study, they were measuring something called RERAs (respiratory effort related arousals).

If your sleep study results included something called RDI (it's AHI + RERA), the combination of apnea arousals per hour plus the RERAs, you might want to find out what that number was. Just if you're curious about it, really, since CPAP therapy treats RERAs as well as obstructive apnea events.

Good luck with your second sleep study.

I wish that I had found this forum at the pre-sleep study stage in my diagnosis. It's a great group of people who have years of experience in all things related to CPAP - machine use and setting, masks, etc.

I was not thrilled AT ALL to have a medical device in my bedroom, but the improved quality of sleep has won me over.

Hi - My first forum post. So - here's my question: Could I really have sleep apnea when neither I nor my partner of 20 years have ever noticed me stopping breathing at night, or gasping for breath, or even snoring on a regular basis?

I have taken the wrist oximeter test, and spent a night in the sleep lab, and both tests said I have a problem. Apparently I stop breathing something like 30 times an hour. I just wonder how that's possible when I can't see any outside evidence of it. Anyone else have this same experience?

I am scheduled to go back to the sleep lab in a week to try out a CPAP.

Thanks for any advice!

[eseedhouse]

You're right - I was tired every afternoon. That's what caused my doc to first order the sleep test.

Still just trying to digest the apnea diagnosis!

Consider yourself lucky. Your tiredness might be caused by heart failure or something else much worse than simple sleep apnea.

[JaneAM]

Excellent point - thanks for the perspective!

"Take the diagnosis as the gift of feeling better for the rest of your longer (than if not diagnosed) life..... The sun still rises."