[Symptoms] My Story - I'm at a loss of what's wrong

[OpalRose]

Tim,
One thing I’ve learned over the last few years is that you, the patient, have to be proactive in your health care treatment. You can’t wait for them to call you....you need to call them!

Ask for a copy of your sleep study. You have a right to your own medical records. This study if done properly will show you if you have plain vanilla OSA or Central Sleep Apnea.

Post the results here. Use the Attachment feature below.

It is important that you follow up and not ignore your diagnosis of sleep apnea, especially if you have heart issues. “Untreated” SA can only aggravate other health problems.

BTW, you’ve done fine in responding here. We all tend to jump in and respond if we feel it would be helpful to you.

[TIMLCUNNINGHAM1982]

I'm sorry you've had so many health issues at such a young age, but I hope you are at least under a Cardiologist's care.  

Did you see a sleep specialist after your study?  What was recommended?  Request a copy of your sleep study and post it here.  Someone here would be able to decipher it and tell if you have Central Sleep Apnea.

I was supposed to find out my diagnoses through my cardiologist I guess but no one over told me. I found out I was diagnosed with OSA when I went back to another appointment for a sleep test. They told me there and that I was there for them to figure out what pressures I needed.

At my next cardiologist appointment that I wend to they referred me to a pulmonary doctor which I assumed was to get a cpap machine so I never went because I feel I'm not having OSA when sleeping on my sides. I normally don't have any sleeping issues unless It's these CSA symptoms upon falling asleep that I have for a few weeks at a time over the course of several months.

-Tim

The thing about OSA is that quite often you have it but don't realize it. When diagnosed I had moderate sleep apnea, but I still couldn't believe it.
It wasn't till I started using my machine and feeling better that I realized I must have had it for 10 years. Some symptoms that I had for a long time started to disappear. Things that I had no idea could be related to OSA.

Oh wow, okay. It's something to think about then. Maybe a cpap machine will help my palpitations! I guess you can rent these machines right? Maybe I should just give it a try. I really did not like the air pressure though during my test. It was really bothersome. But I'd like to see what it might help. Will our oxigen levels always drop when we experience sleep apnea? Maybe I can just get a oximeter recorder and start there to see if I'm actually having issus while sleeping on my sides. 

-Tim

[TIMLCUNNINGHAM1982]

I was supposed to find out my diagnoses through my cardiologist I guess but no one over told me. I found out I was diagnosed with OSA when I went back to another appointment for a sleep test. They told me there and that I was there for them to figure out what pressures I needed.

At my next cardiologist appointment that I wend to they referred me to a pulmonary doctor which I assumed was to get a cpap machine so I never went because I feel I'm not having OSA when sleeping on my sides. I normally don't have any sleeping issues unless It's these CSA symptoms upon falling asleep that I have for a few weeks at a time over the course of several months.

-Tim

The thing about OSA is that quite often you have it but don't realize it. When diagnosed I had moderate sleep apnea, but I still couldn't believe it.
It wasn't till I started using my machine and feeling better that I realized I must have had it for 10 years. Some symptoms that I had for a long time started to disappear. Things that I had no idea could be related to OSA.

Oh wow, okay. It's something to think about then. Maybe a cpap machine will help my palpitations! I guess you can rent these machines right? Maybe I should just give it a try. I really did not like the air pressure though during my test. It was really bothersome. But I'd like to see what it might help. Will our oxigen levels always drop when we experience sleep apnea? Maybe I can just get a oximeter recorder and start there to see if I'm actually having issus while sleeping on my sides. 

-Tim

If you don't mind me asking, what kind of symptoms were relieved that you didn't know were related to sleep apnea? What symptoms in general were relieved too? For the longest time I've had chronic fatigue. It's better now than it used to be though.

-Tim

[Mogy]

Off the top of my head some of my symptoms that have been improved
-Tiredness(not really sleepyness)-no motivation to do anything.
-Short fused, frustration at small issues.
-Going to the bathroom 3 times a night.
-Long lasting low grade headaches.
-sense of well being-low grade anxiety. Unhappy.
-Palpitations.
Treating my OSA has helped me in many ways, some of them very subtle. Poor sleep over along time left me unbalanced, treating it helped to restore balance.

Something to read about anxiety and OSA.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/24949026/

The oximeter is a good idea. If you got your sleep study it should contain information about how bad your sleep apnea is on your back and on your side. It will also tell  you what was happening with your oxygen during the night.

[Lamar2217]

Sorry about your significant health problems.  With the complexity of your issues, you may want to consider a visit to the Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic for a complete work up.

[bfmccarthy]

I am not a Doctor BUT I am not a simpleton either.  If your Dr. is not meeting your needs find another Dr.  I too have had palpitations and white coat hypertension.  My sleep study showed severe sleep apnea.  At the time I know nothing about different types of apneas and breathing restrictions during inhalation versus exhalation but I do now!!  My Resmed machine is smarter than I am and addresses symptom by adjusting the pressure but more importantly recording these events for review by my medical team or myself using sleepyhead.  Together we identify issues and seem the response.  I believed everybody end up with an apnea diagnosis just to sell these expensive machines, today my song has changed.  I am getting wonderful sleep.  My machine is looking out for me while I sleep.  My doctors review the data from the machine and keep me in the loop.  Oh by the way blood pressure is ok now and I dont wake up n the middle of the night because my heart is beating erratically.