I might have sleep apenea?

[linksmom 0]

Does anyone have sleep apenea now?:thumbup: I've never had it that I'm aware of. I live alone and even when I was with someone, it was never mentioned. I know what it is, and that it's mainly caused by obesity. Here's the thing...for the last 4+ weeks, I have been soo tired. I go to bed at 11pm and am up at 4am. I've been doing this for the last 8 years. My hours at work have even changed from5-3:30 M-Th to 5-1:30 M-F. So I work another day but not as long on any of the days. All of a sudden, I'm so tired all the time. I'm sleepy on my breaks and lunch breaks and once I get home if I sit on the couch, I'm a goner! I sleep pretty solid. I would say I'm asleep minutes after the lights go out. I don't wake up in the middle of the night. The next thing I know is that the alarm is going off. I read in Prevention magazine that feeling fatiuged or sleepy can be a sign of sleep apenea. I was just curious, I mean my surgery is scheduled in 2 monthes and I know if I am having symptoms of it, it will dissappear soon after I lose some of the weight. Sorry to go on, haven't talked to anyone about this and was curious to what you thought. Thanks for listening Susan

[LBHAR101688 0]

Susan - I was diagnosed with sleep apnea last November. I didn't even know it. I was told I had over 20 event in the night. An event can be from snoring loudly to not breathing. Mine were from not breathing. I have been on a CPAP for sometime now and notice that I do sleep better and am more alert during the day now. I had the lapband surgery in March of this year. Will go in to the doctors in a few months to see if I need the machine anymore. All I know is I have been taken off all my medication, including for my diabetes. I am just telling you this because some symptoms do subside with surgery. Your best bet would be go in and have a sleep study. They can let you know.

Of course it could be due to the change in you schedule, even a slight change does take it out of some people. Good luck!

Bobbi

[Northwest_Nance 0]

I just went through a sleep study and was diagnosed with sleep apnea, though I suspected I had it for a long time and I should have sought treatment earlier. It doesn't sound to me like what you are describing necessarily means sleep apnea, but it would be good to get it checked out. Most people I know with sleep apnea wake up many times during the night. They often aren't even aware that the reason they woke up is because they weren't breathing. I never had other sleep apnea symptoms like being exhausted during the day, but I always woke up every 90-120 minutes. When I was married my husband told me I would hold my breath in my sleep, then suddenly my body would sort of "convulse" and I would wake up. I never was aware of doing that.

Here is a link to a support message board that is very helpful and educational. Sleep Apnea Support Forum Index

Many people don't realize that if you have sleep apnea, your body is being denied oxygen while you sleep and it has serious affects over the long term.... heart problems, it slows your metabolism (some people lose weight without even trying, once they start getting their apnea treated), affects your memory. Good luck!

[hopefulmom25 0]

I was just diagnosed with sleep apnea about a month ago.

My symptoms were an extreme increase in sleepiness/grogginess throughout the day.

I started snoring & gulping for air during the night.

Some mornings I woke up with a terrible headache.

I would wake up for just a few seconds several times each night, and wasn't sure why I was waking up.

If I sat still on the couch or anywhere for at least a few minutes, I started to fall asleep.

If you suspect it, it's worth it to have a study done. I feel so much better now that I'm on my CPAP at night. I'm alert and not sleep during the day, and I get really good, quality sleep at night. I feel like myself again.

[singledad167 0]

First, 5 hours of sleep is not nearly enough. But you do sound like you have symptoms of sleep apnea. To get tested, and to get on a cpap (a machinec that gives postive air pressure) to keep your airways open can really help with your weight loss also. I got one, and really it changed my life. No longer do I want to nap all the time, when I do sleep it's very productive. Plus sleep apnea can be dangerous. Here's another sight with tons of great info.

Sleep Apnea Support Forum Index

[JRT Mom 919]

I also have sleep apnea and suspected I did, but it was confirmed after sharing a hotel room with a woman who happened to be a nurse practioner. She said she was up all night listening to me struggle to breathe and stop breathing. So I had the study as a formality--it only took two hours to document it.

sleeping on a BiPap is a love-hate relationship--I do sleep more soundly, but waking up with strap marks all over your face is the pits!

But having sleep apnea will make it easier to get approved by your insurance company, so in this case it's a good thing. And I'm really hoping that if I lose the weight the apnea will go away!

[plain 12]

Hi linksmom. Most sleep apnea is not really related to weight. It's related to how your airway is built. Some people do have weight-related apnea... however, it's more the exception than the rule.

[singledad167 0]

I also have sleep apnea and suspected I did, but it was confirmed after sharing a hotel room with a woman who happened to be a nurse practioner. She said she was up all night listening to me struggle to breathe and stop breathing. So I had the study as a formality--it only took two hours to document it.

sleeping on a BiPap is a love-hate relationship--I do sleep more soundly, but waking up with strap marks all over your face is the pits!

But having sleep apnea will make it easier to get approved by your insurance company, so in this case it's a good thing. And I'm really hoping that if I lose the weight the apnea will go away!

Not sure what mask you're using, but I have the Swift II and it's really not bad at all. I also heard alot of people say they like the Opti life.

[JRT Mom 919]

Thanks--I need a new one soon--I'll check into those!

[WestCoastFatGuy 3]

Does anyone have sleep apenea now?:party: I've never had it that I'm aware of. I live alone and even when I was with someone, it was never mentioned. I know what it is, and that it's mainly caused by obesity. Here's the thing...for the last 4+ weeks, I have been soo tired. I go to bed at 11pm and am up at 4am. I've been doing this for the last 8 years. My hours at work have even changed from5-3:30 M-Th to 5-1:30 M-F. So I work another day but not as long on any of the days. All of a sudden, I'm so tired all the time. I'm sleepy on my breaks and lunch breaks and once I get home if I sit on the couch, I'm a goner! I sleep pretty solid. I would say I'm asleep minutes after the lights go out. I don't wake up in the middle of the night. The next thing I know is that the alarm is going off. I read in Prevention magazine that feeling fatiuged or sleepy can be a sign of sleep apenea. I was just curious, I mean my surgery is scheduled in 2 monthes and I know if I am having symptoms of it, it will dissappear soon after I lose some of the weight. Sorry to go on, haven't talked to anyone about this and was curious to what you thought. Thanks for listening Susan

OMG! You are going through EXACTLY what I did! Initially I tried to brush it off. Eventually I was falling asleep every time I sat down to watch TV or got in a semi-comfortable position. My end-symptoms included tongue-swelling and EXTREME weight gain!

FINALLY I woke up and sought out a pulmonologist. Due to my travel schedule for work I was unable to undergo an overnight sleep study. Instead, she sent me home with a machine to record my breathing status while sleeping and asked me to sleep for 4 hours with it. When I returned the machine and they did the analysis I found that I was waking up around 58 times per hour! My average oxygen concentration which should have been around 98% was less than 67%! I tried a normal CPAP but eventually ended up with an Autoset (adjusts automatically to what my body needs). My CPAP has been a GODSEND! I now sleep MUCH MUCH better and can be up for 16 or 18 hours if I need to be without falling asleep. In fact, I took my machine with me to my surgery (at my surgeon's orders) and used it throughout my hospital stay.

PLEASE don't walk, but RUN to your doctor and get a sleep test! If I (or you) were to fall asleep while driving a car we could kill someone! Sleep Apnea is a VERY VERY serious condition and needs to be treated as soon as you experience symptoms (as you are and I was). Don't be afraid... just get tested as soon as possible! There is light at the end of the sleepless tunnel!

[Telecia 1]

Does anyone have sleep apenea now?:w00t: I've never had it that I'm aware of. I live alone and even when I was with someone, it was never mentioned. I know what it is, and that it's mainly caused by obesity.

Actually its not caused by obesity but obesity does aggrivate it. Most everone has occasional apneas its just for for most people they don't happen often enough to be of major concern. And many times have no clue that they might have it. Not everyone with apnea snores.

Here's the thing...for the last 4+ weeks, I have been soo tired. I go to bed at 11pm and am up at 4am. I've been doing this for the last 8 years. My hours at work have even changed from5-3:30 M-Th to 5-1:30 M-F. So I work another day but not as long on any of the days. All of a sudden, I'm so tired all the time. I'm sleepy on my breaks and lunch breaks and once I get home if I sit on the couch, I'm a goner! I sleep pretty solid. I would say I'm asleep minutes after the lights go out. I don't wake up in the middle of the night. The next thing I know is that the alarm is going off.

It is also possible your not getting enough sleep, our bodies change so what might have worked for you in the past might not work now. I know I sure can't go for long on only 5 hours sleep. As I get older I seem to need more.

I read in Prevention magazine that feeling fatiuged or sleepy can be a sign of sleep apenea. I was just curious,

It could be. But you could also have cronic fatique, thyroid disorder, be missing something in your diet, or any number of other things. Tell your doctor so he/she can do the needed tests.

PLEASE don't walk, but RUN to your doctor and get a sleep test! If I (or you) were to fall asleep while driving a car we could kill someone! Sleep Apnea is a VERY VERY serious condition and needs to be treated as soon as you experience symptoms (as you are and I was). Don't be afraid... just get tested as soon as possible! There is light at the end of the sleepless tunnel!

I agree with WestCoastFatGuy: Sleep apnea is a very dangerous disorder. Letting it go untreated not only increases the risks of accidents it also seriously increases your risk of strokes and heart attacks. Sleep deprivation can also cause vicious mood swings, irrationalty, causes memory loss and more.

I mean my surgery is scheduled in 2 monthes and I know if I am having symptoms of it, it will dissappear soon after I lose some of the weight. Sorry to go on, haven't talked to anyone about this and was curious to what you thought. Thanks for listening Susan

Ok 2 months plus at least 6 weeks till your first fill after surgery and since most people DON'T feel restriction till 4,5,6th fill that could be 32-44 weeks!! Almost a year! BEFORE seeing any major weight loss!

If it is sleep apnea and you leave it untreated that long. OMG!!

Your better off going to your doctor and find out what it is.

My sleep apnea didn't show up till my youngests childs pregnancy. And silly me & my ob/gyn just thought it was being pregnant. (I don't do pregnancy well) This was in 1995 when Sleep Apnea was pretty much unheard of. I suffered through the entire pregnancy not being able to stay awake for more then 15 minutes at a time. And when I had to be transfered 100 miles away for my sons birth(Major complications). And couldn't even stay awake long enough for the doctors to talk over what they had to do to save my sons life. They tested me the same evening my son was born.

My sleep test only took 20 minutes before they were waking me up to put a CPAP on.

I will forever have major short term memory issues. From 6-9 months of severe oxygen loss to my brain. Cause that is what apnea does. Your blood pressure goes way up, your heart beats harder & faster trying to get more oxygen to your brain.

I'm sorry if my post sounds harsh. It scares me that many people seem to take sleep apnea so casually. :thumbup: When it can be just as dangerous and deadly as having a heart attack or stroke. Please get with your doctor and have it checked out.

[cleanteeth 1]

I did a sleep study about 2 years ago. I actually fell asleep driving home from work. Lucky I woke up and didn't hit anyone. I have a family history of apnea, and my dad and uncle have heart damage because of all the years without treatment. I'm also 100 pounds overweight (as are most of my dad's family). I have a love/hate realtionship with the CPAP. I love that I can sleep, and actually crave putting the thing on. I'm asleep within 3 minutes. I hate that I do have marks on my face in the AM, but I'm up early enough that they are gone before I leave the house. I hate that I feel like darth vader in front of my husband (he has NEVER said a word), and I really hate airplane travel with it.. But I LOVE that I sleep better, and love that I'm saving my body from all the undue stress.

Go get tested. Just like the band.. this is for your health

Molly

[Telecia 1]

hehe love/hate. I used to resent mine at times but not anymore. The only time now after 13 years of having it that I have any negative feelings toward it is when the power goes out and I can't sleep! LOL

Despite living on the edge of the city our apartment complex seems to get allot of power outs and those momentary flickers that are just enough to mess up clocks, turn off computers etc.

Since we do go camping or anything to justify the cost of a battery backup for CPAP. Having one for the maybe 2 hours tops we have no power every couple months isn't worth the $$.

Oh yea on the strap marks on the face. I found that if you take a reasonbly thick handtowel. Wet it and heat it up in the microwave and do an old fashoined hotsteam face wrap the marks go away MUCH quicker. I recently changed masks too and that helped imensely as now I don't have to wear the new mask near as tightly as the old. FlexiFit HC407 Nasal CPAP Mask I wish I woulda had this mask 13 years ago!! It is so comfy.

[cleanteeth 1]

Hey Telecia, thanks for the the tip for the marks and the new mask I'll check into it. I do hate the power outage! Your sleeping away and all of a sudden you have NO air!!! lol!

[sleepygirl 2]

sleepygirl is my name because I am an RPSGT (Registered Polysomnography Technologist), I help diagnose and treat sleep apnea. It sounds like you do have sleep apnea. When you have this, your airway is obstructed when you exhale. Often times because of excess body fat pressing against upper airways; however, this is not always the case. Sometimes it is just the structure of your airway. Most of the time; people can loose weight and correct the problem; but not always. Your best bet is to have a sleep study. If you do have sleep apnea you will see about a 30 pound weight loss just from being treated for this. When we sleep; we go thru stages of sleep.During the deeper stage; growth hormone is released, even in adults. This helps us loose weight. Obstructive sleep apnea keeps you from getting to that deeper stage of sleep; thus you are not getting your growth hormone released from the brain.

Talk with your physician and they will write an order for a sleep study.