Question:
What are the symptons of Sleep Apnea?
I've read many posts that stressed the importance of being properly diagnosed for sleep apnea because if not properly diagnosed, there can be some major breathing problems while in the recovery room, after surgery. I have had just one episode while sleeping and not sure if I should be worried or not. I thought At first I thought I was dreaming but I actually woke up gasping for air and felt as though I couldn't swallow. It was very scary. It only happened once and it happened about a week after I stopped smoking. Should I be concerned or not? — meltedbuttr (posted on December 15, 2002)
December 15, 2002
Snoring is one symptom. The doc doing your surgery should have you tested
for sleep apnea. You'll spend the night hooked up with all kinds of wires
to test for it.
— Betty Todd
December 15, 2002
Sleep Apnea is a very dangerous condition. Apnea means loss of breath. If
you have sleep apnea at night you can stop breathing many times an hour. I
was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea with over 90 episodes per hour. Your
oxygen level concentration in your blood goes down from the ninty or so
percent level to in my case in the 70 per cent level. Gasping for air is
one indicator . Headaches in the morning with fogginess in another.
Daytime drowsiness is another. For more education about spleep apnea I
recommend you visit the website www.sleepnet.com very good website about
all sleeping problems. The CPAP machine is the gold standard of treatment,
and since I have been on this I sleep like a baby
John Petersen
— John P.
December 15, 2002
Do you wake up not feeling rested, do you wake up gasping for air, do you
snore, when you sleep are you all over the bed and have small twitches, Can
you fall asleep at anytime of the day because you are so tired.
My husband had sleep apnea. I use to watch him sleep and he would stop
breathing for up to 20 seconds at a time many times during the night. Then
he would let out a loud snort and start breathing.
If you even suspect you have sleep apnea, get tested. One of the long term
effects of not treating this is heart problems.
Plus if you have it and get help you will feel so much better.
Congratulations on being smoke free.
— domestic G.
December 16, 2002
In preperation for insurance approval I was tested for Sleep Apnea and with
no clue what so ever - I had it bad. I really just felt tired - but I
thought this was weight related - and woke up with a dry mouth almost every
day. I also felt as if I was waking with a sinus headache every day. If
you have had an episode that makes you wonder, get tested.
— Michelle W.
December 16, 2002
I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea a few years ago. I would make up
in the middle of the night gasping for air. It felt like someone had been
standing on my chest. I would also have severe heartburn. I snored so
loud my mother thought the house would cave in. She would watch me sleep,
and said I was constantly gasping for air. I never felt like I was rested.
I spent the entire weekend sleeping, because I just couldn't get enough.
It was hard to function at work, because I was just in a constant fog.
When I went to a sleep study, I found out I was breating for 20
seconds-stopping for 10 seconds- consistently, the whole night. I had to
start sleeping with a By-Pap machine that forced air up my nose. It helped
me sleep, but the machine sucked! I am clostrophobic, so it took a lot of
tries to get used to the thing. I also became severly depressed, crying
myself to sleep because I felt like a freak. Ok- this sounds like a crazy
question, but do you still have your tonsils? I went to an Ear, Nose and
Throat doctor- who told me I had huge tonsils, and couldn't believe I still
had them. (I was 22 at the time.) I had them removed (not a fun recovery.
I was able to stop using the breathing machine after that. Guess my
tonsils were part of the obstruction causing my sleep apnea. This may not
happen to a lot of people. (leave it to me) I still have mild apnea- but
I don't use a machine now. Anyway- hope this helps. :)
— cjessie
December 17, 2002
I too have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. My PCP gave me a good book to
read its called "The Promise of Sleep" by William Dent I think
that's his name. It is an excellent resource and you will find that; this
really is a dangerous condition in many ways. In the book it was reported
that a lot of accidents are caused by people with sleep apnea due to
falling asleep while driving. I'm afraid that I've done this before and it
is very scary.
— April N.
December 17, 2002
Sleep Apnea is a very dangerous condition. Please read the memorial I
wrote on my friend, Ginger Brewster, on the website's memorial page to find
out what is the worst that can happen if you go into surgery with untreated
sleep apnea. Please, get tested so you'll know if you have it.
— Hackett
June 16, 2003
It's funny, some people don't really know they have it. I certainly didn't.
I'm divorced so no DH around to tell me. My kids told me I snored like a
freight train. :) After visiting a relative they also told me I snored. So,
who cares about snoring!! Yes, I was tired but always thought it was due to
carrying the excess weight. Well, I wanted to have WLS and thought I should
have a Sleep Study. Guess what? Thank GOD I did it. I stop breathing 80
times an hour. Anywhere from 8 seconds to 1 min. 23 sec. at a time. My
blood oxygen dips from a normal 95 to 55. I was a heart attack waiting to
happen. Now I have a CPAP, hate it but it does the job. The headaches I
woke up with almost every morning......gone....just one more sign. Sleep
Apnea is dangerous and you may not always understand the signs. Ask your
Dr. to send you for a sleep study. It may just save your life !
— blockie
June 16, 2003
I did not know I had sleep apnea prior to having to get clearance for
surgery. I realize now my two major symptoms or indicators were that I
snored so loudly and woke up with headaches. Hope this helps you.
— Ann B.
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