Sleep Apnea? You make the call!

[RoboLobo]

Hi everyone, newbie alert!! I am going to have a sleep study done next week, and of course all my questions may be answered after that. But being the impatient sort, I wanted to describe my sleep problem/symptoms and see if it sounds familiar to any of you. Simply put, I jerk a lot in my sleep. The first time it happened, about 4 years ago, my wife thought I was having a seizure. These jerks and a sound my wife calls "snorfling" (I think a cross between a snore and a grunt) happen quite a lot during the night. For the most part they do not wake me up, or if I do wake up in the middle of the night I cannot tell if it was from a jerk (it probably was). Occasionally, just before drifting off to sleep, I will feel a "vibration" building up in my body, almost electrical, that then expends itself with a jerk. Because of that alone I sometimes wonder if my sleep jerkiness is some sort of neurological issue not related to Apnea (and that freaks me out a bit). I am not overweight, I don't constantly snore, I do have GERD, I do feel fatigued a bit more than usual during the day. SO....does this sound like Sleep Apnea? Any and all opinions are very welcome! Thanks!

[LSAT]

There is no way of telling...It could be any number of things besides OSA...or it could be nothing. Anything we tell you is just a guess. Wait for the sleep study...that's what they are for.

[Gaga58]

Robo...this is what I was doing right before deciding I'd better get a sleep study. Mine would wake me up however, feeling like I was suffocating. The electrical "charge" you mentioned was on the same line as mine, although mine was more like an anxiety attack...sort of like the feeling in the gut you get on a roller coaster ride! However, since being diagnosed with OSA and using my machine religously...well, I don't do either of these anymore. But you'll know a whole lot more after your sleep study. Read all you can on here so you will be prepared once you do get a diagnosis...good luck to you!

[RoboLobo]

Thanks LSAT and Gaga. I will let you folks know once I know something. Something is going on, just not quite sure what. I keep telling my wife we just need a bigger and better mattress so I don't transmit my crazy vibes over to her side of the bed, but for some obscure reason she loves me and wants me to get it checked out, go figure

And LSAT, I just wanted to add: GO PACKERS!

[chunkyfrog]

A lot sounds very familiar.
Your providers will be able to sort it out.
Good luck, good sleep, good health, long life.

[ameriken]

A sleep study is a great idea for what you've got going. The one thing I didn't read is that you are waking up out of breath or that your wife notices that you're not breathing at night. If you mentioned those it would be an easier call to say that you have sleep apnea. The fatigue could be because the knee jerking is waking you up instead of apneas waking you up. But just because no one has noticed if you are not breathing when you sleep doesn't mean it's not going on. As has been mentioned, the study will help sort things out.

[bleukats]

It might be just deep fatigue... but it has a chance of it being sleep apnea too.
Do u want it cured or something?

[RoboLobo]

Yes, it would be nice to "cure" it as it's a PITA especially to my wife, but at the least I'd like it diagnosed. Like Schwarzenegger, I want to be able to say that it's not a Too-Mah. And I don't know about going to bed fatigued, but I certainly wake up that way. As for breathing, my wife has not seen me stop breathing as best she can tell. But the Neurologist did note a slight to moderate narrowed airway, so who knows. I will let you all know after the study. Thanks for all the advice!

[Emilia]

You don't have to 'stop' breathing...if it is hypopnea syndrome, it would be very shallow breathing and lowered O2 circulating in your blood (read: not helping your brain). My sleep study yielded exactly ONE apnea but plenty of hypopneas. Enough to put me into the moderate category. Since using my machine each and every night, I have had amazing improvement.

You also sound like you might have restless legs... but all that will get sorted out in your study. Good luck and keep us posted on your results!

[RoboLobo]

Just wanted to mention that I had my sleep study last night. Although the Sleep Technician is (of course) not allowed to provide a diagnosis, he said that the fact that he put a CPAP mask and machine on me at 1:30 a.m. indicates there is a Sleep Apnea issue. Apparently my night twitching is to wake myself up in order to open up my airway. So, I think there is a CPAP machine in my future, which considering its benefits warrants one of these

One completely unrelated (non-diagnostic) question: I have Blue Shield of California PPO, does anyone know how the process works on obtaining a machine, and do I have any choice on what I can get. When perusing CPAP.Com it's like being in a CPAP candy store, but I have this uneasy feeling that they will try to hand me the Golden Tiger CPAP and Bicycle Pump Repair machine made by the happy slave laborers at Tsing Tao factory is Shin Zhou or something not as wonderful as I would like. Any thoughts?

Thanks again for all the advice and support!

[RoboLobo]

Oops, that's the Tsing Tao factory *in* Shin Zhou. Need to press Preview button first next time...

[Emilia]

PPO's are, generally, good about coverage....and usually allow more latitude in selecting a DME. That said, you MUST read Janknitz's blog (she is a forum member of long standing) on what to do BEFORE you meet with your DME, and also get the lay of the land on the best, full-data capable machines: http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/

Call your insurance and ask them for a full accounting of what DME's you have in your plan from which to choose, what your deductible is, what co-pay (if any) you are responsible for, find out if you are on a rent to own or a full purchase plan. In addition, get a copy of your full sleep study report (you are entitled to have this -- although you may be charged for copying) and get an original copy of the Rx for the machine/mask. If possible, get the doc to write the Rx for an auto-adjusting, fully data capable machine and to note it is medically necessary. This will keep the DME from trying to pull a fast one on you....but be SURE you get what was ordered. NEVER accept any machine unless it is what you were promised.

Good luck!!

[Kairosgrammy]

I actually do the jerking thing myself and have since I was college aged ( a very, very, very long time ago). It is generally caused by tight muscles that as you relax, jerk. Essentially a release of energy if I understand it correctly. Don't ask me why but it is fairly normal for many people. Mine got worse a couple of years ago but I was under a LOT of stress. Now the "snorfling" sound does sound like apnea. Let us know how the sleep study goes.

Hi everyone, newbie alert!! I am going to have a sleep study done next week, and of course all my questions may be answered after that. But being the impatient sort, I wanted to describe my sleep problem/symptoms and see if it sounds familiar to any of you. Simply put, I jerk a lot in my sleep. The first time it happened, about 4 years ago, my wife thought I was having a seizure. These jerks and a sound my wife calls "snorfling" (I think a cross between a snore and a grunt) happen quite a lot during the night. For the most part they do not wake me up, or if I do wake up in the middle of the night I cannot tell if it was from a jerk (it probably was). Occasionally, just before drifting off to sleep, I will feel a "vibration" building up in my body, almost electrical, that then expends itself with a jerk. Because of that alone I sometimes wonder if my sleep jerkiness is some sort of neurological issue not related to Apnea (and that freaks me out a bit). I am not overweight, I don't constantly snore, I do have GERD, I do feel fatigued a bit more than usual during the day. SO....does this sound like Sleep Apnea? Any and all opinions are very welcome! Thanks!

[Rlamb]

I also am not overweight, don't snore, and have acid reflux (probably gerd...never got diagnosed)...and I'm young. I can remember dreaming of kicking in my sleep and waking up from feeling like I jerked in my sleep. Also sleepy but didn't realize I was sleep deprived at all because how active I was.

But, as everyone said, your sleep study will tell it all. Make sure to get a copy of it no matter what they tell you that you have.

God Bless...