I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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BarnhartWill
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I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

Post by BarnhartWill » Tue Feb 18, 2014 11:59 am

I think I've experienced some obstructive sleep apnea over the past few recent years (I'm 46). Sometimes as I fall to sleep I wake up gasping. There are occassional times when I wake up in the middle of the night with my heart beating real hard. I've responded with playing the didgeridoo and trying new sleeping positions. I'm currently on the tail end of a cold, so I've been having a particularly difficult time the last few nights (and days).

Sometimes I think I'm doing okay and don't notice any symptoms. It's just now and then. So, I think that self treatment (playing the didgeridoo) is a reasonable response. Sometimes (like now because I have a cold) I have a difficult time with it. One of the bothersome things about it is, I don't really know. I've recorded myself sleeping with a video camera and I seem to be breathing okay.

Right now, I think my plans are to get over this cold and just to watch for more symptoms after I'm over it. If I still notice symptoms, to talk to the doctor. Does that sound like a good plan? Any other advice?

Thank you,
Will

PS. In case it's helpful to know, I don't think I snore much. I think my snoring may have decreased some with my didgeridoo playing. But I don't think I've ever been a real bad at snoring.

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Julie
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Re: I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

Post by Julie » Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:00 pm

Hi - Wish it was as easy as playing the didg! What you need to know first is that you personally would not necessarily ever 'notice' symptoms yourself except for being half asleep in a fog all day, not to mention almost running someone over or rear ending other cars. It's more often a bed partner who sees you stop breathing for a length of time and then gasping for air, but the events don't usually waken us enough to be aware of them (except maybe for your big one that does). Don't even think of self treating however as any kind of an answer... you need to get your MD to refer you for a sleep study (not fun and not cheap) because you need to find out if a) you actually have apnea, b) to what extent, so a prescription can be properly written to program a machine for you (and not your neighbour), c) to find out what other possible sleep issues or disorders you might have - not something you can do on your own without the lab stuff and techs, etc.

Then you can come back here, discuss equipment choices and get going. You can also continue to play the didg. if you want to.

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kteague
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Re: I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

Post by kteague » Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:07 pm

Hello and welcome. Your description of waking up gasping and the heart beating hard does sound like what is commonly described by some with known OSA, including myself. While your episodes seem few, by its very nature OSA is a disorder of sleep in which the sleeper is unaware of most of their events. I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that you are actually having more problems than just those that fully wake you. Whether it's enough to merit treatment is anybody's guess without some further evidence. Problem is, things like reflux can cause similar symptoms. I think your plan of talking with your doctor after your cold resolves is a good idea. Have you already looked at a symptom checklist to see how many apply to you? Might be helpful to know that before talking with your doctor.

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Woody
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Re: I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

Post by Woody » Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:28 pm

I was sort of like you wondering if I had OSA so I used a tape recorder and
all it took was listening to that recording for a few minutes to know I had a
major problem. Called the Dr. early the next morning. Turns out I need CPAP
and additional 02 at night.

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herefishy
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Re: I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

Post by herefishy » Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:35 pm

The other thing you can do on your own is get a home oxygen monitor that you wear on your finger at night. It will record what the oxygen content of your blood runs as you sleep and if it is getting below 90% you can proceed with other tests.

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Re: I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

Post by kaiasgram » Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:45 pm

Hi Will -- You titled your thread "I think I have apnea" so I'd trust your instincts and observations. I was going to say what herefishy said. If you're not ready/able/willing to go for a full sleep study yet, an overnight recording pulse oximeter would be a way to see if you're having oxygen desaturations while you sleep. Desats correspond pretty well with apnea events and would be my biggest concern because the O2 deprivation can cause such damage over time. The oximeter doesn't measure other parameters that could affect how you breathe and sleep but it's a good first step as an alternative to a sleep study.

Good thing to be asking these questions at your age because if you do have sleep apnea getting treatment started now will help you avoid some of the long-term health effects of untreated apnea as you get older.

Good luck, I hope you'll keep us posted.

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Re: I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

Post by ChicagoGranny » Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:56 pm

Advice?
If you have decent insurance (I guess everyone has great insurance now that Obamacare is in effect), go to a sleep doc for a consultation, get a sleep study and start CPAPing.

In the meantime make sure you don't sleep on your back. Put a couple of hardback books in a backpack and wear it to bed if that is what it takes.

ChicagoGramps

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BarnhartWill
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Re: I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

Post by BarnhartWill » Tue Feb 18, 2014 2:31 pm

Thank you. I really appreciate each of your replies. I have looked at a symptom check list, kteague. My main symptoms are what I described. I do suffer with fatigue sometimes, but I mainly just notice it when sitting in church on Sunday mornings, or sometimes when driving, but not always. And like I said, I've made a video of myself sleeping (about 1 hour in length) and I didn't notice any obvious gasping.

It looks like most of the home oxygen monitors on Amazon don't record data but are just for an immediate reading. Any recommendations on one?

Or ChicagoGranny, you advise to go straight to a sleep doc, then a sleep study, CPAP, etc. Should I go to a primary care doctor first? Or, go straight to a specialist? I don't have insurance but I'm a part of a group that helps each other with medical bills as needed.

Thank you,
Will

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Re: I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

Post by teleute » Tue Feb 18, 2014 2:40 pm

I have the Contec CMS-50D+, and it does record data. Got it from here:

http://www.pulseoxstore.com/Downloadable-Pulse-Ox.html

And their support has been awesome. It's a little fiddly to get setup the first time, but the seller was great in providing help/instructions.

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Re: I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

Post by Pugsy » Tue Feb 18, 2014 2:43 pm

Look here for pulse oximeters that will record all night and come with software.
http://www.pulseoxstore.com/Downloadable-Pulse-Ox.html

Bear in mind that not all sleep apnea events result in significant drops in oxygen but this is a good starting point.
If you see significant desats...you have a pretty clear cut answer.
If you don't see significant desats...well you might still have sleep apnea so you wouldn't be totally home free.

I have a friend whose AHI during a sleep study was 64 per hour...her oxygen levels never went below 94% from a baseline of 97%. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen the sleep study report myself.

I bought the CMS 50 D Plus...from the above website. I wasn't planning on using it often so I was content with the features it offered and the price.
They can be found on EBAay from overseas sellers for a little less but I still opted to go with the above site because Kevin goes the extra mile to help you if you have trouble with the unit or the software.

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kaiasgram
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Re: I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

Post by kaiasgram » Tue Feb 18, 2014 2:48 pm

You mentioned that you had recorded just one hour of sleep. Since a typical sleep cycle is roughly 90-120 minutes you may have missed some important info as apnea can often be worse during REM and deep sleep stages. Also can vary with sleeping position.

Also another vote for the pulseox online store if you go that route. I have the CMS 50 F.

A primary care doc can refer for a sleep study.

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BarnhartWill
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Re: I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

Post by BarnhartWill » Tue Feb 18, 2014 3:18 pm

Thanks for the recommendations on an oxygen monitor. I would go that way, but it sounds like even if I get good results (>90%), I might still not be able to rest easy with no concerns ... is that right? Or, would the major concerns be alleviated, since my body is getting the oxygen it needs, no matter how much apnea is going on?

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Pugsy
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Re: I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

Post by Pugsy » Tue Feb 18, 2014 3:26 pm

It's not just about oxygen..it's about arousals from sleep that cause us to not get the quality sleep we need.
And we don't always know about those arousals or remember them.

If you have a lot of little micro arousals from not breathing that kick you out of sleep so that you aren't able to get the necessary progression through the sleep stages to deep sleep where the body gets the best benefit of the restorative powers of sleep.
Also those little jolts often are accompanied by boosts of adrenaline...repeated often through the night it isn't good on the body.

While oxygen is part of what is evaluated... it isn't the only thing.
Also...not everyone that has sleep apnea will snore...and not everyone that snores has sleep apnea.

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Re: I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

Post by HerbM » Tue Feb 18, 2014 3:49 pm

Also, note that some of us did NOT experience most of the "comfort symptoms" of apnea
I didn't feel exceptionally tired, never fell asleep when I didn't want to do so, wasn't foggy headed, had no headaches nor memory loss, etc.

My wife never caught me holding my breath or stopping breathing.

I snored, but had had a negative sleep study 20 years ago when my wife first complained about that so we figured "no issue."

My apnea when measure with a home pulse oximeter (provided by my dentist) was OBVIOUS however and the sleep study (still required) proved it severe. By no means the worst around HERE, but if there were a "very severe" range it would meet the requirements.

I had been telling doctors for years about both my actual symptoms and my lack of symptoms.

You know, the docs who all seem to have an APNEA WARNING POSTER on the wall of their exam room.

Even though I was sitting there overweight, hypertensive, with a heart issue, they all figure "No issue."

Maybe if mine had been caught earlier I wouldn't have high blood pressure of the heart issue would never have happened.

IF you think you MIGHT have sleep apnea, and you can in any way afford it the it is best to CHECK with a QUALIFIED doctor.

This stuff doesn't just make you TIRED and FORGETFUL, it DAMAGES your HEART and other ORGANS.

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Bill44133
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Re: I'm new. I think I have apnea. Advice?

Post by Bill44133 » Tue Feb 18, 2014 3:54 pm

I would strongly advise you to take a few minutes to view this video:

http://www.resmed.com/us/multimedia/und ... 40x380.swf

It put everything in perspective for me, and helped me understand what is going on.

I wish you well.

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