how did you know you had sleep apnea

Was in the hospital having cardioversion, for atrial fibrillation, (electro paddles) While still in dream land, cardioligist saw my wife and daughter in the waiting room, says your husband can sure snore, recomend he have a sleep study, apnea was more than likely the cause of his irregular heart beat condition, by the way this was June of 2006, December of 2005 I had full exams of heart, stress tests etc, and was told all was fine just keep taking meds for high blood press. So me not wanting to get those paddles again on my chest and back am being compliant on this cpap journey, to those in question don't wait till you have a problem before starting cpap.
Hurricane

My cardiologist ordered the PSG, based on frequent night-time A-fib
events. The study revealed SAO2s in the mid 70's.

My wife was after me for years to get a sleep study because I snored tremendously and she said it sounded like I stopped breathing at times. Finally got the sleep study and was diagnosed. Have not looked back since, and my wife is sleeping better too since she does not worry about me not breathing anymore and most importantly do not snore anymore. I also noticed that the constant bruising in my ribs have disappeared (my wife has assured me the sore ribs were from her elbow hits to get me to turn over) .

TM

My girlfriend (and all of her family, for that matter) snores like a lumberjack. It had finally gotten to the point that often, when she spent the night, I'd have to go to the living room and sleep on the sofa to get any rest. (That's not condusive to a very romantic night together!!!!!) So I got on-line and started learning about snoring and came across sleep disorder information. I made her go to a doctor and get a sleep studay. Then, after she started getting good nights sleep, she told me I snored a lot also. So I went and was tested. The rest is history for me also.

My health had been on a downward trend for several years. My doc was seeing me, testing me and, finding nothing to explain the problems. I sure had no idea but, I knew I snored, I knew I ached, I had a chronic low grade fever, I knew my blood pressure was high much of the time, I knew I slept whenever I sat down very long (I sletpt thru "Lord of the Rings" in surround sound), that I was drinking too much coffee and snacking too much and I was tired all the time. I often slept all afternoon one day on the weekend to "catch up". I asked the doc to, run a complete blood panel, and explained that my Dad was a serious snorer and had died of heart disease and, that I snored and would like a sleep study to rule out problems on that front. I also made an appointment with an allergist.

The sleep study showed that I had apnea, I was grateful. I got a machine as fast as I could and never turned back! At that time, I had no idea that it was effecting anything except my tiredness and lack of stamina.

I have resolved several other issues, since I can now string a few logical thoughts together (man, a little real sleep goes a long way!) and I am feeling much better. I need to continue to work at it and I expect to continue to improve!

Joey

I had suspicions but, but it wasn't until I had knee surgery that they were confirmed. I was in recovery trying to come out of the anesthesia and I was having a very difficult time. The nurse said my breathing would stop and my O2 levels would drop really low so they couldn't take me off the O2 mask for quite a while. When I finally did come around the nurse made me promise to get checked for OSA.

I could rattle pictures off the wall on the other end of our house with my snoring. One time backpacking some friends thought a bear was attacking our tent and ran over to help. In the mornings my wife would tell me how many times she had awakened to "kick start" me to breathe (lots of bruises). I felt absolutely terrible every morning - even if I had slept (what I thought was sleep) for a long time. I fell asleep during afternoon work meetings. I fell asleep every evening (the kids called it "dad's pre-bedtime nap"). I drank lots of caffeine, took lots of vitamins, and anything else (legal) that reportedly gives more energy. Finally, a brochure I picked up at my son's ENT office describing the symptoms of OSA led to some internet searches, a GP appointment, then off to a Pulmanologist...

I think I knew for a long time before I would admit something was wrong. I blamed many things to avoid the Dr. Then I fought CPAP for several weeks wanting a silver bullet when I noticed that I didn't drink coffee for most of the day, was attentive at home and work and so on.

Now I'd like CPAP to lose weight for me, lower my cholestorol, and fix my blood pressure without my having to work very hard. Change is tough for some of us.

Chris

2 years ago, 6:30 AM Monday morning:

"Sweetie, I just don't understand it. I slept for almost 36 hours this past weekend and I'm more tired now than when I went to bed Friday night. I'm wiped at work and fall asleep at my computer there at least 3 times a day. I also hate not having enough energy to go out and do stuff with our son. He's at the perfect age now to go fishing, hiking, biking and all that stuff. And I'm missing out on it. I really feel bad that I fall asleep every evening at about 6:30 PM and don't have any time to spend with you, too. Yeah, I know you don't like sleeping on the couch, but we both know that if you don't, you won't get any sleep in bed with me cuz I snore so darn loudly. There's just GOT to be a better way to live, if you can call what I'm doing living. It's more like just barely existing."

Nuff said??

CPAP gave me back my life on many MANY levels.

Kajun

blarg wrote:My best friend spent the night. In the morning he told me he "feared for my life" and that it sounded like I was "eating small children."

Lucky you, blarg, for your friend to have been so concerned, and colorful in his description!

I've snored since my teens. I remember my mother waking me, and telling me to "Roll over!". But it took me awhile to get back to sleep, because SHE snored also! The snoring got worse as I got older.

I was probably in my thirties when I remember waking up numerous times during the night, gasping for breath. My ribs ached in the morning, and I was generally tired throughout the day. I supplemented with coffee and cigarettes. At that time, I was not seeing a physician for any particular reason, so the subject didn't come up. The emotional problems that began as a teen were also worsening, but any medication available then did not help. Scoliosis also entered my life around puberty; I had spinal trauma prior to that, but its cause (scoliosis) was termed idiopathic.
The lack of good sleep and its effects continued through my 40's, and although I'd mentioned these things to my new physician, I don't know that I had even categorized the symptoms and relayed them to her at one time, nor did she "put them together". (She later admitted that she had not associated tiredness with apnea.)
I was also experiencing some major depression, and thought I was a loony bin candidate, and even thought that would be a 'vacation place'. The lack of quality sleep for so many years was taking its toll. A psychiatrist couldn't believe that I had progressed so far in my career under these conditions. It was hell, working harder than necessary, to accomplish what could have been 'natural'. I think that other personality traits helped out there.
At that point, I was suicidal. Finally, my internist referred me to a neurologist, who Rx'd Prozac, which had a miraculous effect for me. She then scheduled a sleep study (she was also a sleep-disorder doc).

FINALLY! I'm on cpap therapy. Think of all those good years I missed, not being at my full potential emotionally and physically. The Prozac has "worn off", but we're trying other meds, and I think my apnea was also a contributor

I never heard the term 'apnea', or I would have been more pro-active, and all of the above was 'pre-internet' and enlightened physicians (or mine weren't). I had always been underweight, so that also muddied the diagnosis.

So now you know why I chose "Offerocker", because I certainly felt that way for many years. Some traits of the depression still exist, and will manifest when there's too much on my plate.

This forum and the support of many people in it have been my 'support group' in many ways.
Cpap therapy has been a major contribution to my "quality of life".
Sorry for the detail, but it WAS a long, long road - but I'm here!

I DO realize that I am lucky to not have had a heart attack or worse, until I received therapy.
I only learned from this forum how devastating apnea can be!
So, that's MY story...sorry that it ended up being a 'book'!

Hey Offerocker, its all behind ya, peace and well being be with you.
Hurricane

Hurricane wrote:Hey Offerocker, its all behind ya, peace and well being be with you.
Hurricane

Hurricane, THANK YOU FOR THAT! You "blew in" right on time.
Feel free to give me another blast now & then.
I hope you're doing well also!

Johnny: I think we need an emoticon for "hugs"!
There are a lot I'd like to pass out - and I know how good they feel too.

Offenrocker,
I read every word of your adventure into xPAP. It was very insightful.
Stay with it, we are all pulling for you.

oldgearhead wrote:Offenrocker,
I read every word of your adventure into xPAP. It was very insightful.
Stay with it, we are all pulling for you.

THANK YOU, "oldgearhead"! I think I just got another imternet hug.
My God, I never knew there could be so many understanding and caring people! Insight and Compassion abounds here!

These encouragements will fuel me to "get busy and keep at it"

I've found that others have also "opened up" and written of their bumpy roads. There is always much more to be told, and some things are more difficult to relate to than others. And some subjects are more difficult to reveal - in the wanting to, or just the explaining of it.
I am grateful that there are those who DO understand and are supportive of each other, regardless of the other person's 'problems'.

My heart is lighter, and I'm smiling now. .

well you probably have seen that commerical on TV where they are frying eggs and it says:

This is your brain on drugs?

Well this is your brain on untreated OSA at age 45, and like an egg, it is pretty hard to unfry one after you have had a stroke. Once brain tissue is deprived of oxygenated blood it dies and it doesn't grow back.

That circled divot with a grease pencil is the remnants of a stroke, that happens to be the caudate head of my Basal Ganglia, the main communications hub of the brain that controls finite motor control.



When they say untreated OSA increases your risk of stroke and heart attack, you better believe it. I stay on CPAP therapy no matter how discomfortable it is to prevent that 3rd stroke which is usually fatal. That film above is from my first one, I had another one 6 weeks later.

But I can still walk and talk skip rope and talk to the pope, so I am one of the lucky ones I guess.

Snoredog wrote:well you probably have seen that commerical on TV where they are frying eggs and it says:

This is your brain on drugs?

Well this is your brain on untreated OSA at age 45, and like an egg, it is pretty hard to unfry one after you have had a stroke. Once brain tissue is deprived of oxygenated blood it dies and it doesn't grow back.

That circled divot with a grease pencil is the remnants of a stroke, that happens to be the caudate head of my Basal Ganglia, the main communications hub of the brain that controls finite motor control.

When they say untreated OSA increases your risk of stroke and heart attack, you better believe it. I stay on CPAP therapy no matter how discomfortable it is to prevent that 3rd stroke which is usually fatal. That film above is from my first one, I had another one 6 weeks later.

But I can still walk and talk skip rope and talk to the pope, so I am one of the lucky ones I guess.

OUCH!
You "GUESS"? Snoredog, you are DEFINITELY lucky!
I'm wondering if (just uneducated wondering, you understand) that area of the brain may have been larger/more developed that 'usual', in order for you to have come out of BOTH attacks permanently unscathed, re your ref, which I highlighted in green.
Your recovery must have been an ordeal for you, and you probably had to 'relearn' many things? You must be filled with determination.

Thanks for posting that informative picture.
I tried posting mine, but it looked like Swiss cheeze - without any strokes!.