Reggie White

TamraOH · Post by **TamraOH** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:56 am

Once again i'm new to having sleep apnea, but it really scared me when i read that Reggie White may have died from a "respiratory ailment that affected his sleep". Is this disorder really life threating? I know a few weeks ago my husband had a doctor visit with my doctor and he was just mentioning how i was worried about having sleep apnea and my doctor was casually laughing and saying he's never heard of anyone dieing from sleep apnea yet! Currently what scares me is i can't seem to keep my mask on now for more that 2 hours a night because of "problems" like dry mouth or a stuffy nose. Am i risking my life?!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 12:06 pm

FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR ASAP !!! Here is how it works.

1. Your airway is blocked by your Obstructive Apnea.. You gasp for air.

2. This happens over and over for longer periods. Your oxygen levels drop.

3. Your heart rate increases trying to supply oxygen to your body.

4. Finally your heart says "if you wont breath why should I keep beating"

5. You heart stops and you die OR you havea heart attack sometime in the morning.. They tell your family you died of a heart attack .

Correctly said . Nobody dies from the apnea....They die of heart failure.

You dont have a choice..you must use your cpap if you want to live.

Cheers,

Chris

ginnylee · Post by **ginnylee** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 12:25 pm

Yes it is life threatening. I wouldn't be alive today if I hadn't started cpap back in 1997. It took me awhile to realize I had something definitely wrong with me (napping all day on my days off, waking up real tired and falling asleep at work, twitching and snoring at night, not breathing at all at night).....I saw a documentary on TV on sleep apnea and my husband mentioned that the symptoms were just like what I had........I was diagnosed with SEVERE OSA and the cpap has done wonders for me. I never get tired anymore during the day unless I am sick......I will not even try and sleep without my cpap and consider it necessary if I want to live.....

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 1:08 pm

Hello Tamra,

it really scared me when i read that Reggie White may have died from a "respiratory ailment that affected his sleep"

That is the only good that may come from such a tragedy. Since it happened to a high profile person, perhaps more people will become aware of the seriousness of sleep apnea, especially regarding what it can do to the heart. Becoming aware before it's too late for them.

Am i risking my life?!

Yes.

Is this disorder really life threating?

Yes.

my doctor was casually laughing and saying he's never heard of anyone dieing from sleep apnea yet

For all their education, doctors are human too. Most people, including far too many doctors, do not take sleep apnea seriously enough. Slowly that attitude seems to be changing. Perhaps the media attention on Reggie White's unfortunate sudden death will speed up awareness....in the general public - and in the medical community.

SleepyGuy · Post by **SleepyGuy** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 2:25 pm

Sleep apnea in general is hard on your health. My understanding is that it affects people two ways. The first is that it prevents you from getting deep sleep. This makes you very tired.

The second way it affects you is by lowering your blood oxygen level. This is hard on the brain and heart and puts you at seriously increased risk for heart attack and stroke. Oxygen saturation levels should not drop below 90% while sleeping. In the sleep lab, patients have been seen to stop breathing as long as two minutes and their oxygen levels drop as low as 50%.

Fifi · Post by **Fifi** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 3:40 pm

I have had several sleep doctors and sleep assistants say to me, as I have quite a few problems in the past:

''don't worry its not that serious if people sleep a few nights without their machine, or even a couple of weeks, till we get a replacement machine in for you.

Maybe you are just a little confused, you are not on a life support machine. You just have sleep apnea and nobody dies from that, don' t you worry about that!

The above comments make me feel very alone and worried about how little people who are suppposed to be specialists in this area, actually know. I do not want to be even a day, if I can help it without my machine. it just makes me feel so ill the next day, lety alone a few days or weeks without!. Surely, I should feel the medical profession is on my side. The above comments often make me wonder about that.

johnnygoodman · Post by **johnnygoodman** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 3:41 pm

Howdy,

If you want hard numbers on the risks of apnea, check this out:

http://www.cpapsupport.com/cpap-information.php

Johnny

Spiritus · Post by **Spiritus** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 8:25 pm

I think it's important to note that White had, in addition to sleep apnea, Sarcoidosis. This is a little known condition that usually manifests in the lungs, and consists of small patches of inflamation.

By all means, be diligent about your cpap therapy, but - people - please don't let Reggie White's misfortune make you anxious!

Rob

Fifi · Post by **Fifi** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 4:14 pm

Thank you Johnny goodman. An interesting site.

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Reggie White

Reggie White

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