How I learned I had sleep apnea.

Bull Dozer · Post by **Bull Dozer** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 10:31 am

In 1992, my Nephew Aaron gave me his 6 month old dog 'Bud'. His mother had gotten remarried and her new husband did not want the loveable pup. His great loss. The fifty pound lab mix became my best friend for the next 17 years. Yes... he lived 17 years! The last 4-5 years of his life, he would get me up all through the night to go outside. He was old and I kind of understood this as I too have to go frequently now.
He had been diagnosed with Cushings disease previously, and been given 24 months to live. I found a website that gave tips on how to prepare special diets for canines with Cushings, and he lived another 40 months. His remains were cremated.
After his passing I began sleeping longer through the night. A strange thing began happening. I began waking up with my heart pounding out of my chest. Strange bizarre dreams. Within two weeks, I would be waking up about once a week with paroxysmal atrial fibrolation. Atriums quivering and heart rate in the 140-160's. I was in the E.R. 5 times in that month. The last time for eight days as the a-fib would not subside. Finally, with some meds and continual oxygen I stabilized. My cardiologist ordered a sleep study. He nailed it. Sleep apnea, I would stop breathing 66 times in a four hour period, an average of 14 seconds at a time. Oxygen deprivation was forcing the heart to beat faster to get more oxygen to the body, but none was available.
One of the sleep lab techs asked me when all of this began. My point of reference was, about the time my dog died. It hit me suddenly, the possibility that Bud did NOT have to go out, but that he was waking me up for my sake. It made sense, as many of his nightly trips outside were spent not in urinating, but just making his 'rounds'. A another case for the belief that I had begun to realize many years earlier about my dogs. That they were all more than mere animals, They all possessed an understanding and awareness most tend to deny they have.

Cowboy Casey · Post by **Cowboy Casey** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 10:42 am

Pets are so awesome They know so much that we just dont see...

HealthyandHopeful · Post by **HealthyandHopeful** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:15 am

Bull Dozer wrote:In 1992, my Nephew Aaron gave me his 6 month old dog 'Bud'. His mother had gotten remarried and her new husband did not want the loveable pup. His great loss. The fifty pound lab mix became my best friend for the next 17 years. Yes... he lived 17 years! The last 4-5 years of his life, he would get me up all through the night to go outside. He was old and I kind of understood this as I too have to go frequently now.
He had been diagnosed with Cushings disease previously, and been given 24 months to live. I found a website that gave tips on how to prepare special diets for canines with Cushings, and he lived another 40 months. His remains were cremated.
After his passing I began sleeping longer through the night. A strange thing began happening. I began waking up with my heart pounding out of my chest. Strange bizarre dreams. Within two weeks, I would be waking up about once a week with paroxysmal atrial fibrolation. Atriums quivering and heart rate in the 140-160's. I was in the E.R. 5 times in that month. The last time for eight days as the a-fib would not subside. Finally, with some meds and continual oxygen I stabilized. My cardiologist ordered a sleep study. He nailed it. Sleep apnea, I would stop breathing 66 times in a four hour period, an average of 14 seconds at a time. Oxygen deprivation was forcing the heart to beat faster to get more oxygen to the body, but none was available.
One of the sleep lab techs asked me when all of this began. My point of reference was, about the time my dog died. It hit me suddenly, the possibility that Bud did NOT have to go out, but that he was waking me up for my sake. It made sense, as many of his nightly trips outside were spent not in urinating, but just making his 'rounds'. A another case for the belief that I had begun to realize many years earlier about my dogs. That they were all more than mere animals, They all possessed an understanding and awareness most tend to deny they have.

What a sweet story! Thanks for sharing it!

Jack_Russel_Fan · Post by **Jack_Russel_Fan** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:39 am

Dogs are great - feel much more secure since they hear and smell things I could ignore!

Slartybartfast · Post by **Slartybartfast** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 12:22 pm

We all get diagnosed by different means. Me, I had a year of bouts of bronchitis about 6 weeks apart. Every time, doc would prescribe a Z-Pak (azithromycin) and within 24 hours the cough and _stuff_ would subside. Had been sleeping upright in a chair 'cause I couldn't breathe otherwise. Out of desperation I finally asked to be referred to a pulmonologist. Turned out he was also a sleep doc. After looking at my x-rays, he asked me a couple questions. The third one being, "Have you ever had a sleep study?" He nailed it.

Re: the dreams, I didn't realize what they were, but every one of them involved being underwater, or underground, or locked in a room with inaccessible high windows. And they were each recurring dreams that I realized, even during the dream, that I had dreamt them before. They're gone now.

Glad to hear you're with us now. Your story gives a deeper meaning to the phrase, "Man's best friend."

Redonthehead · Post by **Redonthehead** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 12:43 pm

So a doctor diagnosed most people. I was "diagnosed" by myself as I knew I had the typical symptoms and my older son who would keep telling me "DAD - YOU'RE NOT BREATHING! Go get a sleep test!". I put it off for years. I actually felt I slept pretty good the night the home sleep study showed an AHI of 63 and OX down to 62.

sleepinglass · Post by **sleepinglass** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 5:48 pm

Thanks for sharing your dog story.
They are truly amazing creatures!

zoocrewphoto · Post by **zoocrewphoto** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 6:21 pm

I had a cat who would wake me up by fussing with my face. At first, I would get irritated. Then I realized he was probably reacting to my breathing and possibly preventing my choking gasping fits. I knew I had sleep apnea but did not realize those were related. After the cat died, I realized I was having a lot more of the choking gasping fits. I nevere realized, until he was gone, just how much he had been helping me. My current kitty crew are not good nurse kitties. I suspect they think I purr loudly.

Thewino · Post by **Thewino** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 8:28 pm

Bull Dozer,

What a great pet you had. You were very lucky to have him in your life.

I read a story on CNN recently about a dog who could sniff out a certain type of cancer.

Dogs are just amazing. I currently have four and I don't believe I will ever be without a dog in my life.

Thanks for sharing such a great story!

TheWino

Bull Dozer · Post by **Bull Dozer** » Thu Jun 26, 2014 10:34 pm

zoocrewphoto wrote:I had a cat who would wake me up by fussing with my face. At first, I would get irritated. Then I realized he was probably reacting to my breathing and possibly preventing my choking gasping fits. I knew I had sleep apnea but did not realize those were related. After the cat died, I realized I was having a lot more of the choking gasping fits. I nevere realized, until he was gone, just how much he had been helping me. My current kitty crew are not good nurse kitties. I suspect they think I purr loudly.

My ex-wife's cat, 'Motor' ( purred almost non-stop it seemed) would do something like that. He would be sitting on my chest nearly every morning, gently 'chewing' on my chin. Never understood what he got out of that, but he never bit.

Catnapper · Post by **Catnapper** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 7:52 am

I also had a cat who would wake me up so many times a night. This was before diagnosis. I do believe he tried to tell me. He died before I started treatment, so no comparison data.

Catnapper - Joanie

How I learned I had sleep apnea.

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