Sleep apnea

Hi can anyone with sleep apnea help pleaee, does it affect you every night in the sense of not breathing if so are you aware does it wake you up ?

It normally would affect you every night, but you generally are not aware of it, though occasionally someone will awake with a choking feeling... mostly it's bed partners who notice something wrong.

If you think you have apnea, your doctor will refer you for an overnight 'sleep study' to check it out.

If you have more questions please come back to this thread so we can follow things... thanks!

Thank you for replying , basically I gasp for a breath now and again it may happen once a month that's it I feel fine throughout the day not tired or anything but my gp wants to investigate for sleep apnea I'm scared xx

Kayleigh... have you been told you hold your breath and then gasp when asleep or are you talking about an 'awake' event? Awake events are not apnea... may just be anxiety, anything - there are a thousand reasons to be temporarily short of breath, but apnea only happens in your sleep.

There's nothing to be scared of though... the sleep study is just that - you just go to sleep normally but it's in a lab so they can observe what happens.

And, if you do have apnea, then you should be happy - not because you have it of course, though there are so many much worse things - but because you will have caught it and are able to treat it - no medication, no surgery, not bad! Tiny children sleep every night with Cpap and have no problems.

Scared? What are you afraid of?
Whatever is wrong--has probably been wrong for quite some time.
If you do nothing, it is likely to only get worse, maybe a LOT WORSE.
Using cpap is way preferable to untreated apnea.
With the right equipment and a good attitude, it is really no big deal.
We are here; we got your back. Be strong and git 'er done!
Cancer is not the only health problem that requires you to diagnose and fight early to win.

Thanks you both for replying again to me
My partner tell me of very occasionally I will gasp for breath but I have also done the same issue when awake but only occasionally aswel , and my partner said I used to snore quite bad but not loudly and he said I haven't done it in a wile now , I think it's scaring me as I have been to see a consultant as I have been have heart palpitations once a month around my menstrual cycle it sounds silly but that the only time I notice them and it was that consultant that has said he wonders if I have sleep apnea and I'm only 22

Sleep apnea is possible at any age, and any weight; once you get tested, you will know, and hopefully, get treated.

As a 22 year old female, getting treated is extremely important if you want to have healthy babies.

It will help all your internal organs and well as your brain. It will make sex more exciting and make life in general more interesting.

I just don't really feel I have any symptoms of sleep apnea only the gasping for breath witch happens when I'm awake aswel and they only happen every few months , and I feel very lucky as I already have a beautiful almost 3 year old boy , but I will go through all nessascery tests to rule it out I think I suffer with anxiety and it making all this feel scary for me I'm hoping when I do loose my breath on the rare occasions it's just down to anxiety but I'll just have to wait and see if guess thank you everyone who has posted on here I'm just looking for reassurance to be honest but thank you everyone x

It is the easiest and most effective therapy around without almost any negative side effects. It happens at night while you sleep.

You want to tackle sleep apnea BEFORE you get many symptoms because you don't want it to affect your heart and brain. You have a 3 year old so you want him/her to have a loving effective full of life mother until they are old enough to leave home.

You may well not have any apnea, or have it at such a low level as to not matter to anything or need treatment. One tip while waiting for your study would be to not sleep on your back as it provokes apneas (and snoring). Wear a fanny pack, use pillows in behind you, whatever works.

I am pretty sure I had apnea when my sons were little.
I was so exhausted all the time; with cpap, I would have enjoyed my kids more
and I may have even been a better mother.

Shifting hormone levels can certainly cause heart palpitations (and anxiety) though few doctors seem to grasp this. Fertility doctors know it, and monitor it diligently. If you chart your cycles, heart issues, and breathing issues for a few months, you will probably be able to see the correlation and perhaps take some comfort from it. That said, you should certainly be tested for sleep apnea. Be grateful your doctor is smart enough to catch it; some here were not so fortunate.

The fact that you have no daytime fatigue is not significant; many people with OSA wake feeling fairly refreshed and stay awake all day. For me, heart irregularities that made my breath hitch, along with the beginnings of memory loss were the only symptoms. There is nothing whatsoever to feel anxious about. Nothing. Getting a clear diagnosis of sleep apnea is a positive thing because it is easily treated, and treatmemt will significantly improve your life. Just get busy on an assessment plan, and don't worry.

Good luck.

There are a lot of people who have sleep apnea and many do not know it. I am glad they found mine when they did. Good quality sleep makes a major difference in your life. It is important to get it checked out if you suspect something maybe wrong It may save your life if do indeed have it.

Thanks k you all for so many helpful comments I have been to see my gp and she has referred me to see someone about it at the moment they said they only wonder if I have it due to the fact I feel completely fine but maybe once a month of every few months I wake up in the night just the once and gasp for a breath but I also do the same in the daytime although I can't remember the last time I did so , I suffer from anxiety and my biggest fear is that something will happen to me and that if I do have sleep apnea something bad will happen to me think I may also have some paranoia I just want reassurance I guess that I will be OK