What led you to your diagnosis of apnea?

I snored....my soul-mate said I stopped breathing.....and I measured (in the middle of the night) my systolic BP at over 200....when it should been about 120. That's "Stroke City"......

I didn't walk....I ran to the sleep clinic. Insurance wouldn't pay for a CPAP machine....they said I wasn't bad enough.....and I bought my own equipment from CPAP.com.

I'm 100% compliant for nearly a year now....my BP is normal......I don't get up in the middle of the night to pee anymore.....and my AHI is running around 0.5.....now that I've got everything "tweaked & tuned".

Evidently, I'm a very shallow breather.......and I'm working on an understanding of what to do about that.

Watching and learning from others on this forum has saved my life.

Thanks to all of you!

Reggie White.

Having people (wife, camping buddies, etc) tell me that I snore violently then gasp for breath in my sleep.

Constant fatigue for my entire adult life.

Having two young kids and wanting to watch them grow up.

i've been tired my whole life, never had much energy or motivation...was labelled as lazy very early on because i would sleep until someone woke me and would nap every day after school, even in grade school...always snored, even as a kid, nightmares, sleepwalking, never waking up refreshed...

my husband told me from day one of our marriage i needed to have a sleep study, but there was no local clinic and i just couldn't muster up the energy to set something up out of town

felt like i never fully recovered from my pregnancies and c-section; was dx'd with fibromyalgia at 30 yrs.; suffered from constant pain and exhaustion but managed ok till about 3 years ago when i suddenly experienced muscle weakness and crushing fatigue plus weight gain of 40 lbs in less than six months...

saw my gp who told me, after the first 15 lbs that i looked great and what was i worried about, that i wasn't getting any younger...told him about my symptoms and he told me he'd hate to see me if i had a real problem..fired him

found a female gp thinking it would make a difference but HA, what a joke, she is even more callous and unfeeling than that other moron...she looked at my list of symptoms, pretended to be sympathetic and put me on antidepressants because i couldn't stop crying...who wouldn't be crying, i'd like to know? but in our society there is to be no feeling of feelings right? so i took them for six months then weaned myself off because i knew i didn't really need them

my neighbour and family friend happened by one day and was telling me about his struggles with insurance since going on cpap...i asked a few questions and recognized myself in his description of his experience...told my gp i wanted to see a sleep doc and she reluctantly referred me

after six month period from referral to psg, was dx'd with severe sleep apnea (AHI 45), severe periodic limb movement disorder and found i had outrageously low iron

have been on cpap since jan. 07 and am slowly reclaiming my life, but would be absolutely nowhere with this therapy if i hadn't found this forum

I've been using CPAP therapy for less than a month, but I've been aware of a possible problem for several years.

I've snored even as a child, and throughout the 23 years I've been married. Several years ago, my wife heard something about sleep apnea, and told me that I seemed to fit the descriptions she'd heard.

We also have several friends that use CPAP machines, and suggested I get a sleep study, but I refused. I had the belief that I could conquer anything if I just tried hard enough.

Although I walked around in a constant fog, and slept only 5-6 hours per night, I continued to push through, and most people probably didn't know there was a problem. I worked two jobs, one (as a Program Director) to support myself, and one to support the people I serve as a Pastor. In both of these leadership roles, I didn't want to appear vulnerable (or should I say human).

However, my family knew that there was a problem. I'd come home exhausted, struggled to breath at night as I gasped for air, and kept my wife awake with constant worry for my health.

A couple of year's ago, it was getting difficult to maintain this schedule, and since I've had a life-long struggle with depression and anxiety (which I'd refused to take medicine for), I asked my Doctor if I could try a small dose of medicine to help me work through this process.

Although I began to have some positive results from the medicine, I still struggled with the exhaustion and sleep deprivation. Waking up at night gasping for air, and waking up several times through the night.

It was getting harder and harder to keep my active schedule. In addition, my wife started to have health problems, unexplained pain, high blood pressure, more problems with her asthma etc. Our doctor sent her to a specialist, who explained that many of her problems were being exacerbated by sleep deprivation--because I was keeping her awake.

Suddenly, my health problem was impacting just me anymore (like it ever really was). Feeling guilty for my selfishness, I promised my wife I'd ask our doctor to recommend a sleep study during an upcoming appointment.

My wife, God bless her heart, went with me to the appointment, and when I conveniently "forgot" to mention a sleep study to my doctor, she asked him if I could get one for the sake of her health.

The results were phenomenal. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, received my machine four days later, and began to immediately sleep better. My wife's also sleeping better than she has in years, my energy is slowly increasing, my outlook on life seems better, and my wife has commented that even my skin coloring is looking better. I no longer have huge dark circles under my eyes, along with a pale, drawn complexion.

My four daughters have noticed a difference, my church family has noticed the difference, and my co-workers (although they don't know about the CPAP therapy), have noticed that I seem to have more energy at the end of the day. One of them recently commented that I must be balancing things better, because I don't look like I'm burning myself out anymore.

So, the summary of this long reply, is that I wasn't hiding the problem as effectively as I thought, I was making my life more difficult, and my foolish and selfish pride was impacting the health of my wife (who I love dearly).

All because I was afraid to attach my face to a little machine, and allow it to blow some air.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): CPAP

I am in a long term memory study at Stanford University Hospital. As part of the study I have a sleep study once a year. After the first sleep test the memory Doc said I had a moderate case of SA (75/hr) and need to be evaluated. After the evaluation the sleep Doc gave me a script for equipment and said use it. I have learned to use it properly from all you wonderful folks here at Cpaptalk.

For years I had suffered daytime fatigue and chocked it up to getting older. I am not a smoker nor do I snore very much so I never thought that sleep was an issue. Boy! was I wrong. I have been doing the hose thing for about 6 months and am averaging about 7 hours a night with CPAP. I am feeling much better during the day and about 10 years younger.

Shadowatcher

Looking back... I believe I've had OSA for 25+ years(and back then I only weighed 129 lbs. ) I got sick and was hospitalized in Oct. '05 and a personal friend who's a neurologist and was consulting on my case made me go for a sleep study. I still see him every day and he knows just by looking at me when I've had a bad night. I tell him all of the time that I could never repay him. Thanks, Scott Selco for being there !!!! I OWE YOU!

TIA bi-weekly to weekly for nearly a year followed by 2 strokes 6 weeks apart.

I was having some medical problems, seeing Docs, but just feeling worse and worse. One day I simply couldn't tolerate it any longer and got on the computer to search for an answer. I found information on Apnea, arranged the study, and never looked back.

I wasn't the 'typical' Apnea sufferer, and so I wasn't diagnosed until I brought it up. I hope folks in the Medical field are becoming more aware of those of us who don't fit the 'typical' profile!

I complained the the doctor about the sleepiness his HPB meds. were causing and was given the standard quiz with a score of 18. I waited 9 months to take the sleep study for no good reason other than lack of comfort with my brother-in-law's CPAP experience. The driver to get the test was falling asleep while my boss was giving me my review, ( yeah it is not much but you should appear to care) and other conversations that were one on one. Meetings were a lost cause, including one where I was supposed to flip the charts with the customer present. Concern about continued employment and missing life in general finally got my mind right and I took the study at home. No CPAP, lots of wires and little sleep. The results brought a second study at the clinic with CPAP and those nasty hooks in the nose... and all the damn wires again. 100% compliant, no issues with the DME, no leaks lately and life is good. Nice to be awake at work and home and not trying to get to the next nap. This forum has great info and energy and thanks to all taking the time to help those struggling to adjust.

I have had migraines since I was 17 years old. Drs. were giving narcotics with every one. Hated it, but hated the migraines even more. Was told that I was a shallow breather, but was offered no help on that count, just the wonderful advice that I needed to "learn to breathe deeper"....duh....that one I could I have figured out by myself! The question was....HOW am I supposed to relearn something I had been doing unconsciencely all my life. Still don't have any idea how to do this. Anyway, fast forward to the birth of my 1st child. Had to have an emergency C-Section....didn't do well under anesthesia. That was blamed on my smoking (which I stopped as soon as I found out I was pregnant) Birth of 2nd child 5 yrs. later...same thing...emergency C-Section....did not fare well under anesthesia.Birth of 3rd child 15 mths. later...exact same thing....emergency C-Section.....anesthesia did not go well. (Mind you that I told every one of the subsequent anesthesiologist my previous problems). Other surgeries over the years....same trouble with anesthesia. Kept being blamed on my smoking, which I DID do on and off throughout the years. Had a major MI at age of 31 years of age, but didn't think a whole lot about that since that kind of thing runs in my family. Other surgeries...same thing. It was not until Jan. of this year, when I was hospitalized for pneumonia, that my pulmonologist suggested I get a sleep study b/c I was still experiencing pulse ox. of 70 while sleeping, even though the pneumonia was gone. Not to make this story any longer, I have been on CPAP since April 20th of this year and things are better. I no longer have morning headaches and I no longer have night sweats. I still only sleep an average of 4 hrs. a night, but I feel that it is a more restive and restorative sleep. I think I could do better on a FF mask and am in the process of finding one I like. I have not had a surgery since going on the CPAP, and of course, hope I don't have to, but was told by a number of drs. in various fields, that the OSA very well could have been the problem all these yrs. with the anesthesia and migrianes. (Where were these drs. yrs. ago!!!!! Anyway, since I have been having such good results with the CPAP, I have since convinced my brother -in- law and my son -in -law to go for sleep studies. They have and they both now are hose-heads too! Now, if I could only talk my hard headed DH into going for another sleep study, I would be in heaven! (He had a sleep study yrs. ago and it was normal, but I am NOT convinced!) And that is my "how'd you get here" story!

My story is that I had insomnia for years and was getting desperate for sleep.
Every morning I felt sick and I felt tired all the time. I tried everything for insomnia. Finally I was reading "The Promise of Sleep" by Dr. William Dement and I read about all kinds of sleep problems including apnea. Then one day I fell asleep while reading a book and woke up gasping for air. That along with the drowning dreams I was having made me suspect sleep apnea. I talked to my doctor and she sent for a sleep study. And that was it! I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and with CPAP, I've finally licked my "insomnia"!

Maryb

I heard an article on the radio years ago, and as a result got hold of the book - I think it's called The Phantom in the Night? Anyway, it was about sleep apnoea, and I thought "Oh I think I have that, but I really don't want to go to bed with a mask and hose" and promptly repressed all knowledge of it!

Fast forward about 10 years, and I am being treated for high BP, depression, am rapidly and uncontrollably putting on weight, I cannot keep awake during the day more than a day at a time, and my husband has taken to wearing earplugs because of my snoring. In addition, I have frequent and disturbing dreams of "something" being terribly terribly wrong with me. I know I am really sick, but the idea only surfaces in my sleep.

Eventually my husband breaks through my denial and persuades me to visit the doctor. Someone at his work has been diagnosed with anaemia, and her main symptom was sleepiness and exhaustion. The doctor orders all the usual blood tests, and I also ask for other investigations to rule out the common cancers. She and I have known each other a long time, though I usually see her partner. She was very open to suggestion and when she said "Is there anything else you want checked out?" a light bulb flicked on in my brain and I said "what about sleep apnoea?"

She looked very skeptical and told me to get that checked out last. It took her a long time to shuffle through her paperwork before she could find a sleep doctor - obviously not a frequently used referral.

All the other tests came back negative, and I applied for the sleep study. At the first interview the doc said he was pretty certain I had sleep apnoea, and the rest of my story ran smoothly. The worst part was waiting first for the sleep study and then for the machine. Altogether a month's wait. I'm lucky we use health insurance, it takes six months plus on the health service in Australia.

It's interesting reading people's stories here.

Di

My fishing buddies have been telling for years that I stop breathing when i sleep, along with the bad snoring! (One even brings ear plugs) A year ago I mentioned it to the Doc and he said that it was one of the new buzz things, but if I wanted a study done he would have it done. I figured if he wasn't worried I wasn't either. I didn't feel wore out or at least didn't think I was. Jump ahead a year and was at the Docs office for a physical and he brought it up and said to get a sleep study. Got it done and have apnea with oxygen levels dropping into the 70's. Still trying to get the AHI numbers down, but each step I have done is getting me closer. I am hoping for this to help with the high blood pressure and slightly high hemoglobing blood levels once I get it down to good AHI numbers, I know I will get there

Mark

Noticed when I was thirty that falling asleep on my back sometimes made me stop breathing. When I was forty, I noticed that sometimes - a few times a year - I woke up gasping. So I slept on my side. When I was fifty, I began to wake up more and more often, gasping, while sleeping on my side. So I asked for a sleep study. I'm a non-smoker, athletic, normal weight, normal jaw structure, and didn't score very high on the Epworth sleepiness scale. Turned out I had a moderate case of OSA.

Life has been much better since I got treatment. I'm 100 percent compliant and feel excellent.

Like so many others, I've probably had apnea for years before being diagnosed.

Although the only daytime sleepiness that I experienced was occasionally behind the wheel, I was constantly fatigued and unable to sleep at night (no naps during the day). But there always seemed to be some other reason for the fatigue, like anemia.

Last October I started having a dry cough at night just before I fell asleep. My doctor diagnosed it as GERD even though I rarely have heartburn. He prescribed Prilosec which seemed to work for a while. When the cough returned he doubled the dosage.

Finally he referred me to an ENT who did a fiberoptic laryngoscopy to confirm the GERD diagnosis. During the visit he noted the scar tissue from a tonsillectomy that was done 40 years ago, the swelling of my larynx and the small size of my mouth (the bane of my dentist!). He asked a few questions and sent me for a sleep study.

It came back with an AHI of 70 and an oxygen concentration nadir of 78% with a baseline of 90%.

Soon I hope to have the machine and mask and be on my way back to being myself again.

Susan