Hi, Johnny C. Welcome to the forum!!
When I read the subject line of your thread, my first thought was, "does anyone not?" My second thought was that Robert Lamm must have sleep apnea. (He wrote Chicago's "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?")
Yes, memory loss and brain fog are EXTREMELY common in those with SA. The encouraging news is that I've read of many in this forum whose memories and brains have cleared up once cpap therapy got them to a certain point of healing.
Johnny C wrote:Also, I find that I am thirsty all the time. It's not from diabetes because my blood sugar levels are fine (I bought a kit at WalMart and checked them). This constant thirst has been with me for about a year or so now. I keep a water bottle with me at all times and drink from it constantly. Does anyone else here deal with this? Could it be related to sleep apnea effects?
Julie wrote:Do yourself and your family, friends, etc. a big favor - get your sugar checked out by a proper MD, and not a kit from Wal-Mart!
Actually, I think what Johnny C got was a regular ole' blood test monitor system that anyone with diabetes is supposed to have and use at home, not something cheesy. That said, though, Johnny C, I just learned a bit about blood sugar testing that I didn't know before.
Having and using the kit is a good thing. But even if you went to your doc for a blood glucose test, it probably wouldn't be enough info. Last week, I had my annual "see how much blood we can get out of Marsha's arm and test her for everything under the sun" blood test. Not only did they test my blood glucose level (the level it actually was at the time the blood was drawn), they also did what's called a hemoglobin A1C test. Some just refer to it as an A1C test, or you might see it listed as Hb A1c. That test gives an average of blood sugar levels for the past three months and therefore a much better overall picture.
My blood glucose level for the day was well within normal parameters (although higher than "my" lifelong "normal"), but my A1C has me in diabetes territory. That's especially distressing because my blood sugar's always been in the low-to-normal range. But it's not a complete surprise, either, since diabetes is a known result of sleep apnea. I'm working on it with my doc, but I also expect it to get down to where it's always been as my whole body heals through cpap therapy. (I've been a hosehead for only three months and still need much healing.)
So for different reasons, I'd chime in with the suggestion for you to have your doc test your blood -- but to have it be a full "see how much blood we can get from Johnny C's arm and test him for everything under the sun" kind of blood test.
I hope you do register and become a "regular" here. If you do choose to do that, please be sure to fill out your equipment details in your profile. That info is essential for any questions that relate to your particular situation. To do that, select Control Panel (above, just below the Search box) --> Profile --> Edit equipment.
Good luck!!
Marsha