How old were you when you got diagnosed?

I'm 46 and was diagnosed a little over a year ago. I remember my dad napping on the couch many years ago and how it breathing was erratic when he slept so i know he must have had it too but died of a massive heart attack at 53.So i am thankful every day since i have been diagnosed and hopefully will outlive his age as i quit drinking and smoking back in'93 at age 30 and get regular doctor visits and bloodwork checked.Here's to a long life.My doctor(my MD family doc not my CPAP Doc) was diagnosed but doesn't stick with the therapy and says he can't sleep more than 3-4 hours with the mask. I tell him my life depends on sticking with it.

As I predicted, the data shows an average age of 47.8 years, which is a few years younger than 50 years of age that is the mean for CPAP users, based on a previous poll which showed almost a perfect bell-shaped curve. This poll would also show a perfect bell shape if the ranges were 40-50, 50-60 instead of 36-45, 46-55 etc.

Based on these two polls, we can say the average age for forum members is 50 years of age, and they were diagnosed an average of two years earlier.

I was 45 yo when diagnosed although my doctor had been trying to get me to have a sleep study for some time. He finally told me to get the study done or have a good reason not to on my next appointment. After a little research and finding this board I discovered just how serious this could be and had the study.

I was 51 when officially diagnosed, 52 when I got my machine (waited to do titration 3+ months due to sinus surgery). My S.O. had been telling me for years (way too many to count) that I would stop breating in my sleep, but would I listen? No, I "slept" though the rantings and b----ing.

Had I really listened, I probably would have been diagnosed in my late 30's to early 40's. Hmmmm... so whats 10-15 years without treatment? Maybe the 2 BP meds, a little CAD, some depression/anxiety, major bags and dark circles under the eyes.

Now, what's 9 months of treatment - well, still bp meds (but under much better control), CAD has not gotten any worse, depression/anxiety is sooooo much better (rarely take Xanax any more and have cut Lexapro down to 10mg a day), bags and dark circles have all but disappeared. Now I am waking up either before the alarm or on the first round of it going off (not 3-5 hits on the snooze), I am in a good mood in the morning (and pretty much through out the day).

And ,within the last week I have been starting to experience the "new found" energy that people had told me I would have. I know that 9+ months seems like a long time, and i believe it is, but I attribute it to finally finding a mask that works even better for me!

Certainly does run in families, as I have a mother, father (who wasnt diagnosed til a major
heart attack at age 55), baby brother, all severe sleep apnea patients. I, without a doubt, was in denial, and
not until I began nearly falling asleep at the wheel 'woke up' and listened to my family and doctor, and went
for a sleep study. Sometimes the obvious eludes our rational thinking, and once the data is revealed, we
begin to accept and move forward. Glad I did!

I was 26 when I got officially diagnosed. (I'm 29 now)

I had tried going to a ENT before to complain about my snoring when I was 22, however, I couldn't afford a sleep study then and left it at that.
Imagine how much more fun my 20s could be if I had diagnosed it earlier....

2flamingos wrote:...within the last week I have been starting to experience the "new found" energy that people had told me I would have. I know that 9+ months seems like a long time...

While I had some good results right away, others were very slow and my energy level didn't begin to return until I'd been on CPAP religiously every night and nap for 9 months. My docs tell me some go for 12 months before improvements...I am so grateful I wasn't one of those poor folks! PS I had a great mask right from the start, so the mask might not the culprit...some things just take time to heal.

teresamichele wrote:I'm curious because on the few boards I've visited, I seem to be sort of a baby compared to others. I'll be 28 next month, and so many folks seem to be talking about grandkids!

You are very lucky to have been diagnosed at an early age, before much serious damage was done to your body. I was diagnosed at 56, and looking back, I know I was struggling with this for at least 20 years prior. A huge amount of damage has been done to my body systems and organs due to the lack of oxygen and sleep, and the almost constant jolts of adrenaline delivered by my body in an effort to get me breathing again. So be glad you have started treatment at an early enough age to give your body a change to repair itself and to life a long and healthy life.

I was diagnosed age 65 but I am sure I could have been diagnosed early on. My Dad had the same snoring problem I do. He could just fall asleep anywhere and never had the opportunity to have a sleep test. He lived till 85. I resisted this a long time. You are lucky you were diagnosed so early because it can prevent a lot of health problems down the line. I am sure my chronic depression his related somewhat with my Apnea since that has improved the past month I have started with this treatment.

I'm 20 and feel like a baby on this site but its sooo helpful. I was diagnosed with OSA in July after being misdiagnosed with narcolepsy in January. I've been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, ADD, depression, and anxiety in the past 4 years, all of which seem to be a result if undiagnosed sleep apnea. So far so good with my CPAP and all of my other problems have been getting better ever since!

I am 30 now and on my 3rd doctor, who is finally helping me. I have had some sort of sleep apnea since I was 18, but didn't know what it was. Friends my age still don't understand why I'm so tired all the time, because I'm so young that I should be full of energy. I sure wish that was the case! Hopefully I can get my new cpap to work for me so I can feel like all the normal people my age.

I was diagnosed at age 58, but I'm sure that I was actually have had OSA for the past 5 years.

I'm 21. I've had the symptoms since middle school, but they were always diagnosed as something else. In April I finally had enough. I conducted research and recorded my life for about a month, and after analyzing the results I realized I had sleep apnea. My request for a sleep study was originally denied based on my 'healthy appearance', but I eventually received it, and it confirmed severe OSA. To suffer for a couple months knowing the treatment I needed (CPAP) was a prescription away was absolute hell.

The most difficult part for me so far is the lack of understanding. People look at me and see a healthy, young male, but in reality I've only just begun treatment for what has been a nightmare of a sleep disorder. It's certainly frustrating.

Well, I was 53 when finally diagnosed, that was 2 years ago when I found this awesome forum but I've had sleep apnea since I was a young child, I would say around 5th. grade!
I always had my own room & snored like a freight train and nobody wanted me to go camping with them or even to share a Hotel room, I was that loud, even hooked up to the hose, I still easily can get 167 snores a night, sometimes way more and sometimes way less, it just depends on how tired I am when I go to sleep!
SNM

I've been symptomatic since I was 7. I was finally diagnosed at 47.

My daughter has asked what I would do if I thought they had OSA - my answer is simple - straight to the sleep study. I wouldn't put my kids through the hell I've been through. Froro, I sit listening to my 8 year old, there's this naging question in my mind that says, "Could his behavoir problems be related to OSA?"