POLL: How long do you think you had SA before you 'knew'?

Definitely 10 or more years, altho I had no idea. Just felt more and more tired during the day; no motivation, etc. My doctor suggested a sleep study and I was amazed to learn I had severe apnea. Really... quite a shock.

I remember always almost falling asleep and being woken by coughing for years. Since I'm single, nobody ever mentioned my breathing cessation. I trained myself to go to sleep with a cough drop tucked in the back of the throat to stop the cough. I never woke up choking on the cough drop so didn't really think about it. It was when I was diagnosed with diabetes that the doctor said a lot of people with my conditions (weight, neck size, diabetes) were more likely to have SA. He referred me to the Kaiser Sleep Apnea clinic and within a month or two I had my own home test & equipment.

-Bill

That's a great photo of a very cute dog, Bill.

wm_hess wrote:I remember always almost falling asleep and being woken by coughing for years. Since I'm single, nobody ever mentioned my breathing cessation. I trained myself to go to sleep with a cough drop tucked in the back of the throat to stop the cough. I never woke up choking on the cough drop so didn't really think about it. It was when I was diagnosed with diabetes that the doctor said a lot of people with my conditions (weight, neck size, diabetes) were more likely to have SA. He referred me to the Kaiser Sleep Apnea clinic and within a month or two I had my own home test & equipment.

-Bill

Smart doctor, referring you for a sleep study. And smart of you to agree to the study.

Because you mentioned wakeup coughing fits, here's something you might want to look into further -- even if the coughing has subsided:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 080008.htm

"These are patients without significant heartburn symptoms, who are experiencing acid reflux during sleep," explained William C. Orr, Ph.D. of Lynn Health Science Institute in Oklahoma City, OK. "'Silent reflux' may be the cause of sleep disturbances in patients with unexplained sleep disorders."

"All patients with sleep apnea should be evaluated for gastroesophageal reflux," said J. Barry O'Connor, M.D., of Duke University Medical Center, one of the investigators.


____________________

The Signs and Symptoms of Silent Acid Reflux
http://acidrefluxdefeated.com/the-signs ... id-reflux/

silent acid reflux can also cause choking, coughing, and other throat related issues. Although commonly referred to as silent reflux, the actual term for this particular form of acid reflux is Laryngopahryngeal reflux (LPR).

What is LPR? Laryngopharyngeal reflux is similar to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in that it occurs when the lower esophagealsphincter (LES) weakens and opens, allowing acid to reflux into the esophagus. However, the main difference is that the primary symptom of GERD is heartburn, while the primary symptoms of LPR typically occur in the throat.

Most people are aware that acid reflux usually occurs when the LES,the lower sphincter in the esophagus located between the esophagus and stomach, malfunctions. However, what is not as commonly known is the esophagus actually has another sphincter called the upper esophageal sphincter (UES). The UES is located where the esophagus meets the throat. When both the LES and UES fail, silent acid reflux is the result.

What is the difference between LPR and GERD? As was previously mentioned, LPR results when stomach acid makes it past both of your sphincters and pools in your throat, or reaches your mouth or the back of your nose. GERD is when acid makes it past the LES and remains in the chest and does not pass through the UES.

The most common symptom of GERD is heartburn, which occurs after a person has experienced repeat episodes of reflux, and the acid has burned away the protective lining that coats the esophagus.Although some LPR sufferers experience heartburn, this isn’t a common symptom, because the refluxed digestive juices do not remain in the esophagus long enough to cause damage. This is often why LPR is referred to as silent acid reflux, because most people don’t associate the symptoms they experience from laryngopharyngeal reflux with acid reflux.

What are the symptoms of LPR? Symptoms almost always occur in the throat and are usually felt because, unlike the esophagus, there is no protective lining in the throat.

Common symptoms that may be experienced include:

o Chronic cough

o Asthma-like symptoms

o Regurgitation

o Sour or bitter flavor in the mouth

o Frequent need to clear the throat

o Consistent mucous in the throat

o Burning sensation or pain in the throat

o Sore throat

o Hoarseness and possible loss of voice

o Difficulty swallowing

o Post-nasal drip

o Pain in the ear and/or consistent ear infections

o Nausea

o Heartburn

A silent acid reflux sufferer may experience some or all of these symptoms.

Thank you Rested Gal for the information on the silent reflux. GERD was another of the symtoms that I had that caused concern from my doctor.

As far as Terra is concerned, she is a spoiled rotten worthless mangy mongrel. It just so happens that that is exactly the way I like them!

-Bill

Let's see... I started falling asleep in class when I was in high school (am guessing grade 10 or so) and I'd been out of school for 20 years when I finally had my diagnosis.

I had my suspicions all along and begged for a test, but nobody would send me (that's socialized Canadian medicine for you) until I found my most recent GP.

I had an overnight oximetry done about 6 years ago... I must have had a good night's sleep, because they claim that I didn't have it.

In the time before my diagnosis last December and my getting Darth Vader, I am very fortunate that I made it to w*rk in the afternoon rush hour without hitting anything or anyone.

Love reading the replies!

I *think* I've had OSA for about 4-5 years. Something changed after I had my last baby and I began to snore horribly! Didn't realize it was more than a snoring problem until a close family member was diagnosed with OSA, told me their symptoms, and I'm like, "Hey, that sounds like me."

Of course, I've always been a sleepy-head, loved naps, and never had as much energy as my friends. So, I may well have had it for much longer, and it only became severe enough--with snoring as the signifier--4 years ago.

It was twenty-five years ago when I first was told I snored, at about 27 years of age. I don't recall any significant fatigue issues but did have morning headaches that far back. I had my tonsils out almost 25 years ago and deviated septum surgery about 18 years ago.

Funny thing, I found the paperwork from deviated septum surgery a few years back and was looking through it. I noticed there were three injections of epinephrine. I know I was in recovery a lot longer than was originally indicated. No one said anything to me, including the ENT at follow-up, but I thought three seemed excessive. Possibly related to this diagnosis? I know when I was in anaphylactic shock from a bee sting, one dose brought me right around. I've had two other surgeries since the deviated septum and don't recall being asked about sleep apnea, but am appreciative for the info here. I won't ever go into surgery again without my machine. I'm five months into it and thankful for the diagnosis.

I am almost 23 now (one of the youngest here I suppose?) and I am certain I've been having this problem all my life. When I was a newborn child I couldn't sleep, I was crying most of the time, my parents went to the doctor and he gave me hydroxizine sleeping pills! In my case it is purely anatomical problem, I have an x-ray done and it shows that my soft palate is elongated and it collapses causing the "curtain effect". Behind my tongue there is above 1cm space so it is not the level of the obstruction, my soft palate is. When I was a child I was always tired and more nervous than others. When I was 17 I started to have problems with insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks and depression and BRAIN FOG - my worst symptom ;( Year by year I felt more tired, new health problems were coming, eg constant tiredness, more and more severe brain fog, vasomotor rhinitiss, low blood pressure etc. So I know that I 've been struggling with this problem since I was little.

I'm 74 and I say, "All my life!" I can remember as clear as day ninth grade biology class early afternoons, I would get so sleepy, I swear I almost couldn't make it. We never went to doctors then and I never knew anything was wrong. I had surgery for my deviated septum when I entered the US Army at 17-information only, and have problems with hypothyroidism currently.
I underwent two sleep studies in 1993, the second one being a two day study. Impressions were mild sleep apnea syndrome, with some centrals, situation not improved with CPAP or BIPAP-actually worsened. They suggested I be treated for hypothyroidism and idiopathic hypersomnia.
I went untreated until 2010 when my GP and I decided to recycle me through the sleep clinic. First study indicated frequent centrals due to Cheyne-Stokes breathing pattern. Second study (two day visit) showed VPAP Adapt SV effective in controlling central apneas and OSA's.
Inability to concentrate for long, memory lapses, tiredness and sleepiness during the daytime have been a part of my life. One year later, I know I sleep better and breathe deeply while in bed. My ResMed goes with me wherever! (Driving is easier now, too.) I would prefer to sleep on my back but that aggravates the centrals. Getting to sleep supinely is one of my goals. Any thoughts on this?

Interesting! Oldern

Oldern wrote:I'm 74 and I say, "All my life!" I can remember as clear as day ninth grade biology class early afternoons, I would get so sleepy, I swear I almost couldn't make it. We never went to doctors then and I never knew anything was wrong. I had surgery for my deviated septum when I entered the US Army at 17-information only, and have problems with hypothyroidism currently.
I underwent two sleep studies in 1993, the second one being a two day study. Impressions were mild sleep apnea syndrome, with some centrals, situation not improved with CPAP or BIPAP-actually worsened. They suggested I be treated for hypothyroidism and idiopathic hypersomnia.
I went untreated until 2010 when my GP and I decided to recycle me through the sleep clinic. First study indicated frequent centrals due to Cheyne-Stokes breathing pattern. Second study (two day visit) showed VPAP Adapt SV effective in controlling central apneas and OSA's.
Inability to concentrate for long, memory lapses, tiredness and sleepiness during the daytime have been a part of my life. One year later, I know I sleep better and breathe deeply while in bed. My ResMed goes with me wherever! (Driving is easier now, too.) I would prefer to sleep on my back but that aggravates the centrals. Getting to sleep supinely is one of my goals. Any thoughts on this?

Interesting! Oldern

We have this in common I too am hypothyroid, however, I just cannot sleep any other way than on my back. If I try to sleep on either side its centrals over and over and I can't sleep because the ASV wakes me up trying to ventilate me. But if I sleep on my back, its smooth sailing. I do have the head of my bed elevated 6 inches to reduce irritation from GERD. I wonder if that can affect supline sleep for you?

I remember trying to camp with others when I was in my 20s, and keeping them awake with my snoring. My son tells how he could hear my snoring when he was in the basement in the opposite end of the house from my bedroom. I gained weight in my 30s and 40s, and by the time I was finally diagnosed, I was 50.

Mr. Bill,
Sleeping supine and raising head of bed.

Thanks for comments. W/O getting too far off topic on this thread, let me say that during the first night of the last two day study, they raised the head of my bed first up to 15 degrees then worked up to 30 degreees. I remember sliding to the foot of the bed. Centrals were not reduced at all by this.

However, I am interested in trying to return to sleeping on my back and I will definitely consider the elevation. I can sleep great on my back and hardly move throughout the night but the centrals are aggravated. Plus, I am having some problems with my shoulders and arms-ulna nerve transposition, carpal tunnel syndrome in wrists and so forth-which I think are aggravated by sleeping on my side.

So I want to explore possibliities of changing settings to accomodate sleeping on my back. Thanks.
Oldern

Sad thing is - I went to a well-known sleep clinic in Minneapolis 30 years ago but was told I didn't need a sleep study. I had no symptoms of sleep apnea other than extreme fatigue which the sleep doctor chalked up to my recently having had a baby. I assured him the fatigue was present before, but he wouldn't budge and suggested I get counseling instead...

Years and multiple symptoms later (that could've been avoided), I finally found an excellent doctor who insisted I get the study done.

I generally felt refreshed when I woke up, on those nights when I didn't get called out after midnight. I always blamed tiredness on being on call at least one light a week and every 4th weekend. Somewhere around the early 80s, I started having extrasystoles (skipped heartbeat). I went through EKGs and treadmill stress tests and was pronounced fit each time. I ran for 12 minutes to double my heart rate the first time and 11:45 the second time several years later. I had several referrals to cardiologists who never mentioned sleep apnea. Three family doctors didn't mention it either.

I've always been told I snored loud enough to wake the dead. It wasn't until my wife and I shared a large beach condo with some friends that mention was made of sleep apnea. One of the wives was a dental technician who was best friends with another girl who worked at a sleep lab. She and her husband got up and made coffee early and my wife and I were still asleep. The kitchen was next to our bedroom in the condo. She commented on my snoring and told my wife that I stopped breathing frequently and I needed a sleep study.

A couple of years later, I started waking up in the middle of the night one or times a week with what I finally decided was Afib. My heart jumped around in my chest until I got up and sat for an hour or so breathing slowly and deeply. It would quiet down after a while and I'd get back to sleep. Forum studies led me to the same conclusion that the dental technician had made ... SA.

I had the sleep study and scored an AHI of 64. Since CPAP, my heart has been in rhythm 99% of the time and when It's not, I can trace it back to a bad night's sleep. I'm a believer in CPAP. It's made a huge difference in my life.

I selected 2 to 4 years too, but it could easily be longer. I thought I didn't sleep well because of the knuckleheaded men in my life (dh and 23 year old twins) who seem to think you're a sissy if you go to bed before 11:30 or 3:30 or even 5:30. Between them and the pets, and the fact that dh gets up most mornings at 4:30 (should I add he needs 3 snoozes on the alarm and I have to practically kick him out of bed) I thought it was only to be expected I would be tired.

The headaches in the morning? Doc said that's allergies or sinus infection. The tiredness? lack of sleep and low thyroid (even when my thyroid is balanced which is much of the time thanks to synthroid) Tinnitus? heredity. Waking up in a panic and reaching for flonase? Allergies. Seems like there's always been a plausible explanation for everything until an emergency room tech woke me up and slapped oxygen on me and told me to get tested for apnea. If not for the false alarm "cardio event" that was not a heart attack, I would still be explaining my OSA symptoms away.

The thing I found most frustrating is that last summer I went into see my GP because I could barely function for the exhaustion. She repeated bloodwork I had just had done (routine when you're diabetic and hypothyroid) and sent me for a stress test. Nothing. Dropped the whole thing without a diagnosis because my energy rebounded once "allergy" season passed (my only allergic symptom ever is sinus inflammation, puffy eyes and a sore throat in the a.m.) Yet this year, when I'm finally sent to a pulmonologist/sleep doc--she takes one look at me and says--you've got OSA, 99% sure of it. I see my GP and my endocronologist at least 3 times a year, plus dentist and retinologist. Doesn't anyone recognize "classic OSA"?
Beth