If you tested the public how many new OSA patients would the

Take 100 off the street and give them a sleep study...

My friend has complained for years about being tired. He knows I am a hoser, with severe sleep apnea.

His doctor sent him to a specialist. You guessed it....OSA. 103: severe

He had no idea.

How did people cope without diagnosis before sleep studies and cpap?

they died in their sleep of natural causes probably.

High blood pressure, sleep deprivation, high risk of stroke.

I knew I had sleep apnea, but I chose not to educate myself because I assumed I could never sleep with a mask. My mom has used cpap for many years, and her machine was loud, and her masks looked horrible. I also thought that you had to breathe through your nose only, which I cannot do. So, because I never looked up any info, I had it in my mind that it was just another form of sleep deprivation. But that is only one component. I have snored badly for many years. I travel a lot and share a hotel room, and the complaints were constant. But I wasn't going to waste my time on a sleep study that I believed was 10pm to 5am (like my mom's sleep study) when I am a night owl.

A year ago, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. It has always been in the high range of normal. I don't remember any regular readings in years of standard doctor appointments. My doctor told me I was at high risk of a stroke. Less than a week later, I went to the emergency room with really bad vertigo. My blood pressure was up to 197. I heard the ER doctor say it didn't look like a stroke. That still scared me that he was considering that possibility. Once home, I looked up vertigo, and found that it can be a symptom of a stroke. A few days later, the vertigo was back, and I went to another ER (first one was while traveling). Again, the ER doctor ruled out stroke, but considered it. Then I got a CT scan. The whole thing was a huge scare for me.

During the next few months, my high blood pressure did not come down. My doctor doubled the first medication, then added another, then doubled that, then added another. Sometimes down a bit, but not by much. Nothing was working. Then I saw on tv that sleep apnea causes high blood pressure, heart problems, and stroke. Ding ding ding. Denial over. I had another appointment in less than 2 weeks, so I confessed. She sent me to a sleep lab, and I was severe. ahi of 79. I actually slept well at the sleep lab (11pm to 8am), and the machine wasn't so bad after all. Of course, they are newer now. I felt great the next day, and I was all in. I had to wait a couple weeks to get my machine, and I have never looked forward to a doctor appointment before. I was downright excited.

My sleep is still not consistent, but my blood pressure seems to go up and down with the quality of my sleep, so it is clearly related. A few good nights in a row, and I have great blood pressure readings. I wish I had done this years ago.

Since being diagnosed, I have learned that a lot of people I know are either using a cpap machine already or really need to. Perhaps it should be a common preventative test to have people sleep with an oximeter overnight to see who needs further testing. We cancer screenings, blood work, etc. But we only get tested for sleep apnea if we make the right complaints. Sometimes we don't know to complain, or what trigger words to say. And sometimes, we keep our mouths shut out of fear or denial. I can't imagine any doctor ignoring my blood pressure readings which I couldn't hide. Yet nobody asked me anything that would cause me to confess I had sleep apnea, and I am one person who actually knew about it before being diagnosed. If I had been sent home with an oximeter, my data would have proven that I needed to get a sleep study. While I never offered the info about my snoring, I would not have lied had I been asked.

Thanks!
It's hard being compliant.
It is easier because of help here.
However, I have so much to learn. My Sleep Doc would call me cured if I could prove I used the machine every day.

My machine tracks my progress, I have just learned. He doesn't care. Long as I fog a mirror so he can submit a bill for regular visits, his business plan is satisfied. Health management, not health care.

I have so much to learn.

I quote from the Apnex site--(credit given but not linked)

OSA Prevalence and Incidence
OSA is a highly prevalent condition affecting millions of people worldwide. In the United States, symptomatic OSA is estimated to affect 1 in 4 men and 1 in 9 women, totaling 23 million adults (30-60 years old).2 Of those, approximately 4% of men and 2% of women have moderate or severe OSA, affecting approximately 12 million people.2,3 In Australia a similar percentage of the population has moderate or severe OSA, affecting approximately 500,000 people. However, it is estimated that only 10% to 20% of OSA sufferers have been diagnosed and treated. Growing patient awareness and physician training are rapidly increasing the pool of diagnosed patients, which is estimated to be growing at a rate of 15% per year. In addition, the obesity epidemic and the aging population are both contributing to an increasing patient base which is currently growing at about 1% per year.2

I suspect the numbers are somewhat higher than what is reported. My guess is that 1 in 5 adults over 40 have OSA to some degree.

Since this was from a site directed towards 'selling' the HGNS product to doctors,
there is, no doubt. the possibility of exaggeration.
Looking a bit further, this from the Mayo clinic:
". . . the prevalence of OSA is estimated to be 3% to 7% in men and 2% to 5% in women. Among patients with a body mass index (calculated as the weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) greater than 28, OSA is present in 41%. The prevalence of OSA can be as high as 78% in morbidly obese patients who present for bariatric surgery."

greatunclebill wrote:they died in their sleep of natural causes probably.

So if we are properly treated for sleep apnea, will we live healthy forever. No, we will still die, and there are many worse more painful ways to die. Jim

I just plan to scratch sleep apnea off my bucket list, and move on to the next thing out there waiting to kill me. Treating myself for sleep apnea, isn't my life all things aren't caused by sleep apnea. I have sleep apnea, and life goes on.

If only all of life's ills could be handled as easily.

My speculation would say, roughly half of America has some degree of OSA. Just too many obese people in America. Just about anybody that snores pretty heavy probably has some degree of OSA.

Just my opinion, Im not a medical person.

I will also say that of the people tested and given an OSA diagnosis, the vast majority would not use their gear regularly even if you gave it to them for free. I have found generally, a semi-hostile attitude towards CPAP and the whole sleep apnea thing. Except among many doctors, who seem to like it.

Eric

And others, who choose to ignore it.
"Trust your DME, they will make all your decisions"

I just read today in a nationally known newspaper...

According to a study done on 400 randomly picked Swedish women, about 50% of them may have moderate to severe sleep apnea. And get this... of the obese women in the sample, 80-82% may have this same level of sleep apnea.

I often see people walking around in a fog with big bags under their eyes and wonder to myself what I could say to tell them to get checked out. If I were in high school today and looking for an interesting profession to pursue, it would definately be in the sleep industry. Talk about growth, opportunity and the chance to change people's lives for the better!

We will look back five years from now and realize we (people on this BB) are way ahead of this exploding self-help/realization trend. I see it like the past exercise craze, but with a higher sense of urgency due to the risk and reward.

Tom

Self help, as an only choice in many cases.
The best choice in mine, for sure.

Thanks!

self help sounds good to me.

First need is a new sleep doc.

Dave

Maybe we need to make some little "yellow ribbon" type magnetic stickers, but they'll look like a CPAP hose. Plus some little "livestrong" type bracelets made from mini-CPAP hose.

Unfortunately, no one wants to face up to apnea and do CPAP until they're seriously ill. Sometimes, not even then.

I've had almost no success telling people they need a sleep test and/or CPAP.