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A Death from Sleep Apnea
Laurie posted this as a comment to an article on Death from Sleep Apnea:
"Hello, My husband had obstructive sleep apnea. His cpap psi was set at 16 and he wore the full face mask. He died on Jan. 9, 2009, I am now alone with 5 kids.
My husband had his mask on faithfully every night since diagnosed. Yes, we fought with the insur. comp. too for long time before we got his tests and machine.
The night he died was so tragic. I went to bed a 1/2 hour late that night. I was in bed for 5 minutes and heard one loud choke sound and snoring. I thought his masked had slipped. I called his name and no responses. I got up and ran to him yelling his name and said whats wrong? He said back, "I don't know". Those were the last words he spoke. Our 9 yr old daughter wanted to sleep with us that night and i told her no, go down stairs to sleep with your sister. We live in old house and her room is right next to ours. My older daughter 16 yrs. heard my screams and called 911. They told us to move ime from the bed and he ended up right next to my daughters bed, the one I sent down stairs. Three of my kids and I carried him, he was 6'5" and 310lbs. I couldn't do it alone. My 2 older kids and I did cpr for approx 15 to 20 minutes. We live in a rural area. One emt showed up and started to bag him while I continued the compressions. Then the house was full. They worked on him almost an hour naked on the floor of my daughters room. All my kids but one saw, the one I sent down stairs. She was daddy's girl always on him playing. They defibralated him the entire time and tried to entibate him. They finally took him out to ambulance still naked and left. I was about 10 minutes behind ambulance and he was dead when I got there. He was extremely bloated in the stomach and purple and blue in the face. He had vomited in his tubes aswell. He was only 39 years old, he was the love of my life!
They did an autopsy and said his death was natural due to complications of sleep apnea. He had a heart attack but having no air killed him. They told me even if emt was standing right next to him they still could not have saved him. I am struggling with the loss of him and really can not fathom how lightly the doctors speak of this illness. They never checked his heart and it was enlarged from the apnea. He had been on cpap for approx. 5 to 6 years. Right after he died the company that supplied his equipment called and I asked them if their clients die alot and he said yes. I had never heard any of this in all the years of having it.
Please get checked out and make sure you get to see pulmonologist and cardiologist. Please ask questions no matter how stupid!
Laurie "
"Hello, My husband had obstructive sleep apnea. His cpap psi was set at 16 and he wore the full face mask. He died on Jan. 9, 2009, I am now alone with 5 kids.
My husband had his mask on faithfully every night since diagnosed. Yes, we fought with the insur. comp. too for long time before we got his tests and machine.
The night he died was so tragic. I went to bed a 1/2 hour late that night. I was in bed for 5 minutes and heard one loud choke sound and snoring. I thought his masked had slipped. I called his name and no responses. I got up and ran to him yelling his name and said whats wrong? He said back, "I don't know". Those were the last words he spoke. Our 9 yr old daughter wanted to sleep with us that night and i told her no, go down stairs to sleep with your sister. We live in old house and her room is right next to ours. My older daughter 16 yrs. heard my screams and called 911. They told us to move ime from the bed and he ended up right next to my daughters bed, the one I sent down stairs. Three of my kids and I carried him, he was 6'5" and 310lbs. I couldn't do it alone. My 2 older kids and I did cpr for approx 15 to 20 minutes. We live in a rural area. One emt showed up and started to bag him while I continued the compressions. Then the house was full. They worked on him almost an hour naked on the floor of my daughters room. All my kids but one saw, the one I sent down stairs. She was daddy's girl always on him playing. They defibralated him the entire time and tried to entibate him. They finally took him out to ambulance still naked and left. I was about 10 minutes behind ambulance and he was dead when I got there. He was extremely bloated in the stomach and purple and blue in the face. He had vomited in his tubes aswell. He was only 39 years old, he was the love of my life!
They did an autopsy and said his death was natural due to complications of sleep apnea. He had a heart attack but having no air killed him. They told me even if emt was standing right next to him they still could not have saved him. I am struggling with the loss of him and really can not fathom how lightly the doctors speak of this illness. They never checked his heart and it was enlarged from the apnea. He had been on cpap for approx. 5 to 6 years. Right after he died the company that supplied his equipment called and I asked them if their clients die alot and he said yes. I had never heard any of this in all the years of having it.
Please get checked out and make sure you get to see pulmonologist and cardiologist. Please ask questions no matter how stupid!
Laurie "
Views: 983
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by J. Medina-Bairan, MD, FCCP, FACP on
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I am very sorry for your lost. I hope your message get to many people. I treat a lot of patients with sleep apnea and spend a lot of time convincing them to use the cpap, many want to quit inmediately. I also spend more time telling others to get tested, but they do not want to listen. Sometimes it is frustrating, but I continue because I realy believe we can help, if the people let us. You keep doing your part, you are honoring your husband and helping your community.
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Permalink Reply by Edy Flexser on
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Please get tested again if you are still experiencing apnea or any symptoms. I was tested 7 yrs ago and wasn't put on cpap( I had assumed I didn't have sleep apnea)-then again 2 1/2 yrs ago and my pmd said I had mild sleep apnea and didn't qualify for a machine. The sleep centered called and said even though it was mild-with my family history(mom, 3 siblings ( one severe ), son ( severe ) and my weight and high blood pressure I did qualify. I wear my mask every night without fail. Last January I was tested again because I was experiencing some of the same symptoms. My air pressure was moved from an 8 to 11 and am feeling more rested. During the years that I didn't have a cpap the doctors just assumed I was "depressed" because I was so tired all the time. So even though they classified my apnea as mild, I was very much in need of treatment. Please see your doctor again-your sleep apnea can worsen!
Wylie Miller said:I am touched by your story Laurie. My heart goes out to you and your children. I have had sleep apnea for at least 30 years, treated for at least 17 (on my third machine). I have used CPAP faithfully for all that time. The doctors have labeled mine "severe" sleep apnea. I too am over weight and trying to lose the pounds. My experience tells me that doctors write off obese people. They act as if the only thing that can be done is for the patient to lose weight. My wife remembers that my patterns were just as bad when I was 40 pounds lighter. I am sure that being heavy exacerbates sleep apnea. But some how we need to convince doctors that more is needed than just to tell patients to lose weight. Even though surgery does not eliminate the need for CPAP, I wonder if lives could not be saved if patients who stop breathing more than 50 times per night (without CPAP) did go ahead and have the surgery to scrap the throat of excess fat and tissue. I know I don't feel I ever have an apnea when I am wearing my mask, but my wife tells me I do.
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Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on
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Edy, glad that you are doing better. We have to advocate for ourselves.
Hope things continue to improve for you.
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Permalink Reply by Marie Davis on
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Laurie; It has been several months now since I read your post and replied. I just wanted to say that your words have really stayed with me and motivated me to change my life. I have now completed a log process of being approved for weight loss surgery as well as NEVER missing a night of my therapy. My mother is dying from heart disease. I have printed your post and kept in my journal to remind me what your strength and courage is and that I too can be strong with my challenges for a healthier living. Thank you again for your post, I hope you have found courage in knowing that you have truely touched and changed a lot of lives from your honest and painful post. I am one of them.
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Permalink Reply by ValerieRose on
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Dear Laurie, I'm so sorry to hear of your loss of your husband. What a tragic story! It does seem as if there should be warning labels posted or something! Why does sleep apnea seem to be the word or symptom of the year? For all the years with insomnia,not one Dr. had ever mention sleep apnea!? Thank you for having the courage to share with us and for giving us the warning. Peace be with you and your children. valerierose
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Permalink Reply by Wanda Vanfosson on
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This is such a frightening story because I also have an enlarged heart, I was given an echo cardiogram of my heart around the beginning of this year. They said my heart was in the upper limits of normal, and when I asked my Dr. what that meant he told me my heart was a little enlarged but that it was still within the normal range.
He didnt seem concerned or anything and I am assuming it is from my lifetime of Athsma and from having a near death bout of pnuemonia 3 years ago.
This post has opened my eyes about the severity of sleep apnea as I had no idea that it could literaly cause death.
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