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Permalink Reply by amott1973 on April 21, 2009 at 10:11pm

I have two younger sisters that haven't yet been tested, but one of them (born in 75) is planning to get tested.

My mother has it, and we're pretty sure her 3 siblings have it, but they've refuse to be tested so far. And my mom's father had it, but refused testing saying he wouldn't ever wear the mask. My mom's whole family snores horribly, and you can totally tell they stop breathing just by listening.

My husband's mom was recently dx with it, and now my husband is planning to be tested as well.

In my opinion it definitely runs in families.

I should bring up that while my mother and grandfather are/were overweight, her siblings aren't all heavy and they've all had this horrible snoring even back when they were younger and at healthy weights.

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Permalink Reply by N Gardner on April 21, 2009 at 10:32pm

I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea for about a year, i sleep with a CPAP machine and take an Ambien every night and i'm on Effexir. I have no problems with it and my doctor says it's not a problem. If i dont take the Ambien i dont sleep all night...

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Permalink Reply by Darillyn Patterson on April 21, 2009 at 11:29pm

After I was diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea, my identical twin decided (or it might have been her doctor who made the decision) to have a sleep study test done. Sure enough, she also has sleep apnea. I think hers might be worse than mine, although I'm not certain of that. We are both overweight by about 30 lbs. and are 57 years old. A pulmonologist with whom I met and who took the info from my CPAP data card asked how long I've been afflicted. I told him I wasn't always like this; perhaps it's been a couple of years. Then I realized that it could have began around the time I entered menopause (probably the wrong way to phrase that). When I verbalized that to the doctor, he said there does seem to be some kind of link between menopause and sleep apnea for some women. He didn't tell me of any studies to prove it; perhaps it's even his own theory. Has anybody heard about a connection between menopause and sleep apnea?

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Permalink Reply by Dave Hargett on April 22, 2009 at 12:12am

I'm the oldest of four boys in my family. I have severe sleep apnea and am very compliant with treatment.

When I was visiting my brother (#3 son) shortly after my diagnosis and explaining apnea to him and his wife, he was falling asleep in the chair while his young son was crawling around in his lap. He was later diagnosed with apnea, but is not treating it (Even a sleep apnea prophet like me is sometimes not honored in his own household!). #2 Son is thinner and has been diagnosed with apnea and prescribed a CPAP, but I don't think he's being compliant either. He thinks his problem is insomnia, not apnea and I've not ever been able to see his sleep study results so I can argue with him.

So three of the four of us have been diagnosed. We're not aware of any preceding family members, though.

I have had a grandmother and grown grandson come together to an A.W.A.K.E. group meeting, as well as a father and son. I have talked to a woman with apnea whose 3 other siblings all were diagnosed. I know another woman who has gotten up to 11 family members (siblings, children) diagnosed as well.

I can't immediately quote the study, but there is one study that shows the increasing chances of having sleep apnea based on the number of family members who have been diagnosed (or suspected of apnea if they're already deceased).

I firmly believe that sleep apnea is related to the way we inherit our anatomy from our parents. I'm beginning to believe that my father may have some level of apnea (he's 80 now) but I'm not at home to listen to him when he sleeps and my mom is essentially totally deaf when she sleeps without her hearing aids.

Dave Hargett

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Permalink Reply by Connie B on April 22, 2009 at 2:03am

I do not know about exact facts but I can tell you both of my parents had severe sleep apnea, which led to enlarged hearts and High blood pressures, I have two nephews that have it. My husband has it and has had to have surgery, which did not correct the problem for very long. I have it now as an adult but I have no physical reason other than my teeth are very misshapen where I could not afford braces (still cannot) and my tongue has no where to go but to the back of my throat. Both of my children snore now, as they have gotten older. However, than again so does my dog who is 15 years old and now has heart problems and takes medications for his heart. I do feel it is hereditary.

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Permalink Reply by Banyon on April 22, 2009 at 8:00am

Dave Hargett said:

.......Even a sleep apnea prophet like me is sometimes not honored in his own household! ..........

Dave Hargett

Dave,

That's a good one that I will have to remember. My wife has SDB and her PCP asked her to have a PSG but she refuses. My nagging her has gotten nowhere either.

Regards,

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Permalink Reply by cathy huffman on April 22, 2009 at 11:53pm

My younger brother had severe sleep apnea which I believe played a large part in his death at the age of 31 years old.

They removed part of his soft pallete (sp) and wanted to do a permanant trach. on him which he refused to allow and he died 6 weeks later of a heart problem.

My father also had sleep apnea, and so does my mom.

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Permalink Reply by Mike on April 23, 2009 at 9:21pm

i'm so sorry to hear about your younger brother. for everyone reading this, i want to stress how a trach is the only cure for sleep apnea. in a life or death analysis, the decision is obvious.

cathy huffman said:

My younger brother had severe sleep apnea which I believe played a large part in his death at the age of 31 years old.

They removed part of his soft pallete (sp) and wanted to do a permanant trach. on him which he refused to allow and he died 6 weeks later of a heart problem.

My father also had sleep apnea, and so does my mom.

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Permalink Reply by Dave Hargett on April 24, 2009 at 4:08pm

I messed up this reply. See the next one!

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Permalink Reply by Dave Hargett on April 24, 2009 at 4:11pm

In the original study that discussed the prevalence of sleep apnea in 1993, the numbers were 4% of men and 2% of women pre-menopause. After menopause the prevalence in women in similar to that in men. While never proven definitively (at least to my knowledge), female hormones do seem to help hold off sleep apnea in women until a later age. However, I'm seeing more and more women being diagnosed as well that come to my sleep support groups.



Darillyn Patterson said:

Then I realized that it could have began around the time I entered menopause (probably the wrong way to phrase that). When I verbalized that to the doctor, he said there does seem to be some kind of link between menopause and sleep apnea for some women. He didn't tell me of any studies to prove it; perhaps it's even his own theory. Has anybody heard about a connection between menopause and sleep apnea?

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on April 24, 2009 at 5:56pm

I also believe that size plays a huge part in female vs male with apnea. Women tend to start out smaller in general. Men tend to have larger necks and overall muscular structure. I believe that men tend to carry a higher BMI in the earlier stages of their lives than women. I know that these are not the only contributing factors, but factors they are.

Dave Hargett said:

In the original study that discussed the prevalence of sleep apnea in 1993, the numbers were 4% of men and 2% of women pre-menopause. After menopause the prevalence in women in similar to that in men. While never proven definitively (at least to my knowledge), female hormones do seem to help hold off sleep apnea in women until a later age. However, I'm seeing more and more women being diagnosed as well that come to my sleep support groups.



Darillyn Patterson said:

Then I realized that it could have began around the time I entered menopause (probably the wrong way to phrase that). When I verbalized that to the doctor, he said there does seem to be some kind of link between menopause and sleep apnea for some women. He didn't tell me of any studies to prove it; perhaps it's even his own theory. Has anybody heard about a connection between menopause and sleep apnea?

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Permalink Reply by E.M. on April 26, 2009 at 5:41am

my dad and everyone else on my dad's side of the family snores really loudly. i'm convinced they have sleep apnea, but doubt they'll ever get motivated enough to be tested.

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