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Permalink Reply by Bradley Dean Moffatt on August 21, 2009 at 11:11pm

Hi, My wife had been telling me for several years that I breathed "wierdly" when I slept. In the last few years I was sleeping so poorly that I was seeing a physician for treatment. About a year ago I asked him if I should have a sleep study. He said "No" and kept me on the meds. In the meantime my blood pressure was escalating, I was on an acid reflux med, and two anti depressants.

It wasn't until I started having episodes of RBD (Rem Behavior Disorder) every other night that my wife looked up my crazy antics on the internet. I started reading about Apnea and RBD and finally went to a different doctor. BTW, I had been on a prescription sleep med for over four years (from the first physician). There is some feeling out there in the medical community that some of these newer sleep meds you see advertised on TV all the time - called "hypnotics" - might increase the episodes of RBD.

So I did the sleep study. I got as far as 3:00 a.m. when the technician came running in and immediately put me on a CPAP. The next morning the staff informed me that my oxygen level had dropped to an extremely dangerous 63%. I didn't breathe for over a minute in one episode. I was having over 20 breathing "stoppages" per hour. I immediately was put on a CPAP within two days of my first sleep study. I slept so well I went cold turkey on the sleep meds after only two days with the CPAP. That was 5 months ago. These good folks probably saved my life. Moral of the story? Guys, do your spouse a favor and get the sleep study. If you need a CPAP machine, use it religiously. Also, watch the special CBS August 18th news piece about the seriousness of APNEA. Thank you for this website.

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on August 22, 2009 at 9:48am

Bradley I have to ask what kind of things were you doing in your RBD events. We had a retired football player once. He dreamed of running the field, breaking tackles, and scoring touchdowns. Trashed his house 2-3 times a week in doing so. he would wake up black and blue and not know why.

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Permalink Reply by Rose Galuska on August 22, 2009 at 11:16am

Rock,
I LOVE your analogy. I am an RRT (former sleep tech,OJT),working for a company that specializes in sleep. That's all we do. I try so hard to convince my clients that sleep apnea is much more than the annoyance of snoring. With your permission, I will use the "shark" analogy to impress the dangers of untreated sleep apnea.
Thanks

Rock Hinkle said:

Yes untreated apnea is worse for people who have the problems you have mentioned. The problems that you have mentioned are also worse for peple who have untreated apnea. If you have untreated apnea you are basically swimming in a pool of sharks. There are diabetes sharks, and CHF sharks, and stroke sharks, and automobile accident sharks, and hypertension sharks, dimentia sharks and alzheimer's sharks, and Central Apnea sharks, and asthma sharks. Eventually if the situation is not resolved one of these sharks are going to get you. If not your body will tire from treading water. Apnea or any of the other disorders you have mentioned will kill you if left untreated.

Rhonda McPherson said:

I do have sleep apnea. But I am wondering if it is more dangerous for people who have it worse. As far as heart problems, and other health issues that come up because of sleep apnea.
Rhonda

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on August 22, 2009 at 11:18am

If it helps to educate by all means use it.

Rose Galuska said:

Rock,
I LOVE your analogy. I am an RRT (former sleep tech,OJT),working for a company that specializes in sleep. That's all we do. I try so hard to convince my clients that sleep apnea is much more than the annoyance of snoring. With your permission, I will use the "shark" analogy to impress the dangers of untreated sleep apnea.
Thanks

Rock Hinkle said:

Yes untreated apnea is worse for people who have the problems you have mentioned. The problems that you have mentioned are also worse for peple who have untreated apnea. If you have untreated apnea you are basically swimming in a pool of sharks. There are diabetes sharks, and CHF sharks, and stroke sharks, and automobile accident sharks, and hypertension sharks, dimentia sharks and alzheimer's sharks, and Central Apnea sharks, and asthma sharks. Eventually if the situation is not resolved one of these sharks are going to get you. If not your body will tire from treading water. Apnea or any of the other disorders you have mentioned will kill you if left untreated.

Rhonda McPherson said:

I do have sleep apnea. But I am wondering if it is more dangerous for people who have it worse. As far as heart problems, and other health issues that come up because of sleep apnea.
Rhonda

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