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We had a new member join today who thinks she has sleep apnea so I thought it might be helpful if people were kind enough to post what their symptoms were.

 

My only symptom was excessive daytime sleepiness.  It started off with 4-5 hour afternoon naps where I was dead to the world.  My sleepiness progressed to the point that I was falling back asleep soon after waking up and remained very sleepy during the day.  I could not drive, though I foolishly did drive sleepy for appointments.  I would fall asleep in therapy.  I was miserable with sleepiness to the point where my psychiatrist prescribed Provigil.  My GP set me up with a sleep test which only showed mild apnea - an AHI of 5.  I barely qualified for CPAP, but jumped at the chance because my sleepiness was so severe.

I never woke up gasping for air, my partner never noted that I stopped breathing during the night, I snored softly (found out in sleep study), but I did sleep 13 hours a night and more when I could.  I was normal weight.

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      Bill, I'll be really interested in knowing if, over time, you begin to realize that you have more energy and feel better. I think that one can get used to feeling tired so that it seems normal.

      Another matter: be mindful that it can take time before you'll begin to feel better as your body begins to heal slowly from the effects of oxygen deprivation. I've been at this since early June, 2011. I realize that I am just now beginning to turn a corner. It's not just that I'm using CPAP, but I have also been learning about related matters, including: not eating late in the evening (which is my long-time preference: four hours or more after eating dinner makes a real difference in my sleep), getting off the computer at least 60 minutes but preferably more before bedtime (a continuing challenge) and developing a relaxing routine. There are any number of et ceteras, almost all of which I learned about from this site.

     BTW, you may be one of those lucky high-energy people who managed to survive the effects of your sleep apnea reasonably well. Time will tell.

     Welcome and good luck!



Bill Walton said:

I am 64, male, overweight.  I had no symptoms that I was aware of.  I wasn't tired (or no more that would be expected when I stay up late and get up early).  My only real symptom was that my wife complained that I snored horribly and stopped breathing in my sleep.  I often woke in the morning to find her sleeping in another part of the house.

After an unrelated surgery, I spent the night in intensive care, and the IC nurses told me I had sleep apnea and had set off the low blood oxygen alarm all night long, causing them no end of concern.  I had a sleep study, indicating an AHI of 95 - "severe obstructive sleep apnea" is the term they used.  Oxygen level fell to below 60%.  I had no idea.

After a week of CPAP, I still don't notice any change in my energy level, but I'm still sleeping only about 5 hours on weeknights, 8 hours on weekend nights.  AHI has fallen to the 5-ish range, so more improvement is possible.  I'm looking forward to the weight loss others have reported.

Bill, you may not get weight loss, I actually put weight on but I was underweight due to sleep deprivation. The best thing is that you are now getting the oxygen you need and may stop potential illnesses like heart attack or stroke etc. An AHI of 95 is very high and if your down to 5 that's fantastic. It took me nearly a year to really feel the full effects of CPAP, I now jog 4-5 kilometres per day. A year ago I could hardly walk. Not sure if you exercise or watch what you eat but that will also assist with weight loss.

None that I was aware of.  Except my HGB and HCT for years had been slightly above normal.  Not over weight at all.  Then had ECHO cardiogram and showed very early pulmonary hypertension.  Had over night pulse ox and showed some desats.  Started on CPAP and less than one year later th ECHO is completely normal. I occasionally took a nap on the weekend but did not really feel I was tired.  I wish my doctors had been more aware of sleep apnea!!!!    

I can see why they didn't consider sleep apnea with your symptoms and lack of the usual symptoms of sleep apnea.  Glad your echo is normal now.

Bill,

It was a month after starting CPAP before I started to feel better.

I was thin to normal weight, and had gone through alternating periods lasting 2-3 months (followed by a couple of good months) of feeling tired for 13 years.  Not just tired, but "wanting to crawl into a cave and die" tired.  I was sleeping 16-18 hours/day some days.  It didn't matter how long I slept, within minutes I wanted nothing more than to go back to bed.  I had been complaining to different doctors, had all the usual tests, all normal, and was eventually diagnosed with depression.  Well, I WAS depressed.  Instead of enjoying life, I was sleeping.  I also frequently woke up with headaches.  So I was tired AND my head hurt.  Life sucked.

Finally, in 2007 I moved out of state and obviously changed docs.  My new internist happened to have done a fellowship in sleep medicine.  My first visit he told me he was convinced I had sleep apnea.  (I'd also had a boyfriend tell me that I stopped breathing during the night..... but no snoring).  My sleep study confirmed the diagnosis, 60 episodes per hour, and CPAP was ordered.  Its not a complete solution but it is so, so much better now, and add provigil and I feel like I used to before the sleep apnea started.  I have a new life now.  I don't ever want to go back to life before treatment. 

And another person here with cold feet.  But I have a warm nose.   :=)

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