Welcome to the forum!!

We are glad you joined. If you have questions, comments, thoughts, or just want to get to know others this is a great place to be.

You will find informative information for new users as well as seasoned users. If you are a sleep professional, we value your participation in the forum and hope you find it useful in treating sleep apnea patients.

I wish more doctors would be aware of the danger of sleep apnea and the feeling of not being able to breathe. I had to have outpatient surgery in 1999, I remember not being able to breathe and being in a panic because of it. The outpatient surgery didn't work and I ended up having to have further surgery and remember being scared to go to sleep as I was afraid I wouldn't wake up!! I know you guys watch your patients, but the overwhelming dread was still there. Thanks for being one that cares about your patients!!!

I wasn't diagnosed with sleep apnea until August of 2007. I really believe that I have had it for a very long time prior to that. I remember telling my doctor how tired I was and didn't have any energy, etc.

I agree education is the key.

Treatment options and identifying patients will become easier with the education as more information is learned.

Back then, I had never heard of sleep apnea. I feel it was part of my trouble then, but since I wasn't diagnosed there wasn't anyway to tell if it actually was. It may just be I am more sensitive to those types of drugs. My mom had significant problems whenever she had surgery as many of them didn't react the way they are suppose to. I know I don't experience her problems -- but I do know that many sedating medicines do not make me sleepy, but will in fact make me jittery and hyper. If I take a Benadryl late in the day or more than one dose in a day's time, I won't sleep that night. I will be up and pacing the floor. I have had four surgeries, and had problems only the one time that I can recall. My son though had an allergic reaction to some med (don't know if it was the one to put him under) when he had surgery and his short surgery that they told us would be less than an hour ended up being closer to six hours long (in the operating room and didn't include the recovery phase). Very scary -- but I do feel as though the doctors were his guardian angels that took care of him during the ordeal.

Anyway I do appreciate your comments and feel that you are an asset to the medical profession.