# If you have any of these symptoms...



## BigBeautifulMe (Jun 23, 2007)

One of the most common symptoms of sleep apnea is snoring and choking/gasping for air, but what many people don't know is that even if you DON'T snore, you could still have apnea.

Here are some of the less-common symptoms that people (even doctors!) tend to overlook:

-irritability and being quick-tempered.
-having to get up to pee at night.
-sleeping too much (9+ hours a night).
-insomnia.
-depression.
-bipolar disorder.
-inability to concentrate.
-memory loss.
-falling asleep at traffic lights.
-being very disorganized. 
-high blood pressure. 
-waking up at night with a pounding heart.
-dreaming of drowning or being buried alive.

I've seen some of these mentioned in other health threads, but instead of going into each thread and posting "it could be apnea!" I thought I'd post it here.

A few comments on some of these symptoms I've listed:

1) I've heard people say "I don't have a sleep disorder! I sleep just fine - in fact, I sleep a LOT!" Sleeping a lot IS a symptom of apnea, so don't dismiss it out of hand. 

2) As far as insomnia goes, many people are actually originally sent for a sleep test complaining of insomnia. My theory is that your body knows it is being suffocated while you sleep, and so is trying to put off sleep as long as possible. 

3) Also, LOTS of apnea sufferers are originally sent for sleep tests by their psychiatrists. Lack of oxygen to the brain at night can cause severe mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder. I was diagnosed as bipolar, and on meds for it for a few years before I found out I had apnea. As soon as I started CPAP treatment for the apnea, the mood disorder disappeared completely! Not everyone is that lucky - but many are. 

4) As far as being disorganized goes, when you physically do not have the energy to do things and are sleeping all the time, cleaning your house tends to go to pot. 

If there are any other symptoms you're curious about, just ask.

If you think you might have apnea, DO NOT put off being tested for it. Call your doctor right away and schedule a sleep test. Apnea is not something that just makes you tired. It can KILL you. And, if you happen to be especially unlucky, it could kill someone else, too. I also know someone who lost his wife to a car crash caused by apnea. She thought she'd go without treatment for just one night, as she'd never had problems with drowsy driving before...it only takes once, folks. It's a scary thing.

Check out this page. Make sure you click on the link after the second paragraph to see a list of many health issues sleep apnea can cause (including stroke and heart attack).


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## tinkerbell (Jun 23, 2007)

BigBeautifulMe said:


> One of the most common symptoms of sleep apnea is snoring and choking/gasping for air, but what many people don't know is that even if you DON'T snore, you could still have apnea.
> 
> Here are some of the less-common symptoms that people (even doctors!) tend to overlook:
> 
> ...



My Dr wanted me to go in for a sleep study last year - I am ALWAYS tired, and nothing showed up on my lab work. I mainly didn't go because I wasn't sure if my insurance would pay for it, and to tell you the truth, I have a slight fear of the dark, and if it was completely dark there, I'm not sure how well I'd even sleep. 

Anyway, just seeing these symptoms just made me feel like this :doh: :doh: because other than the snoring and gasping for breath sometimes - I have like 6 or 7 of the symptoms above. :blush: So yeah, I guess I should get my butt into that sleep study.

So what exactly is the treatment for sleep apnea?


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## DeniseW (Jun 23, 2007)

I know that a lot of people that are diagnosed with sleep apnea use a CPAP machine at night, it keeps your throat open so you can breathe better. A couple of my friends use them, it goes over your nose and mouth I believe.


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## tinkerbell (Jun 23, 2007)

missaf said:


> Many of these symptoms can also be associated with other illnesses and combinations of illnesses, so please be sure to keep a log of what you are experiencing before heading to the doctor. It can help provide a bigger picture than walking in and be self-diagnosed.



I'm not self diagnosing myself. My dr had already _wanted_ me to have this done because of everything I was telling her at the time. I chose not to have it done for the reasons I already mentioned. 



DeniseW said:


> I know that a lot of people that are diagnosed with sleep apnea use a CPAP machine at night, it keeps your throat open so you can breathe better. A couple of my friends use them, it goes over your nose and mouth I believe.



Oh ok, Thanks!


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## BigBeautifulMe (Jun 23, 2007)

Tinkerbell,
You can bring anything you want to to the sleep lab to make you more comfortable. I'm sure they'd have no problem with you having a little night light or something similar. I would really encourage you to go in and get tested as soon as you can. 

CPAP is indeed the standard treatment for apnea. It's a machine that uses pressurized air to keep your airway open. There are different kinds of masks available. The kind Denise describes are full face masks, and are used for people who breathe through their mouths. Most people, though, use nasal masks or nasal pillows, masks that only cover your nose. 

It takes some adjusting to - but it's totally worth it, and now I can't sleep without it! Good luck.


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## 1300 Class (Jun 26, 2007)

My dad was diagnosed with sleepapnea, and after a visit to the specialist and a number of sleep trials and tests, he got the CPAP machine with the mask, and it has worked absolute wonders for him, especially in the snoring department, which has all but dissapeared, plus the bonus affects of getting real sleep.


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## ashmamma84 (Jun 26, 2007)

Thank you for this thread, BBMe --I think I need to be tested. I always get up at night to pee, I need 9+ hours of sleep, I do cope with depression...I'll play it safe and make an appt. asap.


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## LillyBBBW (Jun 26, 2007)

I concur with everything BBM said. I never thought I had sleep apnea because I don't snore. Being a singer sheilded me somewhat from having it too bad but still, I'm much better off after having been tested and given a CPAP. if you suspect that you may have sleep apnea go get tested. I assure you, the relief you will experience is absolutely worth any time consuming inconvenience you are imagining will happen by checking it out.


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## disconnectedsmile (May 26, 2009)

i hope it's okay to bump up this thread. i saw it under "Health Forum's Most Useful threads," and thought i'd add to this thread instead of making a new one.

anyway, my girlfriend has recently had some concerns about sleep apnea. i believe she may be exhibiting a few symptoms, but i don't know enough about sleep apnea to know for sure.
could one of the symptoms possibly dozing off at various points during the day? i have also seen/heard the "snoring and choking/gasping for air" symptom from her.
are these signs of sleep apnea or perhaps just lack of B vitamins in the diet?

also...what's a CPAP?


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## BigBeautifulMe (May 26, 2009)

Yes, daytime drowsiness is one of the most common symptoms of sleep apnea. I would definitely encourage her to go for a sleep test.

CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure. Basically it's a machine that's attached to a mask. The mask goes on your face, and it blows pressurized air into your airway to splint it open. It sounds much scarier than it actually is. If you've ever hung your head out a car window, it feels kinda like that. LOL  It can take some adjusting to, but when she finds the right mask/machine combo she may even find she looks forward to using it (I certainly do).

Hope that helps.


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## disconnectedsmile (May 26, 2009)

BigBeautifulMe said:


> Yes, daytime drowsiness is one of the most common symptoms of sleep apnea. I would definitely encourage her to go for a sleep test.
> 
> CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure. Basically it's a machine that's attached to a mask. The mask goes on your face, and it blows pressurized air into your airway to splint it open. It sounds much scarier than it actually is. If you've ever hung your head out a car window, it feels kinda like that. LOL  It can take some adjusting to, but when she finds the right mask/machine combo she may even find she looks forward to using it (I certainly do).
> 
> Hope that helps.



thank you for the guidance. :bow: 
i was of the impression a CPAP was some type of pillow? looks like i was _way_ off. :doh:
is there any type of pillow that can help with sleep apnea? i once read that there was, but i may be wrong.


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## Tracyarts (May 26, 2009)

My husband had the obvious symptoms (gasping for air, waking up frequently, and snoring loudly at night) but also had a lot of the not so obvious ones too (disorganization, memory/concentration problems, mood swings, and just feeling out of sorts and worn out in general). He went the surgical route instead of the C-pap route though. He had his deviated septum corrected, some sinus polyps removed, excess tissue from his soft palate removed, and he also had his tonsils/adenoids removed. It is amazing what a difference it has made in his quality of life. He never realized just how difficult it was to get through the day before the problem was fixed. 

Tracy


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## BigBeautifulMe (May 26, 2009)

disconnected, no pillow is going to help with sleep apnea, unfortunately. Maybe you're thinking of _nasal pillows_ which are just a type of mask for the cpap.  Apnea is a serious condition and there are no easy fixes, unfortunately.

I'm really glad your husband's surgeries worked for him, Tracey. He's fortunate.

For anyone else - I would suggest exhausting EVERY other possibility before looking at surgery - I can't tell you how many people end up on the CPAP forum after their surgeries don't work for them. After surgery, they end up right back on CPAP - only the surgeries have reconfigured their anatomy in such a way that CPAP is less effective, or has more complications. Some of them just end up living with apnea because there's no other solution for them anymore. It's sad. I would be very, very careful when considering surgery.

ETA: Also, sometimes our tissue shifts as we get older, rending a surgery that worked for a few years ineffective later. My personal choice was to stick with CPAP, but everyone has to make that choice for themselves.


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## Tracyarts (May 27, 2009)

" I'm really glad your husband's surgeries worked for him, Tracey. He's fortunate. "

Well, most of the procedures were for things that needed to be corrected anyway. Deviated septum, sinus polyps, tonsils/adenoids. The surgeon suggested the soft palate procedure because he would be in there for the tonsil procedure anyway. I don't know if the surgeon would have suggested it otherwise, on its own.

Tracy


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## shinyapple (May 28, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> i hope it's okay to bump up this thread. i saw it under "Health Forum's Most Useful threads," and thought i'd add to this thread instead of making a new one.
> 
> anyway, my girlfriend has recently had some concerns about sleep apnea. i believe she may be exhibiting a few symptoms, but i don't know enough about sleep apnea to know for sure.
> could one of the symptoms possibly dozing off at various points during the day? i have also seen/heard the "snoring and choking/gasping for air" symptom from her.
> ...



Daytime drowsiness is a definite indicator of sleep apnea. I had been tested and resisted getting a machine for over a year. I finally admitted I needed one after I realized I was consistently falling asleep at my desk during the workday. It was never long...maybe a couple of minutes...but it shocked me into being retested and finally getting my machine.

The difference between before and after my CPAP machine was amazing. Like BBMe, I can't sleep without it. It's almost becoming my security blanket.

It can't hurt for her to be tested. Good luck!


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## LillyBBBW (May 28, 2009)

BigBeautifulMe said:


> disconnected, no pillow is going to help with sleep apnea, unfortunately. Maybe you're thinking of _nasal pillows_ which are just a type of mask for the cpap.  Apnea is a serious condition and there are no easy fixes, unfortunately.
> 
> I'm really glad your husband's surgeries worked for him, Tracey. He's fortunate.
> 
> ...



When I was diagnosed with apnea they told me that they were not even recommending surgery for anyone anymore. They said the surgery rarely helps anyone and when it does it's only by a small margin and it's temporary. I do know someone in this community who had it done and it was extremely painful and uncomfortable for him. Didn't work.


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## disconnectedsmile (May 28, 2009)

quick question. i know that xPAP machines are pretty much the best thing, but right now it's not feasible for me and my girlfriend to get. because of financial restraints, it's going to have to wait.
i know it needs to be treated, and i know it needs to be diagnosed and sleep tested, and all that stuff that we can't afford.

this said, is there anything, _anything_ at all that can provide even a _little_ bit of temporary relief of Apnea symptoms? something, anything.


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## LillyBBBW (May 28, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> quick question. i know that xPAP machines are pretty much the best thing, but right now it's not feasible for me and my girlfriend to get. because of financial restraints, it's going to have to wait.
> i know it needs to be treated, and i know it needs to be diagnosed and sleep tested, and all that stuff that we can't afford.
> 
> this said, is there anything, _anything_ at all that can provide even a _little_ bit of temporary relief of Apnea symptoms? something, anything.



That depends how bad your gfs apnea is. I don't snore when I sleep on my stomach so I did that. I cleared my nose with a saline rinse, put one of those breatheze tapes on my nose and took a nasal decongestant before bed and "thought" I felt some relief. It helped me for a night. The problem is I can't use saline every single night because it will make my sinuses raw. Decongestant now has to be signed for at the pharmacy with an id and a urine sample. All this may help for a moment but will cease to help after a while and you'll be worse off. Or it may not help at all. I can offer no guarantees.

What I would do? Call a local sleep study place and explain the situation. They may be able to tip you off to some programs that you qualify for and can take advantage of that they've seen others use. They don't care where the money comes from as long as they get paid. Tell them your concerns and they may be able to work with you or point you in the right direction. Or you can call one of the local CPAP distributors. Run your circumstances by them and see what they say.


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## BigBeautifulMe (May 28, 2009)

Lilly's idea is a good one, disconnected. Did you look into the Awake in America program I linked you to? 

You CAN buy CPAPs on craigslist, etc. (I don't recommend because it's not as safe/reliable as buying one new, but...desperate times, desperate measures), but the sleep study is essential to make sure it's really apnea, and to know the proper pressure to set the machine for. 

I know it sucks hardcore, disconnected.  But this isn't something you can afford to let go. Remember hospitals usually have programs for low-income people, and will set up payment plans. It's necessary, and worth it.


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## Tracyarts (May 29, 2009)

" When I was diagnosed with apnea they told me that they were not even recommending surgery for anyone anymore. They said the surgery rarely helps anyone and when it does it's only by a small margin and it's temporary. "

Well, it depends on what kind of surgery and what factors are contributing to the sleep apnea. If there is a physical problem that inhibits a clear airway, then surgery to correct that problem could be very effective in treating sleep apnea. For my husband, both his deviated septum and enlarged tonsils led to an obstructed airway. The sinus polyps caused chronic congestion that made it a lot worse.

Surgically correcting those problems left with a clear airway and cured his sleep apnea. 

Tracy


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