Fear of Sleep --> sleep apnea

[Pouatchee]

About three weeks ago my doctor had an HSAT machine strapped to me overnight to check if I had sleep apnea. I had heard of it but I didn't think I was a candidate. Turns out a have a severe case of it. I had to buy a machine that cost 2200 cdn and I now have to sleep every night with a mask strapped to my face while the monitor compensates if I stop breathing. 

 

Funny thing is, I never even thought I had sleep apnea. Since I have been diagnosed I have become very aware when I stop breathing just before falling asleep and quite honestly it is quite terrifying. It feels as if I am drowning. Anyone who has sleep apnea might concur and those who don't have it will likely scoff at this disease. One thing I found out is that apparently even children can be subject to have it. For those who read this and don't know whether they have it or not, like I did, one of the things to look out for is whether when you wake up in the morning you wake up feeling as though your sleep has not replenished you. This... I had, but I did not know I did. 

 

Sleep apnea is way serious and can be life threatening:

 

Quote

... sleep apnea can be life-threatening if left untreated. While not every case leads directly to death, untreated sleep apnea significantly increases the risk of serious health complications that can be fatal.

 

The result now is that I apprehend going to sleep, but I am glad that I finally have found the cause of my daytime sleepiness. I wish my father, who was a doctor, had actually had the intuition to check whether I had it when I was a child. It might have actually helped make my life less of a daily challenge. Anyways, the takeaway from this is if you have it and leave it untreated it can lead to a multitude of side effects such as heart problems. Also, if your children or loved ones often complain of being tired after waking up maybe you should look into it. 

 

This is my first week with the machine on and my doctor has scheduled another HSAT (Home Sleep Apnea Test) test for next week. I'll have results to compare, and finally an answer to why my life so far has been a continuous waking moment.

[Ben Zioner]

Are you planning to lose weight? For me 5 kilos make a hell of a difference, no more snoring, no more apnea.

[Pouatchee]

6 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

Are you planning to lose weight? For me 5 kilos make a hell of a difference, no more snoring, no more apnea.

 

I am trying... but having been in my country for the last 8 months with all the food I have missed for the last 21 years makes it difficult. But you are a 100% right. It is one of the things that helps to bring it down.

[scubascuba3]

25 minutes ago, Pouatchee said:

About three weeks ago my doctor had an HSAT machine strapped to me overnight to check if I had sleep apnea. I had heard of it but I didn't think I was a candidate. Turns out a have a severe case of it. I had to buy a machine that cost 2200 cdn and I now have to sleep every night with a mask strapped to my face while the monitor compensates if I stop breathing. 

 

Funny thing is, I never even thought I had sleep apnea. Since I have been diagnosed I have become very aware when I stop breathing just before falling asleep and quite honestly it is quite terrifying. It feels as if I am drowning. Anyone who has sleep apnea might concur and those who don't have it will likely scoff at this disease. One thing I found out is that apparently even children can be subject to have it. For those who read this and don't know whether they have it or not, like I did, one of the things to look out for is whether when you wake up in the morning you wake up feeling as though your sleep has not replenished you. This... I had, but I did not know I did. 

 

Sleep apnea is way serious and can be life threatening:

 

 

The result now is that I apprehend going to sleep, but I am glad that I finally have found the cause of my daytime sleepiness. I wish my father, who was a doctor, had actually had the intuition to check whether I had it when I was a child. It might have actually helped make my life less of a daily challenge. Anyways, the takeaway from this is if you have it and leave it untreated it can lead to a multitude of side effects such as heart problems. Also, if your children or loved ones often complain of being tired after waking up maybe you should look into it. 

 

This is my first week with the machine on and my doctor has scheduled another HSAT (Home Sleep Apnea Test) test for next week. I'll have results to compare, and finally an answer to why my life so far has been a continuous waking moment.

Presumably you can develop it over time, rather than having it since a child?

[Pouatchee]

4 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Presumably you can develop it over time, rather than having it since a child?

 

yes and yes. some children have it and i believe i had it as a child. I had all the symptoms so this is what leads me to believe this now. also... I now have severe sleep apnea which means i stop breathing several times an hour so I believe that as i aged it just got worse. I used to think i had chronic fatigue... now i know why

[novacova]

Don’t eat 1.5 hours before laying down and walk for 15 minutes before sleeping, bet you sleep like a baby then.

[Pouatchee]

29 minutes ago, novacova said:

Don’t eat 1.5 hours before laying down and walk for 15 minutes before sleeping, bet you sleep like a baby then.

 

that won't fix sleep apnea. it is a serious disease that affects many and of all ages

 

Quote

• Adults Aged 30–70: Approximately 26% of adults in this age group are estimated to have sleep apnea. AASM

• Gender Differences: Among middle-aged adults, OSA affects about 24% of men and 9% of women. Wikipedia

• Undiagnosed Cases: It's noteworthy that a significant number of individuals with sleep apnea remain undiagnosed. In the U.S., it's estimated that 22 million Americans have sleep apnea, with 80% of moderate and severe OSA cases going undiagnosed. Wikipedia

🧒 Children and Adolescents

Sleep apnea is not limited to adults. In children, the prevalence is estimated to be between 1% and 4%, with higher rates observed in those who snore.

 

[scoutman360]

For most of my career, I used to work for a company that manufactured a critical component for the CPAP machines. We sold to the 3 biggest CPAP manufacturers, puting our component in 90% of the worlds CPAP machines. 

 

One year, I was invited to attend the annual supplier workshop day from the largest CPAP manufacterer in the world.  In one of the workshops, an expert in brain patterns and sleeping cycles gave a presentation. She went into detail on our brain's behavior when we sleep and how sleep apnia throws off the brain's normal healthy sleep cycle. Our brains are actually more awake when we sleep that it is when we are awake. It was eye opening. Before the lecture, most of us in the room thought sleep apnia was just not so serious.