Can you have sleep apnea and not be aware of it

Nurses General Nursing

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I mean unless someone tells them that they think there is a problem? My mom has already walked in my room and given me an elbow to the ribs saying to me that I was snoring and stopped for about 45 seconds, then started again. I am NOT aware of any of this at all when I sleep. Is this common not to know? Just wondering. Thanks. :)

Specializes in Adult SICU; open heart recovery.

As others have already mentioned, yes -- it's possible to have sleep apnea and not know it. I've had excessive daytime sleepiness since I was a teenager -- I've even been prescribed stimulants for it since then, but it was only last year (at age 26) that I asked my internist about sleep apnea. She ordered a sleep study, and sure enough, I have obstructive sleep apnea. The sleepiness was my primary symptom; apparently I snore also -- but how is a single person who lives alone supposed to know they snore? ;)

I mean unless someone tells them that they think there is a problem? My mom has already walked in my room and given me an elbow to the ribs saying to me that I was snoring and stopped for about 45 seconds, then started again. I am NOT aware of any of this at all when I sleep. Is this common not to know? Just wondering. Thanks. :)
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Specializes in Geriatrics, Pediatrics, Home Health.

YES!!! My 14 y/o son had it!! My 2 younger boys complained that he woke them up because he was snoring. He got sick one night and crawled into bed with me. He fell asleep with his head back so far that I have no idea how he could sleep.

He woke me up with his snoring. To make a long story short, I took him to our dr. He referred him to an ENT specialist and from April to May 6, whenhe had his T & A removed. NO MORE SNORING or sleep apena.

He now eats EVERYTHING in the house, whereas, before I was lucky to get him to eat more than spaghettio's. [sp?] He has more energy and sleeps with a pillow. Best of all he does NOT have sleep apnea anymore!! :D :D :D :D

_________________________________

In His Grace

Karen

Failure is NOT an option!!

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but how is a single person who lives alone supposed to know they snore? ;)

By snoring so loudly that you wake yourself up! :) Also, some people start to snore while they are still in somewhat of a hypnogogic (half-asleep) state.

By all means get it checked out, pronto. Among all the other things people of mentioned, the one thing not mentioned so far, and possibly scariest--is sudden cardiac death during sleeping due to sleep apnea.

NurseFirst

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Specializes in PICU, Nurse Educator, Clinical Research.
I mean unless someone tells them that they think there is a problem? My mom has already walked in my room and given me an elbow to the ribs saying to me that I was snoring and stopped for about 45 seconds, then started again. I am NOT aware of any of this at all when I sleep. Is this common not to know? Just wondering. Thanks. :)

I've know four people who were diagnosed with sleep apnea, and none realized it until it was pointed out by a partner. One was a single guy who complained for 2 years of being tired all the time...when his girlfriend started staying over at his place, she told him what was going on, he went to a sleep study, and bam! sleep apnea.

I'm curious...do any of you with sleep apnea wake up after an apneic episode? It seems, from the responses, that most people don't. I dated a guy that woke up several times during the night, gasping for breath- he'd sit straight up, which would wake me up, too, but I never saw what happened immediately before that, so I don't know if it was apnea. Scared the crap out of me, though.

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Specializes in Adult SICU; open heart recovery.

I don't wake up after an apneic episode, but occasionally I 'startle' or jump -- maybe that's related? I think part of the problem is that people don't usually remember waking up to gasp for breath, so they don't realize there's a problem.

Hillary

I've know four people who were diagnosed with sleep apnea, and none realized it until it was pointed out by a partner. One was a single guy who complained for 2 years of being tired all the time...when his girlfriend started staying over at his place, she told him what was going on, he went to a sleep study, and bam! sleep apnea.

I'm curious...do any of you with sleep apnea wake up after an apneic episode? It seems, from the responses, that most people don't. I dated a guy that woke up several times during the night, gasping for breath- he'd sit straight up, which would wake me up, too, but I never saw what happened immediately before that, so I don't know if it was apnea. Scared the crap out of me, though.

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Like kwagner, my son had it. He was just a toddler and constantly snored, had a hoorifice voice all the time, freaked me out with his sleep apnea (snore, snore, snore....nothing....nothing....gasp for breath). He always had rings under his eyes & frequent ear infections.

Finally, when he was 4 y/o, went to see an ENT who ordered a CT scan and found his adenoids were HUGE. After a T&A, my son was like a totally different child!!! Best thing I ever did by taking him to the ENT.

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Specializes in everywhere.

No, I never woke up after an apenic episode. I was suffering from severe headaches that never went away and being tired all the time. My doctor suggested a sleep study and was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apena. I hate the CPAP, it is uncomfortable (even with the gel nose guard) and I am a stomach sleeper. But I wear in order not to wake my hubby, not to have headaches, and not feel tired and worn out all the time.

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is night time urination, my husband would get up to go to the bathroom 3 or 4 times a night. He didn't think he had a problem either, except his wife beating him up at night telling him to stop snoring. I finally drug him into a doctor friend of ours and a sleep study was done. "see I told you so" was my comment when he was diagnosed, stopping breathing several HUNDRED times a night. Smoking, overweight and drinking are contributing problems, as well as face/neck structure. My husband couldn't stay awake anywhere, as soon as he'd sit down, he'd be out. He's now been using a CPAP for years and it goes everywhere with him, vacation, camping, boating - and he has really become an advocate for those with possible apnea (his mom esp-who still denies it and I'd be willing to bet hers is as bad or worse than his)

So, yes it is absolutely possible to have apnea and be completely unaware.

HTH

~T

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By snoring so loudly that you wake yourself up! :) Also, some people start to snore while they are still in somewhat of a hypnogogic (half-asleep) state.

By all means get it checked out, pronto. Among all the other things people of mentioned, the one thing not mentioned so far, and possibly scariest--is sudden cardiac death during sleeping due to sleep apnea.

NurseFirst

Oh God, Sudden cardiac death? Thanks. You've just convinced me.

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