How to tell you have sleep apnea?...

coolpeach · Sep 16, 2007

Both of my parents have sleep apnea. There are factors which contribute for example they are both over weight. There are also signs and symptoms. They are both tired all the time even when they get enough sleep, and they snore LOUDLY. If you watch mom she actually stops breathing every little bit is really quite, and then gasps and starts again.

Their primary care sent them to a specialist who sent them to a sleep study center. They had to each spend a night sleeping in the sleep study center connected to machines. The data showed that each of them had sleep apnea. Now they sleep with little oxygen masks, and look very sexy I am sure lol. They do say they feel better now that they get a full nights rest.

I have read that by simply losing weight a lot of people and recover from sleep apnea without medical treatment, but of course that isnt always realistic.

Mesomorph · Sep 16, 2007

Both of my parents have sleep apnea. There are factors which contribute for example they are both over weight. There are also signs and symptoms. They are both tired all the time even when they get enough sleep, and they snore LOUDLY. If you watch mom she actually stops breathing every little bit is really quite, and then gasps and starts again.
Their primary care sent them to a specialist who sent them to a sleep study center. They had to each spend a night sleeping in the sleep study center connected to machines. The data showed that each of them had sleep apnea. Now they sleep with little oxygen masks, and look very sexy I am sure lol. They do say they feel better now that they get a full nights rest.
I have read that by simply losing weight a lot of people and recover from sleep apnea without medical treatment, but of course that isnt always realistic.

Thank you :).

I was reading about that. I am actually in excellent physical condition though, so it's not obesity. Hm... Also, I was reading about the types of apnea... Mine might be central rather than obstructive, or possibly mixed... The reason I think it might be central is because I have noticed my stimulus to breath stop during the day as well.

I hope there is a sleep clinic closeby. I wonder if you always have to go to a doctor first... I'd rather just go straight to the clinic.

nightmare, RN · Sep 16, 2007

Have you tried setting up a recorder to tape your sleep night? This would tape if you snore and also it would catch any apnoeic periods you might have.The only other way is to have someone else sleep with you to hear if you stop breathing! My husband has sleep apnoea and I very often give him a kick to get him "going" again!

Sensoria17 · Sep 16, 2007

Do you have very large tonsils? I also sometimes wake up and it feels like I hadn't been breathing. I've never mentioned this to my doctor but even she made a comment about my large tonsils.

Mesomorph · Sep 16, 2007

Do you have very large tonsils? I also sometimes wake up and it feels like I hadn't been breathing. I've never mentioned this to my doctor but even she made a comment about my large tonsils.

Nope, I remember in health assessment that my tonsils were not visible upon inspection.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2007

you will probably have to go to MD first as the sleep clinic is a diagnostic exam and requires RX. Also, the MD should rule out other factors.

Mesomorph · Sep 16, 2007

you will probably have to go to MD first as the sleep clinic is a diagnostic exam and requires RX. Also, the MD should rule out other factors.

:-S... I don't have time for all this... Man, I wish I'd have figured out I had a problem prior to nursing school.

At least there is a sleep clinic in the hospital where I do my clinicals.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Sep 16, 2007

I'm sorry, but we cannot offer medical advice on this forum.

You will need to see a qualified physician or nurse practitioner who can refer you to a specialist in sleep medicine. This person will generally have you spend a night or two in a sleep lab, which is often part of a hospital or clinic, where you will be hooked up to monitoring equipment and watched through the night by a sleep technician. The sensors will monitor your breathing, heart rate, body temperature, O2 saturation, snoring, and other related signs. The tech will observe for signs that you need to be fitted with special equipment to keep your airway open, e.g. CPAP or BiPAP.

It all sounds intimidating, but it's actually a fascinating and educational experience. The sleep lab I went to was in a hospital, but my room was not at all like a hospital room; in fact, it was more like a mid-priced hotel with a very comfortable queen bed, private bathroom, cable TV, and room service. Other labs are set up in a regular hospital-type room, and some doctors will merely have you wear a pulse oximeter for a night at home to see if you desaturate during sleep.

Good luck in your search for a diagnosis.