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"You have been dying 45 times an hour as you sleep."

Croatoan

They/Them A-10 Warthog
That is what my pulmonologist told me yesterday when I went in to get the results of my sleep study. I apparently have severe sleep apnea and likely have been living with it for decades and not realizing it.

By looking at how regular my apnea was my doc guesses I haven't really slept in years and my body just got used to it. He said it has gotten noticeable recently because I got married and strted sleeping on my back and working a job that wouldn't let me sleep all day.

This is blowing my mind. Apparently a lot of my health problems, which I had been fighting one at a time, might be caused by this one big thing. I am told by him, and others, that the CPAP I am getting might change my life considerably. I get it next week. If this isn't how I am supposed to feel I wonder what getting a good night's sleep feels like?

Anyone feeling tired after 8 hours of sleep should see your Doctor and get referred to pulmonologist. You might have apnea and not know it, especially if you are single.

I was lucky we caught it before I started getting into the brain damage levels of oxygen loss. I should fully recover thankfully.
 

Whizkid7

Member
Good for you on catching it. I've had trouble with some loud snoring lately but none of the main symptoms of sleep apnea (according to my girlfriend). I've tried to go for a sleep study a few times but my insurance won't let me because, according to them and the doctors I've seen so far, I either have an extremely mild version of sleep apnea or just need to lose weight, and therefore don't qualify.
 
My dad just had it done as well and is now on a CPAP machine and had similar results. I think they said he was waking up on average 56 times an hour because of breathing issues. He has been on it for a month now and said he has never felt better. I am going for my test this afternoon actually as I have always snored as well and usually never feel rested when i wake up.

More people who snore really need to get this checked out as it can have severe impacts on your overall health.
 

Razorback

Member
Dying 45 times an hour? That's worse than Dark Souls.

Seriously now, that sounds like a rough deal. Hope that treatment works out, good luck!
 

Croatoan

They/Them A-10 Warthog
Good for you on catching it. I've had trouble with some loud snoring lately but none of the main symptoms of sleep apnea (according to my girlfriend). I've tried to go for a sleep study a few times but my insurance won't let me because, according to them and the doctors I've seen so far, I either have an extremely mild version of sleep apnea or just need to lose weight, and therefore don't qualify.

Apparently if you don't complain about day time sleepiness they wont really look into you. I have been literally falling asleep while driving in the morning after getting 8 hours of sleep. I been falling asleep randomly other times too.

From what I understand CPAP doesn't really help people with mild sleep apnea, and if they don't think you could possibly be severe insurance wont cover the tests.
 

Croatoan

They/Them A-10 Warthog
edit: sorry double post

You might want to tell him what dying means

but for real, glad you are alright

No he is correct. 45 times an hour I stop circulating oxygen. Thats dying :p.

[KoRp]Jazzman;252900406 said:
My dad just had it done as well and is now on a CPAP machine and had similar results. I think they said he was waking up on average 56 times an hour because of breathing issues. He has been on it for a month now and said he has never felt better. I am going for my test this afternoon actually as I have always snored as well and usually never feel rested when i wake up.

More people who snore really need to get this checked out as it can have severe impacts on your overall health.

Yeah it can apparently keep you from losing weight, give you massive headaches in the morning, make you a practical zombie, mess up your heart, and lead to dementia.
 

Atrus

Gold Member
Yes. I have sleep apnea as well and went with a dental appliance.

It's a bit of a pain in a sense to have to deal with a cpap or appliance but if you feel tired after a long nights rest then look into getting a sleep study done. It gets to be more of a problem as you age.

It took me years on a waiting list but was well worth it.

Without resolution, every time you sleep you stress your body out as you unconsciously struggle to breathe.
 

Croatoan

They/Them A-10 Warthog
Yes. I have sleep apnea as well and went with a dental appliance.

It's a bit of a pain in a sense to have to deal with a cpap or appliance but if you feel tired after a long nights rest then look into getting a sleep study done. It gets to be more of a problem as you age.

It took me years on a waiting list but was well worth it.

Without resolution, every time you sleep you stress your body out as you unconsciously struggle to breathe.

I am glad you got it sorted. Sorry you had to wait years to get it done!
 
Glad im dealing with this in Canada instead of the US, as its pretty quick to get in with a referral, and if needed i can have the machine within about 2 months from time of referral. My work insurance covers the machine, or I can get the Province to buy me one and I pay back a 1 time loan of $275 for the machine over its life time.
 

Croatoan

They/Them A-10 Warthog
Someone please ELI5 what apnea is

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sleepapnea/

Sleep apnea (AP-ne-ah) is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep.

Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They may occur 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound.

Sleep apnea usually is a chronic (ongoing) condition that disrupts your sleep. When your breathing pauses or becomes shallow, you'll often move out of deep sleep and into light sleep.

As a result, the quality of your sleep is poor, which makes you tired during the day. Sleep apnea is a leading cause of excessive daytime sleepiness.

Overview

Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed. Doctors usually can't detect the condition during routine office visits. Also, no blood test can help diagnose the condition.

Most people who have sleep apnea don't know they have it because it only occurs during sleep. A family member or bed partner might be the first to notice signs of sleep apnea.

The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. In this condition, the airway collapses or becomes blocked during sleep. This causes shallow breathing or breathing pauses.

When you try to breathe, any air that squeezes past the blockage can cause loud snoring. Obstructive sleep apnea is more common in people who are overweight, but it can affect anyone. For example, small children who have enlarged tonsil tissues in their throats may have obstructive sleep apnea.

[KoRp]Jazzman;252900622 said:
Glad im dealing with this in Canada instead of the US, as its pretty quick to get in with a referral, and if needed i can have the machine within about 2 months from time of referral. My work insurance covers the machine, or I can get the Province to buy me one and I pay back a 1 time loan of $275 for the machine over its life time.
I might just be lucky with my insurance but I am in the US and this is how it went.

Went to my gen prac for the first time in 3 years for a checkup (I am 33 and rarely get sick so I had been "skipping"). I told him I was feeling tired and falling asleep while driving in the morning. He immediately told me that I should go see the pulmonologist and the nurse literally set up my appointment with the lung people as I checked out. My appointment was for a 10 days later.

I then went to pulmonologist and he pretty much had already written me up for a sleep study. Just needed to know about the falling asleep during the day. He told me I would be doing a 3 day in home study and the kit would show up the next week.

The kit showed up around 3 weeks after I originally went to see the gen proc. I did the study and sent the machine back.

Yesterday, exactly 4 weeks and 1 day after this started I got the results back. Next Thursday I get fitted for the CPAP.

I don't think 5 weeks to get something done is super slow? Beats Canada's two months ;) .
 

XOMTOR

Member
Dying 45 times an hour? That's worse than Dark Souls.

Seriously now, that sounds like a rough deal. Hope that treatment works out, good luck!

Hahahaha, LoL.

Anyway, I really should go get checked. I haven't slept through a night in years; I basically drift in and out of consciousness all night.
 

Croatoan

They/Them A-10 Warthog
[KoRp]Jazzman;252900822 said:
Lol that is good to hear, I more just meant for those whose insurance may not cover it and such.

Ahh yes, that is true. My insurance, bcbs of texas through work, would only cover it if the diagnoses was severe. My doctor was very happy that I have horrible apnea as it means I can actually get treated and the device should really help me.

Kind of fucked up when you think about it.
 

dengatron

Member
i've used a cpap machine for 14 years now and can almost not sleep without it at this point. my apneas and hypopneas averaged around 190 an hour, so without the cpap i get no actual rest. if you use it properly and take care of it, it'll change your life. actually sleeping feels so good after what you've had to deal with before now.
 

Croatoan

They/Them A-10 Warthog
i've used a cpap machine for 14 years now and can almost not sleep without it at this point. my apneas and hypopneas averaged around 190 an hour, so without the cpap i get no actual rest. if you use it properly and take care of it, it'll change your life. actually sleeping feels so good after what you've had to deal with before now.

I have heard this from everyone I know that uses one (which is more people than I would have imagined). Which type do you use? Any tips?
 
I do snore although it is getting alot better, in that it is quieter and happens less often, now that im loosing weight. Do you think I should see a doctor about apnea or should I just see how it goes while I lose weight?

Edit: Also worth noting I can sleep 6 hours a night and wake up very refreshed. Basically I'm asking if my snoring (which is getting better as I lose weight) is something to be concerned about. Sorry if it is a stupid question but I'm not too knowledgeable about sleep apnea.
 

Croatoan

They/Them A-10 Warthog
I do snore although it is getting alot better, in that it is quieter and happens less often, now that im loosing weight. Do you think I should see a doctor about apnea or should I just see how it goes while I lose weight?

Do you feel sleepy during the day? Do you wake up feeling tired? Do you wake up with headaches?

If yes to either of those 3 then yes you should see a gen prac and find out if he thinks you need to see a specialist.

The fact that you are losing weight means that apnea is less likely (apparently) but doesn't mean you dont have it. My aunt is tiny and she has bad sleep apnea like me (part of the reason I thought to even ask about it).

edit for your edit: from what I understand snoring and apnea go together just like weight gain and apnea. Being a snorer doesn't mean you have full blown apnea though or apnea at all.

Usually someone finds out they have apnea because their partner freaks out. Its apprently kind of scary when the person next to you stops breathing for long periods of time and then gags or snorts really loudly. My wife would could how many seconds I wouldn't breath...lol.
 

Whizkid7

Member
Apparently if you don't complain about day time sleepiness they wont really look into you. I have been literally falling asleep while driving in the morning after getting 8 hours of sleep. I been falling asleep randomly other times too.

From what I understand CPAP doesn't really help people with mild sleep apnea, and if they don't think you could possibly be severe insurance wont cover the tests.

Yeah, I do sometimes wake up tired but that's largely my own fault for not always getting 8 hours of sleep like I should.

I have, however, have times out and about where I'll have real trouble keeping myself awake and just fall asleep - my girlfriend's seen me do it several times. It usually happens after a heavy meal or some drinking (and drinking has always ended up making me sleepy), so while I feel like it's not a big deal it's what drives her to insist I go see the doctor.
 
I was diagnosed with sleep apnea a year ago and since being set up with my CPAP, my life has definitely improved.

For years I thought I was just suffering from depression/anxiety/low testosterone, but really I'd just not been sleeping as well as I should have.

The difference in sleep was night and day for me. It felt as if my brain had been lifted out of a powerful fog, that my brain could now move 10 times faster than it did previously, it was insane.

Good for you OP that you got help with it. I strongly recommend others to maybe investigate if they have sleep apnea if they've felt in a rut/sluggish for a long time without much explanation as to why.
 

Bustanen

Member
I think my gf has this. I have to shake her sometimes when she's sleeping on her back because she stops breathing. She hasn't complained about anything and keeps shrugging it off.
 
I think I have this. How does one get to a sleep specialist? Do I have to first go to a general practitioner and get a referral?

I installed a snore app on my phone a while back where it records all night. It ranked some of my peaks as "Epic" for loudness and intensity. My poor wife!
 

dengatron

Member
I have heard this from everyone I know that uses one (which is more people than I would have imagined). Which type do you use? Any tips?

just a regular resmed cpap. clean your resevoir weekly, clean your mask every couple of weeks, and make sure you keep distilled water in the resevoir or you wont sleep

I think I have this. How does one get to a sleep specialist? Do I have to first go to a general practitioner and get a referral?

yes. just go to your regular doctor and tell them to refer you. they'll send you to someone to do a sleep study and see how you fare with a cpap
 
I think I have this. How does one get to a sleep specialist? Do I have to first go to a general practitioner and get a referral?

I installed a snore app on my phone a while back where it records all night. It ranked some of my peaks as "Epic" for loudness and intensity. My poor wife!

If you have a General Practitioner/Family Doctor, go see them and speak with them about it. That's what I did. I was then referred to a pulmonary clinic that specializes in those kinds of things. They had me come in for a sleep study and sure enough, I was ceasing to breathe about 60 times an hour.

I highly, HIGHLY recommend people investigate if they felt that they've been down/sluggish/depressed/moody/etc. for years.

I wear a nasal CPAP that sits on my nose and it works great for me. It's basically a cup that sits around my nose, that's secured in place with a cloth strap that I can move and adjust. If I sleep without wearing it now I'll feel miserable. The difference really is night and day for people that suffer from sleep apnea.
 
If you have a General Practitioner/Family Doctor, go see them and speak with them about it. That's what I did. I was then referred to a pulmonary clinic that specializes in those kinds of things. They had me come in for a sleep study and sure enough, I was ceasing to breathe about 60 times an hour.

I highly, HIGHLY recommend people investigate if they felt that they've been down/sluggish/depressed/moody/etc. for years.

I wear a nasal CPAP that sits on my nose and it works great for me. It's basically a cup that sits around my nose, that's secured in place with a cloth strap that I can move and adjust. If I sleep without wearing it now I'll feel miserable. The difference really is night and day for people that suffer from sleep apnea.
Thank you, I will get an appointment as soon as possible.
Yes, I am always tired and a bit cranky much of the time.
 

Spacejaws

Member
My Dad has 100% this. When I’m back home I’ll usually sleep on the floor of his room and he’s snores loudly except for 20-30 second gaps in his breathing really frequently (I wanna say at least once every 5 minutes. I though he was dead a few times because it was so long until he breathes again).

Knowing him though he will throw it off and say it’s nothing...
 
Yeah, my doc said my latest sleep study was hall of fame plaque on the wall levels. He said I had around 300 disruptions during the night (basically stopped breathing repeatedly) and am lucky to be alive.

My previous CPAP machine had started smoking, so I had to get another sleep study before just replacing it for insurance purposes.

It was the scariest, most miserable few weeks of my life.

I rocked three breathe rite strips a night, plus nasal spray and Claritin during that time, and prayed that make it through the night.
 
I probably have the same issue, will likely get it checked out soon. I find I wake up sometimes and it feels like I hadn't been breathing and have to catch my breath. The machine is a concern though. Seems like a fucked up way yo sleep every night.

How was the sleep study?
 

shaneo632

Member
My gf says I sometimes snore and make weird breathing noises in my sleep, but I had a holter monitor test for my cardio last year, would that have flagged anything?

I never really feel tired or have any apnea symptoms beyond my gf hearing me make weird snorts/gasps in my sleep sometimes.
 

Croatoan

They/Them A-10 Warthog
Yeah, my doc said my latest sleep study was hall of fame plaque on the wall levels. He said I had around 300 disruptions during the night (basically stopped breathing repeatedly) and am lucky to be alive.

My previous CPAP machine had started smoking, so I had to get another sleep study before just replacing it for insurance purposes.

It was the scariest, most miserable few weeks of my life.

I rocked three breathe rite strips a night, plus nasal spray and Claritin during that time, and prayed that make it through the night.

Wow, that is crazy. Is your throat just oddly shaped or what?
 

Croatoan

They/Them A-10 Warthog
My gf says I sometimes snore and make weird breathing noises in my sleep, but I had a holter monitor test for my cardio last year, would that have flagged anything?

I never really feel tired or have any apnea symptoms beyond my gf hearing me make weird snorts/gasps in my sleep sometimes.

I don't think mild apnea effects your sleepiness during the day as much as severe. When I slept on my stomach in my younger days I never felt tired. When I started sleeping on my back (after getting married) the apnea got exponentially worse.

Do you sleep on your stomach?

I probably have the same issue, will likely get it checked out soon. I find I wake up sometimes and it feels like I hadn't been breathing and have to catch my breath. The machine is a concern though. Seems like a fucked up way yo sleep every night.

How was the sleep study?

The sleep study was pretty uncomfortable mostly because of the finger sensor and my dislike of "Stickiness".

I have heard the actual cpap machines are quiet, or at the least like background noise.
 
I thought this was going to be a deep look into the idea of individuality and consciousness, and any moment of losing consciousness is essentially death to that individual, and the next conscious thought is a new individual carrying on in his stead.


But anywhoo, I wake up at 7-8 hours and still feel sleepy. I feel like 8.5 is good for me... Without activating my hypochondria, how would I know if I have sleep apnea and am dying 45 times per hour?
 

Croatoan

They/Them A-10 Warthog
I thought this was going to be a deep look into the idea of individuality and consciousness, and any moment of losing consciousness is essentially death to that individual, and the next conscious thought is a new individual carrying on in his stead.

I mean, I am not saying it isn't...
 

WaterAstro

Member
Did he say it like this?

v6GWxnk.jpg
 

Weevilone

Member
I had the same issues OP. I had a sleep study many years ago and was just on the other side of borderline for treatment, and I just didn't really grasp what that meant. I forget what the exact numbers were, but basically I'd stop breathing a bunch of times per hour, but not quite enough for insurance to pay for it. I should have just thrown the money down for the CPAP myself, but instead I lived with it for years (literally) until I got around to testing again and starting treatment. Who knows how much of my lackluster enjoyment of life was caused by sleep..

I started treatment in March of this year and I'm still adjusting, but the black circles under my eyes are going away. My blood pressure is going down. I no longer wake up feeling like someone tried to break my ribs in my sleep. It used to feel like I slept with someone on top of my chest all night. According to my sleep tracking devices, I used to need to be in bed like 14 hours to get 7-8 hours of shitty sleep. Right now I'm trying to adjust to sleeping with the stuff on my head. It's easy when I'm really tired, but I'll wake after a sound 4-5 hours and then I can't get back to it.

Good luck to you, hope you feel better!

Edit: FWIW my machine is totally silent. The only sound is me exhaling thru the mask thing, or if the seal breaks and the machine tries to increase airflow to maintain positive pressure. It's just a loud air moving sound, and it's also from the mask. Finding a mask that works is tricky and very individualized.
 

muu

Member
I have some loud snoring and have been suggested that I take a sleep test, but I feel like every time I ask about it the cost is prohibitive and not covered by insurance for some reason.
 

Croatoan

They/Them A-10 Warthog
I had the same issues OP. I had a sleep study many years ago and was just on the other side of borderline for treatment, and I just didn't really grasp what that meant. I forget what the exact numbers were, but basically I'd stop breathing a bunch of times per hour, but not quite enough for insurance to pay for it. I should have just thrown the money down for the CPAP myself, but instead I lived with it for years (literally) until I got around to testing again and starting treatment. Who knows how much of my lackluster enjoyment of life was caused by sleep..

I started treatment in March of this year and I'm still adjusting, but the black circles under my eyes are going away. My blood pressure is going down. I no longer wake up feeling like someone tried to break my ribs in my sleep. It used to feel like I slept with someone on top of my chest all night. According to my sleep tracking devices, I used to need to be in bed like 14 hours to get 7-8 hours of shitty sleep. Right now I'm trying to adjust to sleeping with the stuff on my head. It's easy when I'm really tired, but I'll wake after a sound 4-5 hours and then I can't get back to it.

Good luck to you, hope you feel better!

Edit: FWIW my machine is totally silent. The only sound is me exhaling thru the mask thing, or if the seal breaks and the machine tries to increase airflow to maintain positive pressure. It's just a loud air moving sound, and it's also from the mask. Finding a mask that works is tricky and very individualized.

About the mask: I am hoping the over the nose one works for me.I have a full beard and I am worried its going to be difficult for me to find one that works. My wife won't let me shave either :p .

Did he say it like this?

v6GWxnk.jpg

He said it in a "isn't this amazing" tone. I am not kidding that he was happy when he saw the results. I have a feeling he either A) has stock in sleep apnea tech company, or B) really hates it when its mild and he cannot help the person with a cpap (due to insurance not covering it) and has to use shitter means.
 

Weevilone

Member
I have some loud snoring and have been suggested that I take a sleep test, but I feel like every time I ask about it the cost is prohibitive and not covered by insurance for some reason.

Make sure to ask what it cost if you pay out of pocket. My machine was close to $1000 USD and the head stuff was like $250... IF it went thru insurance.

I asked for a cash, no-insurance price and it was like $600 for the device and I could buy the mask online for less than $100.

About the mask: I am hoping the over the nose one works for me.I have a full beard and I am worried its going to be difficult for me to find one that works. My wife won't let me shave either :p .

Going to send you a PM.
 

Atrus

Gold Member
One thing I should point out is that apnea doesn't have to be weight related either. My dad was overweight and had apnea so I thought that by being slimmer I would avoid it but nope, it still happened to me. It has to do with the softening of the back of the throat due to genetics, weight or age.

I wouldn't have really known how bad it was to get checked outside of a girlfriend at the time jokingly calling me a beastie or 'snoring like a dragon'.

It really got bad in 2013 when I could feel myself nod off at the office or struggle to stay awake on long drives. I'd often feel like I needed to catch up on sleep on the weekends.

The most surefire tell was that sleeping longer made me feel worse and more tired and not the opposite.

When I got 'cured' I would wake up after about 6 hours of sleep due to the discomfort from my apnea retainer but would have no tiredness related issues at all. I even had the energy to work out regularly after work instead of being tired and seeking sleep asap.

This is a good thread because nobody really tells you how prevelant this is and how curing it will help your life overall in a significant way; more energy, less irritability, clearer thinking and less physical stress.
 

Weevilone

Member
Mine was initially diagnosed b/c I had surgery and when I was in recovery they had to work to keep me breathing. When you have apnea and are under anesthetic, it suppresses your response to wake yourself to breathe.

FWIW you also need to be careful with depressants, sleep meds and such doing the same thing.

Definitely don't have to be fat, but weight loss can help. I'm like 5'11" and 200-205 most of the time, so there's room to improve for sure.. but when I slim down a bit mine doesn't subside.
 

Breads

Banned
If obstructive apnea is an issue in your life a cpap machine will change it.

I hate that they are regulated though. We should be able to set it/ buy it on our own without giving some dipshit doctor/ lab any money for something we can already surmise.
 

Weevilone

Member
If obstructive apnea is an issue in your life a cpap machine will change it.

I hate that they are regulated though. We should be able to set it/ buy it on our own without giving some dipshit doctor/ lab any money for something we can already surmise.

I think it's bizarre that the masks are regulated. There's a medical supply place that I can go to get "free" masks occasionally, but it eats a chunk out of my day and requires an appointment. I can just buy the damn thing on the internet for $80 but they have to have my prescription on file. Crazy.
 

Vilam

Maxis Redwood
My girlfriend has been pressuring me to go get a sleep test done for awhile now; I snore really badly.

I've been reluctant because I really really don't want to have to wear a mask with a machine attached to it while I sleep. It sounds uncomfortable and incredibly inconvenient. Maybe I'm being a big baby about it.

Anyone have any experiences to share about wearing that thing and how it was adjusting to it when trying to sleep? Would it be uncomfortable for a side sleeper?
 

skybald

Member
I want to go for another study (the first one said nothing happened all night and that is total BS) but am afraid I will have to meet my deductible. I want real sleep so bad. 😢

I have all the symptoms. I am always tired. I wake up in the night and am often conscious of it. I rarely dream except on the off night I get decent sleep. Sleep paralysis usually 1 night a week.
 

Neoweee

Member
My girlfriend has been pressuring me to go get a sleep test done for awhile now; I snore really badly.

I've been reluctant because I really really don't want to have to wear a mask with a machine attached to it while I sleep. It sounds uncomfortable and incredibly inconvenient. Maybe I'm being a big baby about it.

Anyone have any experiences to share about wearing that thing and how it was adjusting to it when trying to sleep? Would it be uncomfortable for a side sleeper?

You are. If you do have sleep apnea, you are shaving years off of your life and reducing the quality of your life over your unwillingness to actually sleep well.
 
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