Do you think i may be a case for sleep apnea?

[phudgey]

Hi, i'm 21 years old male, i snore like a tractor, i'm contantly being kicked out of bed and sleeping on the sofa because my fiance gets awoken by my snoring all night long, she says even when i'm on the sofa she can still hear me snoring all the way upstairs!
i feel so tired during the day, i'll be woken up by my alarm and it feels like i havnt slept atall.
so i went to the doctor and told them this and that my fiance notices that ill stop breathing in my sleep and he's referred my to the hospital and said it may be sleep apnea but he didn't really give much information, what will they do at the hospital?
do you think i might have it?

thankyou

[Sparticus]

They Could?

They could chop of your head or even tie your shoe lases together but I doubt it, they will chat and probably book you in for a sleep test to check if you have OSA or something similar. Theres is absolutly no cause for alarm or any worry all that will be done is tests and they dont hurt or cause pain just discomfort but at least at the end of it you will get your share of the duvet lol

Once a home study has been done they will probably send you for an overnight test at the hospital, its just more wires and sensors attached to your body to see how you sleep then thats it, if you have it you will be given a machine and a mask and if not then they will investigate further, hope this helps

[Fredxx]

Typical symptoms for someone with untreated sleep apnoea - very bad snoring, with the snores "locking" sometimes and stopping you breathing, this means you aren't getting enough sleep so feel tired all the time.

Typical treatment - to have a CPAP (or auto CPAP if you are lucky) machine, which is simply an air pump which sends air at a slightly raised pressure to a mask worn over either just your nose, or sometimes over your mouth and nose (full face mask) which slightly raises the air pressure in you airways and prevents them collapsing causing the snore in the first place.

To get from your current untreated state to having the CPAP machine treating you, first step is the doc refers you to a sleep specialist (you are already at that stage), the specialist will discuss the symptoms with you, and subject to what that shows will then set up a sleep study.

How the sleep study is done varies from clinic to clinic, but essentially you will spend one or more nights being assessed, which may be in a hospital or may be taking kit home. The kit will almost certainly include a specialist CPAP machine which will do monitoring to see what pressure is needed to stop the apnoeas. It will also likely include something to monitor your pulse and blood oxygen levels, usually this is just a clip on a finger. There may also be something strapped round your chest to monitor breathing and the position you are sleeping in, as well as other wires measuring other things. None of them are really scary, none are invasive, none of them hurt.

Following the sleep study, the specialist will determine if you have sleep apnoea or anything else, and if you do have sleep apnoea will discuss the options, and usually prescribe a CPAP machine set to a pressure determined during the sleep study. They will then check it after a short while until they know it is working, then set up routine appointments just to check the machine and check the CPAP is still doing the job. I only get mine checked every couple of years.

All the above can take anything from a couple of weeks (unusual unless you are going private) to several months; I have heard stories of 9 months not being unusual. It all depends on where you are in the country as to how quickly it happens and how they go about it.

Bit of a long answer, but if you got this far, one thing you can do in preparation for your first visit to the consultant is to get a copy of the Epworth Sleepiness Test (just google it) and take it to the consultant. This is usually one of the first things they would go thorough anyway, so having the chance to do it before you go will help, and will help you think about how much you are suffering and what you need to tell them.

[Richard]

Hi Phudgey,

You don't know how lucky you are!

It can take anything up to two years from first visiting your GP complaining of daytime sleepiness to actually getting a referral and diagnosed with OSA. Your GP recognised sleep apnoea on your first call. That's an immense step forward, believe it or not.

You don't mention it, but are you overweight? Do you take a collar-size of 17 or above. Being overweight and snoring like goodness knows what go together quite often; the muscles around the neck relax when you sleep, and block the passage of air into your lungs. Without oxygen you cannot function, even when you're asleep; your brain recognises the danger and 'wakes' you. The sleep study already mentioned will tell you how many 'apnoeas' you have during the night.

When you are fitted with the CPAP machine, you should use it every night; it will become part of your night-time ritual. But, once you're started, you will begin to feel so much better. And, you will feel more like taking exercise and losing weight. When your BMI (Body Mass Index) gets to around 30, you will perhaps have no further need of the CPAP therapy.

Hope it all goes well for you.

[symmit]

Indeed - well done on getting to the appointment stage!

If you're prescribed cpap then if nothing else it should stop the snoring, my wife often nudges me awake and tells me to get that mask on if I forget!

It's improved my sleep and all my family too!

[Berneta]

Osa Test

Hi--the only thing I can add-- is to re-assure you that during a clinc or hospital sleep study, the wires they put on you are not stuck into you. They are pasted on with water soluable glue and don't hurt a thing. (they may come loose at night and have to be replaced) They are not really even uncomfortable. The only thing bad about it is washing and combing the paste out of your hair. If it drys--its kinda like the worlds worst case of dandruff. Think positive, relax, and read--read--read this forum. You will know what to expect, as we have all been through it. Don't worry--it won't be a big deal. x Berneta

[phudgey]

Hey thanks for all your help, thats put my mind at ease now after the worlds worst night sleep i'm just desperatly waiting for this letter to come through the post!

you asked if i were overweight but i wouldnt say i am, i'm 5" 8 12 stone 5 which is a bmi of about 26 which isn't too bad, so does that mean that it could be something else?

Cheers, I look forward to making some progress with this curse that we all share!

thankyou for welcoming me into your community

[Guest]

you asked if i were overweight but i wouldnt say i am, i'm 5" 8 12 stone 5 which is a bmi of about 26 which isn't too bad, so does that mean that it could be something else?

Prof Dodds told me that any one who snores has a tendency to get OSA. Its not just us big over 50 guys that get it. The tests will prove it.

[Fredxx]

Hey thanks for all your help, thats put my mind at ease now after the worlds worst night sleep i'm just desperatly waiting for this letter to come through the post!

you asked if i were overweight but i wouldnt say i am, i'm 5" 8 12 stone 5 which is a bmi of about 26 which isn't too bad, so does that mean that it could be something else?

Cheers, I look forward to making some progress with this curse that we all share!

thankyou for welcoming me into your community

Not an indication that it is something else, anyone can suffer with OSA, it is just that one factor that can cause it is a high BMI, and if that is teh case, reducing it can help.

[phudgey]

So it's been almost 2 weeks since i saw the doctor and he said he would send a letter through the post refering my to the hospital but i've not received anything yet, does anybody know how long this step should take? how long until i should alert someone i havnt recived it?

[Richard]

Hi Phudgey

If you know the hospital/clinic your GP is referring you to, ring them and ask i) Have they received your referral from Dr X and ii) Can they give you a date for your appointment over the phone.

Make some excuse why you need to know now: you're off on holiday in a week or so, and you want to know asap, etc. etc.

Be polite and apologise for bothering them (for the first call, at least) and if you're not getting anywhere, make a point of phoning them at least twice a week until you get an appointment.

Phone your GP's surgery, too, and ask if the letter has gone to the hospital.

Do all you can to fast-track your referral.

regards

Richard

[Fredxx]

One of the big mysteries of the NHS, the glacial progress of most referrals. It really depends on your local NHS, and there is no set time these things take. The NHS target is for you to see a consultant is 18 weeks.

If your GP has referred you using the latest systems they should have a good idea of when you can expect to be seen, so if you want to know, go back and see them. At the very least they should know where they referred you so you can follow it up there.

Good luck

[Mentalfog]

All in all, it took me a few days over 6 months. I collected my machine this morning and I cant wait to get to sleep tonight

[Sparticus]

So it's been almost 2 weeks since i saw the doctor and he said he would send a letter through the post refering my to the hospital but i've not received anything yet, does anybody know how long this step should take? how long until i should alert someone i havnt recived it?

Phone every day untill you get it, theres not much hope with the nhs if you just wait, keep at them they will soon take note of you and get the ball rolling but be polite

[Smith01]

Hi, i'm 21 years old male, i snore like a tractor, i'm contantly being kicked out of bed and sleeping on the sofa because my fiance gets awoken by my snoring all night long, she says even when i'm on the sofa she can still hear me snoring all the way upstairs!
i feel so tired during the day, i'll be woken up by my alarm and it feels like i havnt slept atall.
so i went to the doctor and told them this and that my fiance notices that ill stop breathing in my sleep and he's referred my to the hospital and said it may be sleep apnea but he didn't really give much information, what will they do at the hospital?
do you think i might have it?

thankyou

If you feel tired and restless every now and then or you wake up many times in the mid-night then you should surely check yourself for sleep apnea. You should cut your alcohol intake and try out some breathing exercises to relive from snoring with a visit to a good sleep specialist. It may also happen due to stress or unhealthy lifestyle.