SA?

[sleepygirl]

Hi I'm a newbie, I'm a 28 yr old female (overweight & smoke), and for a few years I've wondered if I have SA. Last night I watched a program on tv that covered a different kind of sleep problem but one person did suffer from SA as well. After hearing the symptoms, I'm 100% sure I have at least SA. I was going to see my GP anyway because my sleep problems have got much worse over the last 3-4 months. My problems are:

1.snoring very loudly (always done this, even when weight was ok)
2.talking in my sleep
3.headaches a lot, if I wake up in the night sometimes I'll instantly have a headache, and the last few I've had were probably migraines as I felt sick too
4.falling asleep a lot especially during the day (I can't watch a whole film, and get very sleepy if I'm in a room with other ppl talking & i'm just watching/listening)
5.tired all the time
6.high heart rate (for the last few yrs my resting rate is 100 - 120)
7.waking up in a panic if I'm asleep on stomach (hair falls around my face and it feels claustraphobic)
8.waking up instantly because I/feel like I have vomit in my throat
9.strange sleep positions like all fours, just lifting my head/upper body up, and even sitting up on the edge of the bed
10. sometimes I toss & turn/fidget a lot in my sleep, especially if I'm stressed
11. I get very hot & sweaty when I'm asleep

I've also been quite stressed & depressed over the last few months & my sex drive has been non existent for the last few years

I can pretty much remember when all these things happen & what I do, except the snoring, apparently I snore very loud & fast, and I snore whatever position I'm in, even if I'm asleep sitting upright. Two close family members have had nose jobs to straighten their noses to help with their breathing (my nose is slightly wonky too). Off the top of my head I can remember one sleepwalking episode when I was about 10, and when I was younger than that I used to wake up a lot having nightmares, but not sure how often they happened.

I might have missed a few other things lol, but basically are these all typical symptoms, or could I have a combination?

Thanks
sleepygirl

[Joe McManus]

Hi and welcome! Sounds like you have a lot in common with other untreated sleep apnoea sufferers. You can check a few more symptoms against this list here: http://www.sleep-tests.co.uk

Sounds to me like you could do with a sleep clinic referral. Your GP should be able to send you off to the nearest (also see map here). They will see if you stop breathing during the night and whether your blood oxygen levels fall because of that.

[acebass]

Wow, that's a whole heap of symptoms , welcome to the forum by the way....


Yes, as Joe says, get your GP to refer you to a sleep clinic asap.

[puffin]

Hi SleepyGirl

8.waking up instantly because I/feel like I have vomit in my throat

Also sounds like you have Gastric Reflux, easy treated with a pill a day. Meanwhile get your self a bottle of Gaviscon Liquid. Take a dose as you go to bed. Also don't eat anything for at least 3 hours before going to bed, watch your drinking as well, last drink 2 hours before hand.

I used to wake up choking on my own stomach contents, not a nice thing to do.

As the others have said get yourself down the quacks ASAP.

Let us know how you get on.

[chelseauk]

another option for Gastrc Reflux would be to try Ranitidine tablets (branded as zantac) generic is cheaper - which is incidently a prescribed treatment for GR.

[sleepygirl]

Thank you everyone, yes I am really suffering at the moment lol, obviously I'm not having all these things every night, but its still taking its toll. Re: me almost vomiting in my sleep, so far its only happened 3 to 4 times in the last 3-4 months, but its still scary, so it'd would be pointless taking stuff, and I don't suffer anything else like that to warrant taking medicine/tablets. Will definately ask to be referred to a sleep clinic. Thanks Joe for the test, I scored 18 on the Epworth, High risk on the Berlin & 11 on the general health.

Couple of questions

1. has anyone else had problems with their heart rate?

2. does the surgery to straighten noses work well? I know it helped one of my family members snoring, but not on the other person.

sleepygirl

[puffin]

Sleepygirl you may have only experienced Reflux a few times in the last few months, unknown to you, you may have been experiencing minor bouts without knowing it. Preventing damage to the various pipes and lungs at this stage is worth doing.

Increased Heart rate can be a symptom of OSA as the heart is working harder to make up for the lack of oxygen.

Surgery success depends on what type of problem the individual has. Its been said that it does not help OSA at all.

Hope this is helpful, keep asking questions we will help as much as we can.

[sleepygirl]

Sleepygirl you may have only experienced Reflux a few times in the last few months, unknown to you, you may have been experiencing minor bouts without knowing it. Preventing damage to the various pipes and lungs at this stage is worth doing.

Increased Heart rate can be a symptom of OSA as the heart is working harder to make up for the lack of oxygen.

Surgery success depends on what type of problem the individual has. Its been said that it does not help OSA at all.

Hope this is helpful, keep asking questions we will help as much as we can.

Thanks Puffin, never thought of it like that. I thought I remember most of the stuff I do/say in my sleep but chatting to hubby last night he said its more like 50% I actually remember, so I suppose it's very likely that it happens more often. Also I nearly vomit brushing my teeth (sometimes it does make me sick) and I can vomit just by looking/leaning over the toilet & if anyone is sick near me then I'm really gagging too, I always assumed its a leftover side effect of severe morning sickness during my 4 pregnancies, but could it be part of a reflux problem?


sleepygirl

[puffin]

Reflux is common in ladies after child birth. Its simple to treat.

[sleepygirl]

Reflux is common in ladies after child birth. Its simple to treat.

Uh oh, I always worry when a man says that, especially with a wink .... please tell me you're talking about prescription medicine lol

sleepygirl

[puffin]

LOL! I can see the funny side of that. On a serious note, the treatment is only one pill a day, no more acid.

[retsyo]

If only I had been diagnosed at 28 instead of 66. I have suffered a lifetime of terrible morning/night headaches, stuffy nose and illness resulting in my popping a variety of analgesics, antidepressants and tranquilisers to name a few over the years. It has also involved numerous spells in hospital to have tests or surgery - the surgery has been on my nose mainly - all with no success. Even laser surgery to the soft palette did not work.

Try to stay away from the surgery and definitely from the pills.

Over the years I have thought I suffered from allergies or I lived and worked in 'bad buildings'. Now I live on a yacht and spend the majority of my time at sea where there is no dust, no toxic emmissions, no damp foliage and I still suffered. It was my ENT surgeon in the UK who suggested I did the Epworth test and scored 18 like you. Once I returned to my temporary home of New Zealand I followed it up. Surprisingly this surgeon had carried out a number of surgical actions on my nose and mouth over the years but only in 2007 did he suggest it might be OSA.

For some years now I have taken drugs for my reflux but last year found a sort of 'cure'. It is honey. Take a teaspoonful of honey after eating and a spoonful before going to bed. A drink made from a teaspoonful of honey, 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and hot water is very helpful. Eating a small slice of peeled apple before you go to bed also helps. It has certainly helped me considerably.

Cut out all acid foods, oranges, lemons, tomatoes - no coffee, reduce tea intake and definately no carbonated drinks, and you will find the symptons reduce. Do not wear tight clothing and do not eat within a few hours of going to bed.

The biggest problem with the honey diet is that I have gained a little weight. That of course may be that I spend too much time at my computer rather than exercising. However, once I leave NZ and get sailing again hopefully the spare tyre will disappear and I will be back to my normal very slim stature.

My consultant is confident my reflux has been caused by SA and went to great lengths to explain exactly what happens.

Understand absolutely how you feel.

Good luck with everything.

[sleepygirl]

Thanks Puffin & Retsyo, I would definately prefer honey, I really don't like taking medicines/tablets unless I have to (one of my kids has never had antibiotics, and the others have only ever had them once) I don't even like to take tablets for my headaches, but I have to or I just can't cope with the pain, but I've been using 4head recently if I feel a headache coming on & so far so good ;-)

sleepygirl