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Sleep apnea or not?

Mathb33

Mathb33

Well-known member
So I’ve always been a snorer but not a crazy one. I usually don’t sleep on my back but when it happens my girlfriend seems to say I started to sometimes gasp for air for a sec or two but only if I’m on my back which I am rarely. Obviously not overweight and obviously not massive(not 250-300 lbs) I’m currently 9% in a prep... I know the most obvious signs is usually being dead tired throughout the day which I am not? I have a bad nose and difficulties breathing through my nose is it possibly that that’s messing up with me when I’m on back? Any expert in here
 
No expert, but I'm pretty sure I suffer from mild sleep apnea myself and my dr. told me it's very common. Was it like half or the third of the population here suffers from some level of sleep apnea, by his words. I'm not fat or heavy either. For me it's periodical and I think stress might be one thing to trigger it. I did do a sleep study test with monitors on for one night by dr.'s presricption, but that night I didn't show sings of sleep apnea, so I didn't get the CPAP machine.

Anyway the way you described what your gf told you, to me it sounds like having some level of sleep apnea. And yes nostral/sinus tightness is one thing to induce sleep apnea. Nasal spray before bed, breathing strips and even surgery in some cases are all used treatment, if the nasal pathway is the problem.

If it's more of a central sleep apnea, then I think only the CPAP machine would help (or if it comes due to some medication etc. then discontinuing it may solve the issue). Obstructive sleep apnea is more common though.

There are some pillows that you can buy, that are designed to keep you from sleeping on your back. And I think you could get some mouthpieces to give a try, if it's your tong falling to your throat, while you sleep on your back. Typically those mouthpieces are custom made by dentists, but for a cheaper solution to give a try, you can most likely find some cheaper ones 'from the shelf'.

I'd try one of those quick and easy remedies or consult a dr. or do both. To me the signs are there.

My .02 $
 
KvanH said:
Nasal spray before bed, breathing strips and even surgery in some cases are all used treatment, if the nasal pathway is the problem.

If it's more of a central sleep apnea, then I think only the CPAP machine would help
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This is what I was going to say as well. You could try the breath right strips first since those are fairly cheap and see if they work for you. Vix Vapor rub may help as well.
 
I have severe apnea even with the weight I lost. According to the Dr it just is that way for some people. All the above suggestions are a good start but I would have a sleep study done just to find out. Better to deal with it the right way then not really treating the main issue.
 
Doesn't genuine sleep apnea negatively impact hematocrit? As in increase it, significantly?
 
ELROCK said:
Just get a sleep study done. That will give you the true answer.
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Doing the sleep study is never a bad idea, but just to note that it has a major 'flaw' in it that it's only for one night. When I had the sleep study done, it didn't show signs of sleep apnea that night. But I've had a few severe events where I've woken up on my knees grasping for air with a strong panicky feeling that lasts awhile after. The measuring equipment also made sleeping difficult and I slept only about 4 hours that night. The study cost 500 € and is only for one night and the dr. couldn't offer anything, since the study result didn't show signs of sleep apnea, although he agreed, that everything I told him indicates towards sleep apnea.

So not disagreeing with you about having the sleep study done, it's never a bad idea. Just going a little deeper about it "giving the true answer".
 
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Mathb33 said:
So I’ve always been a snorer but not a crazy one. I usually don’t sleep on my back but when it happens my girlfriend seems to say I started to sometimes gasp for air for a sec or two but only if I’m on my back which I am rarely. Obviously not overweight and obviously not massive(not 250-300 lbs) I’m currently 9% in a prep... I know the most obvious signs is usually being dead tired throughout the day which I am not? I have a bad nose and difficulties breathing through my nose is it possibly that that’s messing up with me when I’m on back? Any expert in here
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If you got insurance then do a sleep study, it's the only way your going to know for certain
 
LaserGoPewPew said:
You sound like me. I have had nasopharynx surgery to widen ariway and had a sleep study done 5 years after that and still had 9 "apneas" an hour (moderate not severe)
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Yeah it’s gotta be light sleep apnea caused by poor breathing capacity during the night. I mean I wake up completely fine so I know it’s not severe or I’d be waking up with 0 energy. I might eventually have it checked still.
 
Mathb33 said:
Yeah it’s gotta be light sleep apnea caused by poor breathing capacity during the night. I mean I wake up completely fine so I know it’s not severe or I’d be waking up with 0 energy. I might eventually have it checked still.
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Yeah, probably not severe…

You could look into having your PCP prescribe a home sleep apnea test. I can’t imagine how people even sleep when they have polysomnography done. I did an overnight clinical rotation in a sleep lab as part of my RT clinical requirements and also took a course in polysomnography.

Do I remember any of it? Not really..

If the at home test indicates you do have OSA, you could likely get setup with an auto-titrating CPAP which also records data to make sure it is meeting your needs and if further pressure adjustments are required.
 
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Ricky10 said:
You could look into having your PCP prescribe a home sleep apnea test. I can’t imagine how people even sleep when they have polysomnography done. I did had an overnight clinical rotation in a sleep lab as part of my RT clinical requirements and also took a course in polysomnography.

Do I remember any of it? Not really..

If the at home test indicates you do have OSA, you could likely get setup with an auto-titrating CPAP which also records data to make sure it is meeting your needs and if further pressure adjustments are required.
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Thanks for the reply I will definitely try to go that route because there’s no way I’d sleep in a random place plugged all over
 
Mathb33 said:
Lmfao Jesus
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I know….ridiculous!

Then if one of the electrodes falls off (which they always do) you have to be woken up every time that happens so they can put it back in place. Of course that is assuming you are able to sleep period. I mean, obviously many people get through it successfully despite all that. There are so many people in the hospital with CPAPs you wouldn’t even believe it.

I do look at sleep studies at work because when patients don’t have their home unit available, I have to look up their prescribed pressure or range so that I can offer them one of the hospital CPAP units.
 
Stomach sleeper here battled sleep apnea and won.
For me it was mild, I just improved the variables. I had inflammation from Heartburn.
Got the Heartburn under control and I've been good for years.
 
My 3yr old daughter had obstructive sleep apnea. Get a sleep study.
 
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