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When Snoring Isn’t Just Snoring

By: Ginger | October 10, 2008 | Category: Health

Jake wrote about his diagnosis of sleep apnea. I also suffer from sleep apnea. Yes, women can have it too! Not all snorers have sleep apnea, but snoring is one of the indicators. When my doctor asked me about snoring, I told her that I didn’t snore. After all, my husband had never mentioned it. Wow, was I wrong. My husband never told me about my snoring, because he thought I would be embarrassed. Apparently, I sounded like a pig sniffing out truffles!

My doctor suspected a sleep disorder, so I went for a sleep study. No wonder I was so messed up. I had severe sleep apnea, so I was prescribed a CPAP. I went for a second sleep study to determine the correct CPAP setting and mask.

Ginger wearing her CPAP life.My CPAP mask fits over my nose and blows air continuously. It keeps my airways open while I am sleeping. It’s not sexy to look at, nor the most comfortable thing to wear, but the CPAP helped me get my life back to normal.

Before getting my CPAP, I had trouble staying awake while driving. It was dangerous not just for me, but for everyone on the road with me. Think about how many people are on the road driving with untreated sleep apnea. It’s scary! If you are prescribed a CPAP, it should be worn every time you sleep, and you should take it with you when you travel.

General anesthesia and pain medicines can worsen sleep apnea. Tell medical staff about your sleep apnea prior to surgeries. I even brought my CPAP with me for an outpatient surgery. They didn’t put it on me in the recovery room. I woke up to frantic people doing things to resuscitate me. My recollection of the event is a little confusing, but I do recall a hose the size of a boa constrictor (or so it seemed) being pulled out of my nose. I was a little disappointed with my near death experience (no white light or angels), but I was happy to be alive.

I just shared embarrassing details about my snoring and that lovely CPAP picture. It’s only fair that you share your sleep apnea stories with me. Do you, or someone you know, suffer from sleep apnea?

| Comments [9] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: apnea   cpap   ginger   sleep   snoring  

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My boyfriend has sleep apnea and until he was diagnosed and got his CPAP machine, it was the scariest thing in the world! We had been friends for a long time and our other friends and I used to tease him when we'd go camping that he sounded like a bear growling while he slept - appropriate for the woods. A while after we started dating and sleeping over, I found that sleeping next to him was almost impossible - not because he snored so loud but because I could now feel what his body was going through while he slept. His entire body, and he's a pretty big guy, would clench and struggle for air. You could feel his body trying to pull in air and getting nothing. Then, after a while, he'd take in a huge breath! He'd take a few normal breaths and then the struggling would start all over again. There were times that I'd count the seconds before he started breathing again - the numbers I'd come up with would be impressive for someone who's trying to hold their breath but really scary for someone who's sleeping and is none the wiser. Finally he got it checked out and ended up getting a CPAP. It was the funniest thing - he had to go twice, once to monitor how he slept on his own and once to see how he slept with the machine. The day he came home after sleeping with the machine was amazing! He had so much energy he looked like a kid hopped up on sugar! It was incredible how much one good night of rest had done for him. His CPAP has a piece that fits into his nose - he kinda looks like he's got a piggy nose when he's sleeping now but whatever, he's breathing!! lol, it's also kind of weird to wake up to what you think is a heavy wind blowing at you and then realizing that the exhaust is just blowing at you but again, I know he's breathing! We had to go to a wedding in Pittsburgh so we planned to stay the night and brought the machine along. It was easy to pack and set up again. It takes a little while to get used to it but it's worth it.
Another bonus is that he can't talk when he's got it on so I like to save the more touchy topics that I need to bring up for after he's put his mask on and gotten comfortable for the night - hehe.

Now, I'm working on my mom who will only do something if she wants to and has decided that it's just too weird sleeping with a mask on her face. Luckily, I've gotten a little bit of her stubbornness so we'll see who wins that fight.

If you think you've got this problem, get it check out. Yes, it might be expensive depending on your insurance or lack there of but it's worth it in the long run!

And if you're one of those "tough guys/girls" that think you're ok and can deal with it - think about whoever is next to you watching you struggle and fight for air, wondering when you're going to start breathing again and get it checked out!!!

Posted by Peppermint on October 10, 2008 at 04:13 PM EDT #

I have been on CPAP since 1992. 1992 is also when I got married. My wife took to waking me up multiple times in the night. She said it wasn't the snoring, it was the stop-breathing part that scared her. I agreed to do a sleep study simply to show her that snoring, while way annoying, wasn't a big health deal.

Instead, I found that I stopped breathing about 500 times a night, with some instances of not breathing lasting as long as 90 seconds. I was initially very resistant to the CPAP machine. The sleep specialist told me I had two other options:

1) I could die of apnea induced heart stress sometime in my mid 40s.
2) I could have a tracheotomy.

After that, the machine sounded good. And over the years there has been a marked improvement in my daytime energy levels. Even when I think I'm not really sleeping well anymore, just a night without CPAP reminds I really am.

Thanks for sharing your story.

Posted by Daniel Cornwall on October 11, 2008 at 02:12 PM EDT #

I don't have any sleep apnea stories, but I wanted to thank you for sharing your story. Although I was aware of sleep apnea before, I now know more about it. I had no idea about CPAP before I read this!

Posted by SS on October 11, 2008 at 07:06 PM EDT #

Ginger, a very interesting subject! I suspect there are quite a few of us out there who suffer from sleep apnea or snoring. I, myself, suffer a bit from snoring. Usually, when I am sleeping on my back. I am told that I "snore softly." Wise person! Ha! I believe my snoring is caused by being a bit overweight. I don't drift asleep during activities, such as during work. I do notice, however, that I like to have more sleep during the weekend. I think it is a matter of my body just catching up with better or much more needed sleep? Due to snoring perhaps? Terrie

Posted by Unknown on October 12, 2008 at 09:47 AM EDT #

i well ok i used to snore dunno if i still do but i used to puff on cigarettes i took up smoking bout 4yrs ago and i decided now i dont want to smoke now i dont snore. but i do love deep sleep its my favorite sleeping time is going deep like a dark mysterious place is real or something i used to snore while in a deep or before i was in a deep sleep. Yet some one only has to look at me and snap im awake wide awake im very sensative while asleep
noise i cant hear seems im used to certain noises i dont take any notice of noises once i determine what they are i think thats what i do when im asleep.

Posted by Donna on October 12, 2008 at 08:17 PM EDT #

Thanks for the comments. I just wanted to mention something else. If you have sleep apnea, you should tell your friends and family of your condition. You should let them know that if you ever pass out, they should know to sit you upright so that you can keep breathing. If you are at home, they could put your CPAP on you to help you.

The other thing you might want to consider is wearing a medical alert bracelet. This will alert emergency medical staff to your condition should you be unconscious and unable to tell them.

Posted by Ginger on October 13, 2008 at 12:19 AM EDT #

Peppermint, I am so glad your boyfriend went to the doctor. Good luck with your mom. I know how it can be to convince someone who is stubborn to seek medical help.

I have a friend who refuses to wear her CPAP. I don't think she liked hearing it, but I told her that her refusal to wear her CPAP wasn't just putting her own life at risk. She babysits for her daughter. It is especially disturbing to me to see her drive her grand-babies around in her car when I know she has a pretty significant sleep apnea problem. I know that she is putting her grandchildren at risk. She insists that she doesn't drive when she is tired, but I know how it is. Before I was diagnosed, I would get to work and not remember how I got there. I also didn't realize that I was dozing off at traffic lights.

So, keep trying to convince you mom as best you can!

Posted by Ginger on October 13, 2008 at 12:33 AM EDT #

Terrie, when I was at my worst, before I was diagnosed, I would sleep my weekends away. I could not get enough sleep. I also would go to bed really early every night. I simply could not stay awake. I had no energy for anything. I even fell asleep at a party and while I was talking on the phone! If you think you have a problem, even if you think it is mild, you may want to mention it to your doctor.

Another thing I experienced was nocturia. I would go to the bathroom 4-6 times a night. I noticed problems with my memory and I began having significant trouble thinking. I was getting easily confused. Normally, I am a pretty balanced person, but simple problems would completely throw me and I started to have panic attacks. The quality of my life had gone down hill drastically. All of those problems corrected themselves once I got a proper diagnosis and a CPAP to correct the solution.

Posted by Ginger on October 13, 2008 at 12:47 AM EDT #

Ginger, your article was very informative. I had no idea that sleep apnea could cause such a disruption...or I should say slowing down....of life. Not sure what CPAP stands for, but I like the picture. Reminds me of you in a dive mask!
So glad that you were able to find a diagnosis and solution to your health problem. Take care and keep breathing!
Nancy

Posted by nancy on October 13, 2008 at 08:13 PM EDT #

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