Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

[Diagnosis] Do I have sleep apnea?
#1
Question 
Do I have sleep apnea?
Hi all,
I am a 42-year-old woman, 5'2", 108 lbs. I have been experiencing sleep-apnea like symptoms for the past 7 months or so like waking up in the middle of the night choking and coughing, other than that I experience no other symptoms. I don't do this every night but say 7 times a month. I recently went vegan so the incidences have dropped from 10-15 times per month to about  6-7 times. Mainly, it's me coughing in the middle of a nightmare and gasping for breath. I don't feel the need to get up, and most often I try going back to sleep. I must mention I have been suffering from insomnia for the past 4-5 years or so and I have hypothyroidism for which I take  62 mcg of levothyroxine every morning. I have been reading that hypothyroidism sometimes causes coughing and gagging at night. I am confused. I have a sleep study scheduled for January so hopefully I will get a diagnosis that will help me move forward in the right direction.
To those that have sleep apnea, how often do you experience it? Is it an everyday thing or few times a month?
 
Thank You.
Post Reply Post Reply
#2
RE: Do I have sleep apnea?
If there is any question, I would get a sleep study (good, I see that you are!) I'd also get a complete cardiac workup. Coughing is a reflex when the heart is out of rhythm for some types of arhythmias. Hypothyroidism is correlated with *many* symptoms including arrhythmia, apnea, and insomnia and fatigue.

sleep apneacs can be the last to know... what you "experience" and reality can be very far apart - but generally, yes - its everytime you sleep.
هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه  هههههه
Tongue Suck Technique for prevention of mouth breathing:
  • Place your tongue behind your front teeth on the roof of your mouth
  • let your tongue fill the space between the upper molars
  • gently suck to form a light vacuum

Practising during the day can help you to keep it at night

هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه  هههههه
Post Reply Post Reply
#3
RE: Do I have sleep apnea?
Hi Black Pearl ! Your description sounds like it could be GERD. When this occurs, how much time has elapsed between eating and bedtime? Also, have you noted the food type consumed prior to this? You might try sleeping in an elevated position to see if this reduces the problem.

Good luck!
Crimson Nape
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com
___________________________________
Useful Links -or- When All Else Fails:
The Guide to Understanding OSCAR
OSCAR Chart Organization
Attaching Images and Files on Apnea Board
Apnea Helpful Tips

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: Do I have sleep apnea?
I see you are having a study done so you will soon know, it does not sound like apnea , but you never know, it might be just the start of it, however, as you have gone vegan you will start to loose a bit of weight, so that will also help (possibly).
There are other things can cause these affects, as mentioned above, also a big change in diet like what you have taken can have gasses and gastric re-flux thing going on. So keep this in mind also, sleep apnea can creep up very slowly, so getting a test done is best, but might not be conclusive if it is mild, so keep this in mind. Wait until you have the sleep study done.
I am NOT a doctor.  I try to help, but do not take what I say as medical advice.


Every journey, however large or small starts with the first step.

Sleep-well
Post Reply Post Reply
#5
RE: Do I have sleep apnea?
While I never woke up coughing, but gasping yes.  Try sleeping on your side if you don't already, or more inclined.
Post Reply Post Reply
#6
RE: Do I have sleep apnea?
sounds a bit like asthma
mask fit http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ask_Primer
For auto-cpap, from machine data or software. You can set the min pressure 1 or 2cm below 95%. Or clinicians commonly use the maximum or 95% pressure for fixed pressure CPAP, this can also be used for min pressure.
https://aasm.org/resources/practiceparam...rating.pdf
Post Reply Post Reply
#7
RE: Do I have sleep apnea?
Hi Black Pearl,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hopefully, your sleep study is schedule soon, so you can find out what's going on.
Good luck to you.
trish6hundred
Post Reply Post Reply
#8
RE: Do I have sleep apnea?
I got introduced to the possibility that I have sleep apnea because I'd wake up choking, snorting, coughing, maybe 3-4 times per month..... I had a sleep study. Yes, I have apnea; I have waaaaaay more events than had ever woken me up enough for me to note, every night. I had 120 the night of my sleep study. Half of them were over 40 seconds long.

Bear in mind..... regarding the choking/coughing that wakes you up, I wouldn't count on your numerical experience to be accurate. As many on this forum will tell you, it's very easy to whip off the CPAP mask in the night, and have no memory of why/what/where/when: it's just lying magically on your pillow! So, don't trust in your sleep memory.

Plus, there may be no causal relationship whatever between going vegan and a change in your symptoms. a) you may just not know, per the paragraph above, and b) your sleep may be bothered in ways that you have no idea! You may even just be dehydrated, or inclined to sleep with your mouth open, or.......A sleep study is the only way to get to the bottom of it.

In addition to all that, it is important to pay attention to other causes or co-conditions. Several are mentioned by other posters: GERD, post nasal drip, allergy, asthma, dry mouth, what you ate for dinner, caffeine.....

Get a jumpstart on the sleep study info by trying out different ways of orienting your neck, face, and shoulders while you sleep. Organize your pillows different ways, make sure you're hydrated, make sure your head doesn't drop towards your chest, sleep in different positions.....
Post Reply Post Reply
#9
RE: Do I have sleep apnea?
Pearl,
          I don't know if you have Apnea or not. But if you do you'll get a lot of support from here at Apnea Board. We've all been through it and continue to have normal lives. I thought I never had it and thought it was heart burn at night and old age catching up to me during the day.
Well turned out I had it bad and I had it every night. Now I don't have it during the night as long as I'm using my machine to keep me from having it. Bottom line is if you end up finding out you have sleep apnea no big deal. Just treat it and enjoy the benefits of restful sleep.


Welcome
Download SleepyHead
Organize your Sleepyhead Charts
Posting Charts
Beginner's Guide to SleepyHead
Mask Primer
5
Advisory Members serve as an "Advisory Committee" to help shape Apnea Board's rules & policies.

Membership in the Advisory Members group does not imply medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.



Post Reply Post Reply
#10
RE: Do I have sleep apnea?
(12-09-2017, 02:50 PM)Black Pearl Wrote: I have a sleep study scheduled for January so hopefully I will get a diagnosis that will help me move forward in the right direction.

That really is the only way to find out.

Quote:To those that have sleep apnea, how often do you experience it? Is it an everyday thing or few times a month?

To be diagnosed with sleep apnea you must experience it at least five times an hour, on average. It will happen all night every night. Usually it just lifts you from a deeper sleep to a more shallow level of sleep, so you never can get down to the deep restorative levels of sleep that you need to be healthy and feel rested. Usually you have no memory of it happening, but there are cases where you do wake up gasping or with your heart beating fast.

Insomnia is one of the symptoms that you do of course notice.

They measure it by calculating the AHI. If it's 5 or more you'll be prescribed a CPAP machine, assuming there are no extenuating medical circumstances. An AHI of 5-15 is considered mild, 15-30 moderate, and above 30 severe.
Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Apnea has gotten worse recently, I have no sleep study, can I just buy a cpcp? replayablecontent 12 230 Yesterday, 12:38 PM
Last Post: replayablecontent
  Collars for positional sleep apnea Jimasripper 17 351 03-25-2024, 10:05 PM
Last Post: Deborah K.
  Invisalign to help sleep apnea and dental extractions as a cause of sleep apnea SingleH 10 613 03-24-2024, 07:00 PM
Last Post: stevew168
  Sleep Apnea or Something Else? RoughriderTR 6 291 03-23-2024, 04:43 PM
Last Post: ButtonNoseBarbie
  Obstructive Sleep Apnea After Stroke Help MB123 1 75 03-23-2024, 01:08 PM
Last Post: Dormeo
  Dental appliance for sleep apnea???? mrpat 4 126 03-23-2024, 08:54 AM
Last Post: mrpat
  [Treatment] Johnny O's ResMed AirCurve 10 VAuto for severe sleep apnea (61 AHI) and OSA, CSA JohnnyO 23 563 03-21-2024, 05:02 PM
Last Post: JohnnyO


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.