[Diagnosis] Do I have sleep apnea?

[chill]

I had that before I started on CPAP.  I would wake up either unable to breathe or struggling to do so.  Which is no guarantee that you have sleep apnea.  You need a proper test and and actual medical advice.

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

You are confusing sleep apnea with waking up from sleep apnea.  For those of with sleep apnea, most of the time it does not wake us up, we are not aware that it is happening.  What you are describing is either a more severe episode or an episode when you were not deeply asleep and which therefore caused you to fully wake up.

[HalfAsleep]

Sleepster, my experience was that AHI had to be ≥5 with 4% desat if you have co-conditions, like stroke, falling asleep while driving.... Otherwise, it has to be higher: I've forgotten the number. This is a Medicare spec.

[OMyMyOHellYes]

When you wake up coughing, do you ever have heartburn?