Sleep Apnea

[tiggerblue10]

I think Mr Tiggs has started suffering from sleep apnea. He comes to visit once every fortnight when he's not working and last night his snoring pattern was different to normal. Normally his snoring is continuous with every breath he takes but last night there were pauses of 10 seconds or more before an intake of breath with a deep loud snore. His snoring normally keeps me awake for most of the night which is annoying but last night it was more worrying than annoying.

I told him about it this morning and said that he may need to see his GP and he just laughed. Am I worrying over nothing?

[Sqad]

If during the day, his quality of life is satisfactory........then YES you are worrying about nothing.

[KARL]

I know some people who suffer from the real thing, which manifests itself in interruptions to breathing. One such sufferer I know went through the full tests and now has a sort of ventilator that prevents the soft tissue in the throat from collapsing in such a way that the air passage is temporarily blocked. He takes the machine with him on holiday and appears totally used to wearing it while sleeping. He now never experiences the somewhat alarming apparent throttling effect of a blocked air passage with gasps once he (mostly unconsciously) opens up the throat again - or the poor rest effect such nights result in. Because I roll over in bed a lot I would probably properly strangle myself with the thing, but then I don't suffer from the condition. I sometimes wonder if this is not something that is related - one can really only snore while on one's back (because it is the soft tissue in the throat that vibrates semi-closed) and those who sleep on their backs most or all of the time are more likely to snore, especially with advancing years. Those who frequently/mostly roll onto their sides and or at times lie face down will never snore in those positions. Generally, these people also do not suffer from apnea - and could not successfully wear the equipment anyway.

[tiggerblue10]

He doesn't go to sleep until around 3 or 4 or even 5 in the morning somethimes. Then he wakes up about 8 or 9 and then goes back to bed until lunchtime. He was up early this morning and then went back to bed at 9.

He does have days where he has had around 3 hour sleep and then feel tired the rest of the day Sqad.

[KARL]

*and/or at times...

[Sqad]

tigger...then this is the "rub".......if his job entails being wide awake during the day and he succeeds in performing those takes without danger to himself or to others, then no problem exists, but if he drives a van or car and gets drowsy, then he is a danger to himself and others and needs medical advice.

[tiggerblue10]

He usually lies on his side and still snores loudly Karl. Another thing he does is breath through his mouth rather than his nose during the day. I thought at first that he had asthma when I first met him but he says he hasn't.

[tiggerblue10]

His work mostly involves driving Sqad. He runs an ironing service and drives around doing pick-ups and drop-offs from around 4 or 5 till 11pm. He calls me sometimes when driving (bluetooth btw) and says he feels knackered.

[Sqad]

tigger...he will be the best judge of whether he needs medial advice.

[tiggerblue10]

He sleep habits have always been messed up but last night was the first time I thought about it being an issue due to the longish pauses Sqad.

[Huderon]

There are alternatives to the CPAP Karl, though it does work for most of the people who try it. It didn't work for me, because when I turned over in my sleep the mask slipped, the air whistled out of the side ... which woke my wife, who woke me to sort the mask out.

In the end I was referred to the dental people who made a brace to bring my lower jaw forward a bit. Using that and losing some weight sorted the problem out for me.

Tiggerblue, when I had it I found my ability to concentrate went out of the window, which made it close to impossible to learn new things. I could fall asleep at the drop of a hat (even managed to do that, briefly, in the middle of a conversation with someone) and I was a danger to myself and other road users if I was driving.

If, as Sqad says, his daytime life is satisfactory, don't worry about it. I was always a snorer and I always had brief moments when I stopped breathing while asleep. My wife tells me I still do both, but I no longer have problems with concentration and don't keep falling asleep.

[KARL]

Those who think they don't need to seek medical advice/treatment while those around them do are mostly men. Many a man has (eventually) been nagged by a woman into seeing the medics and found he should have gone earlier - but the reluctance to admit it may continue. Some men have ignored the nagging altogether and regretted it (occasionally not knowing they should have gone because they did not live long enough to realise). Much of the reluctance is a combination of macho-like sentiment and fear that there may indeed be something that needs seen to (men can be major sissies). Some avoid the medics because of their appalling record (as a profession) of incompetently making a mess (when there can be much at stake). In any case, from what you say I would encourage you to keep nagging, especially as snoring on your side and by preference breathing through the mouth rather than with it closed suggests an abnormally restricted air passage that might benefit from surgery - and if that is successful, problem permanently sorted.

[tiggerblue10]

Thank you Sqad, Karl and Huderon for your answers. I'm probably worrying over nothing but I'll see what happens next time he visits.

[237SJ]

I would keep an eye on it because if he starts to suffer from sleep apnea permanently, there are risks of stroke and heart problems. Maybe he was just having a rough night but if it becomes a permanent problem I would get him to speak to the doc.

[RATTER15]

I hat to give up driving a Taxi because of my sleep apnoea, I underwent a test in a sleep clinic and apparently I stop breathing for 11 minutes in ever hour, I also make really loud snore as I gasp when I breath again makes Carakeel jump through the roof and it wakes me up as well. I chose not to have the operation or the elephant trunk machine, one day I may need to have a re-think. :(

[mumsie_wumsie]

I know someone with this problem. Snoring so badly then stopping breathing for many seconds and waking himself up. Had tests done at hospital and now uses one of those machines at night. Now has restful sleep and able to carry on his work without falling asleep at the drop of a hat. Being over weight and having a drink(alcoholic) doesn't help either.

[tiggerblue10]

Morning all and thank you for your answers. I'll keep an eye on the situation next time he visits. Its probably nothing but I tend to worry over the silliest things anyway xxx

[KARL]

Today I was on a flight where the person beside me and I chatted. She lost her 19 year old daughter less than two years ago. Cause of death: Sleep apnoea - just though I should mention it.

[RATTER15]

Thanks Karl!

[starone]

Good (nice) men are precious and few and far between so make sure he stays well tiggs. It is difficult to find them so you don't want to lose him. Better to check it out and find there is nothing wrong than leave it until it is too late.