Sleep Apnea – A Sleeping Epidemic

Two years ago my brother was admitted to the hospital for an electrolyte imbalance caused by many weeks of vomitting and dehydration. His sodium level on his admittance to the hospital was 96 and within a 36 hour time frame was increased to over 120. As a result of his treatment he now suffers from Central Pontine Mylenosis (CPM). He has struggled to learn to walk and talk again. He experiences issues with tremors that prevent him from writing, typing driving and feeding himself. He recently was also diagnosed with central sleep apnea as a direct result of CPM.

I am trying to find a support group for survivors of CPM, or anyone who has experienced this condition personally or know of someone who has CPM.

I have searched the web for support groups until my eyes are crossed.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Has he gone to a sleep lab? I can only help you chip away the sleep thing. I use one of those CPAP thing nightly, now I am 61 years old and was diagnosed at 60. I feel like I am in my 40’s! True sleep is wonderful, my whole adult life I never had a good night’s sleep! I also had a knee twitch that kept my brain from going into REM stage of sleep. Thats where the eyes dart around, its like perfect sleep time, anyway I lived without it for 40+ years.

I hated going to the lab and did not enjoy the whole idea of it. The idea of having something poked up my noise was not comforting! I HATED IT! BUT MY WIFE MADE ME GO !!!!

The lab was tolerable, but the results are unbelieveable!

THE DARN MACHINE WORKS MIRACLES! SO … LIKE A SAVED SINNER, I AM HERE TO SPREAD THE WORD, TELL THE WORLD WHERE THEIR REDEMPTION MAY BE FOUND ( WELL MAYBE A LITTLE PUSHY )!

WISH YOU LUCK ON ALL OF YOUR PROBLEMS, BREATHING THROUGH THE NIGHT SERIOUSLY HAS RE-STARTED MY WHOLE PERSONAL LIFE!

HAVE A GOOD DAY.

APS

My husband just found out he has a severe case of sleep apnea and i was wondering if children or babies can have it to and what are some of the signs i should be looking for to find out.

Central sleep apnea is a problem in premature infants, some of whom are at risk for SIDS.

Obstructive sleep apnea is common in children with enlarged adenoids and tonsils. It may lead to behavior similar to a child with Attention Deficit Disorder, disappearing after T&A. Mind you, I didn’t say T&A was a treatment for ADD. Signs include snoring, partial wakenings at night, pauses in breathing, and signs that the child does not seem well rested in the morning.

Obstructive sleep apnea is prevalent in overweight men, especially those with excess belly fat. Many of these men are hypertensive, too.

I suffered with horrible sleep paralysis while taking Tegretol (Carbemazapine) and now that I don’t take Tegretol I suffer with a special kind of sleep apnea (central apnea) that is usually brought on by brain trauma or drugs/medication. I am trying to determine if they are all connected….the Tegretol, Sleep paralysis and central apnea. Any serious reply would be greatly appreciated.

Dear "tubby"
I was on tegretol at one point but soon after I started to develop these strange spasms and odd muscle spasms during the night. Shortly thereafter I started to get seizures. They are not epilepsy or gran mal. They are now being called "stress seizures". But to me it is way too coincidental that this started when I was on Tegretol. I dont have difinitive answers, I really wish I did. I hate to see someone else suffering. I woudl recommend you do a search for adverse effects to Tegretol. This is a good start here and I really do hope you get some answers. I am sorry I couldn’t offer you more help or better hard proof. I’m sorry that you are going through this. I sincerely hope that you feel better soon and get the best treatment possible for your apnea. One thing to keep in mind is a sleep study.

What are the chances of a person with sleep apnea dying due to lack of oxygen?

Breathing disorders that occur during sleep include obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. Less severe forms include snoring and upper airway resistance syndrome. The term sleep-disordered breathing is used to encompass all such disorders.
Please see the web pages for more details on Sleep apnea.

I am 53, male, former smoker(I smoked for 19 years and quit in 1992). I do not drink.

I have epilepsy(since 1966), Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease(since birth), essential non-pulmonary hypertension, gastro-esophageal disease, BPH, complex central sleep apnea.

Could you please cite your sources for your answer, i.e., National Institute of Health, American Heart Association, etc. Thank you

Everyone is unique and no one person is the same, so as their health. There is no specific guidelines to how often should the physician check your CBC. Your physician will determine the frequency according to your need. The decision will mainly be affected by your current health (more ill, more frequent), your medication and the physician preference. There is some recommendation to some medication of how often should the physician check your blood work (may not be CBC). Also some physician like to check it more frequently than others.

If you really want to know, you should ask your primary physician, s/he know your health the best.

It is common (or possible) to suffer from sleep apnea if you only sleep on your stomach or side?

I’ve been diagnosed with combination of obstructive/central sleep apnea more than 4 years ago. The short answer to your question is yes. It is a problem even if you don’t sleep on your back. However I am having less episodes of apnea when I am not sleeping on my back.
http://www.sleepapneasymptom.medgrip.com

Does taking naps make you sleep apnea worse or better> ??
My husband has sleep apnea, mild to high condition. 28 years old, smoker, 20 lbs over weight, no significant excersize daily.
What are some ways to help ruduce his tiredness, and also improve his condition??

Sorry this is long, but hopefully helpful.

There are several things that can cause sleep apnea. There are three types: obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, and mixed sleep apnea.
A blockage or narrowing of the airways in your nose, mouth, or throat generally causes obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This usually occurs when the throat muscles and tongue relax during sleep and partially block the airway. Smoking can inflame the tissues of the throat increasing the risk of blockage. His weight can be a factor as well. This is the most common type.
Central sleep apnea is caused by a dysfunction in the thalamus area of the brain and the mechanism that controls your breathing.
Mixed apnea is a disorder that combines obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. There is both obstruction of the air passages and dysfunction of the brain.
Since there are different types and causes, for one to simply say "slim down and quit smoking and it will go away" is an ill informed response. While it is true that the situation could improve by doing this, it isn’t always the answer. Your husband need to be diagnosed if he hasn’t been already.
the most common treatment for sleep apnea is the
use of a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. You have to have a prescription from your docotor to get one.
Other treatments may include mouth pieces to keep the jaws aligned, medication to signal the mechanism to breathe, and/or surgery. Your doctor can discuss treatment options with you and your husband.
Things you and your husband can do at home (remember that sleep apnea is serious and can lead to death, so work with your doc on these):
Sew a pocket on the back of his pajama top and insert a tennis ball. This will help keep him from rolling on to his back.
Raise the head of the bed (not with pillows, but with bricks under the legs of the bed frame) at least six inches.
Try to avoid taking sedatives or drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. This can make the apnea worse and leave him more exhausted the next day.
Taking naps, to my knowledge, doesn’t affect the apnea itself, but can be disruptive of his regular sleep cycle. Sugar, caffine, and nicotine can too. It is important to try to keep a regular sleeping habit (going to bed and getting up at the same time everyday). I know this is probably hard for him since he doen’t feel rested, but it will help the body learn when to rest at proper times.

Hope the answered your question and was helpful. Again sorry so long.

It seems odd to me that neurologists have anything to do with obstructive sleep apnea once it has been diagnosed. After all, if the disorder is all about a collapsed or blocked airway, shouldn’t it be addressed by an ear, nose and throat doctor? Or maybe a cardiologist? The neurologists I’ve had to deal with following my diagnosis have seemed a little out of sorts to be dealing with "breathing problems."

If you’re positive the diagnosis is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and not central sleep apnea (CSA) or mixed apnea, then it gets closer to sleep or pulmonary medicine (unless your neurologist is also a sleep doctor). The more likely scenario is he suspects some central apnea is involved as this is neurological. You can ask your neurologist if he has other or differential diagnoses.

My partner was recently diagnosed with epilepsy. After witnessing all three of his seizures I’m pretty scared. He also has sleep apnea which is the main cause of his epilepsy. At this point, I’m too scared to sleep. Considering he had his seizures in his sleep and he always stops breathing and the twitching I’m so terrified. How do I cope with this. I haven’t slept in weeks. I know he gets annoyed with my constant worry so could someone please help me?

Sleep is one of those things that is absolutely necessary for people to live full and healthy lives. It is supposed to be a source of rest as well as a way to repair the body to take on the activities the following day. However, there are some people who do not experience the kind of slumber others do. One of the disorders that is associated with sleep is a condition known as apnea seizures.

Basics
Sleep apnea is caused by the body’s inability to breathe properly during sleep. This can be caused by various factors such as obstruction of the air passages. When this occurs, the person has trouble breathing and the sleep is disturbed. Another cause for sleep apnea is the inability of the central nervous system to perform its function of regulating breathing properly. When this occurs, one of the symptoms that can manifest is seizures. The signs of seizures can range from feeling disoriented to involuntary muscle movement.

Epilepsy
Sleep apnea and epilepsy are two medical conditions that are often connected by their tendency to exacerbate the manifestation of each other. When a person experiences sleep apnea, the person is deprived of sleep because he or she tends to wake up at various times. The constant lack of sleep can decrease an epileptic patient’s ability to fight off the occurrence of a seizure. On the other hand, the medication taken to treat epilepsy has side effects that affect the respiratory functions of the central system as well as relaxing the air passages. Thus, this can cause a predisposition to sleep apnea. Both of these conditions tend to cause seizures for people.

Evaluation
Apnea seizures can happen to anyone and at any particular point. However, there are some people who are more prone to experiencing it. For example, apnea more commonly occurs in men. People who snore or are overweight also have a higher risk of experiencing apnea seizures. The reason behind this is that they are the ones who have more trouble getting enough oxygen in their systems while they sleep.

Effects
Sleep apnea seizures can take a major toll on the body. People who experience involuntary movement while they sleep tend to wake up tired and without energy in the morning. A headache is also most likely to set in. Besides the inconvenience of exhaustion, the effects of apnea seizures can also be life-threatening. The deprivation of sleep over prolonged periods of time can cause cardiac arrhythmia, or the irregular beating of the heart.

Treatment
Doctors recommend an overall healthy lifestyle when it comes to lessening apnea seizures. Weight loss and regular exercise is needed because it will help the body regulate the oxygen it uses. Thus, the cause of sleep apnea, which is abnormal respiration, can be eliminated or lessened. In some extreme cases, surgery may be resorted to in order to tear sleep apnea and the seizures that accompany it. A procedure called the tracheostomy, which involves the removal of any obstructing uvula, can be performed.

I haven’t slept in about 3 days . I looked up the issue I have & it came up as central sleep apnea . Which means I keep waking up out of my sleep because I stop breathing while I’m asleep. So I just stay up because there’s no point , I just keep jerking up throughout the night . But I’m drained . I want to sleep so badly . Making a doctors appointment today , it’ll probably be about a week before I see the doc. What to do until then?

Go to the hospital right now, they can at least check you out to see what is wrong. Don’t wait until your appointment!