Sleep Apnea – A Sleeping Epidemic

I have been recently diagnosed with both obstructive and central sleep apnea (mostly central) and I would really like to know if anyone out there can give me some of the causes. I am 19 years old, did cross country and track intensely in high school (so I think I am healthy?), and probably may have had sleep apnea for about 4 years now. My dad snores a lot and I am definitely not overweight. I just want to know if anyone has heard of a similar case because I would really like answers since I just want to sleep already 🙁 By the way, I am not getting my CPAP until next week because my sleep doctor is looking the results from my second sleep study in regards to the central sleep apnea. Answers will be greatly appreciated!!

Sleep apnea is one of the sleeping disorders that is common in children and adults.
Some of the causes of sleep apnea are :-
* Not enough oxygen level
* enlarged tonsils
* deviated septum
There are many causes but let your doctor decide after the sleep study.
Don’t worry, you’ll be fine 🙂

Ok so my aunt is always tired she’s always yawning everytime i see her and she always has dark circles under her eyes. She has put on some weight in the recent 2 years but isnt overweight really,Shes from out of town and is a teacher. She doesnt snore loud if at all so maybe it could be central sleep apnea but highly unlikely or maybe she does have obstructive sleep apnea and justs gasps for breath and really doesnt snore loud so people really wouldnt hear her and be able to tell I dont know

I have sleep apnea and it sounds just like me. I actually went to the Dr. and he sent me to a Sleep Center where I had a test done overnight and now use a CPAP machine..it turned out I got less than 15 mins of REM sleep every night…I now sleep 8 to 9 hours a night…she needs help.
Peace, Love & Happiness

I have moderate obstructive and central sleep apnea. My blood oxygen levels according to sleep study dropped down to 60. I tried the CPAP machine for a couple of months and finally gave up. And I can’t sleep with that dental appliance either. BTW I am tall and very thin, medically I would be considerated underweight.

I am looking to buy a pulse oxyimeter with alarm that would wake me when my oxygen gets too low, like below 80. Do you think this would work? Where is a good place to buy one?
Thanks.

I would think that would wake you up just as much as sleep apnea.

Go to the place that supplied you with your machine and ask them to be fitted for a new mask. They have ton’s of choices and there is bound to be one that will work for you. If you find a nice respiratory therapist who is willing to spend extra time with you, you can find a mask or nose mask that will work right for you.

Good Luck!

I’ve had sleep apnea for years and it took a while to find a working mask.

I have been diagnosed with major depression, and I have unrefreshing sleep. Now I know thats more likely to be because of decreased REM sleep but I’m considering what are the chances of it being sleep apnea? like central sleep apnea? Do most people wake up realising they’ve stopped breathing? Do they wake up several times a night? I highly doubt I have it since I don’t doze off randomly during the day or have morning headaches but I’m just wondering.
woops was going to post this in respiratory diseases. oh well

Many people with sleep apnea have absolutely no idea that they have it. You can be waking up hundreds of times through the night because you are not breathing, but be totally unaware this is happening.

If you sleep with someone, your bed partner is more apt to be aware of your sleep apnea than you.

Snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea, though not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. Best to talk with your doctor about your concerns. He can refer you to have a sleep study done.

All that about apnea, I want to include some other thoughts on depression. Apnea can contribute to depression, but so can countless other things. Excessive stress, poor diet, lack of exercise, lack of social support, and more. Lots of books out there on the subject, but one I find very informative is entitled "Optimum Nutrition for the Mind" by Patrick Holford. It covers many mental ills, including depression. It also gives some very specific and helpful recommendations about diet and supplement support.

What does it mean?

Can it kill you or get worse?

Can it be cured?

He is 145 pounds about, and 5’8.

What are his risk?

Does it make a diff. since his only 17?

Help me, Thank You so so Much!!! <3

Central Sleep Apnea is fairly uncommon. I have only seen a few every year or so. it can be treated but usually with Bipap and a set Resp-Rate. His weight really does not matter in this case, because it is a brain malfunction in this case (simple terms) not a soft tissue issue. But if he gets proper treatment for his Sleep Apnea, he might lose some weight because he will be more active during the daytime and not so sleepy.

🙂

i have intensive central sleep apnea and seizures. i have 6 posted veneered front teeth which were done more than 20 years ago. i need those teeth pulled out as well as 5 others, and root canals in 3 others. the extractions will be done by an oral surgeon, implants and root canals by dentist. will special attention need to be used for anesthesia and pain control? is it possible to get them to do it in a hospital? could i get some of it covered by my medical insurance?

It depends on the level of anesthesia you are getting. If you are just doing local and staying awake during the procedure then it will have no effect. If you are going under general anesthesia(getting put to sleep) then you should mention it to your doctor. He may want to do the procedures in a hospital( this is common for medically complex cases). I cant tell you about insurance without even knowing what company/plan you have. Best person to talk to will be the doctors front desk or your insurance company.
@seizures- Are you on medication for your seizures? what kind are they? what sets them off? these are things you need to discuss with your doctor prior to the day of surgery.

Since 10 to 15% of people with Apnea have Central Sleep Apnea, I’m looking for like-diagnosed people who are willing to share their stories, cures, what they are doing with their Doctors, if anything. I was diagnosed in 2004 and have never been told it’s a not a curable condition, but surfing the internet tells me about "diaphramatic pacing" and the ability to get well. So far, Doctors have about killed me (no offence), and I find aerobic exercise to be of the most benefit. What do you find?

But it depends on an individual and severity of symptoms. If symptoms are present, treatment is warranted. The decision to treat should be made on an individual basis.

I have heard of several different treatments aimed at central sleep apnea and include positive airway pressure, adaptive servo ventilation (ASV), oxygen, added dead space, and overdrive atrial pacing.
It also depends on age and condition of lungs etc.

About 3 years ago I did a sleep study and was found to have Obstructive sleep apnea. My 2nd sleep study about a year later after having surgery for a deviated septum and another surgery to remove my tonsils showed that I was having Central Sleep Apnea issues throughout the night. Not all night but at times. The sleep study tech looked shocked when she saw this. I later found out that Central Sleep Apnea isn’t that common. After the 1st sleep apnea study I was given a CPAP which I was compliant with but didn’t change a thing after more than 2 months of use. Not a thing changed health wise. I tried all the masks, full face, nose only, mouth only. I have about 5 or 6 different types of masks and while some work better than others none have worked. After doing some research I saw that people who aren’t compliant with CPAP or people who have Central Sleep Apnea do A LOT better with a BiPAP. Problem is my insurance doesn’t cover BiPAPs or meds for Central Sleep Apnea only CPAPs. Any suggestions other than getting a different insurance which isn’t possible at this time.

Well I would talk to your sleep doc. If you have CSA, then you certainly need bipap because the cpap does not treat it. My insurance covered it(50%) but it had to go through a process. I choose to by one online as I found it cheaper. Email me and I can geive you more info.

I’ve had no success using a CPAP for Sleep Apnea. On my last sleep study the tech I had some Central Sleep Apneas which I didn’t have on my sleep study the year before. My sleep doctor wouldn’t give me meds for Central Sleep Apnea or but me on a BiPaP machine because they don’t deal with Central Sleep Apnea. I know when I’m laying down I don’t breathe much but when I’m sitting up it’s fine, I’m wondering if this could carry over into my sleep.
Sorry for spelling errors. Sleep deprivation rears it’s ugly head.

Why don’t you put the head of your bed up on some risers so that you are no longer lying flat and won’t get back problems from sleeping in a recliner. That 6-8 inch incline may be all that you need to be able to breathe easier. Losing weight is your best bet for getting relief from your symptoms and your physician has probably already told you this. Start a walking program – it is the easiest to accomplish – start with short distances at a slow pace and over several weeks, gradually increase your speed and distance until you are walking 30-45 minutes a day at a brisk pace. You should be sweating when you reach the increased speed of walking. If you don’t, you aren’t walking fast enough. You would be surprised how much improved your breathing can become with only a 10 pound weight loss!

My daughter has been diagnosed with "Central Sleep Apnea", meaning she breeths normal when awake, but fails to breeth well when asleep. While sleeping her breething becomse very shallow, not enough to keep her oxygen level up. This causes numbness and eventually awakes her every hour or two.

My question is: Are there breething exercises, or natural ways to cure this condition other than just treating the symptoms with oxygen injection or a positiive pressure air machine. She doesn’t want to live with contraptions hooked to her the rest of her life. Any help would be much appreciated. The doctors we have taken her to only want to treat the symptom, not find the cause.

The cause is neurological, unlike the more common "obstructive" type of sleep apnea. Her brain is just not telling the body to breathe the way it should when she’s asleep. Treating the symptoms is about the best you can do at this point….don’t wanna go messin with the brain!

The other answers on here are talking about the other kind of sleep apnea.