Is this sleep apnea?

Question

It seems like even when I get 8 or 9 hours of sleep, I'm always exhausted the next day. My boyfriend says that when I fall asleep before him, I start to snore a bit, it gets louder and louder and then I wake up gasping for air and sit up really quick and then go back to sleep. He says I do this maybe 4 times within an hour period before he eventually falls asleep (so maybe even more times per hour). I never remember doing this at night. Is this sleep apnea? If so, do most insurances cover the sleep study required to diagnose it and cover the machine to aleviate it? I'm only 23.. why would I have this? Is it genetic? My dad seems to do the same thing.

I'm 5'5 and weigh 135. Not obese.

Answer 1

It definately sounds like you have sleep apnea. Most insurances will cover a sleep study (partially or whole) depending on your type of insurance. Try to see your primary doctor ASAP and get referred to a sleep center. Don't worry about your age, I'm 28 and just got diagnosed with sleep apnea one month ago. I was in hell prior to that, from the sleep deprivation and all that comes with it. I've had CPAP for only a week and am already doing better. Don't wait around, make sure you address this now, you will be happier later.

Answer 2

That sounds exactly like the same symptoms my mom has and she was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea. The problem is, most doctors won't see where or what the problem is. More than likely, you will have to spend a night in a sleep clinic where they will monitor your heartrate and breathing and then they can determine what treatment is needed. My mom is currently sleeping with a small mask that flows air into her nose and mouth and she no longer wakes up multiple times in an hour and she doesn't snore anymore.
It is definitely genetic and you don't have to be overweight. My mom is quite thin. She was getting to the point that after work she would come home and nap, eat dinner, and then go back to bed because she just couldn't get enough sleep.
I'm sorry but this condition will probably progress and get worse over time as that is what has happened with my mom. You should pursue treatment as soon as you can.
Good Luck!

Answer 3

It does sound a bit like sleep apnea, especially if you're still feeling tired when you get up in the morning after a full night's sleep. (I type sleep study reports so I hear this same thing over and over).

Do you sleep on your back? Sometimes that can cause breathing problems. One trick is to put a tennis ball in your shirt (tape it to the back) at night so you won't lay on your back.

As for insurance, I would like to think it's covered by most insurance companies, but you'd only know if you call. They will most likely need to do a sleep study evaluation (you'd stay overnight while they monitor your sleep and oxygen levels), to determine whether you have true sleep apnea or not. A CPAP machine may be used in that case, which are noisy and can be bothersome, so you certainly want to try other avenues first (which your doctor will tell you about).

Also, if you're overweight, that's a huge contributor to sleep apnea as it can narrow your airway.

Best of luck to you!

Answer 4

Have your primary care physician refer you to a sleep specialist. Yes, most insurance will cover an overnight sleep study, and the CPAP machine. The first study is simply to monitor you. There will be dozens of sensors attached, which will monitor all of your vital signs. The primary ones that will show sleep apnea are your breathing, the oxygen level in your blood, and the phases of sleep that you reach. If it is found that you have sleep apnea, a second study will be done to find the proper titration level. This is the proper amount of pressure from the CPAP machine that will stop you from having apnea episodes. The machine you use will be set slightly higher than what the second study finds as the necessary level to stop the episodes.

It sounds as though you could have sleep apnea, but it really depends upon what is occurring to your blood oxygen level. It could be that you are not having true apnea episodes. Generally, an apnea episode is considered 10 or more seconds of stopping breathing. And the reason that you never remember it is because you are asleep when it happens. Although you appear to "wake up", you do not come to full consciousness. You simply come to a lighter level of sleep where your autonomous nervous system will start your breathing again.

Many can have sleep apnea without needing therapy for it. Others may not be in danger with having sleep apnea yet still seek treatment as the sleep apnea is affecting their life. Those with frequently occurring episodes of apnea never reach the lower levels of sleep, where the mind refreshes itself. So, although you may be physically rested, your mind is constantly tired and seeking sleep. Some find once they start therapy that they have never known what a truly rest full night of sleep is like.

Generally, sleep apnea shows up as people age, and in people who are heavier, but some studies have shown that the size of the neck is more of a cause than weight or age. And, there are many younger people who are not overweight who have sleep apnea. While using the CPAP (Constant Positive Air Pressure) machine can take some time to get used to, most find that the benefits are definitely worth the hassle.

Often, in sleep apnea message boards, people will focus on the frustration of using a CPAP machine or of having sleep apnea. If you do find out that you have sleep apnea, focus on the solution, and how different you feel with treatment.

While there are surgeries that can alleviate sleep apnea, the success rate is very low. Only with certain specific issues in your airway is it likely that surgery will successfully cause the sleep apnea to be alleviated. My sleep doctor at Bellevue Medical Center in New York does surgery on less than 5% of his patients and finds them successful in less than 10% of those cases. Using a CPAP machine remains by far the most successful treatment.

RE: the comment to lose weight; if you do have sleep apnea and lose weight, you should have a second sleep study done. A large majority of sleep apneacs who do lose weight still have sleep apnea and need to maintain treatment. The reason I suggested to have your primary care physician refer you to a specialist is that there is a lot of misunderstanding, even within the medical field, about sleep apnea. You are wise to see an expert in sleep medicine.

Answer 5

There's lots of causes of sleep apnea and it sounds like you have it.

I use oxygen for my sleep apnea. Before that, I never could sleep long enough to get into REM sleep. I suffer from decades of sleep deprivation. Strangely enough, I'm doing better now and don't' always use the oxygen now. But I keep it handy. I have disability income with Medicare and can't afford the 20% to get a sleep study. But my MD sent home an oxygen monitor that I wore on my finger with a recorder, and we checked it before and after I got the oxygen and it really made a difference. The oxygen company is great as they write off the 20% and get it to me everywhere I go- as I'm homeless and sometimes live in my truck. I have a machine where I am today, and when I move they get me a different one, plus I keep portable bottles in my truck.

(oh and dont worry, my disability has nothing to do with my sleep apnea- not officially anyway. It's just one thing in a long line of problems I have.)

Answer 6

I'm 21 and I have sleep apnea. I can sleep for literally 12 hours and about 2 hours after I wake up, I feel like sleeping again. I haven't gone to see a doctor, but I read that your adnoids(sic) need to be removed. Go see a doc, he's definately the one who can properly answer you.

Answer 7

You should have a sleep test done. Even if it is 'just obesity' you will still need a c-pap if you do have apnea.
Most insurances will cover the test and most of the equipment costs.
Don't wait and contemplate! This could be dangerous to your health. Go today and make an appointment with your doctor.

Answer 8

It sure sounds like it...I can't answer the insurance questions because things are different in Australia I'd get yourself along to the sleep clinic as soon as you can.

Answer 9

yes, this is called sleep apnea. most of the time its related to obesity so if you lose weight, 90% of the time, it will go away.

Answer 10

see a doctor immediately, regardless of whether or not insurance covers it, you stand a serious chance of death or even brain damage.