Do you know anything about sleep apnea?

Question

I have been a sleep walker for a long time. I get up in the nite and mess around in the bathroom. Walk around the house and actually lately I have been pretty busy at nite. I sometimes wake up in the middle of my activites, and sometimes I wake up and realize I did something stupid.
One of the doctors I work with believes I may have sleep apnea because he says I "look" like someone with sleep apnea. He says he can see it in my neck area. I can see my adams apple and granted since I am 43, my cheeks have gotten fat, but I would not consider my neck overly fat.
He says sleep apnea is a major cause of sleep walking in adults and he believes I should go for a sleep study. I have never been able to sleep in strange places. I usually sleep about 7 or sometimes 6 hours a nite. I am a pretty uptight personality.
Do you know anything about this? I am a nurse, but never really have dealt with this condition and would like some information. Its really freaking me out.

Answer 1

Well, I see two reasons to do the sleep study. 1. You may have the sleep apnea. 2. You may have other problems that may contribute to your sleepwalking. I sleepwalk. I had a sleep study 3 years ago, and the sleep specialist thought that I would "probably" have sleep apnea too. Well, it turned out I had a very minor case of sleep apnea--not enough to cause problems or need a cpap. The main problems I had turned out to be restless leg syndrome and also there was an anomaly in my sleep patterns that might cause my sleepwalking. The doctor gave me a drug to help treat the restless leg syndrome, but I didn't notice any difference in how I felt as far as being well rested and I stopped taking it. They didn't do anything for the sleep pattern thing, but I found it interesting.

Answer 2

Honey, sleep apnea is really a disease that affects many people over the world. The doctors still do not know what causes it for sure. Nowadays there is a simple surgery procedure that is supposed to solve the problem. You said you are in trouble with money, but I think that it is not so expensive. Another thing that might help is to lose a little of weight in case you are over your normal one, because according to some doctors it influences sleep apnea, once that when you are lie down, the excess of fat tends to obstruct your throat. But you'd better go to the doctor, because only him is able to say for sure whether what you have is sleep apnea indeed. Luck!

Answer 3

My first concern would be the medical knowledge involved here. As an apnea sufferer for many years I have gained a lot of information. But:

1) I'm not sure how you could tell by looking at one's neck. While it is true people who are over weight tend to suffer from sleep apnea it is certainly not a requirement. Anyone of any weight can have it.

2) Judging from your avatar I am guessing you are female. So unless you used to be male you shouldn't have an Adam's apple.

The only way to diagnosis sleep apnea is through a certified sleep clinic. Most medical professionals should know that as well as that it is a very serious condition.

Answer 4

no need to worry. as you know, sleep apnea is when the airway gets blocked during your sleep and you have to wake up a little to clear it and breath again. It greatly disturbs your sleep. the study is very simple. they wire you up with all kinds of sensors and you go into a private room and try to sleep. they wake you up when the study is done and in a few days you get the results. if you have severe enough apnea you will be prescribed a cpap machine to help you keep your airway open. this greatly increases the effectiveness of your sleep and you will feel much better.

Answer 5

sleep apnea,a condition in which a person has difficulty breathing while sleeping. The result is disturbed, fitful sleep,as the person is constantly reawakened when the lack of oxygen becomes great enough to trigger a waking response.

Answer 6

i thought sleep apnea dealt with breathing problems. like when you're sleeping, u "forget" to breathe for a bit. Some people usually have headaches due to less oxygen. But i may be wrong. Google it! :0)

Answer 7

sleep apnea happens while you are sleeping - it is brief periods of time when you stop breathing...
go for the sleep study and see what they find out. the doctor can prescribe you an apap machine which you put on at night when you go to bed and it gives you oxygen and is supposed to prevent you from having the periods of not breathing at night

Answer 8

Do the sleep study. I didn't think I would sleep there either but I did. I do have it and use a CPAP mchine. Daytime fatigue mostly gone now.

Answer 9

those answers r great!!!!. i dont know if itl work for u tho. try it!!!! i have to hide knives at home. my husband has nightterrors n attacks things, or has verynice talks n cooks etc. nothin workes yet.