Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?

Hi Everyone, I  was curious what the symptoms of sleep apnea are. I know I will be doing a sleep study prior to the surgery and  I will find out eventually for sure, I'm just curious. Thanks for all of your help, Chris

Hey Chris, I was just hanging out and saw the post.... Here's a link- http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/Sleep-Apnea-Symptoms  And another- (possibly More Complete)- http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_apnea.htm  Hope these help... Best Wishes- Dx

Chris, My biggest sign that I had sleep apena was I was falling asleep all the time like driving down the highway at 70 miles per hour. It use to happen to me whenever I was watching TV, reading, sitting at my desk. I was always tired even when I got up in the morning. I use to wake up 4-5 times a night. The good thing is is gone and I now sleep like a baby after losing 222lbs.

EXACTLY, for awhile I was driving more miles asleep than awake. Now I have a cpap and get a solid 6-7 hrs a night and wake up energized. pretty much if you sleep almost whenever and whereever you sit down, you have sleep apnea.

I got to the point where my wife and co-workers did not want to ride with me or they would wake me up as I was falling asleep driving. The sleep study said I stopped breathing 142 times in the first hour and my oxygen level was so low they were afraid to let me leave the sleep center without a machine immediately. My bi-pap machine had a setting of 21/16 with a full face mask. I hated the damn thing but I felt instant relief once I started using it. I had it for about 8 months till I had lost 100 pounds pre/post op and it started to keep me awake at night. I stopped using it the end of my second week after WLS. I have been sleeping like a baby ever since, the wife say I have even stopped snoring.

Tim is right on the money. I had sleep apnea before my RNY as well and had the exact same symtoms. My sleep apnea went away within a month or two. Now I sleep through the night and wake refreshed. What a difference!!! Ronnie

Good luck with the sleep study.  I agree with the others - falling asleep at the desk, while diving, etc.  I used to get up almost 5-8 times minimum per night and had great difficulty getting to sleep.  I hated the sleep study with a passion.  Slept a total of 1.8 hours according to the technicians (I doubt it was even that much).  I was diagnosed with sever sleep apnea and had to do another visit for the cpap titration (another excruciating night) but now I do sleep 7-8 hours straight cpap machine.  No major complaints except I wish my air hose was longer.  I no longer get tired and am more productive.  Looking forward to losing the weight and getting off the machine - but in the mean time it has been a great experience.

Ditto to all that has been said.  [(Side-bar) TIm I am still amazed at our weight-loss, thanks for posting out here for us rookies)] I would add,  If you wake yourself up snoring,...you might have sleep apnea. If your wife sleeps in another room because your snoring keeps her awake,...you might have sleep apnea. If you wake up because you dreamed you couldn't breath and you weren't ,...you might have sleep apnea. If you have ever woke up gasping for air or choking,...you might have sleep apnea. If your nasal passages seem to close when you lay down, you might have sleep apnea. If think these sound like redneck jokes but aren't real funny,...you could be right,...but it was fun to list this way. Sleeping with the probes and all the wires during the sleep test is like auditioning for a part as the monster ina Frankenstein movie but the CPAP really worked for me,  last setting was 11 before WLS.  stopped using it a week after WLS. haven't needed it since. Packed it up a month after surgery,....separation anxiety I guess.

Hey Joe,  My setting was 14 before surgery. After sugery I felt so lousy that I didn't want any part of the CPAP so I slept without it. Once I started feeling better and in my own bed I noticed that I was sleeping better. I'm not exactly sure when the apnea went away completely, but it was pretty quickly after surgery. I hated sleeping with that thing all strapped to my face. Those days are over forever!!!! Thank God for WLS!

Here is how I describe it: When I works, I works hard. When I plays, I plays rough. When I sits, I falls asleep. I used to (before CPAP) fall asleep under houses (as a plumber) and sleep through seminars, meetings, red lights, and driving. Some have it worse than others. It's very hard on the heart and brain, is life threatning and is the curse of the overwieght individual as it perpetuates the "lazy" aspect. Good luck Chris. If I ever get my surgery I will let you know what happens to mine. E.