Does Sleep Apnea cause severe headaches?

I have only seem my GP, but he suggested that I have a sleep study conducted. I wake up with a severe head ache between 4:00 and 7:00 am probably 10% of the time. Sometimes, It is so bad it caused nausea and vomitting. Is this a symptom that any of you have experience? My insurance pays nothing on any "obesity" related disorder. So I am on my own as far as my own health is. My BMI is great than 55. jeff

Hiya Jeff. To my knowledge, yes, sleep apnea DOES cause headaches. I get them nearly everyday. When I wake up in the morning, it is a heavy-type feeling... But if I don't take something for it, within a few hours it is raging. When I had my sleep study last month, I told them about the headaches, and they hooked me up to a carbon dioxide monitor. It turns out that with the sleep apnea, high amounts of carbon dioxide were in my blood stream, thus causing headaches. Your insurance doesn't cover sleep studies? Have you had WLS? Are you considering it? I know that with the weight loss, sleep apnea is usually always corrected completely. But if you can't get WLS, at least have a sleep study, and buy yourself a CPAP or BIPAP. (Whichever one they recommend) Sincerely, Amanda

I have not had WLS, but seriously want to. But my insurance company know more than my doctors and they have a disclaimer against, ANY obesity related treatment, disease or surgical proc. How much are these C-Pap machines should I decide to buy one? Thanks, If anyone knows how I can easily find $22,000 let me know. Jeff

Jeff, I have sleep apnea and have been using a CPAP machine for about 7 months. It's done wonderful things for my life. For one year before getting the machine, I woke up with a blinding headache every morning. I also had little energy, fell asleep sitting on the couch after work every day (like instantaneously), and, worst of all, would fall asleep suddenly while driving -- a really frightening experience. I've lost 73 pounds since surgery in March and hope losing more weight will cure me of the apnea. Definitely have the sleep study and fight your insurance company to fund it. Thin people can have sleep apnea too. Donna

Hello Jeff, Yes I had the same headaches for the last couple years. When I found out my companies insurance was not going to pay for WLS, I started to looking into alternative ways to finance it, and what happen, was my company was baught out by another company and I investigated there insurance carrier and I found out that the new company was not going to cover it. So what happen is kinda, funny I was approached by this strange Blonde gal at a gas station and she was a Hottie, and she gave me a note and left her phone # and so I got home and called her and she said she had medicaid pay for her WLS. So I knew I would have a good chance of getting on disability, so what I did was instead giving my employer a 2 week notice I gave them a 2 monthe notice and New Years Eve of 2003 I said that it and I got a monthes severance pay and I signed up for social security disability and got approved in 4 monthes and then I had my primary doctor referre me for WLS and last October I went in for my Orentation meeting to my WLS Surgeon and I had all my pre-op exam done by December and then in March Medicaid had approved me for surgery. Thats one option you have. As all the exams and the C-PAP or BI-PAP machines are pricey I saw the bill that was sent to medicaid for my BI-PAP machine and mask and it came up to be $1600.00 dollars, heck the mask was $120.00 just by itself and they say you should replace it every 3 monthes. So it can be spendy. Also I have to say that you have to have a prescription for the BI-PAP machines also. So no plain Joe can just go out and buy one and so on.... Well I wish you luck there. By the way I am just over 4 and half monthes out and have lost 120 lbs. I was at 536 lbs and I am looking forward to hitting the 300's .... Take care. Tom

To answer your question...yes, Sleep Apnea can cause headaches...specifically morning headaches when you wake/shortly thereafter. BUT there is different research that suggests it isn't a very good indicator of OSA Here is some information that showed up after a google search on Sleep Apnea and Headaches-- Another cause of headaches is sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a dangerous disorder that can cause high blood pressure, strokes and heart attacks. It's also the most common cause of excessive daytime sleepiness, weight gain, impotency and, yes, headaches. If you awaken in the morning feeling unrested, and if your throat is dry or sore, or, if you wake most mornings suffering from a dull headache that's hard to shake, then you may be a victim of sleep apnea. Other symptoms are loud snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, jerking awake during the night and unrefreshing sleep. If you suspect that you may be suffering from sleep apnea, talk to your doctor about having a sleep study. There are ways to treat the disorder. The most common treatment is the CPAP machine and mask. Sometimes surgery is the answer. Much depends on the severity of the disorder. The dull morning headache may not be the only headache brought on by sleep apnea. People with this disorder are not getting the deep, relaxing sleep they need, and sleep deprivation is also a cause of headaches. Other sites http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/2002/03_02/attarian.htm Great Study with stats/% http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/150/6/1265 http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_apnea.htm You must have a prescription for a sleep study and that will determine what level if any CPAP or BiPAP is needed to keep your airway open. You cannot get the equipment on your own and the machines aren't cheap. Most insurances will pay for a new mask every 6 months (est $100 +/-) Home Health Care companies set the equipment up and maintain it. It is possible to have your insurance cover the sleep study...skinny people also have Sleep Apnea so that isn't a guarantee that it is only your weight causing your problems but chances are significantly high that is what the cause is....esp with your BMI. Does your insurance treat high blood pressure? Diabetes? Those are both related to weight. I can see them not covering surgery but they should treat the subsequent side effects. It is worth a try...have you even attempted getting it covered?

Yes I have gotten headaches for years...I often felt like I woke up with an hangover. I also have gotten night sweats or quick heat blasts.