im scared

hello, i am kind of new around here. I just had my first sleep study in august and it was determined that i have very severe sleep apnea, 378 total obstructions with average being 58/per hour. I am only 27 years old and i am terrified of what this means. The dr keeps telling me dont worry but I cant stop crying. I have a little girl and since she was born I have gained over 100 lbs. and it didnt really sink in what i am doing until i got these test results back. can anyone reassure me, are there any long lasting affects, has anyone died from this, SHOULD i be so worried? Thanks, Karyn

Hi Karyn, and welcome. I am also pretty new around here. I just went for my first appointment with sleep apnea doctor. No results yet. It sounds pretty scarey with your numbers so high but truthfully i don't know enough about it yet since i'm just starting out too. I did want to tell you to listen to your doctor.....he really does know what he's doing. (usually)haha. Don't worry, they will help you through all of this. Good Luck! Bonnie

Thanks bonnie, welcome to you also. good luck with your test. i will try to listen to my dr. he is a good dr. but its hard to believe i shouldnt worry!

Hi, I was diagnosed after losing 165 pounds. I had 191 times that I stopped breathing. My diagnosis was Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Narcolepsy. Mine comes out to every 20 minutes that I stopped breathing. I think it is very rare that someone dies. You will probably be set up with a CPAP machine that you will use when you sleep. I had trouble with mine so I was fitted with a mandibular dental device. I think if you don't take care of it, you can wind up with high blood pressure. So, you should be worried but don't go nuts about it. With treatment you will do fine. Good luck with everything.

Thanks Kathy, I just got back from my second sleep study and the have determined I need a CPAP set at 18, so I guess I will get that after my follow up in two weeks.

Hi Karyn, My CPAP was only set at 7. After my revision it may get better. Mine is obstructive. They say I have a small pallette. Surgery wouldn't even help. I'm using a dental device now because had a hard time with CPAP. I hear some people love the CPAP. I think because of my sinusitis it was hard for me. Even the dental device is causing TMJ pain. The orthodontist said he is not giving up on me because he will make something I can use.

Karyn, I have been told, since childhood, by others, that I stop breathing in my sleep. I never thought much of it until Spring 2004 when I started showing severe symptoms of sleep apnea. I was sent into a sleep lab, and my stats were close to yours, and apparently I was also having cardiac episodes in my sleep because my O2 sats dropped so low (below 40). My pulmonologist gave me a brutally honest wake-up call. He said that because 4 months of a CPAP actually worsened my condition (which is often the case of those with childhood apnea because our brains are now "wired a little differently"), I would never be able tolose weight on my own. I was so sleepy all day, that if I sat in a chair I would fall asleep! I blew a couple of discs in my neck from jerking my head in my sleep and developed dangerous sleepwalking behaviors all related to the apnea! He said the only way to improve the apnea/neck etc at that point was gastric bypass surgery. I cried for 10 hours straight. I never had considered this surgery before. I was terrified that I was going to die in my sleep (which he said was VERY realistic). I scheduled my consult with a surgeon the very next day. And, I have to say, that after two weeks post-op, I had lost so many inches from my neck down, that my sleep apnea has dramatically improved! Not everyone get that result. I just happened to very top heavy and the dramatic weight loss is helping. Samantha

Samantha, thank you for sharing your story with me. I am sorry that you have had to go through all of that! It really helps me to hear stories like yours however, because I am waiting to be scheduled for surgery and sometimes wonder if I am doing the right thing....I know I am but i cant help second guessing sometimes. Congratulations on going through with the surgery! Karyn

It might also help if you spoke with the pulmonologist who did your study and ask him what results he has seen. Sometimes it is good to be scared. There is no way to play it safe with this surgery and the more information you have, the better it is. Good luck! Samantha

Hi Karyn! Just saw your post and wanted to reassure you that you will be okay. Make sure to use your cpap every night ... It amazes me when people do not use their machines, and yes, you can die if you do not use it. Besides, you will feel so much better once your apnea is treated, and it will be one more step toward better health for you! This really is wonderful news! Good luck!