Question:
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

I looked in the library and couldn't find the answer to my question. I'm not sure whether or not to be tested for sleep apnea, my surgeon does not require it and I'm not sure what I should be looking for. Thank you for your help and I hope not to bother anyone! :)    — Rebekah A. (posted on August 7, 2002)

August 6, 2002
Sleep Apnea has several potential symptoms including: severe snoring; waking intermittantly during the night; having a headache when you wake up; elevated blood pressure; being drowsy or falling asleep at inappropriate times, i.e. while driving or at your desk at work; memory loss; irritability/anxiety. <BR> Personally, About a year ago, my DH said I had begun to snore. and I found I was waking-up about every 45 minutes to an hour each night. Next came the headaches and the crabbiness/irritability (I was a real PITA to those close to me. Then, I began to nod off occasionally at my desk at work. Finally one day, I fell asleep at the wheel and awoke again as my car was going off the side of the road. Fortunately, I was not injured, nor did I hurt anyone else. I have a 60 mile round trip commute every day, so this episode sent me into a panic. My doctor responded to my distress immediately, and within 2 weeks I was tested, diagnosed with sleep apnea, and using a CPAP. This was about 6 months before my WLS. I can safely say that the CPAP saved my life, and possibly the lives of others. <BR> I will also say that I have noticed improvement in my sleeping/breathing since my WLS (almost 45 lbs gone). And, I am looking forward to being able to stop using my CPAP. <BR> If you THINK you might have sleep apnea - GET IT CHECKED. THIS A LIFE-THREATENING DISORDER.
   — [Deactivated Member]

August 6, 2002
Please read the memorial on Ginger Brewster on the memorial page at www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/wlsmemorial.phtml to find out how dangerous it is to go into surgery with untreated sleep apnea! I welcome any comments on either Ginger's surgery page or my e-mail. PLEASE go get tested for sleep apnea and if you have it PLEASE get treated before surgery.
   — Hackett

August 7, 2002
My honest opinion: If your dr doesn't require a test for sleep apnea I would take a hard look at their practices. Studies have shown that patients with sleep apnea require extra care because the drugs used during and after the surgery can cause sleep apnea to worsen to the point of causing DEATH (like Ginger Brewster). If your dr is not aware or concerned about that I would start asking some hard questions. I was lucky and didn't have it (yes my dr tested me) but my husband does. It is awful. I sometimes don't think he's going to make it through the night and I have to keep poking him to make him turn over. We are waiting now for a CPAP. Sorry to be blunt but golly I sure don't like reading those bad news posts! =( Best of luck to you!
   — ctyst

August 7, 2002
I found a website that has a sleep apena quiz you can take. I hope this helps!!!! http://www.sleephelpusa.com
   — Amy M.

August 7, 2002
Sleep apnea has the potential to be dangerous when combined with anesthesia and pain killer, so it is best that you have a doctor that understands the danger. I had severe sleep apnea prior to surgery. General symptoms are sleepiness during the day, waking up a lot at night to urinate, waking up with headaches, falling asleep at inappropriate times like at work and while driving.
   — Lisa N M.

August 7, 2002
Snoring with long pauses (not breathing), waking up with a startle and rapid heartbeat, gasping, tired all the time, waking up many times in the night, not dreaming because you don't get into the REM part of sleep when you dream, dozing off at inopportune times (in meetings at work), high blood pressure. After I had a sleep study and it was determined I had severe sleep apnea, I placed a little tape recorder by the bed and listened to myself after taking a nap. Oh my gosh, it was frightening. I snored and there would be long long pauses when there was complete silence (sometimes 30 seconds). This was when I was NOT breathing. Then I would kind of whimper and a big sigh and cough or gasp. Then the snoring would resume. This continued over and over. It was really a wake-up call (no pun intended) because even though I was diagnosed, I just did not believe I had sleep apnea! Until I heard that tape. After I lost about 35 lbs I quit snoring and I no longer have sleep apnea. It is important to have this diagnosed because your surgeon needs to know if you have it. If you have it, you will be monitored closely after WLS and possibly put into ICU for a night. They watch your very closely because with morphine and other pain meds, your breathing is affected anyway. If you have sleep apnea and no one knows, you could be overmedicated and not wake up when you stop breathing. Normally, without medication to make you sleep, your body will wake you up when you need to breath, but if your natural response is compromised (with meds), you could stop breathing and possibly die. I didn't use my cpap at all in the hospital because I hated it but I had oxygen and pulse ox with an alarm if I stopped breathing. It was a little scary when I was home after surgery and taking pain medication (oxyfast) but I used my cpap immediately after surgery at home for about a week. Ask your doc for a sleep study. It is well worth the time, money, and inconvenience. Most insurances cover the study as untreated sleep apnea can be life threatening. Also untreated sleep apnea can cause pulmonary problems.
   — Marilyn C.