Been reading about sleep apnea and now I’ve terrified myself

[Kitkat99]

I did something stupid and decided to google and read up about sleep apnea. I did this a while ago as the dentist said I was grinding my teeth and when I googled that it said sleep apnea, which freaked me out, but I also have really crooked teeth and grind them during the day too.

Anyway I brushed the thought off and went on with my life. Till today when I decided to read up about it again, I didn’t see all the complications it could cause before and now I’m terrified I have it and don’t realise and something bad will happen.

There has been a few times I have had dreams where I think I’m swallowing something then wake up panicking. I don’t gasp for breath or feel like I’m exactly chocking, more like I swallowed something I shouldn’t (a marble for example) and it’s normally accompanied by a dream of swallowing something. This has happen maybe 10 times since I was 13 (7 years ago) and started around the time my anxiety did. I must say the idea of swallowing things I shouldn’t does freak me out a bit anyway.

I also wake up a lot during the night, I can’t remember when this started but I mostly remembered it occurring when I went through a phase of extreme sleep anxiety, and couldn’t sleep well for months, I still wake up a lot and have sleep anxiety but my sleep is over all better.

I’m normally tired during the day but I wouldn’t say sleepy, I’ve never fallen asleep doing anything like watching tv, but I find I can’t fall asleep unless I’m in bed.

The thing that scares me is allergies can cause it which I have, as I also wake up with a blocked nose. Also it said people with ADHD have a 25% chance of having it and I have suspected I have ADHD for a while now. I’m absolutely terrified now and feel like I’m not gunna get any sleep tonight. Wish I had never googled the damn thing.

[bin tenn]

I wondered at one time if I had sleep apnea. I know I snore. I've also woken up a few times in the past seemingly gasping for air. Asked my lady about it, and she's never seen me sit up and gasp or otherwise do anything that indicates gasping for air. I also have somewhat elevated BP (treated with a beta blocker). I asked my doc about it and she saw no reason to suspect it, only said she could refer me for a sleep study if I want to do it. Since she didn't find the need, I let it go.

A good friend of mine was diagnosed with sleep apnea years ago. Wears a CPAP now at bed time. His was quite obvious. He could sleep 8-9 hours a night, but he'd literally nod off at various points throughout the day. A sleep study showed apnea.

[Kitkat99]

I wondered at one time if I had sleep apnea. I know I snore. I've also woken up a few times in the past seemingly gasping for air. Asked my lady about it, and she's never seen me sit up and gasp or otherwise do anything that indicates gasping for air. I also have somewhat elevated BP (treated with a beta blocker). I asked my doc about it and she saw no reason to suspect it, only said she could refer me for a sleep study if I want to do it. Since she didn't find the need, I let it go.

A good friend of mine was diagnosed with sleep apnea years ago. Wears a CPAP now at bed time. His was quite obvious. He could sleep 8-9 hours a night, but he'd literally nod off at various points throughout the day. A sleep study showed apnea.

I’m just so tired of being scared of everything, I haven’t slept properly the left few days and now this will be another night of restless sleep. There’s so many scary things that can happen and it’s too much :(

I not even sure I’d be able to do a sleep study as my anxiety about sleep is so bad I can’t sleep anywhere else that isn’t my bed.

[glassgirlw]

I’m not sure how the testing is done in the UK but my husband just finished his test for it - and they sent him home with a machine to wear for a night and then he returned the machine and they read the results. He does in fact have SA (which I could have told him without the machine LOL) but now we are just waiting on his CPAP machine. No biggie! My stepdad also has it and has worn a CPAP for the last 20 years. He’s fine too. It really is manageable even if you are diagnosed with it.

[Shadowhawk]

A good friend of mine was diagnosed with sleep apnea years ago. Wears a CPAP now at bed time. His was quite obvious. He could sleep 8-9 hours a night, but he'd literally nod off at various points throughout the day. A sleep study showed apnea.
This is me to a t. It got bad enough that I could fall asleep driving, at my desk, sitting on the couch. I was exhausted all the time. 2 years on cpap, and my life turned around in a month. I wont lie, it sucks having to sleep with a machine, but it better than the alternative. Its not the end of the world, and can be managed like many other conditions...

[bin tenn]

I’m not sure how the testing is done in the UK but my husband just finished his test for it - and they sent him home with a machine to wear for a night and then he returned the machine and they read the results. He does in fact have SA (which I could have told him without the machine LOL) but now we are just waiting on his CPAP machine. No biggie! My stepdad also has it and has worn a CPAP for the last 20 years. He’s fine too. It really is manageable even if you are diagnosed with it.

I was going to suggest the at-home test as well, though I'm also unsure if they do that in the UK. I've read (when I looked into it before asking my doc) that at home testing is sometimes an option.

[Scissel]

I tried the home test and still could not fall asleep hooked up to anything.

That being said.. if you can find a doctor that will give you the home test, its better to be in your own home and in your own bed.

Best wishes and hope things start to improve overall.

[Kitkat99]

Ended up barely getting any sleep, just tossing and turning for hours the same thoughts racing through my head. Was still awake at 6 am and now my head hurts which is adding to the panic as it’s a symptom :(

I just want a good nights sleep but it doesn’t look like it’s gunna happen any time soon.

[ankietyjoe]

The lesson here is don't read about stuff.

[feelthelove]

i have sleep apnea my doctor won't test for it but i know i have it. My husband said i gasp for air during the night i know i do as it wakes me up , i take ages getting my breath and it makes me panic . I just had sleep apnea in fact and i got out of bed gasping for air and i didn't know where i was. My husband told me i am at home . I've never experienced this confusion before and it has freaked me out .

[Siffi]

I wondered at one time if I had sleep apnea. I know I snore. I've also woken up a few times in the past seemingly gasping for air. Asked my lady about it, and she's never seen me sit up and gasp or otherwise do anything that indicates gasping for air. I also have somewhat elevated BP (treated with a beta blocker). I asked my doc about it and she saw no reason to suspect it, only said she could refer me for a sleep study if I want to do it. Since she didn't find the need, I let it go.

A good friend of mine was diagnosed with sleep apnea years ago. Wears a CPAP now at bed time. His was quite obvious. He could sleep 8-9 hours a night, but he'd literally nod off at various points throughout the day. A sleep study showed apnea.

Yeah my friend had that as well. They thought he had narcolepsy at one stage. Think it would be quite obvious if the OP had it. My dad has it , but he's never had a problem with it during the day. I think it's more the moderate to severe kind that has problems like that.

[Phoenixess]

My dad has sleep apnea and he and I were talking about the risks of it the other day and how it killed Carrie Fisher from Star Wars so I was pretty much starting to convince myself again I had it.

Three things I did to calm my anxiety down!
1) sleep talking app record yourself asleep it has a free trial on it and listen to sounds you make in your sleep! Evidence!
2) wear a smart watch which tracks sleep people with sleep apnea sleep very lightly/ or wake frequently or out of 8 hours asleep for 5/8 they will be in a borderline conscious awake state that will register on watch. Hence the sleepiness during the day
3) ask someone to watch/check you whilst your asleep like genuinely watch you!

Don’t panic! Even if you don-undiagnosed it’s treatable and only causes problems after prolonged times xx


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