British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association

[quote="alison49"]Thank you all for your kind replies. I have just done the Epworth Sleepiness test and scored a 1. As I said before I never fall a sleep or doze off during the day only sometimes if Im reading my book.
[/quote]

Alison, I too would have scored enormously low on the test if it had been in common use when I was diagnosed and yet when I took the sleep study I had severe obstructive sleep apnoea that is, thankfully, treated successfully with my CPAP. The only symptoms I had were snoring and coming to with a 'start' during the night (which I later discovered was due to stopping breathing).

No paper test is a certainty when it comes down to it (though I'll grant it can be a very good indicator for most folks). Make sure you mention the situation to your doctor. Fractured and impaired sleep imapcts so heavily on all the other areas of your life and your physical well being so it should never be taken lightly. I hope everything goes well for you.

Suse x

Hello Allison...........regarding your sleeping position, it might pay you to buy a V pillow, the posting below is a cut and paste job from Oct 08, I have now been using one for nearly 3 years, I think! They are not quite as comfortable as regular pillows, and you shouldn't use them in conjuction with other pillows, just use the one, it encourages you to sleep on one side or the other not on your back, where it all flops down your throat and you snore :lol: ....changing the pillowcase after you have washed it takes a little practice but as Joan Collins said the other week on ITV.."Life is not a bowl of cherries for anybody!" :lol: Cheers Ken



The V-SHAPED PILLOW
quoting from Dr Elizabeth Scotts book "The natural way to Stop Snoring"


[quote]
Sewing tennis balls into the back of your pyjamas has never seemed to me a very good idea. You are woken every time you turn and it is essential at night to be able to turn to lie on both sides. You can do this more easily with a V pillow........
A V-shaped pillow that lies under your head and whose wings keep you on your side is often a great help*(HOWEVER) If you have already some problems with your heart and your breathing and have to sleep on high pillows, make sure you don't slip down to lie flat on your back.[/quote]



*the "however" is mine!
I bought one of these pillows fifteen months ago (£5.99 from Argos) and seem to be going to the bathroom at 7 a.m. rather than 4 a.m.
They are washable (so what am I waiting for? ) and I am still using it - It's brilliant! , the only downside is that occasionally my shoulders ache a little, but I think they did that before ! Ken

Thank you all for your kind replies. I have just done the Epworth Sleepiness test and scored a 1. As I said before I never fall a sleep or doze off during the day only sometimes if Im reading my book.
I am going back to docotors next week for my High blood Pressure medication review so I will mention it all to her and see where we go from there. I have bought Nasal strips to open my airways at night but they just fall off. I am trying my hardest to sleep on my side, but i have always been a front or back sleeper so its difficult as your body automaticaly moves. I seem to have been better since I changed my pillow thicknesses and have the bedroom window wide open. Any way thanks all of you for your advise will let you know how I get on next week.

Hi Alison, Welcome to the forums nice to see another woman lol. Please try the Epworth test as they say but when i took it i scored very low on it. I have server Apnea and my Cpap is set at 13 at the min but i think it needs adjusting when i go back for my yearly yest next month. Keep up the good work :D :D

Hi Alison welcome to the forum ,

Firstly i would suggest not lying on your back at night try to side sleep ,lying on your back is the worst possible position for osa .

Secondly your hubbie has told you that you are stopping breathing in your sleep that would warrant a trip to the gp tell him your hubbie's observations and also as Alsa says do the Epworth sleep test and take that result with you .A good gp would then reccomend you to go for a sleep test which is called a polysomnograph test its an overnight stay in hospital where electrodes are placed around your head and your sleep patterns are monitored through the night, its really a simple test .
The test will determine if you have osa and should you have it you will be offered cpap therapy which is the gold standard treatment for osa .
In a nutshell cpap is air which is blown through a machine at a set pressure into a nasal/full face mask that will keep your airway open whilst you sleep and prevent the airway from closing.

You mention that you have high blood pressure that is a common side effect to osa once on cpap your blood pressure will lower.

You have taken the right steps by coming to the site ,now go to your gp and start the ball rolling .
If you have any more problems or need advice please feel free to post im sure somebody on here can answer it .

Take Care and best wishes ,

Hi Alison and welcome to the forum!

I think that your husband loves you very much and was both frightened and concerned by your stopping breathing during your sleep.

It is possible to have Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, and not be overweight, or have excessive daytime sleepiness.

However if you have had a nervous breakdown and are in recovery - and I appreciate your courage in mentioning it - you will be very sensitive to your state of health and your body's behaviour.

First of all, might I suggest that you complete the EPWORTH SLEEPINESS TEST - a questionnaire, that won't take more than a few minutes and is completely painfree! If you do a search for it on this site, it should pop up. You then need to discuss the results with your doc - your husband could come too to explain to the doc what he heard.

The dangers of untreated OSA are an increased risk of stroke or heart attack in your sleep because the oxygen that you breathe in doesn't reach your blood and therefore your heart and brain risk oxygen starvation. BUT if you are diagnosed with OSA and are given treatment in the form of a CPAP machine, the health risk will drop back to normal as soon as you use it regularly.

It has taken you a great deal of courage to post so far, so please just take a few minutes to do the Epworth test and make an appointment to see your GP. OSA is much more widely-present than you might think, so don't feel embarrassed, and seek a diagnosis, followed by treatment if it is proved that you do suffer from it. In any case, please continue to post and let us help in any way we might be able to. All the very best xx

:shock:

In the past few days my husband has informed me that during the night Istop breathing for a matter of moments when I lay on my back. He said this has been going on for sometime but didnt want to worry me. As last year I had a nervous breakdown and had a lot to deal with. I am better now after a lot of therapy ( no medication) but this is now worrying me. I am not over weight, I do not drink or smoke. I excersise everyday. I do not fall asleep during the day. So I cant understand why I have this problem. I do suffer from High blood pressure which is being treated by medication. (will I die from this problem) can any one help with some info.