My husband is a terrible snorer. It's often so bad that it will keep me up even if he goes in the other room to sleep. there are times when he be very quiet for a minute and then have a really loud, long snort like he's trying to catch his breath. Here is the incident that made me start researching sleep disorders though:
things have been pretty stressful lately and my husband hasn't been getting as much rest as he should. he's also notorious for eating poorly (as much as i try to change this). anyways, he was so busy that he didn't eat all day. tonight he went into the restroom to wash his hands while i was putting our daughter to bed. it started seeming like he'd been in there quite a while so i started to worry that he had passed out or something from not eating. i went and started calling at him through the door...nothing. started banging on it...nothing. I could hear the water running, but no response. I started yelling at the top of my lungs and kicking on the door (which really scared dd..poor thing!). still nothing!!! By now i was realy starting to panic...what if he hit his head when he passed out and is unconscious...always thinking of the worst. finally, i walked into the living room to get the phone and i heard the water turn off and the door open. I asked him, what were you doing??? His response, "just washing my hands." this made me angry cuz I had been so worried about him and it seemed like he was hiding something. "no, what were you doing? You were in there for 30 minutes, you weren't just washing your hands." At this time, he looks at the clock and gets completely shocked. He really thought he was in there for just a couple minutes. After he sat down and thought about it, he remembers standing there and starting to feel kind of dizzy/groggy so he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. The next thing he remembers is his head suddenly bobbing forward and waking up. He was in there sleeping for half an hour...standing up!
Do you think he might have sleep apnea and it isw makijng him so tired that he can fall asleep like that. He often falls asleep at the weirdest times...on the toilet,m while i'M talking to him, etc. Can you really be so tired that you just fall asleep that deeply while washing your hands or do you think he has some kind of disorder? I'm really quite worried!
We're waiting to get in to see the doctor, but hoping that someone has some knowledge/experience with this in the mean time.
Sorry this got so long and rambly! I really appreciate anyone who took the time to read it.
Thanks so much!  

Hi Mommy,

Yes it is very possible to be that exhausted.  Pre-treatment, I would fall asleep at the oddest times.  I personally felt it coming on however, like a magnet pulling me down into sleep and I was powerless to stop it.  Have him take this test.   If he scores high, try to get in to see the doctor sooner by explaining the seriousness of this condition and/or getting on a cancelation list.

Snore Score

Keep us posted!!

Vicki


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That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

thanks for yourresponse!  I had him take that test and he answered yes on most every one.  We're calling the Dr. to get an appt tomorrow!  Thanks for your help!

anyone else have a similar experience to this???  thanks!

Anonymous wrote:

anyone else have a similar experience to this???  thanks!

The effects from non-treated sleep apnea vary from patient to patient, some might not have daytime drowsiness, some might not be waking up at night to urinate, etc.  But, from the description of his snoring, gasping, he should get tested.  From my unofficial observation, a lot of us have been "diagnosed" by our spouses.  Remember tho, getting diagnosed is only the beginning, getting treated is the key to better sleep, and better health.

I HAVE A QUESTION. I KNOW I HAVE SLEEP APNEA  I JUST HAVE NOT GONE BACK TO HAVE THE MASK AJUSTED,I HAVENOTICED THAT WHEN I LAY DOWN TO GO TO SLEEP I WAKE UP BREATHLESS ALL THE TIME. IS A SCARY AND STRANGE FEELING...IT IS LIKE IM SLEEPING BUT I CAN FEEL MY BREATH BEING TAKEN AWAY, ANYONE ELSE HAVE THIS FEELING?

Lori..

I have the exact sensation.  I am just now realizing that it may be apnea.  I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night completely breathless with a sensation of impending doom.  Once I wake up and catch my breath, I feel fine.  I thought it might be panic attacks, but I (thankfully) am not under any kind of stress right now.  Actually, things are going great.
 
I am now wondering if my breathing is stopping and that is what is waking me up.  I think I might need to be tested.

mommy2aprincess,

I have not yet been diagnosed as of yet (I have my first appointment with the sleep study clinic tomorrow... I can't wait!), but I have been reading posts and posting here for quite some time.  Let me add my encouragement to the others' here.  Do everything you can to get him to the doctor to get checked out.  This is a serious problem that can have an effect on your entire family's quality of life and his quantity of life.  The closest that I've come thus far to a diagnosis is answering 'yes' to all the questions on Vicky's sleep apnea pdf.  Vicky, if you haven't posted it in response to this yet, please do.  I don't remember if I saw that in this thread.  Anyway, please take my advice for what it's worth.  I'm definately not an expert, just somebody seeing an incredible amount of similarity between what your husband is experiencing and what I'm experiencing.  I wish you the best with his diagnosis and treatment!

Yet Still Sleepy Scott

Yeah, your hubby is showing all the symptoms of OSA, by your descriptions. The "snorting" you describe is his brain waking his body up, to start breathing again. And it's very possible for apnea sufferers to fall asleep while talking to you or a friend, for example, or at other inappropriate times. OSA can occur hundreds of times a night and only rarely will you wake completely up. This is why OSA sufferers often go untreated for years, as I did, without realizing they have it. If you can get him to a sleep lab, to confirm it, then get him a CPAP machine to treat it, the snoring will be gone and he'll thank you for helping him get a good night's sleep at last. The mask will look strange at first, but he'll get used to wearing it in no time and not realize he has it on. Good Luck!


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Larry