Dh is being investigated for sleep apnea, one question.

[Fluffycloudland77]

His gp is ruling out the lump on his thyroid as being the problem first (it's a benign set of small cysts not a solid mass) so he's just waiting for an ultrasound and the results of a chest x-ray.

But, he's bought an oximeter (as you do ) and his sats are going down to 92-93 then back up to 98. His pulse is ranging from 90-110.

If it is sleep apnea and they successfully manage it with Cpap or a dental mouth guard would the sats and pulse normalise or will they always be like this?

Thank you.

[tribpot]

Yes, the CPAP or other treatment will be about ensuring the sats stabilise by regulating his system so his heart doesn't feel the need to go into fight-or-flight mode in his sleep.

The oximetry might be helpful to record but the sleep service will want to do their own study; I'm not sure the use of the oximeter is going to be helpful on its own?

[Fluffycloudland77]

Thank you Trib, he bought the oximeter off his own bat.

He keeps saying its wrong when he uses it so I have to use it to prove its working just fine because my readings are stable.

It's not sleep apnea because he'd "know" if he had it apparently

[tribpot]

Well yes, didn't you know that a scarlet letter A raises on the skin (A for Apnoea) if you're suffering - the author of The Scarlet Letter got it all wrong and much confusion was caused.

I can imagine that it's not pleasant to think you may have to sleep with a horrid mask on every night but that's how it goes. Clearly having his heart rate change that much whilst in his sleep can't be good for him.

I'm still chuckling about the idea of a condition that manifests itself when you're unconscious is something you would 'know' if you had.

[Fluffycloudland77]

He doesn't know what cpap is yet. I'm saving that one so he doesn't refuse a sleep trial

[tribpot]

First sleep trial will probably just be oximetry. So choose your moment wisely, i.e. not too soon but also not actually in the appointment about the CPAP trial if he's likely to storm out and refuse to participate.

[nemno]

My dad has this. He hates his mask but the thought of losing his driving license keeps him going with it. Once he had a sleep apnoea diagnosis his license was revoked until the apnoea was controlled.

I guess if your husband is a driver he might choose not to pursue diagnosis to prevent licence withdrawal (or his job if machinery involved). I think my dad would have avoided it if he had realised (I knew and kept quiet) but he really was a danger to others imo.

[Fluffycloudland77]

He won't storm out or anything but it will be woe is me.

He drives for a living, so I'm hoping he keeps his licence.

[Montybojangles]

If he is a driver he is being a bit of an idiot (sorry) for trying to ignore a possibility of sleep apnoea. Does he feel tired in the day, are you hearing him stop breathing at night? If so, why is he denying it? He could be putting people's lives at risk by driving tired at the minute. Does this not concern him?

Why are so many men so bloody stubborn?
Why am I asking so many questions?

Ps. I'm speaking as someone who's father denied apnoea for ages before we wore him down persuaded him to get some help.

Good luck

[CMOTDibbler]

Driving with untreated OSA has more of a detriment on your driving than being over the alcohol limit. Food for thought there.

Most sleep clinics now put you straight on CPAP so theres no license revocation as long as your downloads then show you are compliant.

[Smellslikecatspee]

OH has structural sleep apnoea, basically he injured his nose/ forehead as a preteen, and then took up boxing.

Anyway I was the worst in the world when I made him go for sleep studies, and when he was diagnosed, I was the queen of mean.

Oh and he too reckoned that he would 'know' too, right up till the consultant asked if he could used his info in a write up as an atypical presenter with serious Apnoea. He asked how bad, and Doc said if he'd seen the results without seeing OH he would have assumed that OH was 60+, life long heavy smoker, heavy drinker, never excerised and at least 4 to 5 stone over weightat least .

At this point OH was in his 30s, never smoked, drank maybe 2glasses of red wine a week. Was running 10 miles 3times a week, and was slightly overweight, but only a few pounds rather than stone.


He has cPAP, it took him over 6months to be able to wear the mask for 6 hours+.

BUT he could feel the benefit after a week, and can really feel it if he's away and can't use it.

He lost weigh, because he wasn't eating to keep awake, he found doing excerise easier, he was fit anyway but finding it hard to get to the next level. He wanted to do more marathons but they were wiping him out for weeks, after 6 months with no change in his excerise regime he did 2 full marathons, in a month and 2 hard half marathons (cross country).

While he still resents having to use cPAP, he will admit that it has changed his life for the better.


From my point of view, I sleep better as his snoring. . . OMG real window rattlers, we can sit and watch a film without him dozing off after 5 minutes, or jumping up so as not to fall asleep. And the machine makes a lovely whooshing calming sound, I miss it when he's away.


Anyway off my soap box and to answer your question. A O2 stat of anything below 95% in an otherwise healthy person for any significant length is wrong it's jumping up to 98 because he's gulping air in.

The pulse rate is very off. I'm a very unfit overweight person and my resting heart rate is 72, which to my mind is still a bit high. OH's resting rate is under 50. (Am ex cardiac nurse)


OH had no issues with diagnosis and driving but IIRC it wasn't an issue because he was being treated, and he regularly drives heavy machinery so we checked it in depth.

Most people who drive for a living zone out occasionally that's why they have enforceable breaks, except he may not be zoning out he maybe having micro sleeps.

[Smellslikecatspee]

Sorry meant to say sorry for long post.


And good luck