To ask if sleep apnea is an emergency?

[Sleepapneaproblems]

I have undiagnosed sleep apnea and am awaiting the sleep study for official diagnosis. After being in hospital for something unrelated the consultant I saw expedited the referral because I was struggling to wake and kept falling asleep during conversation.

I will fall asleep sitting up, sitting on the floor, with a coffee in my hands, eating etc, it’s getting really bad.

I get dizzy often and feel like I’m going to pass out when I stand up. I have a headache all day every day. I also get a frequent thundering in my ears which comes with waves of pressure.

this week the earliest I have woken is 1pm, my partner cannot physically wake me up and he’ll tell me he tried multiple times and I have no recollection of this.

This week has been particularly bad and I’m getting worried. I didn’t wake until 4pm and despite this still slept until 2pm today and im still exhausted. I had a fall two nights ago when I briefly woke up, stood up to go get some water and fell and face planted the floor. Currently have a nice big bump on my head.

Today im really feeling quite out of it and im getting a lot of palpitations and dizziness, and even standing makes me feel nauseous because of how light headed it’s making me.

I’ve barely moved off the sofa today because it’s literally exhausting me to move.

Really panicking about tonight/tomorrow because I hate not being able to wake up.

When does sleep apnea become an emergency, and is this something I should just wait to see GP/continue waiting for the sleep study?

I haven’t read the full thread, only OPs posts. I have sleep apnoea and use a CPAP machine, it sounds like that sort of treatment may be needed for you.
whilst you are waiting for your referral, what you can do is buy a Viatom Checkme oximeter - it is like a watch with a thumb sensor that you wear overnight, and it continuously monitors your oxygen levels while you sleep. Then you upload it to the viatom app and you get the read-outs. When I was diagnosed with sleep apnoea at the hospital, it was a Viatom Checkme that they gave me, and I had to bring it in the following day for them to download - it may be that your hospital (that you have been referred to) does this too. I would suggest that you get a viatom (approx £100 online), then adjust the settings so it doesn’t vibrate when you go below a certain oxygen level, then do it for a night or two and get the ‘raw’ data for what is happening when you sleep. It may be that you have very frequent apneas that are causing your oxygen levels to plummet - and it might be that if you can contact the hospital with the evidence (the data from the viatom( that they may prioritise your referral. Once you have done this (done ‘raw’ data, and contacted the hospital), you should then adjust the settings so that the viatom vibrates when your oxygen levels drop to say 85 per cent. That way, it will make you stir during sleep, which may stop the oxygen levels falling, so will reduce the severity of the apnoeas, hopefully leading to more refreshing sleep while you are waiting for referral. Also, while you are waiting for your referral (but after you have monitored your sleep for a couple of days, you should prop yourself up with extra pillows in bed when you sleep (that reduces sleep apnoea), or try sleeping on your side (which also reduces apnoeas). Do not drive while you are still feeling so tired - if you are falling asleep during the day, or when sitting up, that is a big red flag not to drive. Good luck!

I’m going to call the GP first thing @RampantIvy. Last time I was checked I was pre-diabetic, due to my weight but also because I had gestational diabetes during pregnancy (I was not overweight at this time). They did the finger prick thing yesterday and it was 7.9.

How did you get to A&E, be seen and get home in an hour? Do you live next door?

88% o2 is a medical emergency on its own and us classed as respiratory failure - my mum spent a week in icu with the same sats a few years ago!

@QuestionableMouse I live 10 minutes from my
hospital. Uber arrived in 6 minutes, arrived to the hospital within 15 minutes. Triaged 25 mins later. She then sent me home (as in, told me I could go home), I didn’t get back home within the hour. Not sure why I’m getting suspicious comments rather than helpful advice.

@QuestionableMouse And I didn’t see a doctor - just the triage nurse, who said there was a 4 hour wait but that I didn’t ‘need to be seen’. Sats we’re up and down between 88%-96%, not constantly at 88.

The nurse was wrong to send you home with a pulse of 130, lower than normal oxygen levels and a history of a collapsing at home. You could potentially have a blood clot in your lungs (PE) or a cardiac arrhythmia.

I suspect she has pulled a fast one by persuading you to go home of your own accord and then recording in the notes that you decided not to wait. You were not actually assessed and discharged.

All your combined symptoms are an emergency, falling asleep at random is dangerous. With sleep apnea this severe your sleep study should be undertaken in the hospital!

I'm surprised they sent you home but hope you get sorted soon.

my husband has it, before he got the machine they tested him he was sleeping badly and actually stopping breathing during the night so is urgent you sound like you need the machine to help you during the night

I’d go back. The nurse should not have sent you home. I find it is best to go in
and report the symptoms. Do not go in and say “it’s my sleep apnea” or “I’m having acute sleep apnea” or some such because I agree with other posters that while you probably have sleep apnea there is a chance something else is going on. The head injury is definitely something that should have been checked out. Many of your symptoms are not sleep apnea related.

You need to go back. Sats like yours aren't normal and should be treated as an emergency.

What did you say? You often have to be very blunt and not offer up a pre diagnosis (so don't go in and say you're suffering with sleep apnea, go in and say you're exhausted, have had a fall, have a terrible headache and so on.)

I feel way too anxious to go back tonight because it seemed she had made her mind up before she even took my observations. I’m so worried I’m just going to be made to look like I’m overreacting. I think I’ll just wait until the GP tomorrow.

I hate Dr Google but this is the closest my symptoms relate to so far and I’m so worried. I know I’m probably being over the top but still

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heart-failure/symptoms/

How have you been today, any better?

And me - I have OSA and use an Automatic CPAP machine. I was diagnosed with severe SA but never had symptoms as bad as op.

@HappyHamsters I’m still feeling the same as yesterday. Slept late, tired all day, dizzy and light headed when standing or walking, headache set in around 3pm, spent most of the day on the sofa in my pyjamas.

I am amazed the nurse sent you home. Did you explain about your 'fall' and headache? At the very least they should have given you an ecg and neuro assessment. Did they shine a light in your eyes or anything? I honestly wouldn't be afraid to go back, but do not mention sleep apnea.

Oh dear, is your pulse still high and still have palpitations.

@Hairyfairy01 I did but she just kept asking me if I’d spoken to my GP because she didn’t know what I expected her to do as it doesn’t sound like an A&E problem. I said yes I have already spoken to my GP and am awaiting a sleep study at the moment and she said it’s not like A&E can speed this up so to go home.

@HappyHamsters Yes it seems to be consistently high lately between 110-125 but 131 yesterday was the highest.

A heart rate of 131 is not normal and warrants an ECG at the very least. I agree that your symptoms don’t sound like ‘just’ sleep apnoea.

I would either represent at A&E (and don’t lead with the sleep apnoea, lead with the fall and the headaches etc) or call 111 and get them to refer you there. They may take you more seriously with a referral. And wait the 4 hours don’t be fobbed off by a triage nurse sending you home.

If you dont want to do that insist on being seen by your GP first thing tomorrow morning.

I could present at the other hospital near me (further away but not too far) with my symptoms so that I’m being seen with fresh eyes? My plan was to try my best to stay awake all night tonight so that I am awake to call the GP due to the Monday rush of people trying to get appointments and I know if it’s not 8:30am there’ll be none left. My partner has to leave early tomorrow to take my son to nursery and my GP don’t allow others to book appointments for you.

I’d definitely go back to A&E as you are no better. You won’t see the same nurse. Don’t be put off by a triage nurse. If you don’t like how that hospital treated you, go to a different A&E. I have done that. One A&E decided my gallstone attack was indigestion and dehydration- they treated me abominably. So I went to a different A&E the next day as I felt even worse.

I agree lead with the fainting in the kitchen, losing consciousness and getting a head injury. Then headaches, dizziness, fatigue, way more sleep than usual, heart racing…

If the sleep study comes up, just say yeah I might have sleep apnea because I snore so I’ve been referred, but these are all new symptoms.

Why haven't you addressed this sooner? If your partner sleeps in a separate room now, this should have been addressed long ago. Try sleeping by propping yourself up on two pillows. What is happening is when you relax and fall asleep, your throat collapses, likely because of too my weight and skin around your neck. Wait for the expediated NHS referral or go private to get a machine quickly. Even on diagnosis you have to wait to be given a machine, it's not the same day