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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if sleep apnea is an emergency?

250 replies

Sleepapneaproblems · 16/12/2023 21:31

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?

OP posts:
Original poster
Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 00:55

Thank you I’ve just arrived to the hospital further away from home. Just been triaged and the triage nurse said my heart is 110 but other obs look fine, and it’s a 2 hour wait so I’m in the waiting room now..

OP posts:
DyslexicPoster · 18/12/2023 01:09

Good luck. I have sleep apnea and am on cpap. I put on lots of weight, almost fell asleep at the wheel, at soft play, breathless, exhausted, symptoms of heart failure.

Turns out it was mainly low vitamin D. I had a heart echo among lots of other tests.

Original poster
Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 01:45

This is a HUGE drip feed and I’m so sorry to mention it now, but it’s only just correlated for me when I was reading up about heart health.

2-3 times a month I wet the bed, and it’s always fully before I wake up. Quite often I also struggle to make it to the toilet in time and specially recently without starting to urinate as I absolutely cannot hold in. Is this something to consider when talking to the doctor?

OP posts:
Sproutier · 18/12/2023 01:57

Yes, please include this. Good luck.

Original poster
Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 02:48

Waiting time keeps going up. The nurse gave me some medication for dizziness which isn’t working. Trying to tell them it’s persistent and not one-off. Asked receptionist if I could see her again because I feel very faint, she said there’s 65 patients already so I’ll just have to wait. The more I read up about heart failure the more I’m convinced this is what it is. Not in a health anxiety way, but in a ‘this would make total sense’ way. If I’m wrong I’m wrong but I hope looking into this isn’t ruled out.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 05:54

Still waiting :(

OP posts:
VeganNugsNotDrugs · 18/12/2023 05:57

Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 02:48

Waiting time keeps going up. The nurse gave me some medication for dizziness which isn’t working. Trying to tell them it’s persistent and not one-off. Asked receptionist if I could see her again because I feel very faint, she said there’s 65 patients already so I’ll just have to wait. The more I read up about heart failure the more I’m convinced this is what it is. Not in a health anxiety way, but in a ‘this would make total sense’ way. If I’m wrong I’m wrong but I hope looking into this isn’t ruled out.

Make sure you tell them this - I'm worried about heart failure as my symptoms fit. Did you say this started during/after pregnancy? Any family history of heart problems? What is your weight gain distribution like? Have you gained weight all over or is it certain places?

Original poster
Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 05:59

@VeganNugsNotDrugs Everything started after pregnancy. My belly and arms and face have taken the biggest hit, my belly in particular. Previously, I had always been bottom heavy.

OP posts:
Josette77 · 18/12/2023 06:02

OP are you ok?

VeganNugsNotDrugs · 18/12/2023 06:05

Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 05:59

@VeganNugsNotDrugs Everything started after pregnancy. My belly and arms and face have taken the biggest hit, my belly in particular. Previously, I had always been bottom heavy.

Any breathlessness?
Family history?
Swollen legs/feet/ankles?

Original poster
Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 06:09

@VeganNugsNotDrugs my grandpa has problems with his heart but I’m not sure what (my mum just mentions it a lot because he currently needs an op for bowel cancer but they won’t do it yet because of the heart). I get very breathless even just walking up the stairs and a walk around Tesco would leave me soaking with sweat.

OP posts:
Josette77 · 18/12/2023 06:27

Are you still at the hospital?

Original poster
Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 06:30

@Josette77 Yep still waiting to be seen. They don’t seem bothered which is making me feel like I shouldn’t be here at all

OP posts:
VeganNugsNotDrugs · 18/12/2023 06:34

It all sounds really unpleasant for you to be dealing with. I hope you start to make some progress towards answers. The thing that I was thinking of is cardiomyopathy (specifically dilated). It can be caused by lots of things, often inherited but can be triggered by things like viruses or pregnancy. I was sent for investigations on the basis that despite being fit and active (marathon running fit), my resting pulse was always up near 100 and a significant family history of "heart problems" which on a deeper delve, all turned out to be dilated cardiomyopathy, which I was subsequently diagnosed with

VeganNugsNotDrugs · 18/12/2023 06:35

And waiting doesn't mean you don't need to be there, it's just the shirty state of affairs at the moment. I was waiting recently for 10 hours with a toddler needing a nebuliser.

Ohmych · 18/12/2023 07:17

Good luck hope you get some answers.

Original poster
Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 07:20

But a girl who needs an ex-ray because she has sprained her ankle has just been seen and I am still waiting. It’s making me feel like a fool being here and I know they’re going to tell me to go back to the GP. :(

OP posts:
Lochness1975 · 18/12/2023 07:20

Waiting times are shocking at the moment, but you need to be there. Please don’t leave and wait until you are examined by a doctor and push for answers.

Hairyfairy01 · 18/12/2023 07:42

Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 07:20

But a girl who needs an ex-ray because she has sprained her ankle has just been seen and I am still waiting. It’s making me feel like a fool being here and I know they’re going to tell me to go back to the GP. :(

That girl is unlikely to be waiting to be seen by the cardiac or neuro team, more than likely the porters have taken her for a x ray. It's not comparable.

widowtwankywashroom · 18/12/2023 07:42

Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 07:20

But a girl who needs an ex-ray because she has sprained her ankle has just been seen and I am still waiting. It’s making me feel like a fool being here and I know they’re going to tell me to go back to the GP. :(

So you know for a fact she hasn't broken it?
You're trained in assessing an ankle injury and deciding if an xray is or isn't required?

Original poster
Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 07:49

@widowtwankywashroom I befriended her so have been sitting with her the last 7 hours. She had told me she sprained her ankle. Just going by what she’s telling me, no need to bite my
head off

OP posts:
Seagrassbasket · 18/12/2023 07:52

Hey OP. I hope you get seen soon.

Easier said than done I know but just focus on your journey. You are unwell and you deserve to be seen. I really don’t think you are wasting their time but even if they think you are so what. You feel unwell and you’re frightened to go to sleep for gods sake. Just keep on keeping on, wait, and you will be seen.

widowtwankywashroom · 18/12/2023 07:56

Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 07:49

@widowtwankywashroom I befriended her so have been sitting with her the last 7 hours. She had told me she sprained her ankle. Just going by what she’s telling me, no need to bite my
head off

Yes she has told you that, but someone has decided she needs an xray! If she wasn't concerned why did she go to A&E?

Original poster
Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 07:59

@widowtwankywashroom I don’t know, if you’re that concerned find her and ask her!

OP posts:
Original poster
Sleepapneaproblems · 18/12/2023 07:59

Thank you @Seagrassbasket xx

OP posts:
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